Victor Barbee was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and received his ballet training at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of American Ballet, and also studied at the Leningrad-Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad.
Before joining American Ballet Theatre in February, 1975, Mr. Barbee danced at Jacob's Pillow, with the North Carolina Dance Theatre, the Eglevsky Ballet Company, the Villella Ballet Company, the Tulsa Civic Ballet, and the Los Angeles Ballet Company.
Mr. Barbee's repertoire with American Ballet Theatre includes the Rajah and the High Brahmin in La Bayadere, Dr. Coppelius in Coppelia, a featured role in Cruel World, Don Quixote in Don Quixote, Her Pastor in Fall River Legend, The Man She Must Marry in Jardin Aux Lilas, Monsieur G.M. and the Jailer in Manon, Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker, Paris and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, and Madge in La Sylphide.
His created roles include Gamache in Mikhail Baryshnikov's production of Don Quixote (Kitri's Wedding), the Wounded Veteran in The Informer, Her Lover in The Other, and a leading role in Americans We. Mr. Barbee made his musical comedy debut on Broadway in Woman of the Year, and also appeared on Broadway in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance, co-starring with Bernadette Peters. He also appeared in the television series "Hart to Hart" and "Laverne and Shirley", and in the films The Turning Point and Dancers. Mr. Barbee was appointed Soloist with American Ballet Theatre in 1979 and Principal Dancer in 1984. In 1994, he became Assistant to the Artistic Staff.