Judith Fugate is a former Principal Ballerina with the New York City Ballet and danced roles in virtually every ballet in the NYCB repertoire, counting among her partners Peter Martins, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Helgi Tomasson. During her career she toured extensively with groups led by renowned artists such as Mr. Baryshnikov, Cynthia Gregory and Mr. Martins. Miss Fugate 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. She left the company in 1997 and currently works as repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust and the Jerome Robbins Rights Trust, staging these renowned choreographers’ works worldwide. Ms. Fugate and International Guest Artist Medhi Bahiri founded the New York City-based ballet company, Ballet NY, in 1997. It is a company of accomplished principal and soloist dancers. Ballet NY’s mission is to offer emerging choreographers the opportunity to create new works on accomplished dancers, as well as keeping ticket prices affordable in an effort to attract, cultivate and educate new audiences for dance.