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September 02, 2006
Judith Fugate and Medhi Bahiri, Co-Artistic Directors, Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY — 7-21-06
Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY was founded in 1997 by Co-Artistic Directors Judith Fugate and Medhi Bahiri.
Judith Fugate, former Principal Ballerina with New York City Ballet, danced roles in virtually every ballet in the NYCB repertoire, counting among her partners Peter Martins, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Helgi Tomasson. She left the company in 1997 to pursue a career as freelance Guest Artist and Co-Artistic Director of Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY (formerly DanceGalaxy). Miss Fugate has toured extensively with groups led by renowned artists such as Mr. Baryshnikov, Cynthia Gregory, and Mr. Martins. She has appeared on Live from Lincoln Center with Ray Charles in Peter Martins’ ‘A Fool for You”. In the Metropolitan Opera's production of La Traviata, conducted by Placido Domingo, she was partnered by Fernando Bujones and Peter Boal.
Miss Fugate works as repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust and has staged his ballets in the Uniterd States, Europe, Asia, and South Africa.
Medhi Bahiri, International Guest Artist, brings a wide and diverse background in dance to his position as Co-Artistic Director of Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY. He has been Principal Dancer with Ballet West and Boston Ballet, and a member of Maurice Béjart's Twentieth Century Ballet. As Principal Guest Artist, Mr. Bahiri has appeared with: Ballet National de Mexico, Ballet de Santiago (Chile), Universal Ballet of Korea, Ballet du Louvre, Tulsa Ballet, and Ballet Philippines. Touring in the United States and Europe, his partners have included Cynthia Gregory, Ann Marie D'Angelo, Valentina Kozlova, Cheryl Yeager, Evelyn Cisneros, Marie-Christine Mouis, Christine Spizzo, Christina Fagundes, and Laura Young, among others. Mr. Bahiri is a winner of the First Prize of the Prix de Lausanne dance competition (recognized for his outstanding artistic achievement and original style) and the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria. As a noncompetitor he was distinguished as Best Partner at the Jackson and Tokyo ballet Competitions.
The mission of Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY is to present audiences with the highest level of professionalism and artistry possible; cultivate, educate, and develop new audiences; provide expanded artistic opportunities for accomplished dancers and choreographers, and keep the cost of production and ticket prices affordable. As part of Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY audience development and community outreach, the company offers lecture/demonstrations, master classes, and open rehearsals.
Posted by David Lemberg at September 2, 2006 02:07 PM Return to ARTSCAPE home page