She’s 100! See the birthday party for the founder of the Sacramento Ballet

Barbara Crockett, who founded the Sacramento Ballet with her husband Deane Crockett in 1954, celebrated her 100th birthday Sunday evening at a social distanced party held at Deane Dance Center in East Sacramento.

Current and former dancers wished Crockett well via Zoom and a drive-by parade as she sat in a throne in front of the center. Dancers also performed on an outdoor stage at the event.

Crockett, a Fresno native who was born on Sept. 19, 1920, was a founding member of the San Francisco Ballet in the 1930s. She and her husband moved to Sacramento to teach in 1945.

“Many of the dancers who have been turned out from Sacramento have come out of the training of Barbara Crockett. It’s a big legacy,” said Crockett’s daughter Allyson Deane, who is artistic director of the Deane Dance Center.

This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 1:47 PM.