Richard Allan Ploch, MA, RDE, Artistic Director of Acanthus, a chamber-sized Ballet Company and Adjunct Faculty of Dance at Hillsborough Community College and University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida, has been teaching ballet for over 40 years. He received his MA in Dance specializing in Labanotation from Ohio State University. He is a Certified Teacher of Labanotation and Labanotation Stager. He includes as his mentors and principle teachers: George Zoritch, Nenette Charisse, Peff Modelski, John Calandar, Rosalind Pierson and Ruth C. Petrinovic. An active choreographer, he currently devotes most of his choreographic energies to Acanthus. Ploch is active in several international dance organizations.