View source for Oregon Ballet Theatre

{{Short description|Ballet company in Portland, Oregon, United States}}
{{Coord|45.517051|-122.659619|type:landmark_region:US-OR|display=title}}
[[File:Oregon Ballet Theatre headquarters.jpg|thumb|Oregon Ballet Theatre headquarters.]]
'''Oregon Ballet Theatre''' (OBT) is a [[ballet]] company in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], United States. The company performs an annual five-program season at the [[Portland Center for the Performing Arts]] and conducts regional and national tours.<ref name="OBT history" /> It was featured in the October/November 2007 issue of [[Pointe (magazine)|''Pointe'' magazine]], with principal dancer [[Kathi Martuza]] on the cover.<ref name="pointe_mag">
{{cite web
|title       = October/November 2007
|work        = [[Pointe (magazine)|Pointe]]
|url         = http://www.pointemagazine.com/issues/2009/november-12
|access-date  = February 24, 2012
|url-status     = dead
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110208083352/http://pointemagazine.com/issues/2009/november-12
|archive-date = February 8, 2011
}}
</ref>
== History ==
The company is the result of the 1989 merger of Ballet Oregon and Pacific Ballet Theater.<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Ballet Group Will Perform On Monday
| work = [[Kentucky New Era]]
| date = February 20, 1992
| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ct0rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VGQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1738,4467511
| access-date = February 24, 2012
}}
</ref> James Canfield, a former dancer with [[Joffrey Ballet]] and principal dancer with Pacific Ballet Theater, served as Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theater from its inception until 2003.<ref name="OBT history">{{cite web
| title = About Us: History
| publisher = Oregon Ballet Theater
| url = http://www.obt.org/history.html
| access-date = February 24, 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120229223432/http://www.obt.org/history.html
| archive-date = February 29, 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> Under his leadership the company repertoire grew to comprise over 80 ballets, from evening-length works to contemporary pieces.<ref name="OBT history" />
===Stowell===
[[Christopher Stowell]] was the artistic director from 2003 to the end of 2012. During Stowell's tenure, the company added the work of [[Sir Frederick Ashton]], [[Jerome Robbins]], [[William Forsythe (dancer)|William Forsythe]], [[Lar Lubovitch]], and [[Christopher Wheeldon]] to its repertoire. New works have been created on the company by [[James Kudelka]], [[Trey McIntyre]], Yuri Possokhov, Julia Adam, and Nicolo Fonte. In addition, Christopher Stowell choreographed eight new ballets with the company's dancers.<ref name="OBT history" />
== Company ==
=== Artistic Directors ===
* Danielle Rowe (2023-Present)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oregon Ballet Theatre Appoints Danielle Rowe as New Artistic Director |url=https://www.obt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/OBT-Names-Danielle-Rowe-Its-New-Artistic-Director-FINAL1.pdf}}</ref>
* Peter Franc (Interim 2021-2023)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-25 |title=Peter Franc Named Interim Artistic Director, Kevin Irving Celebrated |url=https://www.obt.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/OBT-News-Release-06.25.21-FINAL.pdf}}</ref>
* Kevin Irving (2013–2021)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/performance/2013/06/oregon_ballet_theatre_chooses.html|title=Oregon Ballet Theatre chooses Kevin Irving, former head of Goteborg Ballet, as new artistic director|last=Hughley|first=Marty|date=2013-06-08|website=oregonlive|language=en|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artslandia.com/obts-2019-20-season-announced-30th-anniversary-season/|title=OBT’S 2019/20 SEASON ANNOUNCED 30th Anniversary Season|date=2019-03-11|website=Artslandia|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obt.org/company/artistic-staff/|title=Artistic Staff|website=Oregon Ballet Theatre|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref>
* Anne Mueller (Interim 2012-2013)
* Christopher Stowell (2003-2012)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/christopher-stowell-leaves-obt-2412799821.html|title=Christopher Stowell Leaves OBT|date=2001-11-30|website=Pointe|language=en|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref>
* James Canfield (1989-2003)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nwdanceproject.org/people/james-canfield/|title=NW Dance Project {{!}} James Canfield|website=NW Dance Project|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref>
==Oregon Ballet Theatre School==
=== School Directors ===
* Katarina Svetlova (Interim) (2022-present)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Internationally Esteemed Dancer and Teacher Appointed Oregon Ballet Theatre School Director |url=https://www.obt.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/OBT-School-Announces-New-Director-Katarina-Svetlova.pdf}}</ref>
* Marion Tonner (2018–2022)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.obt.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/OBT-Names-New-School-Director_Final.pdf|title=OBT Names New School Director|website=Oregon Ballet Theatre|access-date=September 17, 2019}}</ref>
* Anthony Jones (2013-2018)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://schooloforegonballettheatre.blogspot.com/2017/12/important-announcement-from-obt-school.html|title=Oregon Ballet Theatre School: Important Announcement from OBT School|date=2017-12-12|website=Oregon Ballet Theatre School|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/anthony-jones-school-ballet-arizona-10007740|title=Anthony Jones Named Director for The School of Ballet Arizona|last=Trimble|first=Lynn|date=2018-01-05|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref>
* Damara Bennett (2003-2013)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orartswatch.org/obt-school-show-a-serenade-to-the-future/|title=OBT School show: a serenade to the future|date=2013-04-27|website=Oregon ArtsWatch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-17}}</ref>
* Haydee Gutierrez (1990-2003)
* Joseph Wyatt (1989)
==See also==
*[[List of Oregon Ballet Theatre performers]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Oregon Ballet Theatre}}
*{{Official website|http://www.obt.org/}}
{{Dance Companies in the United States}}
{{Ballet companies}}
[[Category:Ballet schools in the United States]]
[[Category:Oregon Ballet Theatre| ]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Performing groups established in 1989]]