MARGARET VIRKUS held the positions of senior level faculty at the Russell School and resident classical choreographer for Fairfax Ballet’s senior company for 25 years before becoming Artistic Director for both organizations in 2011. She began studying ballet with School of American Ballet trained Judith Lee Johnson in St. Petersburg, Florida. She went on to study with notable teachers Alexandra Danilova, Leon Danielian, Valentina Pereyaslavec, Maria Yurieva Swoboda and Igor Schwezoff in New York and with Edward Caton, John White, Margarita de Saa and Barbara Weisberger in Philadelphia. For two years in Texas, Margaret had the good fortune to study daily under master teacher Victor Moreno of the legendary Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

She was awarded full scholarships at the American Ballet Theatre School, Pennsylvania Ballet School and the National Ballet School in Washington, D.C., where she attended the professional ballet and academic program and graduated high school. In her senior year Maragret performed in a production of Coppelia under the direction of the iconic Frederic Franklin, who had personally invited her to attend his school in Washington.

Margaret danced as a soloist with the Fort Worth Ballet under the direction of Fernando Schaffenberg while majoring in ballet at Texas Christian University. A few of her favorite role include the second soloist in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barrocco, the title role in La Sylphide, Marie Taglioni in Pas de Quatre, and the Don Quixote pas de deux.

Ms. Virkus has choreographed and staged numerous ballets including the Grand Pas from Paquita, Act 2 of La Sylphide, the Nutcracker, and many original works. She has taught classical ballet for over 30 years in the Washington area at the Atrium Studio of Dance under Annetta Holser, the Washington School of
Ballet under Mary Day and the Russell School of Ballet where she continues to enjoy sharing her ballet heritage with her students.