Ballet Types

Tarantella Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

There are many types of ballets to choose from when trying to decide which ballet program to attend. There are many different ways to describe a ballet. Sometimes the historic period in which a ballet was created will tell you a great deal. Often knowing who the choreographer or composer is might give you a clue. Titles may tell you everything about a ballet and other times they can be deliberately teasing or misleading. At New York City Ballet ballets frequently take the title of the score as the title of the ballet.

Part of the enjoyment of ballet comes when one starts to appreciate the “labels” or titles. It is not unlike learning about wine. Vintages, chateaus, grape variety, type of wine, etc. all come together when picking a specific wine to see if it is to your taste. Much the same is true of ballet. Like football or other sports, understanding comes from seeing it frequently. Ballet does not have “Hail Mary passes” or double plays; but its moments of surpassing beauty will cause you to gasp and send shivers up your spine.

Below are six categories that will give you an idea of the types of ballet that you can see during the 2008 Winter Season. Often several “types” will appear on a single program. The miracle of a NYCB performance is in the astonishing range of artistic vision and expression that comprise a single visit to the New York State Theater.