&d1=1904&i1=1&t1=Georg Melitonovich Balanchivadze is born on January 22nd in St. Petersburg, Russia.&d2=1909&i2=1&t2=Begins piano lessons.&d3=1913&i3=1&t3=Begins studies at the Imperial Theater School in St. Petersburg.  Appears with other students at the Maryinsky Theater.&d4=1917&i4=1&t4=The Imperial Theater School is closed because of the Revolution, but reopens the next year as the Soviet State School of Ballet.&d5=1920&i5=1&t5=Choreographs his first piece, a duet entitled LA NUIT.  Enters the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music.&d6=1921&i6=1&t6=Graduates and joins the Maryinsky Theatre, which had been renamed the State Theater of Opera and Ballet.&d7=1922&i7=1&t7=Forms the Young Ballet which creates and performs experimental dance.&d8=1924&i8=1&t8=Along with three other dancers, leaves USSR to tour Germany, London, and Paris.&d9=1925&i9=1&t9=Joins Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris.  Diaghilev makes Balanchinvadze his principle choreographer and convinces him to change his name to Balanchine.  Meets Igor Stravinsky.&d10=1928&i10=1&t10=APOLLO, his first work in collaboration with Stravinsky.&d11=1929&i11=1&t11=Diaghilev dies.  Choreographs PRODIGAL SON.&d12=1930&i12=1&t12=Spends the next few years as choreographer for several dance companies in Europe.&d13=1933&i13=1&t13=Co-founds avant-garde company Les Ballets 1933 and creates works including THE SEVEN DEADLY SIN, ERRANTE, LES SONGES, and FASTES.  Meets Lincoln Kirstein who convinces him to move to America.&d14=1934&i14=1&t14=With Kirstein, founds School of American Ballet in New York. SERENADE.&d15=1935&i15=1&t15=With Kirstein, founds the American Ballet.&d16=1936&i16=1&t16=SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE ballet in the film ON YOUR TOES, which he had originally created on Broadway.&d17=1938&i17=1&t17=Choreographs the film Goldwyn Follies.&d18=1941&i18=1&t18=His American Ballet Caravan tours South America. CONCERTO BAROCCO and BALLET IMPERIAL.&d19=1943&i19=1&t19=Worked for the Original Ballet Russe, which toured much of the U.S. during the war years.&d20=1946&i20=1&t20=With Kirstein, founds the Ballet Society.  THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS&d21=1948&i21=1&t21=The Ballet Society becomes the New York City Ballet.  He will remain Master in Chief (head choreographer) there for the rest of his life.  ORPHEUS.&d22=1949&i22=1&t22=Jerome Robbins joins the New York City Ballet.&d23=1954&i23=1&t23=THE NUTCRACKER.&d24=1957&i24=1&t24=AGON.&d25=1959&i25=1&t25=EPISODES, choreographed with Martha Graham.&d26=1962&i26=1&t26=A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.&d27=1964&i27=1&t27=The Ford Foundation grants almost $8 million to the New York City Ballet.  The Company moves to their new home at Lincoln Center.&d28=1965&i28=1&t28=DON QUIXOTE.&d29=1975&i29=1&t29=Receives France's Legion of Honor.&d30=1977&i30=1&t30=PBS series "Dance in America" introduces many works to television audiences.&d31=1983&i31=1&t31=Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dies on April 30th in New York City at the age of 79.&d32=&i32=&t32=&done=32&