Joffrey, Robert (1930-1988)

US dancer, choreographer, teacher, and artistic director. He taught dance and choreographed ballets before forming his first company in 1954. The Joffrey Ballet, which he co-founded with Gerald Arpino in 1965, revitalized ballet with multimedia works such as Astarte (1967), and became a major force in the world of dance.

He was born in Seattle, Washington, of Afghan descent. He trained at the High School of Performing Arts, New York City, and the School of American Ballet, making his debut in 1949.