My son and I took Carey Pickens' ballet class. We had the best class ever! After searching for thorough, creative, fun ballet classes throughout Houston, this is the ONLY ballet class to take. The entire class was engaging and Ms. Pickens made the experience fun. She was extremely knowledgeable about the art form itself connecting it to the human form. Greatest ballet class in Houston. read more

Houston Ballet - Houston Ballet Dance Class with Carey Pickens. After years of searching for a great ballet teacher in Houston we found her! Thanks so much! - Dance Studios Near Me - Houston, Texas

First time at the Houston ballet and I thought it was beautiful. Me and my friend purchased tickets for the '30 under 30' special ($15 each). We sat in the Grand Tier section on row A. For $15 I don't think the view was that bad. We went for the "Rock, Roll, & Tutus", I love classical ballet so it wasn't what I was expecting but it was good. Didn't really care for the tap ballet performances. It's pretty long so be prepared to sit for a long time. I'm giving it a 3 because of the RUDE customer service. Purchasing my tickets over the phone was a hassle. Secondly, me and my friend were interrupted TWICE while talking to another couple by an employee who wanted to check our tickets. We were practically followed every time we got up during intermission. The employee did not bother checking anyone else's ticket in the area which was strange. It was such uncomfortable experience! read more

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This was my second time seeing the nutcracker at the Houston ballet. This time we had closer seats (won them in an auction - score!) so we were able to see their facial expressions, makeup, everything! It was such a good show, with such talented dancers. Loved every minute from start to finish. The venue was extremely clean, and they offered such good snacks (charcuterie, muffins, croissants, etc.). All of the stuff was extremely helpful in helping locate our seats and directing us to our designated area. Can't wait to do it again next year! read more

Houston Ballet - Dance Studios Near Me - Houston, Texas

Beautiful ballet company with beautiful dancers, live orchestra, and comfortable modern theater. The dancers are among the best I've seen in the United States and across much of Europe. I flew from San Francisco for a long weekend to see two performances of the same show and was happily surprised at the quality of the dancing, the music, the sets and staging and the theater. If you get a chance to go to Houston and see their ballet company, do it! read more

Last night, I attended Houston Ballet's performance of The Little Mermaid. It was my first trip to the ballet and I really enjoyed myself! The production was beautiful, lasting about 2 1/2 hours. The seats were comfortable and the view from the grand tier was great because we were able to see the whole stage and appreciate the dance formations. Before the show and during intermission, spectators can venture around the mezzanine where there are plenty tables, food stalls, cocktail bars, and windows overlooking downtown. read more

Houston Ballet - View of the stage from the Grand Tier seating level - Dance Studios Near Me - Houston, Texas

What a great show! The Nutcracker is absolutely one of the most delightful and beloved traditions at Christmastime. I'd been to see The Nutcracker years ago when my daughter was a child; this time around it was with my granddaughter. At 7, she was the perfect age to get all dressed up and come see an enchanting performance. Yes, tickets can be expensive (we had orchestra-level seats), but it's so worth it. The magic is especially evident at that level. The music, the dancers, the special effects (snow, for instance!) made for a great experience. The Houston Ballet is a treasure and this is a show that should not be missed. A plea to parents, though: if you have a young child that cannot sit through a movie-theater showing, please DO NOT bring them to the ballet. Children ages 2, 3 or 4 most likely do not have the attention span to sit through both acts and an intermission (a total of approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours). Please, think of the others in the audience that will have to endure your child's fidgeting, screaming, crying and yelling before you drop a chunk of change on a ticket for a show that they likely will never remember. read more

I have only ever seen the Houston Ballet's Nutcracker, but it keeps me coming back because it is such an immersive, whimsical performance. I can only imagine what other productions are like and keep telling myself I need to check them out. We are so lucky to have such a skilled company at our fingertips in Houston - support them and see their performances! read more

