2023 - Pat George Mitchell

Over 50 years ago, a young dancer’s dream of creating a ballet company in her small, but growing, Texas town came true when she founded Longview Ballet Theatre. Pat George Mitchell believes ballet should be accessible for everyone, and she has dedicated her life to pursuing this mission by cultivating the talents of Longview’s youth.

Mitchell choreographed over 100 original ballets, introducing hundreds of young dancers and thousands of audience members to the joy of expression through dance and music. They were moved by her early reimagining of Romeo and Juliet. They were charmed by the choreography performed to the music of Judy Garland, and show tunes from Broadway hits like Cabaret, South Pacific and Brigadoon. And they felt the pride of our country’s ideals while watching the poignant An American Tribute.

Mitchell also invited many acclaimed professional dancers including Amanda Edge, Daniel Ulbricht, Seth Orza, Megan Fairchild, Billy Ward, and many more to perform in Longview. Her decade-long collaboration with former student Amanda Edge, who spent 13 years with New York City Ballet, produced stunning performances, from George Balanchine’s Serenade to the high-flying crowd favorite, Peter Pan. From 2015 - 2022, Longview Ballet Theatre performed with Ballet West II, delighting audiences with a series of family ballets such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid.

Mitchell’s students have auditioned and been accepted to New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet, Ballet West, the Martha Graham School of Modern Dance, the San Francisco Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Pensacola, Charlotte Ballet, and the North Carolina School of the Arts. Many have pursued professional careers in dance, choreography and teaching.

For half a century, Pat George Mitchell relentlessly chased her dream of using ballet to transform our community, and Longview is all the better for it. Join us in thanking her for performances that made us think, feel, and always, always smile.