A distinctively American brand of ballet emerged in the 20th century, developed by George Balanchine, the longtime artistic leader of the New York City Ballet, and such notable other choreographers as Lew Christensen, Eugene Loring, Agnes de Mille and Jerome Robbins.
Sometimes overlooked is Gerald Arpino, a native New Yorker who co-founded the Joffrey Ballet with Robert Joffrey in 1956, and choreographed nearly 50 works for the company during his more than 50-year tenure with the company first as a dancer and later artistic director.