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I love visiting the Houston Ballet at Wortham Center. I came to see the Ballet - Good Vibrations. It included 3 seperate programs. The first was the Letter V- it was so fun, and creative. The second was The Red Earth. It was very dark and stormy. The third was Good Vibrations. I love the story of life and death and the ocean. It was wonderful to see expression of life without words. Will continue to return to the Ballet. read more

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We came for The Nutcracker for our first time to the ballet. It was absolutely beautiful! We sat in the Grand Tier, and we had a wonderful view of everything. I think next time we will sit down in the orchestra section so we are sure to be able to see the whole stage, but for our first time, we had the best night! We can't wait to make this an annual tradition, and also come back for other shows throughout the year. read more

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What an amazing performance!!! Every time I go to see the Houston Ballet it amazes me. Beautiful settings and very creative.

Little Mermaid production was macabre, I wish there had been a PG-13 rating posted and displayed. With so many little girls present (thankfully many had gone home early). The audience should have been prepared for a story of self-harm and attempted murder. The second act was particularly depressing...it affected me. I fear the dread put in some young hearts. (Production/choreography was fabulous, which is why a 3-star. read more

Amazing Day at the Houston Ballet!! Swan Lake was absolutely beautiful! Also, highly recommend purchasing the VIP experience it's 100% worth it. Drinks (including Wine & Beer), appetizers and sweets, plus a private bathroom. Best part was we got to go back stage and take pictures and autographs with the ballerinas!! Loved every minute!! Thank you for an incredible performance and experience! read more

Houston Ballet - Dance Studios Near Me - Houston, Texas

We loved every minute at the Opening Weekend Sunday afternoon showing of Peter Pan at the Houston Ballet. The staff was kind, professional and amazingly respectful and I loved the professional attired of the staff, it made the event 1st class. The actual show helped my 12 year daughter an honor roll student to find courage at school the next day like Peter Pan had, that lead him to find friendships and even love and a family in the end. read more

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I have seen several performances at the Houston Ballet and have enjoyed the talent they bring every single time. I had a similar experience as one Yelp reviewer who complained about communication after Harvey. It burned me to no end, but I decided to go see The Nutcracker this year. I will say this: please keep the age of your children in relation to those around you when buying tickets. One group in front of us brought a three-year-old who couldn't sit still during Act II and wanted to talk the entire second half. I thought (and hoped) they would be asked to leave. The woman next to her tried taking pictures during the performance and then attempted to argue with the security chick who told her it was against policy. Another woman in their group was also warned by a different security person. You aren't above the rules. They want your phones put away, kids in their seats, and eyes on the performance. If you can't do those three things, don't go. I also believe the ballet should set a minimum age requirement to attend for the sake of others around them. All of that aside, I can't wait to return again for another performance. read more

This was my first time at the Houston Ballet! I have been waiting 5+ years to attend the Houston Ballet! Tickets were always so expensive, but this time I was able to snag tickets to The Nutcracker! As a child, I watched the movie and learned the music in my orchestra class. All I remembered prior to the performance was my fear of the Rat King. Luckily, some bravery kicked in as well as pleasant choreography for the Ballet. It was also pleasant to hear the laughter of children when it's a production of no words. This experience was tons better than my experience at Stafford Centre. I wish there were more Ballet selections in Houston rather than just seasonally. read more

It was confusing. I went to the cinderlla play and it was just confusing. Shes supposed to end up with prince charming not the other guy. The dancing was amazing but the play in general didnt make sense. read more

