American Contemporary Ballet

What American Contemporary Ballet does

American Contemporary Ballet (ACB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded by Lincoln Jones in 2003 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company produces and presents contemporary classical ballet works, including licensed George Balanchine repertoire (via The George Balanchine Trust), original ballets by Jones, and reconstructions of historically significant works such as Lev Ivanov's original Nutcracker and Petipa's Raymonda. ACB is the only ballet company in Los Angeles to perform exclusively to live music, staging 60-70 performances per season across intimate, non-traditional venues (commercial buildings and soundstages, including space at Bank of America Plaza hosted by Brookfield Properties) where audiences sit at stage level for an immersive experience.

ACB's product portfolio for Season XIV (2025-2026) includes four major productions (Death and the Maiden, The Nutcracker Suite, Balanchine: Twin Masterpieces, and Spectacular Balanchine!), supported by educational programs (Conversations, Dancing School) and a Trainee Program for dancers aged 18-22. The company also operates the Outsiders podcast, launched in 2020, which extends its programming to a global audience.

The business model combines three revenue streams: ticket sales priced $65-$140 per performance (sold through the PatronBase platform), tiered donations and memberships through the Ballet Society program ($500 to $25,000 annually) processed via Network for Good, and Trainee Program tuition ($5,500 for the 2026-2027 season). Customer segments are individual ticket buyers, arts patrons/donors, and emerging ballet professionals. Marketing relies on earned media coverage in major outlets, an email newsletter, organic social media, and the Ballet Society community. ACB maintains no technology platform beyond standard ticketing and donation infrastructure, and serves a single geographic market (Los Angeles) with no disclosed external funding rounds.

Name

American Contemporary Ballet

Legal name

American Contemporary Ballet, Inc.

Website

https://acbdances.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

American Contemporary Ballet is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces contemporary classical ballet exclusively to live music in intimate venues, serving individual ticket buyers, arts donors via the Ballet Society membership program, and trainee dancers in its professional development program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGADAB

Contemporary & Modern Dance

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYMPAGADAA

Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYTHAJAFAD

Dance Performances

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

SECONDARYEDAMAAAH

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

Keywords

• Ballet performances
• Contemporary dance company
• Live music ballet
• Performing arts productions
• Professional ballet training

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to ballet performances. Ticket prices range from $65-$140 for most productions and $75-$135 for The Nutcracker Suite. Sales conducted through PatronBase online ticketing platform.
2. Donations and Membership: ACB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Major donor program includes multiple tiers: Ballet Society ($500), Ballet Society Plus ($1,000), Ballet Society Premium ($2,500), Director's Circle ($5,000), Producer's Circle ($10,000), Leadership Circle ($25,000). Donors receive benefits including exclusive events, rehearsal access, and recognition in programs.
3. Trainee Program Tuition: The company offers a Trainee Program with tuition of $5,500 for the 2026-2027 season (September 2026 - June 2027). Program focused on professional, technical, musical, and artistic development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

American Contemporary Ballet is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit ballet company that produces and performs live classical and contemporary ballet works, including Balanchine masterworks and original choreography by Artistic Director Lincoln Jones, staged exclusively to live music in intimate, immersive venues. The company offers a seasonal repertory of ticketed productions, a tiered donor membership program (Ballet Society), and a professional Trainee Program for emerging dancers.

