American Ballet Theatre: A History

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

RMPBS Passport

Please log in to your PBS Passport account to watch this video

Become a Member

American Ballet Theatre: A History

Season 29 Episode 4 | 83m 10s | CC

Ric Burns’ documentary on the 75-year history of the preeminent ballet company combines rehearsal footage, virtuoso performances and interviews with ABT's key figures including Alicia Alonso and the late Donald Saddler and Frederic Franklin; Susan Jaffe and Julie Kent, Misty Copeland, Gillian Murphy, Marcelo Gomez, Hee Seo, choreographer Alexei Ratmansky and Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

American Masters

Watch more episodes

54:14

American Masters

The Women's List

Meet 15 women who define contemporary American culture in Greenfield-Sanders’ new film.

53:10

American Masters

Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice

The inimitable magician and his mysterious world of sleight-of-hand artists and conjurers.

01:24:39

American Masters

August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand

The first documentary about the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning playwright August Wilson.

Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo and Patricia Yuen, Lillian Goldman Programming Endowment, Seton J. Melvin, Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, Anita and Jay Kaufman, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The Ambrose Monell Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Charina Endowment Fund, The Marc Haas Foundation and public television viewers.

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

Get trusted Colorado stories, programs, and events from Rocky Mountain PBS straight to your inbox.

Set Your Preferences >