Mr. La Fosse joined New York City Ballet in 1986 as a principal dancer after a nine-year career with American Ballet Theatre, which he joined in 1977. During his career with NYCB, Mr. La Fosse originated roles in Jerome Robbins’ Quiet City, Piccolo Balletto and West Side Story Suite, Peter Martins’ A Fool for You and Tea Rose, and in Susan Stroman’s “Blossom Got Kissed” from Duke!

In addition, his enormous repertory with NYCB has included such works as George Balanchine’s Nutcracker, Coppélia, Orpheus, Agon, Donizetti Variations, Prodigal Son, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Union Jack, Vienna Waltzes, and Who Cares?; and Mr. Robbins’ Interplay, Afternoon of a Faun, The Concert, Other Dances, Dances at a Gathering, Fancy Free, The Four Seasons, The Goldberg Variations, I’m Old Fashioned, Opus 19/The Dreamer, and Watermill.

With ABT, he danced leading roles in many of the full-length classics and appeared in works by Eugene Loring, Agnes de Mille, Antony Tudor, and Twyla Tharp. For the Broadway stage, Mr. La Fosse starred in Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, for which he received a 1989 Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical.

In addition to his performing career, Mr. La Fosse is also an established choreographer who has created over 75 works for ballet, opera, musical theater, film and television.

In the past he has taught at the New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet, ABT’s summer intensives, The Julliard School, Princeton University, SUNY Purchase and Barnard College.

He currently is on the faculty at American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and performs in the New York City Ballet’s annual production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker as Herr Drosselmiere.