About Us

Pre-Professional Youth Company
The Buffalo City Ballet combines the talents of our pre-prefessional dancers and guest artists with aspiring students from the Buffalo City Ballet Training School. BCB has been entertaining theater goers throughout Western new York for over 44 years, offering a repertoire of renowned classical ballet and contemporary works.

The Buffalo City Ballet annually stages three major productions including the holiday classic of the Nutcracker to a highly appreciative adudiences. It is the only Nutcracker in Western NY that is produced and directed by African Americans' in Upstate, NY. In addition, BCB curates the only production with a diverse cast of children and adults from across Erie County.

A Bit Of History...

The Buffalo Inner City Ballet Company, Inc. was established in 1972 primarily as a recreational alternative to street gang activities for inner city youths, especially for African American males. The BICB addresses the community's dance needs and promotion of culture through two avenues: dance instruction and performances. The duel functions offered under the auspice of the BICB make it unique among dance schools & companies in Western New York.

Using the syllabus of the Russian Vaganova method of dance along with Modern and Contemporary African Dance, the BICB training school offers classes to the community Children, predominantly minority children residing in the inner city of Buffalo. The majority of these young dancers than take part in the various local production performed by the Buffalo City Ballet throughout the community.

The Performing Aspect of the BICB is under the professional youth dance company known as the Buffalo City Ballet. The company was established in 1989 by Executive Director Marvin Askew, as a mean; as a mean; to showcase the talents of local artists, particularly those of color. The organization's mission has always been to provide a serious ballet training to minority children, and to enable all of its students to learn all they can, regardless of their social and economic back grown.

Katherine Cornell Theater 1990

Rockewell Hall 1993