Balanchine was trained at the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg. After the Revolution he joined what is now the Mariinsky Ballet. He escaped when the company toured Germany. He was picked up by Sergei Diaghilev to be a dancer and choreographer for the Ballets Russes.
After Diaghilev's death, Balanchine stayed in Europe until 1933. Then he was taken to New York by a wealthy patron, Lincoln Kirstein. Together they formed the American Ballet School. Later they formed the American Ballet Company. This company became the 'house' dance group of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Later, in 1938, Balanchine moved the company to Hollywood.
In 1948 he moved back to New York. This was to head the New York City Ballet at the New York State Theater. He designed this theater. From 1946 to 1982 he choreographed many dances for this company. Balanchine died in 1983 of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.