Enchanted toyshop1

The Portland Ballet: Timeline

  • Nancy Davis begins training in Los Angeles

    Nancy Davis begins training in Los Angeles at age six with soloist Natalia Clare of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and later with Irina Kosmovska.
  • Davis studies at School of American Ballet

    Davis studies at School of American Ballet, on full scholarship, training with George Balanchine, Alexandra Danilova, Antonina Tumkosvky, Felix Doubrovska, Andre Eglevsky, Stanley Williams, and Suzanne Farrell, among others. She meets John Clifford, then a New York City Ballet principal and choreographer.
  • Jim Lane begins ballet studies

    Jim Lane, 13, begins ballet studies at Riverside Ballet Arts, founded by Mary Lynn Kunkle. Other teachers include Stefan Wenta, Kenneth Kreel, Clinton Rothwell, and Irina Kovsmoska.
  • Davis joins National Ballet

    Nancy Davis joins the National Ballet of Washington DC, co-directed by Ben Stevenson and Frederic Franklin. Dances in inaugural performance of Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Tours the country, including New York's City Center.
  • Lane awarded full scholarship

    Lane awarded full scholarship to Harkness House summer program; studies with David Howard. Enters School of American Ballet in New York City on a full Ford Foundation scholarship. Teachers include Stanley Williams, Richard Rapp, Alexandra Danilova, Suki Schorer, and other prominent ballet instructors.
  • Davis becomes founding member of Los Angeles Ballet

    Davis becomes founding member of Los Angeles Ballet
    Davis becomes founding member of Los Angeles Ballet, under the artistic leadership of New York City Ballet mentor John Clifford
  • Davis becomes principal at Los Angeles Ballet

    Davis becomes principal at Los Angeles Ballet
    Lane joins Los Angeles Ballet; Davis becomes principal at Los Angeles Ballet
  • Lane becomes principal at Los Angeles Ballet

    Lane becomes principal at Los Angeles Ballet
  • Nancy Davis and Jim Lane marry

    Lane retires from LAB after sustaining several performance injuries
  • Lane joins Portland-based tech firm

    Lane joins Portland-based tech firm, managing offices in Paris and Rome
  • Davis retires, begins teaching

    Davis retires, begins active teaching career with prestigious ballet schools in California, Oregon, and Hawaii while continuing to work as a guest dancer, artist, and model
  • Daughter Lauren born

    Lauren Lane - St. Louis Ballet Daughter Lauren - now a first artist with St. Louis Ballet - born
  • Davis on the faculty at Oregon Ballet Theatre

    Davis joins the faculty at Oregon Ballet Theatre after the family moves to Portland
  • Lane injured in car accident

    Lane injured in devastating car accident; injuries require lifelong wheelchair mobility
  • Davis joins faculty of several NW dance schools

    Davis joins faculty of Northwest Academy and Lake Oswego School of Ballet
  • Davis and Lane identify possible dance studio space

    Davis and Lane identify possible dance studio space
    Former Fulton Dairy garage (built 1919) in Hillsdale Shopping Center identified as potential studio space; business plan development and lease negotations with landlord Ardys Braidwood
  • Garage remodeled into dance center

    Garage remodeled into dance center
  • The Portland Ballet formed as Pacific Artists Ballet

    Alexandrous Ballard and Elizabeth Guerin (former dancers with Oregon Ballet Theatre) and Patricia Brewer-Jones (former dancer with Le Grand Ballet de Geneve) hired as ballet faculty. Robert Huffman joins as principal accompanist.
  • Doors open; 40 students enroll in open ballet, jazz, and modern classes

  • Summer Ballet Intensive launched

  • Curriculum program enrolls first 85 students

    Curriculum program enrolls first 85 students
    Curriculum program enrolls first 85 students. Inspired in part by Lane's experience training with Stanley Williams, the Academy launches the region's only Men's Ballet program Photo by Blaine Covert
  • Youth Company formed

    Youth Company forms, open to TPB dancers by audition only. Adds first Balachine ballet, Valse Fantasie, to repertoire, establishing a valuable pedagogical and performance link to the George Balanchine Trust.
  • World Premiere of John Clifford's La Boutique Fantasque

    World Premiere of John Clifford's La Boutique Fantasque
    Youth Company performs world premiere of John Clifford's La Boutique Fantasque, which becomes a Thanksgiving weekend holiday performance tradition through 2010 Balanchine's Raymonda Variations added to repertoire
  • Balanchine's "Who Cares?" added to repertoire

    Balanchine's "Who Cares?" added to repertoire
  • Name change to The Portland Ballet

    Name change to The Portland Ballet
  • 2008

    2008
    Masters Workshop launches, the first of its kind in the region to replicate the experience of a professional company with two weeks of intense training and choreography culminating in public performance
  • Collaborative partnership with PSU

    Collaborative partnership with PSU
    The Portland Ballet forges a partnership with the Portland State University Symphony (Ken Selden, conductor) to provide live music for every Thanksgiving weekend performance Balanchine's Serenade added to repertoire
  • Marzipan section from Balanchine's The Nutcracker added to repertoire

    Marzipan section from Balanchine's The Nutcracker added to repertoire
  • World Premiere of John Clifford's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

    World Premiere of John Clifford's "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
  • Mary Hunt and Josie Moseley join faculty

    Mary Hunt and Josie Moseley join faculty
    Mary Hunt and choreographer Josie Moseley join faculty, adding jazz idiom and modern technique to TPB curriculum
  • Building the Future expansion campaign launches

    The Building the Future campaign is launched, to raise $170,000 and expand the studio space by nearly 100%
  • Balanchine's Stars and Stripes added to repertoire

    Balanchine's Stars and Stripes added to repertoire
    Sixth Balanchine ballet, Stars and Stripes, added to The Portland Ballet's repertoire - joining over 60 ballets and modern pieces
  • Individual donor campaign tops goal

    Individual donor campaign tops goal
    The individual donor campaign for Building the Future tops $30,000, surpassing goals. Of the $38,500 total donations, $24,000 go directly to Building the Future
  • $70,000 first-time grant from M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

    $70,000 first-time grant from M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
    $70,000 first-time grant from M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announced, bringing Building the Future to 73% of its goal. Many TPB classes are held at a temporary studio during the construction process.
  • Record attendance at holiday performance

    Record attendance at holiday performance
    The name of John Clifford's La Boutique Fantasque changes to The Enchanted Toyshop, and is paired for the first time with his Firebird; audience attends in record numbers
  • Remodeled Studios open

    Remodeled Studios open
    Newly expanded and remodeled studios in Hillsdale open