Frequently Asked Questions
How do I purchase single tickets?
By visiting our Performances page, you are able to purchase tickets using the links that we have for each production. If you need help, don’t hesitate to call us at 585-461-5850.
Do you offer discounts?
Sometimes! Please give us a call at 585-461-5850 to ask about any discounts that we may be offering.
At what age can my child attend?
We will post age advisories as necessary. Each parent decides what is best for their child. Can your child sit and watch TV or a movie for 20 to 40 minutes without being bored? If not, he/she may be too young to attend the ballet.
I lost my tickets!
No worries. We can reprint them for you at the box office.
What do I wear?
Some believe you dress to honor the performance but you should also be comfortable. You will see a broad range of dress at the show and everyone is welcome.
How long is the show?
Once we know the length of the show, it will be posted in the description for that performance.
What time should I arrive?
We recommend arriving 30 minutes prior to the start of the performance. This will give you enough time to park, find your seats, use the restroom, purchase any concessions and read the playbill before the performance begins.
If you arrive after the performance has started, you may be asked to sit in the rear of the theater until a piece ends so as not to disrupt the dancers or other audience members.
Do you donate tickets?
Rochester City Ballet works with a a broad range of social service agencies that we donate tickets to. We also work with organizations who partner with us and can donate to our activities. Unfortunately, we cannot donate tickets to individuals. Most of our donated tickets are made possible through the generous contributions of our friends.
How do you become a professional dancer?
Most dancers study ballet for 10 or more years and then audition to join a company. Many of our company dancers trained at our partner school the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education.
What do dancers do when they aren't on stage?
A normal work day for our dancers begins with a ballet class and then, after a small break, rehearsals – five days a week – and approximating six hours a day depending on each dancer’s rehearsal schedule.
Can children dance on stage?
Children who take ballet lessons sometimes are asked to dance small roles. More than 175 local children from ballet schools throughout the region dance in our Nutcracker. Look for the public auditions in August.
Is ballet just for girls?
Never! Ballet dancers are elite athletes and to dance at a professional level requires great co-ordination and strength. Ballets features many exciting roles for male dancers to show off their athleticism and power.
Don't dancers get dizzy when they turn?
No, they don’t get dizzy because they are taught “spotting.” Before they turn, they choose something on the wall, or somewhere else in front of them, to look at — a clock, a door, a light — and they try to keep looking at it as they are quickly revolving around and around.
Do all ballets tell stories?
Story ballets such as Giselle, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake present a straightforward narrative through dance and mime. Abstract ballets have no story and instead focus around a mood or emotional moment in which the movement and patterns are the focal point. Whether a story ballet or not, audiences can just sit back and enjoy what the dancers bring to the stage.