Joseph Cipolla (1962?-). American dancer, teacher and director
Joseph Cipolla was born in New York. From 1977 he studied at the American Academy of Ballet, joining the Dance Theatre of Harlem in 1979. He went on to perform many principal roles in the classics and in works by many other choreographers, including George Balanchine, Glen Tetley and Arthur Mitchell. In 1980 he performed at the White House at a state dinner held in honour for the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. In 1984, Cipolla danced at the closing ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympic games.
In 1986 Cipolla joined Sadler’s Wells (now Birmingham) Royal Ballet, where once again he danced many principal roles. Cipolla has since taught at many schools, including The Royal Ballet School, the American Academy of Ballet and the school of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. In 2001, with Catherine Batcheller, he became co-founder and director of Configurations, a dance theatre and school of ballet in Williamsville, New York.