Each year, more than 600,000 spectators flock to the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) season at the Met. The ensemble enjoys an enduring reputation as one of the world's finest companies, despite long-term rivalry with its neighbouring New York City Ballet. The height of the ABT's fame came in the 1980s, when world-famous dancer and heart-throb Mikhail Barishnikhov became artistic director, the Russian defector adding more than a pinch of glamour to the previously all-American company. Although Barishnikhov was replaced in 1992 by former ABT dancer Kevin McKenzie, the company remains at the forefront of its art, providing up-to-date versions of the timeless classics alongside modern creations.