Founded in Providence in 1978 as Festival Ballet of Rhode Island (later Festival Ballet Providence) by Christine Hennessy and Winthrop Corey, Ballet RI has evolved throughout its nearly five-decade history alongside the art form itself.

Kathleen Breen Combes, Artistic Executive Director, joined the organization in 2019 following a distinguished career as a principal dancer with Boston Ballet and later assumed artistic and executive leadership following Mihailo Djuric’s 22-year tenure as Artistic Director. Since then, Ballet RI has entered a period of significant evolution, with an emphasis on strengthening the caliber and breadth of its repertoire, investing in dancers and the creation of new work, expanding access to dance education, developing new audiences and partnerships, and building the organizational infrastructure necessary to support long-term growth.

In May 2023, that evolution was reflected publicly when Festival Ballet Providence became Ballet Rhode Island, signaling both the organization’s growing reach and a renewed commitment to reimagining classical ballet as a modern, inclusive art form reflective of the communities it serves.

Today, Ballet RI has established a growing regional presence, with performances at venues including The Veterans Memorial Auditorium and the Woodman Performing Arts Center in Providence, and the United Theatre in Westerly, where Ballet RI serves as the resident dance company.

The organization has simultaneously expanded its investment in the creation of new work, artist development, education, and community access, priorities that will become increasingly central as Ballet RI moves toward its fiftieth anniversary and beyond.