Patricia Davis Raffy
Adjunct Faculty Member
About
PATRICIA DAVIS was born in Los Angeles, California. At age 12, she was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship to the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. She further trained as an apprentice at Stuttgart Ballet (Germany), dancing most of the John Cranko repertoire as a corps de ballet member. Becoming professional, Ms. Davis danced for two seasons with American Ballet Theater Repertory Company. She made frequent guest appearances with regional ballet companies before she joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theater in 1978 as a soloist, becoming principal ballerina in 1980.
Ms. Davis has danced many of the lead roles in the classical repertory including Giselle, Odette/Odile (Swan Lake) and Swanhilda in Coppelia. Rave reviews followed her moving rendition of Michael Smuin’s Harp Concerto Pas de Deux. Anna Kisselgoff of the New York Times stated: “Davis...has a special purity of classical dancing. She is so extremely well placed and schooled, with a beautiful floating jump.” These qualities inspired many leading roles in Patrick Frantz’s contemporary ballets, among them Firebird, Romeo and Juliet, and The Triumph of Dance. Ms. Davis is currently owner/trainer at Oaks Pilates studio, stages classical ballet works, choreographs and teaches nationally and internationally.