Georg Melitonovich Balanchivadze is born on January 22nd in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Begins piano lessons.
Begins studies at the Imperial Theater School in St. Petersburg. Appears with other students at the Maryinsky Theater.
The Imperial Theater School is closed because of the Revolution, but reopens the next year as the Soviet State School of Ballet.
Choreographs his first piece, a duet entitled LA NUIT. Enters the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music.
Graduates and joins the Maryinsky Theatre, which had been renamed the State Theater of Opera and Ballet.
Forms the Young Ballet which creates and performs experimental dance.
Along with three other dancers, leaves USSR to tour Germany, London, and Paris.
Joins Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris. Diaghilev makes Balanchinvadze his principle choreographer and convinces him to change his name to Balanchine. Meets Igor Stravinsky.
APOLLO, his first work in collaboration with Stravinsky.
Diaghilev dies. Choreographs PRODIGAL SON.
Spends the next few years as choreographer for several dance companies in Europe.
Co-founds avant-garde company Les Ballets 1933 and creates works including THE SEVEN DEADLY SIN, ERRANTE, LES SONGES, and FASTES. Meets Lincoln Kirstein who convinces him to move to America.
With Kirstein, founds School of American Ballet in New York. SERENADE.
With Kirstein, founds the American Ballet.
SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE ballet in the film ON YOUR TOES, which he had originally created on Broadway.
Choreographs the film Goldwyn Follies.
His American Ballet Caravan tours South America. CONCERTO BAROCCO and BALLET IMPERIAL.
Worked for the Original Ballet Russe, which toured much of the U.S. during the war years.
With Kirstein, founds the Ballet Society. THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS
The Ballet Society becomes the New York City Ballet. He will remain Master in Chief (head choreographer) there for the rest of his life. ORPHEUS.
Jerome Robbins joins the New York City Ballet.
THE NUTCRACKER.
AGON.
EPISODES, choreographed with Martha Graham.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
The Ford Foundation grants almost $8 million to the New York City Ballet. The Company moves to their new home at Lincoln Center.
DON QUIXOTE.
Receives France's Legion of Honor.
PBS series "Dance in America" introduces many works to television audiences.
Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dies on April 30th in New York City at the age of 79.
