Susan Jaffe Wants to Build a New Era at American Ballet Theater

The red carpet was rolled out, the Champagne was flowing and the crowd of financiers, artists, philanthropists and socialites gathered in a Manhattan ballroom on a May evening began to cheer.

It was American Ballet Theater’s spring gala dinner, and the company had invited several hundred people for a performance — and a plea.

Susan Jaffe, Ballet Theater’s artistic director and a former star ballerina with the company, took to the stage and spoke of a new era. She said that Ballet Theater, which was founded in 1939 and remains one of the most prominent dance troupes in the United States, had a beloved repertoire and an abundance of talented artists.

But she also alluded to the company’s recent struggles, saying the troupe could not innovate without more financial support.

“I look forward,” she told the crowd, “to all the great strides we are going to make together.”

It was the 531st day of her tenure, and Jaffe, 62, was drained. For almost a year, she had served not only as Ballet Theater’s artistic chief — coaching dancers, hiring choreographers, planning seasons — but also as its executive director following the sudden resignation last year of Janet Rollé, who previously served in that position. Wearing two hats has meant that she is sometimes working 18-hour days, leading rehearsals of “Giselle” and “Swan Lake” one minute, scrutinizing tour schedules and budgets the next.

“I start my day with back-to-back meetings — just back to back to back to back to back to back to back meetings — and then I go directly into rehearsal,” she said in an interview at her office in the Flatiron district of Manhattan.