State Street Ballet
State Street Ballet is a Santa Barbara-based 501(c)(3) non-profit professional dance company, founded in 1994, that produces an annual home season at the Granada Theatre, tours nationally and internationally with original productions, and runs professional training and community outreach programs funded largely by individual donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What State Street Ballet does
State Street Ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional dance company founded in 1994 by Rodney Gustafson and headquartered at 2285 Las Positas Road in Santa Barbara, California. The company maintains a roster of 20 international professional dancers and produces an annual home season at the Granada Theatre alongside a two-month national and international touring program that spans venues in the United States, China, and Chile with a reported 90% rebooking rate. Its repertoire mixes classical works with an owned catalog of original productions including The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Dracula, a dark shadow, Chaplin, The Nutcracker, and Brahms & Balanchine: Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, several of which were choreographed in-house and one of which is performed live with the Kronos Quartet.
The company's business model blends earned and contributed revenue across four streams: ticket and subscription sales for home and touring performances, individual donations and Patrons Circle memberships that constitute nearly half of the annual operating budget, tuition from the Professional Track program ($7,000 for the 2025-2026 32-week course, capped at 24 trainees) and the Summer Conservatory ($2,500 plus optional $3,500 dorm, capped at 60 students), and foundation and municipal grants from a network including the Ann Jackson Family Foundation, Towbes Foundation, California Arts Council, and the City and County of Santa Barbara. Customer segments span general arts audiences, K-12 students reached through the In the Theater outreach and Library Dances programs, aspiring professional dancers in training, and philanthropic donors. Under current Artistic Director Megan Philipp and Executive Director Cecily MacDougall, the company runs no disclosed technology stack or proprietary software; its competitive position is built on original creative IP, an international talent pool, and a multi-decade community and funder network in the Santa Barbara region.
State Street Ballet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- State Street Ballet
- Legal name
- State Street Ballet
- Website
- https://statestreetballet.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- State Street Ballet is a Santa Barbara-based 501(c)(3) non-profit professional dance company, founded in 1994, that produces an annual home season at the Granada Theatre, tours nationally and internationally with original productions, and runs professional training and community outreach programs funded largely by individual donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
State Street Ballet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Dance Companies (711120), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)
Keywords
Where State Street Ballet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
State Street Ballet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets and season subscriptions for home performances at Granada Theatre and touring productions
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donations make up nearly 50 percent of annual operating budget. Includes Annual Fund, Patrons Circle memberships starting at $2,500, Legacy Society bequests, and gifts of stock. State Street Ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with Federal EIN 86-0717486.
- Professional Track Training Program: Full-time 32-week trainee program with tuition of $7,000 for 2025-2026. Designed for advanced dancers ages 17-23 seeking professional dance careers.
- Summer Conservatory Program: 4-week intensive summer program with tuition of $2,500 plus optional dorm housing at $3,500 for 2026. Targets intermediate to advanced ballet students ages 12-23.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Track full-time trainee program (32 weeks) |
| Subscription | Annual | Summer Conservatory 4-week intensive program |
| Subscription | Annual | Patrons Circle membership - various tiers |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Supporter benefits tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
State Street Ballet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
State Street Ballet is a professional ballet company that produces and performs live ballet productions at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara and on national/international tours. The company also runs professional ballet training programs (Professional Track and Summer Conservatory), an Academy for ongoing dance education, and community outreach programs including In the Theater school performances and the Library Dances integrative arts education program.
Product overview
State Street Ballet is a renowned international dance company based in Santa Barbara, California, established in 1994. The organization offers a portfolio of live performance productions (including The Nutcracker, The Little Mermaid, Dracula, Brahms & Balanchine, Chaplin, and The Jungle Book), professional dance training programs (Professional Track Program and Summer Conservatory), and community engagement initiatives (In the Theater outreach and Library Dances). The company also offers Patrons Circle membership for donors and tours productions internationally, bringing original dance works to communities worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Nutcracker A holiday season ballet production featuring magnificent sets, Tchaikovsky's score, and performances by international professional dancers along with over 100 young dancers from State Street Ballet Academy. Aimed at families and general audiences during the holiday season.
- The Little Mermaid An original ballet production featuring brand-new sets, colorful costumes, and life-sized puppets. Follows the Little Mermaid's journey as she sacrifices her tail and voice to experience life on land. Targeted at general audiences and family audiences.
- Dracula, a dark shadow A newly commissioned ballet featuring Nicolas Blanc's choreography and Philip Glass's iconic score performed live by the Kronos Quartet. A cinematic tale with dancers and musicians united onstage. Aimed at adult and general arts audiences.
- Brahms & Balanchine: Slaughter on Tenth Avenue A joint season finale with Santa Barbara Symphony featuring Brahms Symphony No. 3, a world premiere by Nilas Martins and Megan Philipp, and Balanchine's theatrical ballet Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Targeted at classical music and ballet patrons.
- The Jungle Book An original touring production based on Rudyard Kipling's classic stories. Features an original score by Czech composer Milan Svoboda and choreography by Rodney Gustafson. Marketed to touring venues, schools, and family audiences.
- Chaplin An original dance/theatre production following a young girl on an Alice-in-Wonderland-esque adventure into Charlie Chaplin's world. Features choreography by William Soleau, Kevin Jenkins, and Edgar Zendejas. Marketed to touring venues and family/general audiences.
