United Across Generations by ABT Membership

For Carl Divito, ABT Membership includes a unique benefit: quality time with his ballet-obsessed granddaughter Thea. While watching American Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake with her a few years ago, he realized that by joining as an ABT Member, he could attend dress rehearsals with a guest. And what better way to connect with a tween who dreams of the ballet stage?

At the Metropolitan Opera House, Carl and Thea caught two highlights of the 2025 Summer season. The pair attended the dress rehearsal for Swan Lake, which included Gillian Murphy, and they watched Guest Artist Olga Smirnova rehearsing for Giselle.

“It’s an incredible value,” Carl said of ABT Membership, which at every level includes dress rehearsal access. “You can often watch multiple Principal Dancers in just one dress rehearsal, and the seats are fantastic.” Additionally, Carl has used Flash Ticket Sale discounts to attend performances with Thea, giving her inspiration for her own dancing. “She will be starting pointe class this fall,” he said.

The ABT Membership team celebrates Carl Divito for his commitment as a Ballet Grandfather, whose devotion and pride rivals that of Dance Parents everywhere!

Originally printed in the Fall 2025 issue of On Point.

The Benefits of Tango, Benefitting ABT

ABT received an email from one of our newer Dancers Circle members, Michael Ditkoff, that started “This is ABT’s lucky day.”

Retired and back in New York from Washington, D.C., Michael has taken eight years of private Argentine Tango lessons, passionately writing about Argentine Tango in Long Island’s The Dance Calendar. After attending ABT performances, Michael started seeing similarities. “I don’t go for the costumes,” says Michael, “I go for the technique — the feet turned out, the fantastic axis — I understand the hours that it takes to accomplish this. Of course, it’s not necessary to dance fouettés to dance Argentine Tango, but you need to understand the fundamentals.”

Now, Michael has decided to join The Lucia Chase Society ensuring support of ABT is part of his legacy. “I’m happy to support ABT 100%,” says Michael. As a Lucia Chase Society member, Michael has his name listed in the Playbill and receives extra member benefits and events. The Lucia Chase Society is made up of individuals who acknowledge their commitment to support ABT through bequests and other planned giving options.

Originally printed in the Fall 2023 issue of On Point.

Leave a Lasting Impact on American Ballet Theatre

Upon making a special gift to the Company, Lisa Keaton and her husband joined the Lucia Chase Society and included ABT in their wills. “Our thought is that it will help to ensure that the Company continues to receive support even after we are gone,” Lisa says. “For me, it is a heartfelt thank you [to ABT] for bringing me so many years of enjoyment.”

Named in honor of ABT’s co-founder, the Lucia Chase Society celebrates those who include ABT in their estate plans. Your legacy gift ensures that future generations can experience the transformative power of ballet, while sustaining ABT’s world-class performances, education programs, and outreach initiatives for years to come.

Originally printed in the Spring 2025 issue of On Point.

In Memoriam: Peter C. Xiques, 1940-2023

American Ballet Theatre is deeply moved by the generous bequest gift of Peter C. Xiques, a remarkable individual whose legacy will profoundly impact the arts. Peter lived a life filled with creativity, compassion, and commitment to philanthropy. His passions and curiosities led him to serve in the U.S. Navy, to hone his athletic prowess by training to be an advanced diver, to pursue a career working on countless hit network television sets, and finally to settle in his beloved Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he retired and studied Art History.

Throughout each stage in his life, he capitalized on every opportunity to take in the arts, culture, fine dining, and literature, and ABT was lucky to receive his patronage over the decades. Peter adored ABT – he was a loyal member from 2006 until his passing in 2023, making annual pilgrimages to New York City to see ABT perform and even joining the Company on tour to Cuba in 2010.

Peter’s legacy contribution will help ABT continue its mission of bringing exceptional ballet performances to audiences worldwide. His memory will live on through the beauty and grace that his gift will help nurture.

Originally printed in the Fall 2024 issue of On Point.

The most commonly used option is to include ABT in your will.

Next Steps: seek advice from your financial or legal advisor on how to include any of the below sample language for including American Ballet Theatre in a will or codicil:

• A general bequest: “I give (_______dollars) (a specific asset) or (________percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc. d.b.a American Ballet Theatre of New York, New York, for its general purposes.
• A bequest for a specific purpose: “I give (_______dollars) (a specific asset) or (_______percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc. d.b.a. American Ballet Theatre of New York, New York, to be used for the following purpose: (state the purpose, e.g. to help fund the scholarship program in the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School or to sustain ABT’s arts in education programs or to help make possible the production and presentation of ballets within ABT’s repertory, in addition to new works.)

ABT’s activities and programs change over time and when a donor indicates a particular purpose for a bequest, it is advisable to grant Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc. d.b.a. American Ballet Theatre the authority to respond to changing needs. A donor may do this by including the following language with their bequest:

• “If at any time in the judgment of the Board of Trustees of Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc., d.b.a American Ballet Theatre the designated use of the bequest is no longer practicable or appropriate, the Directors shall use the bequest to further the general purposes of ABT, giving consideration, where possible, to my special interest as described above.”

Charitable Remainder Trusts allow you and your family to receive a personal income stream while giving the remainder of the trust to ABT and/or other charities you care for.

Next Steps: seek advice from your financial advisor about setting up a charitable remainder trust.

You can choose to name ABT as a beneficiary on your IRA or other retirement plans.

Next Steps:

1. Contact the person or company who manages your retirement plan for a change of beneficiary form.
2. Name ABT on the beneficiary form and select what percentage you would like ABT to receive.
3. Return the completed form to the person or company who manages your retirement plan(s).

QCD is a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA. Donors 70 ½ years and older can give up to $111,000 (as of 2026) per year as an individual directly to charities from your IRA without having to pay income taxes on the money.

Next Steps: seek the advice of your financial advisor to learn more about QCD distribution options.

You can choose to name ABT as a beneficiary on your life insurance plan.

Next Steps:

1. Contact the company who manages your life insurance plan for an add or change of beneficiary form.
2. Name ABT on the beneficiary form and select what percentage you would like ABT to receive.
3. Return the completed form to the company who manages your life insurance plan.

Donor Advised Funds (DAF) allow donors to set aside funds specifically to be used for charitable giving. Donors then recommend a grant and/or recurring grant to their favorite charities such as ABT. Donors can use their DAF account for the legacy giving by naming a charity beneficiary upon their passing.

Next Steps: seek the advice of your financial advisor to create a succession plan for your DAF account and/or request beneficiary paperwork.