Well, look at it this way, we're in the fourth largest city in the United States, the ballet is gonna be GOOD. Dare I say, WORLD CLASS. This isn't the ballet where you watch the neighborhood kids work their way through. This is the ballet where the kids WORK their way though. The sheer amount of spinning that didn't involve ice skates got me dizzy. So, this is specifically for the Nutcracker. Not familiar with the story? No need. You can watch it play out in real time as you are entranced by the dancers and musicians digging into a story written in the early 1800's and the. Put to music in the late 1800's. There are no words, so don't expect dialogue or singing. Getting tickets was a breeze, online through their website. Getting in was a breeze. They recommend not to bring your phone, but your ticket is a QR Code, so... you'll need your phone. They scan you and you go up the escalators to the lobby. And boy howdy do the folks here dress fancy. If I had a tux, I would have worn it. But since it IS TEXAS, Cowboy casual works just as well. The lobby offers food and drinks, so you don't have to rush through a restaurant beforehand. $8.00 gets you two cokes in a bottle. Other adult beverages cost more. There is food available, you can get a prepackaged cheese and crackers for way more that you should, or skip that and just people watch. There are very long lines to take your photo in front of a massive Christmas tree. You use your own camera (phone) and have one take it for you (Houston Ballet, you could take a page from amusement parks, and have a dedicated photographer and then folks can download at a nominal fee of course). The lines and the photos are worth it. Seating. Holy smokes, what a view! There are no bad seats in the house. Why would there be? I got Founders Box seats which are a 'bit' costly, but to see the look on my spouses face the whole night, it was money well spent. There is an intermission, and the recommend you pre-order your drinks before the show starts to avoid the lines. I skipped the drinks and just watched the show. I'll admit, I'm not the art guy. I do like a good show. But I keep gushing about this. So maybe I am an art guy. I do know I'm buying tickets for next years show, and maybe for a few others. read more

I attended the December 21 matinee performance of the Nutcracker with my daughter, her 6yr and 4yr old daughters. After about 10 minutes into the second half, the 4yr had to go to the restroom-she had gone at the beginning of the intermission. My daughter quickly took her out so as not to disturb the audience behind her, leaving her purse/phone because she thought she'd be right back. An usher assisted them out with her flashlight but said nothing. When they returned and tried to come back in, they were told they were not allowed to reenter. The usher should have told her when she was leaving!!! For a show that is geared to children, that is a ridiculous rule!! Would you rather children have an accident in the theater seats??!! Her 6 yr old was with me in the theater but was so worried about her mom and sister that we were barely able to watch the rest of performance. I sent an email but have yet to receive a reply. Please get in touch with me concerning this matter. Thank you! read more

Came here for the first time being that I got discounts from my work. Definitely would love to come back! I got really good seats so the entire show was fantastic. I wish I would've known they'd have food and drinks, that was definitely a plus. We came casual since it was in a weekday and it's pretty far from my work so there was a good mix of attire. Most of course were fancy but meh, didn't feel judged. Next time I would definitely eat dinner there and enjoy the show! I would also park i. Their parking lot, it came up real quick and I missed it so went to another one down the street as many others did as well. It was a $5 difference but it was cold so would've paid that difference. read more

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I recently went to watch the Houston Ballet's presentation of Body, Soul & Gershwin at Wortham Theater Center. I have always had my doubts about enjoying ballet, I must say I was not in love with the performance but I did enjoy it. Houston has a very great theatre district and for the price and entertainment value I'd just always pick a broadway type performance over the ballet, that just my personal preference. It was a sight though, the men are in remarkable shape and the women are so slender and agile. I was in such awe to seem the moves they are able to perform. The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star review is I feel the ballet is very repetitive. After the first couple of oohs and awws the rest are very similar in style and difficulty. By no means am I a dance expert but just from a commoner's viewpoint. This particular show I watched was a good mix of classic ballet and modern ballet. It was 3 performances separated by a 20 minute intermission each. Overall, a fun and new experience. It's nice to enjoy a cultural event every once in awhile. read more

Not the traditional nutcracker, more of their own rendition. Did not like it at all. The costumes were very elaborate but the choreography and dancing was a dud. I've seen the nutcracker many times and this performance was by far the worst. read more

