Long Island Ballet Theatre

Founded over 30 years ago by Jan Hanniford Goetz and Sondra Forsyth, Huntington Ballet Theatre began as a vision for a chamber-sized ballet company combining professional and student dancers capable of performing alongside noted professionals. Their inaugural production, The Nutcracker, received critical acclaim from Newsday and remains a beloved seasonal tradition.

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In recent years, the company’s artistic leadership has included distinguished ballet professionals such as Anthony Jones, Angela Whitehill, and Christopher Fleming—a former dancer with New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre—who has brought original works blending classical, modern, and contemporary styles to LIBT. David Fernandez and Sayako Harada have also contributed as resident choreographers, enriching the company’s repertoire.

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Over the past decade, LIBT’s repertoire expanded beyond The Nutcracker to include classics like Coppélia, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella, as well as original contemporary works performed at local festivals and competitions. Notable productions also include Christopher Fleming’s Tales from the Crypt and a unique version of Alice in Wonderland.

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From young dancers as white mice in The Nutcracker to aspiring soloists, LIBT provides countless children with their first professional ballet experience. The company has continually brought top dancers, choreographers, and artists to Long Island audiences and regularly performs at the Huntington Arts Council’s Summer Festival in Heckscher Park as part of the Long Island Dance Consortium.