Michelle Vargo has danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for over 20 years. Appearing in over 40 different productions, she’s worked with choreographers such as Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Robert LaFosse, Graciela Daniele, Kelly Devine, Mark Dendy, Steven Hogart, Carolyn Choa and directors Franco Zeffirelli, Phelim McDermott, Des McAnuff, Michael Mayer, Robert LePage, Francois Girard and Bartlett Sher, among others.

A graduate of The Juilliard School under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy, Michelle’s early training was with Lee Garrard in Butler, Pennsylvania, while attending summer programs with Laura Alonso. Before graduating from high school, Michelle was hired for David H. Bell’s production of “Fame” with Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, as well as four other productions that season, where she also worked with director/choreographer Rob Marshall. While guesting in classical ballets for various companies, Michelle’s career has ranged from dancing Victoria in “Cats” with Gateway Playhouse, to dancing on roofs in Brooklyn with Rindfleisch Dance, to dancing the twisted Cinderella character covered in raw egg and dough with Racoco Productions, for which she was named #5 in the "Top 10 Dance Performances of the Year" in the New York Times. She most recently made the New York Times Top 10 Dance Performances list as part of the Met’s Production of “Parsifal” while 6-months pregnant with her second child.

Michelle Vargo has taught extensively for the Joffrey Ballet School NYC, as well as conducting auditions throughout the U.S. for the Joffrey Ballet School’s summer program. She has taught for the Dancers of The Met , The Dance Conservatory, Mile Square Theatre, among others, and is currently a teacher and rehearsal director with New York Dance Project.

As a choreographer, Michelle has choreographed for Jesse Malin’s “Disco Ghetto” music video featuring Mary Louise Parker and for Harry Greenberger’s feature film, “Staring at the Sun” featuring Sarah Clarke. Her work has also appeared at the Juilliard School, Bowery Electric, City Center Studios, Alice Tully Hall for International Day of Yoga, with the Open Project (Provence, France), with Encounters Dance, and the Jacaranda School (Malawi),