About Us

DRAFT — owner to approve

Our mission

Expanding the reach of dance & arts for young people. Committed to community, access, and excellence.

The African American Ballet Troupe (AABT) is a youth ballet troupe and 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Lexington, Kentucky. We grow the reach of dance and the arts to young people, with a commitment to community access and education.

What we do

• Classes. Weekend ballet and dance classes at LexArts in downtown Lexington, from Pre-Ballet through Ballet III, plus Contemporary Ballet/Hip-Hop.
• Performances. The Ebony Nutcracker every holiday season, a spring recital, and summer productions like The Soul of Oz.
• Summer programs. Summer Fun Ballet Camps with The Lyric Theatre, and the Summer Arts Experience with the Lexington African American Children’s Theatre (LexAACT).

The Ebony Nutcracker

Our signature production is The Ebony Nutcracker, an annual holiday show that blends ballet with R&B, hip hop and African music.

The first Ebony Nutcracker took the stage on December 20, 2022, at The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, presented with The Lyric and the Lexington Police Activities League. The production has also been staged at the University of Kentucky’s Singletary Center for the Arts. In 2026 we present the 5th annual Ebony Nutcracker.

TODO: dates and venues for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 productions.

Our story

AABT was founded in 2022 by Kayla Chambers-Reid, with her mother’s support. TODO: confirm the spelling of the founder’s surname (press coverage uses both “Reid” and “Reed”).