Runqiao Du, of Shanghai, China, received his ballet training at Shanghai Dance Academy where he was awarded scholarships and graduated with honors as well as receiving a medal in the junior division of the China National Ballet Competition. In his professional career, he has toured with American Ballet Theater. Currently, he is a principal dancer with The Washington Ballet where he has performed various classical and neoclassical ballets, including the lead roles of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Oberon in A Midummer Night’s Dream, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Albrecht in Giselle, and the Cavalier in The Nutcracker. In 2000, Mr. Du was honored to be invited by the legendary ballerina, Suzanne Farrell, to join her new company, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, a creation of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Under the artistic direction of Ms. Farrell, Mr. Du has had the opportunity to perform leading roles in some of the world’s most beloved ballets, including George Balanchine’s Scotch Symphony, Monumentum Pro Gesualdo, Movements for Piano and Orchestra, Tzigane, Who Cares?, Divertimento No. 15, Serenade, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Meditation, Duo Concertante, La Source, La Valse, the full-length Don Quixote, Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun and Maurice Bejart’s Romeo and Juliet. In addition to his performing, Mr. Du teaches ballet classes at local ballet schools. Most recently, he choreographed a ballet for Olney Dance Theater, which won first place in the New Jersey Youth Festival ensemble division.