The company was founded in February 2002 by Artistic Director Lynn Parkerson, the first of its kind in Brooklyn in more than 40 years. Brooklyn Ballet brings a contemporary vision to the treasured art form of ballet, with repertory and programs that revitalize and re-imagine the classical form. Our mission is three-fold: to commit to artistic accomplishment, education, and community engagement.

The Ballet presents its Company in an annual performance season in Brooklyn and has a professional Dance School located in Downtown Brooklyn. We also serve the community through educational outreach projects like Take Ballet to the Streets - our outdoor performance series, Elevate and Brooklyn Ballet in the Houses - our in-school dance residencies, and by providing low-cost space rentals and performance opportunities to New York City dance artists.

Brooklyn Ballet’s dedication to the community is wide-ranging.

The Company continues to create and perform new repertory bringing Brooklyn audiences the artistic excellence they’ve come to expect. And through our Education and Community programs, Brooklyn Ballet creates opportunities for new audiences to experience an aspect of culture which they may otherwise never have had access to.

In 2009, Brooklyn Ballet opened the doors to its first permanent home at The Schermerhorn, a residential development in downtown Brooklyn. Built and managed by Common Ground and The Actors Fund, The Schermerhorn provides supportive housing for artists of all disciplines. Our ground level space provides Brooklyn Ballet with our own storefront dance studio, access to a 99-seat blackbox theatre, dressing rooms, and administrative space.

As a community dance institution, the School offers youth and adult ballet classes allowing dancers to learn and develop their skills alongside professionals of all backgrounds. These classes provide training as well as recreation and exercise for the Brooklyn community at large. The School recruits talented children from its Elevate and Brooklyn Ballet in the Houses programs in public schools and offers scholarships to the School and to the rigors of ballet training.