The Charleston Ballet, West Virginia's official state ballet, was started by Belgian immigrant Andre Van Damme. Van Damme came to Charleston from Europe in the late 1940s and started the American Academy of Ballet. He dreamed of creating a dance company to give talented local dancers a place to perform, and to feature professional guest dancers.

The Charleston Ballet company, with 30 dancers, had its first performance in April 1956 at the Municipal Auditorium.