The company, made up of soloists and principals from the New York City Ballet, gave its first performance at Sadler's Wells in 2002.
Millepied, one of NYCB's star dancers, studied at the School of American Ballet and was a prot_g_ of Robbins. He joined NYCB in 1995, and was promoted to soloist in 1998, and principal in 2002. In 2002 and 2003, he participated in the New York Choreographic Institute, at the invitation of NYCB ballet master in chief Peter Martins.