Appointed to her post as artistic director of American Ballet Theatre over a year ago, Susan Jaffe is very much in the drivers’ seat. A transition ensued following the 30-year tenure of Kevin McKenzie with whom she danced in the course of her 22 years as among the company’s most sparkling principal dancers. Seguing into a successful post-performance career as an administrator/pedagogue, she previously served as the dean of the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the artistic director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Now helming ABT, Jaffe is the first woman to hold this title since Lucia Chase, who co-founded the company in 1947. And that’s very good reason to pay attention.
Now Jaffe has her very own world-class ballet company to form, fashion, influence and cast. We are making the drive south to see the Catherine Hurlin / Aran Bell pairing on Sunday December 17, early show. More on ABT’s tradition-filled version of The Nutcracker here. And here’s the casting of principal roles Jaffe is casting, below.
ABT’s The Nutcracker | American Ballet Theatre | Segerstrom Center for the Arts | thru Dec 17