Product overview

American Contemporary Ballet (ACB) is a nonprofit performing arts organization based in Los Angeles that produces contemporary classical ballet performances. The company's offerings center on live ballet performances featuring works by George Balanchine, original ballets by Artistic Director Lincoln Jones, and reconstructions of ballet masterworks. ACB performs exclusively to live music and stages productions in intimate, non-traditional venues. The core products are individual ballet performances including Death and the Maiden, The Nutcracker Suite, Balanchine: Twin Masterpieces, Spectacular Balanchine!, and Burlesque: Variation IX, presented as part of Season XIV. The company also offers educational programs including Dancing School, Conversations, and a Trainee Program for professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Death and the Maiden
• The Nutcracker Suite An immersive staging of the classic ballet created by Lincoln Jones, set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed to live music in an intimate venue for audiences and families as an annual holiday tradition.
• Balanchine: Twin Masterpieces A repertory program presenting George Balanchine's La Source (first performance in Los Angeles in over 40 years) alongside his masterpiece Concerto Barocco, with live music.
• Spectacular Balanchine! A performance featuring Balanchine ballets including Who Cares?, Stars and Stripes, Western Symphony, and Union Jack, with music by George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa, and Hershey Kay.
• Burlesque: Variation IX A premiere ballet choreographed by Lincoln Jones that continues the themes explored in the Burlesque series, presented alongside Death and the Maiden.
• Ballet Society Membership
• Trainee Program A professional development program for dancers aged 18-22 focused on Balanchine repertoire, late 19th century works, and new ballets, with opportunities to understudy and perform; tuition $5,500 for the academic year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Performances sell out consistently - many shows marked as 'SOLD OUT' including opening nights and most weekend performances for The Nutcracker Suite
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brookfield PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrookfield Properties hosts ACB performances and is thanked as 'our hosts' in performance credits. They provide access to commercial spaces for ballet performances, including Bank of America Plaza where ACB maintains its studio.
• School of American BalletminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACB holds open auditions at the School of American Ballet in New York City. The school also provides guest teachers Suki Schorer (School of American Ballet master teacher and former NYCB principal) for ACB's trainee program.
• Steinway & SonsminorOthersIn-kind sponsor providing piano(s) for performances. ACB performs exclusively to live music, and Steinway provides instrument support.
• JetBlueminorOthersIn-kind sponsor for the organization, likely providing travel support for company operations.
• The George Balanchine TrustcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerACB holds license from The George Balanchine Trust to present Balanchine ballets including Who Cares?, Stars and Stripes, Western Symphony, Union Jack, La Source, Concerto Barocco, and Serenade. Costumes sourced from Pacific Northwest Ballet with Trust approval.
• MILK StudiosminorOthersIn-kind sponsor providing studio space and/or photography services. Contributed to Season XIV images and video production.
• Pacific Northwest BalletminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCostumes for Who Cares? courtesy of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Peter Boal Artistic Director. Provided costuming support for ACB's Balanchine presentations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Houston Ballet: One of America's largest ballet companies with a substantial Balanchine repertoire. Comparable scale aspiration, repertory mix of classical masterworks and contemporary commissions.
• Los Angeles Ballet: Los Angeles's other resident professional ballet company, performing classical and contemporary repertoire at local venues. Most direct geographic competitor for LA ballet audiences, donors, and dancers.
• Pacific Northwest Ballet: Major American ballet company with deep Balanchine heritage (founded by Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, both Balanchine alumni). Has loaned costumes to ACB for Balanchine presentations; directly comparable repertory and company model.
• San Francisco Ballet: Largest ballet company in the United States and America's oldest, performing classical masterworks including Balanchine repertoire on the West Coast. Comparable in mission, repertory strategy, and Balanchine licensing.
• Joffrey Ballet: Major American ballet company performing classical and contemporary works with live music. Comparable touring/resident model and Balanchine-influenced repertory positioning.
• Philadelphia Ballet: Major American ballet company presenting Balanchine and contemporary works, comparable in repertory mix, company size, and nonprofit operating model.
• Ballet Arizona: Mid-sized regional ballet company presenting classical and contemporary repertoire including Balanchine works. Comparable scale, repertory strategy, and dependence on local donor/audience base.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: America's preeminent modern dance company, performing contemporary work with live music in major venues. Comparable in pursuing a contemporary sensibility within a classical lineage and in cultivating loyal donor/audience bases.
• New York City Ballet: The principal Balanchine legacy company and home of the George Balanchine Trust's flagship productions. ACB's West Coast Balanchine mission positions it as an extension of NYCB's repertoire distribution strategy.

Emerging players

• Mark Morris Dance Group: Resident contemporary dance company with live music as a core identity. Similar artistic philosophy of pairing choreography with live musicians in intimate contexts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Contemporary Ballet