The Hong Kong Ballet (香港芭蕾舞團) is one of the classical ballet companies in Asia. The Company was founded in 1979.
The Company’s artistic team of over 40 dancers is led by Artistic Director Madeleine Onne. The majority of the dancers hail from China while others are from elsewhere in Asia, Europe and North America. The Company performs a repertoire that combines 19th to 21st century classical, contemporary works and newly commissioned ballets.
The Hong Kong Ballet's repertoire reflects both the heritage and origin of ballet in Europe as well as contemporary influences, and includes commissions focused on Hong Kong’s culture and history, such as Firecracker by local choreographer Yuri Ng. The Company’s repertoire encompasses full-length ballets such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Giselle, and the finest classical and neo-classical works of the 20th and the 21st centuries, including Rubies and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux by George Balanchine, Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet, Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow and Coppélia, and Wang Xin Pang’s Serenade and Pas de Six from Mozart. The Company has also performed contemporary ballets such as William Forsythe’s Steptext, Nils Christe’s Symphony in Three Movements, Stephen Mills’ Hush and Stanton Welch’s Clear. The Hong Kong Ballet's commissions include Natalie Weir’s Turandot, and Stephen Baynes’ The Way Alone.
Since 1997, The Hong Kong Ballet has concluded more than 30 tours to 10 countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia. In June 2010, the Company took part in Expo 2010 Shanghai, presenting a mixed bill production and performing as part of Festive Hong Kong Celebration. The Hong Kong Ballet’s dancers also performed at the 4th and 5th International Dance Festivals held in Cali, Colombia; the 50th Anniversary International Gala in Brisbane, Australia; and the International Ballettgala XI in Dortmund, Germany. Most recently, the Company presented Firecracker in Macau in January 2012. In the summer of 2012, The Hong Kong Ballet toured the United States and Canada with a mixed bill featuring two specially commissioned contemporary ballets. The Company made its debut appearance at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and then performed in Aspen, Montreal and Santa Fe.