Princeton Dance Studio Student Earns Professional Contract

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Dance and Theater Studio has produced a professional dancer. Max Azaro, 18, of West Windsor, has accepted an offer from Ballet Austin 2 to join their company, the studio announced on Monday. He is the latest of dozens of alumni from Princeton Dance and Theater Studio to achieve professional dancer status, the studio said.

Princeton Dance and Theater Studio Director Risa Kaplowitz took Azaro to compete at Youth America Grand Prix when he was just 14. He came in second place in the regional Philadelphia competition and was offered a full scholarship to American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City.

He received the prestigious Northern Trust Scholarship, which was presented to him at the ABT Gala in May 2016.

“PDT has always offered committed boys a full scholarship for their ballet classes,” Kaplowitz said. “Many of our male students as well as dozens of our females, have either gone on to use their dance in professional companies or in top colleges such as Princeton University and Columbia University.”

Princeton Dance Theater and Studio will host Open Houses in August and September. Free classes are offered in Ballet and Hip Hop for children and adults on Aug. 26; Modern on Sept. 6; Tap on Sept. 12; and Jazz on Sept. 14.

Visit princetondance.com or call 609-514-1600 to register for the Open House.

Attached images were provided by Princeton Dance and Theater Studio:

Photo #1: Max Azaro and Jorina Kardashi Photo credit: Melissa Ackerman
Photo #2: Max Azaro, Ben Jorgensen, Eric Simon, Bhadra Gurjar, Max Rogowski
Photo #3: Young Boys: Holden Chang, Micah Wachtin, Henry Serino, Jonathan Ronen, Gabriel Mikhno, Pawel Laskowski, Lucas Baden