Organizing founders Nancy Bauer, Virginia Garrett, and Myrl Laurence first chartered the company as the “Cincinnati Civic Ballet” in 1958.

[1] Then in 1962, seven ballet teachers in the Cincinnati area, including Anneliese von Oettingen, Shirley Frame Elmore, Mac Vestal came together to officially form the company.

The repertoire consisted of ballets choreographed or staged by Oleg Sabline, Tania Karina, William Dollar, and John Taras.

[citation needed] Oleg Sabline, a European-trained dancer whose career had taken him through Europe and the United States, was appointed director for the first performances.

CCM gave the young company the advantages of studio space for classes and rehearsals, access to talented students, and the use of the Wilson Auditorium for performances.

CCM faculty member James Truitte began to train dancers in the contemporary technique created by the American choreographer Lester Horton.

Performances took place at the Taft Theatre and tours were added in Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Jacob's Pillow and at New York City's Dance Festival in 1975.

Repertoire included a full-length La Sylphide and Balanchine's Four Temperaments as well as pieces by contemporary choreographers such as Andre Prokovsky, Mauricio Wainrot, and Ronald Hynd.

“Americana” ballets such as Agnes DeMille’s Rodeo, and modern dance pieces by Paul Taylor challenged the dancers and intrigued audiences.

Other contemporary choreographers included Kirk Peterson, Kathryn Posin, Stanton Welch and Val Caniparoli, Trey McIntyre in addition to Nigel Burgoine and Victoria Morgan, who was appointed artistic director in 1997.

[6] Artistic Director and CEO Morgan, whose tenure continues at the present time, has honored the Cincinnati Ballet tradition of performing not only new works, but also keeping the historic repertoire alive.

The ballets presented were Devil’s Holiday by Frederick Ashton, plus the third movement of Seventh Symphony (music by Beethoven), and Gaîte Parisienne, choreographed by Leonide Massine.

In 2014, Cincinnati Ballet danced the world premiere of Victoria Morgan’s King Arthur’s Camelot with a score composed by John Estacio.

Colleen Geisting, Karl Lindholm, Patrick Hinson, Richard Early, Peggy Lyman, Cynthia Ann Roses, Kimberly Smiley, Donna Grisez-Weber, Roman Jasinski, Sara Nieto, Diane Edwards, Melissa Hale, Patricia Rozow, Christina Foisie, Leisa Moran, Debra Kelly, Patricia Kelly, Margo Krody, Barbara McFarlane, Michael Sharp, Thomas Morris, Ian Barrett, Kevin Ward, Charles Flachs, Rose Marie Wurzer, Suzette Boyer, Philip Rosemond, Meridith Benson, Claudia Rudolf, Carol Krajacic, Rebecca Rodriguez, Trinidad Vives, Marcello Angelini, Victoria Hall, Darren Anderson, Daniela Buson, René Micheo, Karyn Lee Connell, Alexei Kremnev, Anna Reznik, Kristi Capps, Cervilio Amador, Anthony Krutzkamp, Stephanie Crank, Janessa Touchet, Adiarys Almeida, Joseph Gatti and Dmitri Trubchanov.