- Professional Track Program A full-time 32-week course for advanced dancers ages 17-23, meeting five days per week. Includes ballet technique, pointe, pas de deux, modern, contemporary, conditioning, and choreography with world-class faculty. Tuition is $7,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year, with merit-based scholarships offered at audition and monthly installment plans available.
- Summer Conservatory A full-time 4-week intensive program for intermediate to advanced ballet students ages 12-23, meeting six days per week. Culminates in a final performance at Center Stage Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara. Tuition is $2,500 for 2026 with optional dorm housing at $3,500 (includes housing, food, and transport).
- State Street Ballet Academy A ballet academy providing quality dance training as part of State Street Ballet's educational mission. Operated through a separate website at ssb-academy.com and serves as the source of over 100 young dancers who perform alongside the professional company in The Nutcracker.
- In the Theater Outreach Interactive, in-theater performances for elementary school students in Santa Barbara, Fresno, and tour cities. Includes mini-dance lessons and hosted question-and-answer sessions, reaching over 10,000 students per season. Designed for K-12 school districts and educational institutions.
- Library Dances An integrative arts education program founded by Executive Director Cecily MacDougall. Combines literature and dance where professional dancers and junior/high school students develop dance/theatre productions based on required reading assignments. Targeted at junior and high school classrooms and libraries.
- Patrons Circle Membership A donor membership program with tiered benefits starting at $2,500 (Patron), $5,000+ (Artist), $10,000+ (Corps De Ballet), and $25,000+ (Soloist). Benefits include donor recognition in playbills, invitations to open rehearsals, Season Preview events, post-performance receptions, and exclusive Studio Series access. Individual donations make up nearly 50% of the company's annual operating budget.
- Touring Productions State Street Ballet tours nationally and internationally for two months every season, presenting original productions including The Jungle Book, The Nutcracker, The Little Mermaid, and Chaplin at theaters, performing arts centers, festivals, and schools. The company maintains a 90% rebooking rate and has performed at venues including The Redlands Bowl, Fox Theater Spokane, and Fort Lewis College, as well as internationally in countries such as China and Chile.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10,000 elementary school students attend interactive performances annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use State Street Ballet
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
State Street Ballet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
State Street Ballet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and major.
- NoozhawkmoderateLocal news media outlet serving as media sponsor for State Street Ballet events.
- Santa Barbara IndependentmoderateLocal alternative news publication serving as media sponsor with editorial coverage.
- Santa Barbara BowlmajorMajor outdoor concert venue providing funding for outreach programming.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
State Street Ballet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ballet West: Salt Lake City-based regional ballet company producing a full-length classical and contemporary repertoire with national touring and a training academy—closely comparable to State Street Ballet's home-season-plus-touring model.
- Tulsa Ballet: Regional professional ballet company with an in-house school and national/international touring; operates at a similar headcount and repertoire profile to State Street Ballet.
- The Joffrey Ballet: Mid-sized American professional ballet company with a strong training academy and national touring; comparable to State Street Ballet across company size, classical/contemporary repertoire, and education focus.
- Sacramento Ballet: Regional California ballet company of similar size with a home season, school, and educational outreach—most directly comparable to State Street Ballet by geography, scale, and programming mix.
- Colorado Ballet: Denver-based regional ballet with home season, Academy, and educational outreach; directly comparable to State Street Ballet in scale, programming mix, and nonprofit structure.
- Pacific Northwest Ballet: Regional professional ballet company with a comparable mix of home season performances, touring, and training programs (School of PNB); operates at a similar scale to State Street Ballet with a comparable repertoire and educational mission.
Broad incumbents
- American Ballet Theatre: One of the largest U.S. ballet companies with global touring, an affiliated Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and a broader repertoire; relevant as a scale benchmark and the former employer of State Street Ballet's Founding Director Rodney Gustafson.
- San Francisco Ballet: America's oldest professional ballet company with the largest U.S. roster, an in-house school, and extensive touring; serves as an aspirational incumbent comparable in programming and education mission.
Emerging players
- Alonzo King LINES Ballet: San Francisco-based contemporary ballet company with international touring and a BFA program; overlaps with State Street Ballet on contemporary repertoire and training, but is smaller and more contemporary-focused.
Regional players
- National Ballet of Canada: Canada's largest ballet company with home season, national school, and international touring; comparable in mission and programming, but operates primarily in the Canadian market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
State Street Ballet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
State Street Ballet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
State Street Ballet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
State Street Ballet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about State Street Ballet
What does State Street Ballet do?
State Street Ballet is a professional ballet company that produces and performs live ballet productions at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara and on national/international tours. The company also runs professional ballet training programs (Professional Track and Summer Conservatory), an Academy for ongoing dance education, and community outreach programs including In the Theater school performances and the Library Dances integrative arts education program.
Is State Street Ballet a public or private company?
State Street Ballet is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was State Street Ballet founded?
State Street Ballet was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is State Street Ballet based?
State Street Ballet is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
How does State Street Ballet make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, professional Track Training Program and summer Conservatory Program.
Who are State Street Ballet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ballet West, Tulsa Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Colorado Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Broad incumbents are American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet. Alonzo King LINES Ballet is listed as an emerging player. National Ballet of Canada is listed as a regional player.
Does State Street Ballet have an API?
No public API is recorded for State Street Ballet.
What industry is State Street Ballet in?
State Street Ballet's product category is Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGADAA, Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire), with a secondary code of EDAMAAAH, Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance). Its NAICS code is 711120 and its SIC code is 7900.