In 1957, a company called Fort Worth Ballet Arts presented its first full evening of ballet. Though not yet an incorporated entity, Fort Worth Ballet Arts was the direct precursor to Fort Worth Ballet.

Fort Worth Ballet, founded by Margo Dean, incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1961. Fort Worth Ballet operated as a civic ballet company for over twenty years thereafter.

1984 brought a major milestone for the Company, as the supporters of Fort Worth Ballet decided to take the organization to full professional status. Supporters infused the organization with both  financial support and professional leadership and soon after, Fort Worth Ballet became a professional ballet company in 1985.

Also in 1985, the Fort Worth School of Ballet was founded, and it became the official school of the Company, with the intent of training students in a professional ballet setting.

In 1988, Fort Worth Ballet began taking action to expand their season to include Dallas performances, via a partnership with The Dallas Opera. In December of that same year, Fort Worth Ballet presented its first Dallas performances of The Nutcracker at Music Hall at Fair Park.

Efforts began in 1992 to bring a full season of ballet, not just certain performances, to Dallas. Several Dallas members of the Fort Worth Ballet board of directors, in conjunction with other Dallas residents, formed a “Dallas Steering Committee,” exploring ways to permanently bring professional ballet back to Dallas. It was with this group that representatives of Fort Worth Ballet began earnest discussions in 1992. These supporters outlined a six-year plan, which included changing the Company’s name to Fort Worth Dallas Ballet and creating a separate 501(c)(3) corporation in Dallas, The Dallas Supporters of Fort Worth Dallas Ballet. Two years later, in 1994, Fort Worth Ballet officially became Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, and the entire 1994-1995 season was performed both in Fort Worth and Dallas.

In the fall of 2003, Fort Worth Dallas Ballet officially became Texas Ballet Theater. The Fort Worth Dallas Ballet Association merged with the Dallas Supporters, creating Texas Ballet Theater, which became a single entity with one governing board of directors.