The Houston Ballet is the home of some of the best dancers in the United States. These dancers know how to show ballet as the true art that it is. If you've never seen a performance by the Houston Ballet, you are really missing out on some spectacular shows. Each of the seasons since I have been in Houston have offered truly excellent line ups that have something for everyone in the family. At the very least, you must make it to one of the annual performances of The Nutcracker. This is a beautiful holiday ritual and the costuming is breathtaking. For many people attending, this one show is a family tradition and the Houston Ballet performs it every year starting in November. read more

Houston Ballet - Dance Studios Near Me - Houston, Texas

The Houston Ballet has got it going on! A buddy suggested we go see the "Journey with the Masters" production this last weekend. The performance itself was actually three different ballets which covered a whole range of goodness: traditional, modern, and comedic. Yes, they have a sense of humor here, and the whole place was in laughter throughout the last performance. Here are reviews of the individual pieces I saw: Ballet Imperial. (Traditional.) Adapted from the great Balanchine. This production had the works -- fancy backdrop, faux chandeliers, extravagant costuming of Juliette tutus and bedazzled tiaras for each girl. This was a young girl's fantasy of what her kindergarten ballet classes might eventually lead to. This was a solid performance -- a favorite of my friend but not mine. Sinfonietta. (Modern-esque.) The backdrop was some oil painting out of MoMA or maybe a Windows desktop wallpaper with gentle but organic lines. The costumes were very plain, simple ombres. I found this piece breathtaking, especially with the focus on the 7 couples. My friend, meanwhile, drifted into slumber. Must have been a favorite among the ballet patrons because many people gave this one a standing ovation. The Concert. (Comedic.) Oh, this one had me in stitches. How I love Jerome Robbins (choreographer for West Side Story.) The story behind this one was what symphonic concert-goers must be like. Freakin' hilarious, and I'm glad to see the HB show their acting chops along with their dancing skill. read more

Came to Houston ballet to see the nutcracker. The tickets are a bit on the expensive side but so worth it. The play lasts close to two hours and it's a great experience. The dancers do a fantastic job, super talented. It's an amazing play that everyone should try and see at least once in their lifetimes read more

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The Houston Ballet is amazing. Their performance for Peter Pan was just absolutely wonderful. Granted... the storyline is sooooo weird.. but the performance was superb. I will definitely try to see another performance. A ballet is something you definitely want to take a loved one because it's very fancy and romantic. Highly recommend for a date night! read more

I have seen The Nutcracker by Houston Ballet multiple times and just saw Jewels and Houston Ballet always delivers. As a dancer myself, I am a harsh critic, but their shows are beautiful and inspiring. I've also taken class at Houston Ballet and I have had amazing instructors. read more

They completely changed the script! When. I was a young girl I was a ballerina from sugar they started with sugar plums and now it's masked pandas frogs monkeys and any other random form of animal you can think of the script has been completely changed I'm assuming by somebody that was under the influence of some kind of drugs don't waste your money or time it was hands down the worst script I've ever seen only the first eight minutes was similar to the original Nutcracker read more

