Dancers Deborah Riggs Maher and Christine Colby Jacques

#WomenYouShouldKnow

Deborah Riggs Maher (l) began dancing early in life with instruction in tap and ballet, and went on to train at the Anniliesa Von Oettingen School of Ballet.

After attending the prestigious Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, she began studying contemporary/modern dance under Alvin Ailey teachers. Concurrently, she began dancing with Contemporary Dance Theater.

Debbie taught dance at the Cincinnati School of Creative and Performing Arts, and at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

She met Christine Colby Jacques (r) at the Conservatory, and they danced at Contemporary Dance Theater.

Debbie hold a bachelor's degree, and a Master of Education degree.

Following high school, Christine Colby Jacques (r) toured with Disney on Parade, then became a Radio City Music Hall Rockette. 

She was discovered by Bob Fosse, and he cast her in his original 1978 show 'Dancin'', which ran more than four years on Broadway.

Christine also performed in Fosse's 'Sweet Charity' on Broadway and in the first national tour, and danced in the first national tour of the Broadway show 'Fosse'.

Television and movie credits include, 'A Chorus Line', 'Annie', 'All That Jazz', and 'The Tonight Show'.

Debbie and I have been friends many years; Christine and I served on the local board of directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, where she was an exceptional president.

Photograph © 2014 Larry F. Levenson.

All rights reserved.

#Dance #Friends