Terese Capucilli

Terese Capucilli was born in Syracuse, N.Y., and is acclaimed for her work with Martha Graham Dance Company and her interpretation of the classic roles originally performed by Graham. She was a principal dancer with the Graham company from 1979 to 2005, associate artistic director from 2000 to 2002; and artistic director from 2002 to 05. She is now artistic director laureate. Roles created for her include The Chosen One in The Rite of Spring. She was nstrumental in the research, reconstruction, and performance of early solos, including Salem Shore (with Claire Bloom), Deep Song, and Spectre-1914. Capucilli was partnered by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev in Graham works (Appalachian Spring in 1988 with both dancers). Roles have been created for her by choreographers including Twyla Tharp, Lucinda Childs, and Robert Wilson. Other career highlights include performances with Kathleen Turner in Graham's Letter to the World and setting Appalachian Spring on Colorado Ballet and Juilliard (2008). She was associate founder/principal dancer of Buglisi Dance Theater and was chosen for Annie Leibovitz's book, WOMEN. Awards include the 1985 Princess Grace Foundation Fellowship, 1986 Statuette Award, 2001 Dance magazine award, and Purchase College’s 2010 Presidential Distinguished Alumni Award. She received a BFA in Dance from Purchase College and has studied with Kazuko Hirabayashi, Carol Fried Cowen, Mel Wong, Aaron Osborne, Royes Fernandez, Anne Parsons, and Rosanna Seravalli. She received a scholarship from the Graham Center in 1978 where she studied with Martha Graham, Gertrude Shurr, Linda Hodes, Pearl Lang, and Yuriko. Additional instructors in New York include Kathy Grant, Maggie Black, Zena Rommett, Nancy Bielski, Leda Franklin/Gyrokinesis (certified) and character work with National Dance Institute. She has been on the faculty at Juilliard since 1999.