I love the Houston Ballet. Every performance leaves me anxious for my next visit. My last show was Ghost Dances and Giselle, and the choreography was so spectacular that I did not even want to blink. The costumes were lovely, and fit the themes of the dances. Ghost Dances was a true delight with many dances were so emotionally charged, and unique choreography that left me breathless. I'm anxiously awaiting Sleeping Beauty in February. Parking at this facility is actually pretty easy for a downtown location. I do not like traveling downtown, and find it difficult to park my large SUV in the compact spaces of the downtown garages, however, the parking is easy to get in and out of... just sometimes have to take my time walking to the car, cause the traffic exiting the facility. I have sat in the Balcony, the Grand Tier Balcony, and the Orchestra seats. I find the Balcony is too far, but you can still have an enjoyable visit. I do pack small binoculars for these seats, but do not seem to use them for the full show. The Grand Tier balcony is much better than the high balcony seats and is actually quite a lovely place to watch the ballet. The only problem I find with the balcony and grand tier locations is how steep these seats are, you feel like you are going to fall over the balcony, but you are actually secure. If you get a little vertigo or have issues with heights, please find some orchestra seats and enjoy the show. My favorite is the orchestra seats. I've been on both sides and center, and find no bad seat, unless someone quite tall is directly in front of me. I do wish people over six feet tall would learn to slouch in their seats for those behind them. :-) Bringing my young daughter, age 10, she usually prefers the Grand Tier balcony. She can usually see well in any of the seats. However, the orchestra is a little more hit or miss for her. My usual partner to the ballet is my oldest daughter, who is now 19, so we attempt to get orchestra seats for every show. I have not found any bad seats, or obstructed view seats, I don't think there are any at this facility. When you purchase your seats, look around at different dates. You can usually find at least one or two dates that have lower prices, usually weekday shows. What a treat during the week, if you can pull off an evening weekday show without stressing yourself out to get there on time after work. Oh and don't be late or expect to get up during the show... not that you'll want to. The Houston Ballet is a spectacular production, regardless of the show. For those that have only seen the Nutcracker, please go see another show. The Nutcracker, while entertaining, is my least favorite show.... you'll be amazed! :-) read more

Houston has an excellent theater district that is commonly overlooked by visitors. Our ballet continues to pump out traditional favorites as well as cutting edge performances. I have attended both the Rite of Spring and Nutcracker on several occasions, along with random others during the year. Ticket prices are accessible for various levels and many shows cater to all ages. read more

Always masterful. Always artistic. Always perfect. With a foundation of over $100 million, Houston Ballet might rank in the top three ballet companies in the United States, along with, say, New York City and San Francisco; and with the opening of the new Houston Ballet Center for Dance in 2011, Houston now boasts the largest professional dance facility in the United States. In short, Houston is extremely fortunate to count Houston Ballet as a mainstay in its theater district. The Houston Ballet offers an annual repertoire of six performances, along with the seasonal Nutcracker, and a host of other smaller performances, all based at its home location in the Brown Theater at the Wortham Center. Included in this repertoire are three annual large performances, ranging from classics such as Swan Lake, Cinderella, and Romeo and Juliet, to modern originals such as the 2009 world premier of Stanton Welch's Marie [Antoinette] and 2014's American premier of David Bintley's Aladdin. The other three performances each season tend to consist of three or four short performances, ranging from classical French, to grandiose Russian, to contemporary American, each intended to elicit a unique emotion, from joy to sadness to laughter. Each performance will treat you to a delightful scene of incredible costumes, gorgeous sets, beautiful music, and masterful technique. But above all, you'd be surprised at how engaging the storylines can be, without the aid of a single word. In the end, the Houston Ballet is a must for anyone in the greater Houston area. With something for everyone, there is bound to be a performance that will leave you enthralled; and with such a sunny outlook, you can expect even greater performances in the future. read more

My friend and I are part of the Houston Young Professionals Program at the Houston Ballet. I highly recommend it. It combines booze and ballet, what more could you want. In all seriousness, we got a free drink ticket at Hotel Icon, where we started our day. Then walked over to watch the Merry Widow at the Wortham Theatre. A beautiful theatre. There were people of varying degrees of fanciness from a floor length dress to shorts and t-shirt. It was pretty amusing. Basically, you can't go wrong, but I don't recommend either of those extremes. As for the ballet, if you are not familiar with the story, I recommend reading up beforehand. Some people understand the subtle nuances of ballet "acting" but I prefer being acquainted with the story beforehand, especially after a glass of wine! The dancers gave a beautiful performance. Melody Mennite and Connor Walsh stuck out in my mind. read more

