Terese Capucilli, a driving force of the Martha Graham Dance Company from 1979 to 2005, as principal dancer, to artistic director and artistic director laureate, is renowned for her performances of Graham’s classic roles with a broad dramatic scope from the Virgin Mary to Medea. Heralded by The New York Times in 1984 as, "...the most powerful dramatic dancer of the decade", Capucilli is one in the last generation of dancers to be coached and directed by Graham herself. Roles created for her include The Chosen One in The Rite of Spring (1984) and Graham's final ballet Maple Leaf Rag (1991). On the Graham stage, she has been partnered by dance stars Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev, shared the stage with actresses Claire Bloom and Kathleen Turner and had roles created for her by Lucinda Childs, Robert Wilson and Twyla Tharp.
Since 1990, her collaboration as a associate founder and dance artist with Buglisi Dance Theatre continues to bring numerous works to the stage, including the yearly 9/11 Table of Silence Project at Lincoln Center with over 150 dancers and live-streamed throughout the world.
Honors include a 2001 Dance Magazine Award, the Presidential Distinguished Alumni Award 2010 from Purchase College (BFA), the Fini Italian International Lifetime Achievement Award (2017) and Alto Jonio Dance Career Award and, as a three-time Princess Grace Foundation-USA award recipient, most recently received a Special Projects Grant for her documentary, Lawrence 'Reed' Hansen: The Sacrosanct Accompanist—a musical journey through Martha Graham's dance technique. (www.sacrosanctaccompanist.com) In 2017, she was awarded The John Erskine Faculty Prize from The Juilliard School, an award given to one faculty member per year.
On the dance faculty at The Juilliard School, NYC since 1999, she continues to stage Graham's classic work for Juilliard’s Spring Dancers (Appalachian Spring 2008, Dark Meadow 2105, Rite of Spring 2018).
Capucilli has served on the Arts Advisory Board for the Princess Grace Foundation—USA since 2017 and the Board of Directors of Buglisi Dance Theatre since 1994.
Born and raised in New York, Louise earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at the College of New Rochelle. With over 10 years business experience, she became an Assistant Vice President at Guy Carpenter & Company. In 2004 she settled in North Carolina and married Edward Cantrell who joined 3rd Special Forces Group. During her husband’s Special Forces career, Louise gave up her career and became a stay at home mother caring for their two daughters Isabella and Natalia.
On March 6, 2012 tragedy struck when their home in Hope Mills burned down. Louise survived but her husband Edward and their two daughters perished. Louise wanted to honor and perpetuate the memory of Isabella and Natalia so she created the Dancing Angels Foundation. Louise wants to ensure the memory of Isabella & Natalia continues through dance scholarships awarded to passionate, dedicated dancers. As a Gold Star wife, Louise also works to mentor families of fallen soldiers as well as being involved in other military organizations.
Learn more about the Betty Holding Dancers Fund HERE.