Katarzyna Skarpetowska

Katarzyna Skarpetowska started dancing at age 13 in her native city of Warsaw, Poland.  Two years later, she was cast in a first ever Polish musical entitled METRO. Directed and choreographed by Janusz Jozefowicz with music by Janusz Stoklosa, the show was an instant hit at the Dramatic Theater in Warsaw. On April 16, 1992, the show had its Broadway premiere at The Minskoff Theater where Skarpetowska was the youngest cast member at the age of 15. After the show closed, she enrolled in the New York City High School of Performing Arts, graduating in 1995. She then went on to study at the prestigious Juilliard School under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy.  After graduating with a BFA in Dance, she immediately joined Parsons Dance where, from 1999–2006, she performed lead roles in the company's repertory including the iconic Caught by David Parsons.  From 2006–2008, Skarpetowska was a guest member of The Battleworks Dance Company, founded by her former colleague at Parsons Dance and former Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Robert Battle.   

In 2007, Skarpetowska was one of two featured dancers during the Glimmerglass Opera Festival and in 2008, she toured Italy with WHY BE EXTRAORDINARY IF YOU CAN BE YOURSELF, a show by Daniel Ezralow. In 2009, she co-designed and co-directed Romeo and Juliet for The Gunter Theater in Greenville, SC.  From 2007–2014, she worked for The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, performing at many reputable venues such as New York City Center, The Kennedy Center, and Moscow's Bolshoi Theater. Skarpetowska has also appeared as a guest artist with The Buglisi Dance Theater. She has had the privilege of working as a repetiteur and assistant choreographer to Lar Lubovitch, David Parsons, and Robert Battle, setting works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Austin, Repertory Dance Theatre, Introdans, Company C, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Beijing Dance Academy, Point Park University, Adelphi University, SUNY Purchase, The Juilliard School, and Booker T. Washington Performing Arts High School.   

Her own choreography has been performed by Richmond Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, BalletX, Smuin Ballet, Rochester City Ballet, Ailey II, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Parsons Dance, Buglisi Dance Theater, Hubbard Street 2, Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore!, Houston METdance, Big Muddy Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theater, Owen/Cox Dance Group, Bruce Wood Dance, MoralesDance, Periapsis Music and Dance, The Juilliard School, Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, Marymount Manhattan College, Point Park University, George Mason University, Ohio University, Kansas University, and New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble. In recognition for Skarpetowska’s choreographic efforts, she was named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2016 and was nominated for a New York Dance and Performance Bessie Award in the emerging choreographer category in 2017. She is the 2019 awardee of BalletX's Choreographic Fellowship. Skarpetowska is also a freelance teacher holding workshops throughout the world.  She has been on the faculty of the American Dance Festival, American Ballet Theatre summer program, School of American Ballet, Boston Conservatory summer program, Key West Modern Dance, Greenville Fine Arts Center, NJDTE, Peridance, Washington Ballet @THEARC, and most recently at UC Irvine.  She resides in New York City.