Thank you so much. (Applause.) This amazing woman, born in Philadelphia, she was onstage in New York with the American Ballet Theater by her early 20s.

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Kostritzky burnished her reputation for having a gift with children at the School of American Ballet, the in-house school for the New York City Ballet, where she taught more than 300 students in 18 years.

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The company will host a special Sandy fundraiser on Feb. 26, "Fall and Recovery, " featuring stars from other corners of the dance world, including New York City Ballet's Wendy Whelan and American Ballet Theatre's Irina Dvorovenko.

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Passionate about dancing, she earned a full scholarship to the prestigious American Ballet Theater's summer intensive in New York aged 13.

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