I'm going to be the one that writes the "negativity" as people will claim. Don't take it negatively, take it as something positive to improve . I went to the nutcracker this year, for the very first time. I must say, I was not impressed at all, it was to...mellow. Specially for the sugarplum fairy dance, the costumes were to be left wanting more. Solid pink couple. It lacked, it lacked something. The choreography Not the dancers, their form, the steps. All done almost perfect. read more

Great theater. The higher up (6th floor, section K) the harder to see. I would suggest to stay away from those seats if possible. It's not terrible but could be better. read more

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Beware of buying a season subscription from the Ballet folks. Of course we all know about the Harvey tragedy which closed the Ballet for performances, but they have not communicated at all with subscribers about the changes in performance locations. Check their website which is still listing the Brown as the performance location. While at the same time the Opera also had no performance hall but mailed subscribers updates on new locations as well as mailing out to us new tickets. Apparetly customer service is not important at the Ballet. So Beware! John Sanchez read more

I've been here twice. Once to Madame Butterfly and once for The Nutcracker. The performances are amazing. Seating can be a challenge. We've sat in the very top balcony and in the orchestra. Sitting at the top balcony can take your breath away due to the height, but you're more likely to see the stage. I sat in the orchestra for The Nutcracker and had a 6' 5" guy sit right in front of me and totally blocked my view and ruined the performance for me. I can't knock the performances. They're surely not to disappoint. I feel you're taking a gamble in viewing in the floor seating. These are the more expensive tickets too... read more

This is my first time seeing Don Quixote! Wonderful, just wonderful!! The ballet was comical, light-heartened and playful. The symphony was a treat to listen to. Overall the evening of ballet was delightful! read more

Second visit to the Houston Ballet was this past weekend to see the holiday classic "The Nutcracker". The show overall was very good and everyone had a great time. Again, the biggest issue is their concession. Knowing up front that the choices were limited, I wasn't expecting Veuve Cliquot. But, I was expecting reasonable service. There was nothing wrong with the server, except for the fact that he was ALONE!!! Did no one tell them that there was an intermission? Did this come as a complete shock? Wow, where did all these people come from??? Hmm? I mean really people, get it together. Have enough staff to deal with the needs of the patrons attending your venue. And if you don't have the foresight to be properly staffed, at least have enough business acumen to have pre-poured a few dozen glasses of wine/champagne. There are only three times for this revenue opportunity, prior to the show, at the intermission and after the show. The arts are always complaining about funding. At $9 glass, for New Mexico "champagne" (I still chuckle every time I think of that) there is some cha-ching, as well as customer satisfaction, that you are letting escape. So, maybe instead of the limited staff hanging around doing very little after the initial pre-show sales, have them be prepared for the next rush. Come on, there are so few choices in beverages to begin with, and with time being of the essence, have them already poured and ready for sale. The lines were ridiculous and by the time we all got our beverages, the intermission was over. Just saying! read more

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Wonderful experience in the Don Quixote show. Charles-Louis did amazing performance in the show. The music and dance are very delightful and entertained. Very appreciate those dancers had given us this wonderful performance. read more

I love Houston ballet I've been dancing there Sense I was 4yr old. I is a great group I I've always haves fun and never have been a problem! I've been in a few shows w/Houston ballet and always had a GREAT time! read more

Houston Ballet - These is my classmates - Dance Studios Near Me - Houston, Texas

One of the crown jewels in the Houston Arts Scene. This year's spectacular, revitalized Nutcracker is top-notch and should be on everybody's holiday must-see list. The company's programming is a perfect balance of full-length story ballets and mixed repertoire programs, familiar ballets and some daring contemporary choices. It could easily be said that Houston Ballet has overtaken both the symphony and opera as being at the forefront of large-scale, contemporary productions--they are presenting some cutting edge music and choreography. As an added bonus, most productions are danced to live music, which is increasingly rare in today's instant gratification world. If you've never been, treat yourself - there are always good specials on tickets, and it's a wonderful evening/afternoon of entertainment by (without exaggeration) some of the most talented dancers on earth. read more