New York City Ballet: History and Mission Statement
This paper examines the New York City Ballet (NYCB), tracing the institution's origins from Lincoln Kirstein's 1933 vision of a distinctly American ballet company to its establishment as a world-renowned organization at Lincoln Center. The paper outlines key milestones in the NYCB's development, including the pivotal partnership between Kirstein and choreographer George Balanchine, the setbacks of World War II, and the company's eventual flourishing in the late 1940s. It also analyzes the NYCB's two-part mission statement, evaluating how the organization has adhered to its founding principles while embracing innovation in choreography, outreach, and community involvement.
- Introduction: Ballet as Art and Discipline: Degas painting introduces ballet and paper scope
- History of the NYCB: Kirstein and Balanchine found American ballet company
- Mission Statement of the NYCB: NYCB's two founding goals and outreach promise
- Mission Statement Influence upon the NYCB: How mission statement shaped NYCB's development
- Conclusion: NYCB's legacy and ongoing mission fulfillment
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What makes this paper effective
- Opens with a vivid reference to Edgar Degas's Dance Class at the Opera, grounding the paper in a concrete cultural image that draws the reader into the subject of ballet before narrowing to the NYCB.
- Maintains a clear two-part organizational focus — historical narrative followed by mission statement analysis — keeping the paper concise and purposeful throughout.
- Applies a nonprofit governance framework to evaluate the NYCB's mission statement, demonstrating awareness of organizational principles beyond the arts context alone.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively uses a funnel structure: it opens with a broad cultural observation about ballet, narrows to a specific institution's founding history, and then evaluates that institution against explicit mission statement criteria. This movement from the general to the specific, and from descriptive to evaluative, is a well-executed technique for short academic essays.
Structure breakdown
The paper has five sections. The introduction uses Degas's painting as a hook before stating the paper's dual purpose. The history section traces the NYCB chronologically from 1933 through the post-WWII era. The mission statement section quotes the organization's two formal goals. The analysis section applies external criteria for effective mission statements to assess the NYCB's performance. The conclusion briefly synthesizes both threads. Total length is appropriate for an introductory-level overview essay.
Introduction: Ballet as Art and Discipline
Edgar Degas's painting Dance Class at the Opera shows four women dressed in beautiful, almost ethereal ballet costumes, complete with sashes at the waist and perfect buns. Some of the women are waiting while others are preparing for what the viewer imagines will be a fantastic performance. Degas was able to portray movement, passion, and anticipation in such a distinctive yet persuasive way that the viewer cannot help but be drawn into the painting.
This is often the case with ballet — a form of art and dance unparalleled by others, yet studied by many. The grace, discipline, and physical demands that come with ballet are not only worthy of study but of admiration as well. As a short introduction to the art form, this paper focuses on the New York City Ballet (NYCB). It traces the evolution of the institution historically and examines the role that its mission statement has played within the organization.
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