Lexington Ballet

Lexington Ballet Company was chartered May 24, 1974 by Nels Jorgensen with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Jorgenson established a professional dance company and a ballet school with the same mission that exists today; to present high caliber productions, to educate youth in the art of ballet, and to engage with the community through outreach.

The first production of The Nutcracker was presented in 1974 at Transylvania University’s Haggin Auditorium. The ballet was granted 501c3 status under the name Lexington Ballet Company, Inc. in the following year.

Lexington Ballet's Community Outreach Program enriches the city of Lexington through a variety of initiatives. These include ballet and movement classes offered to schools, senior centers, and non-profit organizations. The program also stages performances for children at UK Children's Hospital and presents shows at the Lexington Opera House aimed at schools. Its primary goal is to make ballet accessible across the community. In addition, the program delivers excerpts from professional ballet productions to schools, featuring performances by professional dancers for grades K-12. These productions are also showcased at venues like Lexington public libraries, hotels, galleries, and others. The program fosters partnerships with community organizations such as the Humane Society, Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Club, and the Girl Scouts.Lexington Ballet's Outreach Program not only brings dance directly to schools, but also invites school groups and homeschoolers to attend full-scale ballet productions such as the Nutcracker and Cinderella.