Antonia Franceschi

Antonia Franceschi (born March 30, 1960) is an American actress, dancer, and choreographer. Franceschi was one of the last generations selected by George Balanchine to join The New York City Ballet. She is a Time Out Award winner for Outstanding Achievement In Dance. She is also known for her dance performances in the film musicals Fame and Grease. She subsequently danced under George Balanchine in New York, and now works as a choreographer and dance company director, dividing her time between the United Kingdom and the USA. Early life Franceschi grew up in the American Midwest. Her parents divorced when she was eight years old, and she moved with her mother to New York City. She joined a gang for protection; she also studied ballet and began working in the theater by the age of eleven. She studied under Margaret Craske and attended the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.