History

One of Ohio’s oldest and most successful arts institutions, Canton Ballet was founded as Canton Civic Ballet in 1965 by artistic director Suanne Ferguson and board president Jane Bingham Fawcett. The company presented its first public performance, The Nutcracker, to sell-out audiences at Canton’s Timken High School in 1969.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Cassandra Crowley since 1981, Canton Ballet is now one of the foremost arts organizations in the state. An honor company in Regional Dance America since 1984, Canton Ballet has hosted three regional ballet festivals, and performed in the Young! Tanzsommer festival in Innsbruck, Austria four times. With the School of Canton Ballet, a company of more than 45 pre-professional dancers, and an expansive repertoire, Canton Ballet is a highly regarded training ground for serious young people.

In 1978 Canton Ballet introduced the first school outreach performance of Peter and the Wolf for Canton School children, and has continued this tradition every year. This production is now seen by students throughout Stark and surrounding counties.

Director Crowley continues to raise the artistic bar and each year strives to further enrich the school and the company technically, artistically and financially. World renowned master teachers regularly work with the faculty and the company, providing challenging learning opportunities and international experiences. Guest choreographers bring unique diversity of dance styles and teaching styles to expand both the repertoire and the experience for the company dancers. From the beauty of classical ballet to the debut of world premieres by acclaimed choreographers, the current Season brings with it a rich, challenging and diverse repertoire. Cassandra Crowley and Canton Ballet are never content to remain the same, and the exhilarating repertoire is designed to keep the company vital, while enticing audiences to explore all aspects of dance.

Like all top dance schools and companies, Canton Ballet is in a continuous state of evolution, forever caught on the cusp between what it just was and what it is about to become. And so the idea that was born in 1965 in the hearts of Suanne Ferguson and Jane Fawcett continues to flourish as Canton Ballet becomes one of the most exciting pre professional training grounds in the country.