State Street Ballet is an internationally acclaimed dance company based in Santa Barbara, California. Established in 1994 by Founding Director Rodney Gustafson, the company is a pioneering collaborative that employs dancers from around the world, consistently striving for new and innovative artistic opportunities that serve a broad audience. Each season is dedicated to bringing the highest standards of artistry and originality to tried and true classical favorites, plus new works that reflect the contemporary nature and talent of the ensemble’s 20 dancers, under the artistic direction of Megan Philipp.

Choreographers whose works have been performed by State Street Ballet include Robert Battle, Autumn Eckman, Kevin Jenkins, Gina Patterson, Peter Pucci, Margo Sappington, Kassandra Taylor Newberry, Josie Walsh, and Edgar Zendejas, as well as the legendary Agnes de Mille and George Balanchine. Visionary new works draw from a team of resident choreographers including Artistic Directors Rodney Gustafson (The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet) and William Soleau (Carmen, An American Tango, Carmina Burana) and San Francisco-based choreographer and Emmy Award winner Robert Sund (Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Taming of the Shrew).

State Street Ballet values artistic collaborations and arts outreach opportunities, and is committed to enriching every community we perform in, large or small. Inspiring future generations and reaching a broader, more diverse audience is consistently a priority. Successful collaborations with the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, Music Academy of the West, and the Santa Barbara Choral Society have become very popular and much-anticipated Santa Barbara traditions.

State Street Ballet tours both nationally and internationally, boasting a 90% rebooking rate, rave reviews, and standing ovations from coast to coast. In 2015, the company embarked on a nine-week tour throughout China, performing Beauty and the Beast in 25 different cities, The summer of 2017 brought the company an invitation to perform at the International Ballet Gala in Santiago, Chile, and showcase the versatile repertoire of the ensemble. In 2023, following a tour of the southwestern United States, State Street Ballet took The Jungle Book to Osaka and Tokyo, and performed to sold-out houses.