Bettijane Sills
Encyclopedia
Bettijane Sills had a long career in theater and as a soloist in the New York City Ballet. During her career, she danced for both George Balanchine
and Jerome Robbins
.
Sills was born and raised in New York City
, the daughter of Michael Siegel, a Broadway
musician/singer who had also performed with the Boston Pops. Sills began acting as a child, appearing in Broadway productions, including the musical 'Seventeen', and television programs, including 'Studio One' and The Children's Hour. She studied dance at the School of American Ballet
, and was invited to both the acting and dance programs at the New York High School of Performing Arts
(the Fame school).
She was invited by George Balanchine to join New York City Ballet in 1961. She was promoted to Soloist in 1963, and danced principal roles in many works, including 'Western Symphony,' 'Jewels,' 'Who Cares?,' Divertimento #15' and 'The Nutcracker,' etc. During her 12 years with the New York City Ballet, she performed in numerous productions all over the world and received critical acclaim as the "Wife" in Jerome Robbins' 1972 revival of 'The Concert.'
In recent years, she has acted as a repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust, staging the Balanchine repertory and choreographing numerous works for the Purchase Dance Corps as well as several other companies throughout the United States. In 1996, she staged Balanchine's 'Serenade' at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. She was designated by the Balanchine Trust to stage 'Allegro Brilliante' for the Orlando Ballet in Florida in 2006. She then returned to Asia in January 2007, to stage 'Serenade' for the Taipei National University of the Arts.
She is currently a tenured professor at State University of New York at Purchase and has served on the Conservatory of Dance faculty at Purchase College since 1979.
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
and Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
.
Sills was born and raised in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the daughter of Michael Siegel, a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musician/singer who had also performed with the Boston Pops. Sills began acting as a child, appearing in Broadway productions, including the musical 'Seventeen', and television programs, including 'Studio One' and The Children's Hour. She studied dance at the School of American Ballet
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the...
, and was invited to both the acting and dance programs at the New York High School of Performing Arts
High School of Performing Arts
The High School of Performing Arts, more formally known as The School of Performing Arts: A Division of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, informally known as "PA", was a public alternative high school in New York, New York, USA that existed from 1948 through...
(the Fame school).
She was invited by George Balanchine to join New York City Ballet in 1961. She was promoted to Soloist in 1963, and danced principal roles in many works, including 'Western Symphony,' 'Jewels,' 'Who Cares?,' Divertimento #15' and 'The Nutcracker,' etc. During her 12 years with the New York City Ballet, she performed in numerous productions all over the world and received critical acclaim as the "Wife" in Jerome Robbins' 1972 revival of 'The Concert.'
In recent years, she has acted as a repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust, staging the Balanchine repertory and choreographing numerous works for the Purchase Dance Corps as well as several other companies throughout the United States. In 1996, she staged Balanchine's 'Serenade' at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. She was designated by the Balanchine Trust to stage 'Allegro Brilliante' for the Orlando Ballet in Florida in 2006. She then returned to Asia in January 2007, to stage 'Serenade' for the Taipei National University of the Arts.
She is currently a tenured professor at State University of New York at Purchase and has served on the Conservatory of Dance faculty at Purchase College since 1979.