At age ten, Brett Raphael was chosen by George Balanchine to receive a Ford Foundation scholarship to the School of American Ballet. He subsequently studied with Stanley Williams, Hector Zaraspe, Valentina Pereyaslavec, Leon Danielian and Errol Addison (in London) and performed with the touring ensemble, Stars of American Ballet. After several years as a freelance dancer and choreographer, he founded Connecticut Ballet in 1981 and continued to appear as a principal dancer with the company until 1990. He has since choreographed 16 original works for Connecticut Ballet along with staging six full-length works. His production of Nutcracker has received over 350 performances throughout New England and New York State. In addition to directing Connecticut Ballet Center, official school of Connecticut Ballet, Mr. Raphael has served on the  faculty of Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Harkness House in New York City, and Purchase College. He has been a consultant for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Councils for the Arts and is the past President of Connecticut Dance Alliance.