Buffalo City Ballet

Photo from Dracula
 

Profile 

The Buffalo City Ballet Company, Inc., was established in 1972 under the name of Buffalo Inner City Ballet.  The primary goal of the BICB was to create a ballet training program, to provide local residents of the greater Western New York area with opportunities to develop a strong foundation in classical ballet.  The BICB strives to identify and refine the dance talents of the area's youth, particularly persons of color, through dance instruction and public performance.  The performance aspect of the BICB is under the purview of the Buffalo City Ballet, our affiliated youth dance company.  The dual functions offered under the auspices of the BICB make it unique among other dance companies in Western New York. 

Offering ballet instruction based on the syllabus of the Russian Vaganova / Russian Method of dance, as well as Jazz and Contemporary African Dance, the BICB training school offers classes to community children residing in the inner city areas of Buffalo and beyond.  The majority of these young dancers take part in productions staged by the Buffalo City Ballet in the local community.

The Buffalo City Ballet is committed to show-casing the talents of local performers, particularly highlighting the talents of minority artists.  By offering competitive employment to its dancers and choreographers, the Buffalo City Ballet continues to have an important impact on developing and maintaining the viability of this timeless art form, as well as contributing to the overall richness of cultural resources in Western New York. 

A Bit Of History 

 

The Buffalo City Ballet has been providing exceptional dance education and opportunities to greater Western New York residents for the past 30 years.  Founded 1972 by Karl Singletary  an accomplished dancer, with
Niagara Frontier Ballet, the Buffalo Inner City Ballet was created to provide minority and disadvantaged children of Western New York the opportunity to train in classical dance.  The Buffalo City Ballet sought to foster artistry, personal growth and confidence in each child through the rigorous discipline of ballet.  Through the diligence and vision of BICB's founders and with the support of local and national funding organizations, children with little or no exposure to the arts have had the opportunity to learn to dance, to develop their artistic and physical abilities, and to display their achievement to a Western New York audience, all in a positive and nurturing environment.

In 1991, the Buffalo City Ballet Pre-professional Dance Company was founded by Marvin Askew.  To accommodate the  overwhelming interest and demand, Buffalo City Ballet relocated to a larger studio space inside the Tri-Main Center in 1994.  Today, the Buffalo City Ballet has grown tremendously in breadth and scope, and has evolved to play a vital role throughout the Western New York Community.  While maintaining our dedication and commitment to our founding mission, the Buffalo City Ballet is proud to provide exceptional dance education, training, and advanced dance programs.  Each year hundreds of children benefit from BCB's training school, and thousands more from outreach efforts to the community.

Pre- Professional Performing Youth Company:

The Buffalo City Ballet annually stages approximately three major productions, including the holiday classic the Nutcracker, to a highly appreciative audience.  Two of these performances each year are specifically made available for local Western New York schools to attend.  Of the contemporary productions throughout the year, one highlight is the annual Black History Month performance - a collections of pieces often including new works by BCB's own Marvin Askew, Executive Director, and Janet Reed, Associate Director.