Violette Verdy

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Violette Verdy (1933–), born Nelly Guillerm, is a French ballerina who has worked as a director of dance companies and in other related capacities since her retirement from performing in the late 1970s. As do most great ballerinas, Verdy began dance training as a child in Paris. She performed with Les Ballets de Champs-Elysees beginning in 1945. She went on to dance with Les Ballets de Paris (1950; 1953-1954), the London Festival Ballet (1954-1955), La Scala, Milan (1955-1956), and the American Ballet Theatre (1956-1957). She spent most of her career as a principal dancer in the New York City Ballet (1958-1977).

Upon her retirement from NYCB, she became the director of the Paris Opera Ballet, and became codirector of the Boston Ballet in 1980. She is currently a professor at Indiana University and Artistic Advisor to the Rock School.