Pittsburgh Ballet is back in the black

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater says it didn’t lose money for the first time in six years and is planning a national tour.

Executive Director Harris Ferris says sold out performances of “Swan Lake” and “Peter Pan” helped the ballet end its 2006-07 fiscal year in the black.

Ferris says that reversed the ballet’s 11-year trend of declining ticket sales.

Ferris says the ballet also reached a two-year contract with its musicians’ union on the heels of a three-year deal recently struck with its dancers.

The ballet company has also signed with Columbia Artists Management to develop a multicity tour of Derek Deane’s “Alice in Wonderland” for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.