Bossov Ballet Theatre (BBT) is a non-profit performing company and an international pre-professional ballet school, located in Pittsfield, Maine. Founded in 1996, it is now affiliated with Maine Central Institute, under the direction of Natalya Nikolaevna Getman.[1]
The Theatre was founded by retired U.S. Marine Colonel Michael Wyly, as an attempt to fulfill a family dream shared by him and his daughter.[2] He recruited Andrei Petrovitch Bossov, a former ballet star at the Mariinsky Ballet as the artistic director.[3] Bossov introduced the Russian imperial tradition to the Theatre, which was later named after him.
BBT offers both year-long training program and a summer intensive program. The training programs is carried out in the Vaganova tradition. Students enrolled in the year-long program are required to take academic courses at MCI along with other local and international high school students, in addition to their ballet training.[4] The Theatre has attracted students from across Maine, 16 states and 24 countries, who attend MCI and study ballet more than two hours a day, six days a week. Every year the BBT brings ballet productions such as The Nutcracker to local theaters and opera house. The troupe also tours internationally, performing in countries like Russia.[5]