Born in California from Brazilian parents, Rita Duclos was raised and started her training in Florianopolis, Brazil with Bila Coimbra and Oscar Recalde. Later she joined the School of the Vienna Staasoper, under the direction of Mr. Michael Birkmeyer and also at l' Ecole de Dance Classique Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo, (Principality of Monaco), directed by the legendary teacher Marika Bessobrasova. She performed with the Vienna Staatsoper and was also engaged with L'opera National de Bordeaux and danced as a guest principal with the Vienna Festival Ballet. She was a guest artist with the ICAP (International Committee for Artists for Peace). Her roles included Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Swanilda in Coppelia.  Rita was featured as soloist a in Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Giselle, Raymonda, Le Corsaire, Paquita and performed works by George Balanchine, Jiri Kylian, Kevin O’Day,and Renato Paroni. Rita danced with the Oakland Ballet under the direction of Mr. Ronn Guidi and has been privately coached by Mr.Renato Paroni and Mrs. Marina Eglevsky. Rita joined the Sarasota Ballet in the 2008.

Repertoire

Since joining Sarasota Ballet Rita has performed in George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15., Dame Ninette De Valois’s Checkmate & The Rake’s Progress. She has also danced in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, The Two Pigeons & Façade. She has also performed in Mikhail Fokine’s Les Sylphide, Andre Prokovsky’s Anna Karenina and Paquita and performed a soloist role in Renato Paroni’s Rococo Variations.