THE GEORGE BALANCHINE FOUNDATION AND THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST SALUTE GEORGE BALANCHINE'S CENTENNIAL YEAR 1904 - 2004

Ballet Companies and Cultural Organizations in New York City and Around The World Honor the 20th Century's Most Influential Ballet Choreographer in Performance and Special Programs

THE GEORGE BALANCHINE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

New York City - Beginning this fall 2003 and extending throughout calendar year 2004, the world will honor the genius of George Balanchine and will pay tribute to his lasting contributions as it celebrates the Centennial of his birth. The George Balanchine Foundation and The George Balanchine Trust salute Balanchine's Centennial year by acknowledging the many ballet companies and organizations who will honor his artistry, and by collaborating on special celebratory programs.

Balanchine's contributions to dance encompassed hundreds of ballet works, many of which are recognized as masterpieces of the twentieth century. His vast repertory of works is unparalleled in the history of dance. During the Centennial celebration, over 60 dance companies around the globe will perform his ballets. Major United States dance companies, including those in Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington. D.C., and international cities such as Amsterdam, Helsinki, London, Moscow, Paris, St. Petersburg, Stuttgart, Toronto, Zurich and numerous others will all honor Balanchine by presenting his ballets. (Full list attached – as of Fall 2004).

Balanchine changed classical ballet, and in doing so he changed the history of modern culture. He founded two American cultural institutions, The School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet, and is credited with having a profound influence on the cultural history of New York City. His contributions to dance are directly responsible for developing and solidifying the art form's place in American society and establishing ballet as a twentieth century art form.

For the Centennial, in addition to ballet performances, Balanchine's varied contributions will be highlighted by numerous organizations across the United States and around the world. These organizations include renowned museums, large libraries, performing arts presenters, governmental agencies, and significant universities. Considered one of the great artists of our time, these programs will illustrate Balanchine's work in such areas as his teaching methods, his choreographic process, his significant musical influence in the twentieth century, and his work on Broadway, in film, and in television - all of which helped to sculpt our cultural history. (Full list attached – as of Fall 2004).

The George Balanchine Foundation will provide Centennial updates as programs and performances are created. Information is also available on The Foundation's web site at www.balanchine.org.

The George Balanchine Foundation was incorporated in 1983 as a not-for-profit organization, five months after the death of Mr. Balanchine. The mission of The Foundation is to utilize the Balanchine legacy to advance the development of dance and its allied arts in the United States and throughout the world on behalf of the dance community at large. This goal is pursued through a broad range of activities and programs, including concentrated research, ballet reconstructions, publications, lecture and videos, and other innovative projects.

The George Balanchine Trust was formed in 1987 to facilitate the licensing of George Balanchine's works, trademarks and service marks throughout the world. The Trust endeavors to preserve the artistic integrity of the works by providing Balanchine -trained repetiteurs to stage his ballets for qualified companies and by requiring periodic reviews of the productions. The Trust further seeks to foster general public awareness and understanding of Mr. Balanchine's repertory and teaching.