High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per capita attendance in the United States, with 11,000 subscribers. Its founding artistic directors, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, left at the end of the 2004–2005 season. Both had studied with and danced for George Balanchine.Peter Boal succeeded Stowell and Russell as Artistic Director following their retirement. The company performs with 49 dancers, thirteen of whom are principals; seven soloists, twenty-six corps de ballet dancers, as well as three apprentices There are over 100 performances throughout the year.