Francia Russell rehearses Balanchine's Concerto Barocco

Balanchine said of Concerto Barocco: "If the dance designer sees in the development of classical dancing a counterpart in the development of music and has studied them both, he will derive continual inspiration from great scores."

Francia Russell is of one the few repetiteurs responsible for staging and rehearsing Balanchine's repertory around the world. She studied with Doubrovska, Volkova, Joffrey, and Balanchine, joining New York City Ballet in 1956 where she became soloist in 1959 and ballet mistress in 1964. In 1975 Francia was appointed co-artistic director (with Kent Stowell) of the Frankfurt Ballet. In 1977 Francia and Kent moved to Pacific Northwest Ballet as directors and led the company until her retirement in 2004.