Susan Jaffe

Recognized as one of the leading ballerinas of her time, Ms. Jaffe has performed in many Opera houses throughout theUnited States and Europe. She joined American Ballet Theatre in 1980 at the invitation of Mikhail Baryshnikov and became well known in the dance world at a young age. She has received critical praise for her interpretations of such roles as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Kitri in Don Quixote, Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadere, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Swanhilda in Coppelia and the title roles in Manon, Giselle, and La Sylphide.

Ms. Jaffe has worked with and performed the repertoire of many of the twentieth century's most prominent choreographers including George Balanchine, Anthony Tudor, Kenneth MacMillan, Jerome Robbins, Roland Petit, Twyla Tharp, Jiri Kiyan, and James Kudelka.

Ms. Jaffe's European engagements have included performances with The Royal Ballet, The Kirov Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet, The Munich State Opera Ballet, La Scala Ballet, The Vienna State Opera Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet and The English National Ballet.

Television appearances have included several "Dance in America" programs and host of "Dance New York". Film credits include 1994's "Angie" with Geena Davis and the 1995 documentary "Ballet" directed by Frederick Wiseman.

Ms. Jaffe has served as advisor to the chairman and president of the Board of Governing Trustees at American Ballet Theater and she gives master classes throughout the United States and Japan. She has recently received the Annual Dance Magazine Award.

Risa Gary Kaplowitz

Ms. Kaplowitz was principal ballerina with Dayton Ballet for seven years where she drew critical acclaim for her portrayals of Giselle, Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream, and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. She was a company member of Houston Ballet and has performed with Pennsylvania Ballet and Metropolitan Opera Ballet.

Ms. Kaplowitz has performed the repertoire of many choreographers including Fredrick Ashton, George Balanchine, Ben Stevenson, Stuart Sebastian, Dermot Burke, and Billy Wilson. She completed her career as principal dancer with Manhattan Ballet where she performed throughout Europe and Asia.

Ms. Kaplowitz taught ballet at Theater Dance in New York City and was ballet mistress for Bonnie Mathes at The Juilliard School. After spending ten years in a successful business career, she returned to the dance world as a teacher at Princeton Ballet School. Ms. Kaplowitz spent two years as an instructor for American Repertory Ballet's Dance Power, an outreach program. She has performed numerous residency programs in public schools for American Repertory Ballet and Dayton Ballet.