Violette Verdy Remembered 

Born in Pont-L'Abbe, France, Violette Verdy began her dancing career in 1945 as a soloist with Roland Petit's Ballets des Champs Elysée. She joined American Ballet Theater in 1957 and a year later was invited to join the New York City Ballet as principal dancer, a position she held for almost 20 years until her retirement from the stage.
In 1977 Ms. Verdy was appointed the first female Artistic Director of the Paris Opera Ballet and later became Artistic Director of the Boston Ballet.The French government conferred two separate honors upon her. In 1973, Violette Verdy received the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres, while in June of 2009, she received the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur.