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Alfredo Corvino,
NJDTE Founding Artistic Director and visionary master teacher,
was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. He studied ballet there with
Alberto Poujanne as a scholarship student at the National
Academy of Ballet then went on to dance with the company.As
a performer, Dr. Corvino had toured internationally first
as a member of the Jooss Ballet, then as a soloist with the
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Favorite roles included Spectre
de la Rose, Bluebird and Carnaval. Later on he joined the
Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company and subsequently became
Ballet Master. Dr. Corvino credited the following teachers
for his training: Anatole Vilzak, Edward Caton, Boris Romanoff,
Alexander Gavrilov, Margaret Craske and Antony Tudor.A noted
authority on classical technique worldwide, Dr. Corvino's
teaching credits are staggering. On the faculty of the The
Juilliard School for 42 years, he also taught at the Metropolitan
Opera Ballet School for almost 20 years, then founded and
directed his own school in New York City, the Dance Circle,
for 25 years and directed New Jersey Dance Theater Guild for
10 years. Dr. Corvino also served as panelist to the New York
State Council on the Arts. At the time of his passing he was
Ballet Master to Pina Bausch/Tanztheater Wuppertal and when
in New York City, taught master ballet classes at the Wien
Center for Dance and Theatre.Dr. Corvino was the recipient
of many awards including the 2002 Martha Hill Award for Leadership
in Dance. In May 2003 he had the distinction of receiving
an Honorary Doctorate from The Juilliard School and in May
2005 he was awarded the Juilliard Centenniel Medal. Dr. Corvino
was a mentor and inspiration to many dancers including Artistic
Director Nancy Turano and Rosemary Sabovick-Bleich. NJDTE
has established “The Alfredo Corvino Scholarship Fund”
in his name for talented students.
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Nancy Turano (Artistic
Director/Choreographer) was born in New Jersey and trained
at NJDTE with Ballet Master Alfredo Corvino at the NJDTE from
1972-1980. Ms. Turano received her B.F.A. in dance from SUNY
Purchase. She performed as a principal dancer with Ballet
Hispanico of New York, served as rehearsal director for the
company and was on faculty of the school for 13 years. Ms.
Turano has also been a member of Buglisi/Foreman Dance and
guest artist with many companies including, Martine Van Hamel’s
New Amsterdam Ballet, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico and
Il Piccolo Teatro Dell’ Opera.
Since 1994, as Artistic Director of NJDTE,
she has developed innovative training, outreach programs,
increased performance opportunities in prestigious theatres,
and established a faculty of brilliant teachers to serve as
mentors for talented dancers from NJ. In 13 years she has
commissioned over 43 cutting-edge repertory pieces for the
company, including works by David Parsons, Robert Battle,
Robert Garland, and Twyla Tharp (2008). She has also choreographed
15 original works for the Ensemble, including a collaboration
with Summit Chorale for a full-length “Carmina Burana”
and “Tiktaalik” with composer Bob Cohen. Her choreography
has been presented at the Joyce Theatre, Brooklyn Academy
of Music, Dance Theatre Workshop, Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse
in NYC, as well as in theatres in Europe, Panama, Mexico and
Israel and commissioned by Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago,
the Ailey School, Harkness Youth Ballet, and the Bat Dor School
in Israel. Her full-length “Carmen” was filmed
for a feature on PBS Channel 13. In 2004, she choreographed
a short film “Tango Octogenario” with director
David Licata that was subsequently featured at “New
Films/New Directors” series in Lincoln Center, the Tribeca
Film Festival, as well as in over 40 film festivals in the
US and Europe. She has also choreographed on TV for “The
Whoopi Show” and “Law and Order.”
A master teacher, Ms Turano has taught
for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Ailey II, Bat-Dor
Company, Aspen Ballet, National Ballet of Panama, Teatro San
Martin in Argentina, New York University, 92nd Street Y Harkness
Dance Center, Celine Dion’s “A New Day”
and over 30 universities in the US. She was the founding director
of the Harkness Youth Ballet at the 92nd St. Y in NYC and
is currently on the faculty of the Ailey School."
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Rosemary Sabovick-Bleich was born in New Jersey and trained with Gertrude Weinberg and Alfredo Corvino as a member of the NJDTE. At the age of seventeen, she performed for the first time professionally with the New Jersey Ballet Company. She then toured internationally with the Pavlova Celebration, dancing lead roles in the "Fairy Doll" and "Giselle". Upon returning to New Jersey Ballet, she rose to be their leading, principal ballerina for over 15 years. Ms. Sabovick-Bleich has toured Taiwan and Moscow with the Stars of American Ballet Theatre and Bermuda with NJBC. She is known for her versatility and technical brilliance in such roles as Sylvia Pas de Deux, DeMille's "Cowgirl" in Rodeo and the Sugar Plum Fairy. She has worked with many noted choreographers including, Vicente Nebrada, Norbert Vesak, Edward Villella and Robert North. She is currently on faculty and Board of Directors for the NJDTE as well as a faculty member with New Jersey School of Ballet and New Jersey Ballet Company.
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Lenore Pavlakos Morales (Ballet Mistress), a native of Brooklyn, NY, trained with Vicky Simegiatos and continued her training at Nubert Ballet School. She was awarded a trainee scholarship to study at Harkness House for Ballet Arts. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School where she received her BFA Degree in Dance. Ms. Pavlakos Morales performed with Maryland Ballet & Eugene Ballet before joining Dance Theatre of Harlem in 1993. While with DTH, she danced as Soloist then Principal Dancer. She additionally served as assistant rehearsal director and master teacher. While with DTH Ms. Morales toured Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, The United Kingdom, and the United States, performing ballets by noted choreographers such as George Balanchine, Glen Tetly, John Taras, and Michael Smuin, to name a few. Ms. Pavlakos Morales is a guest teacher with “Tremaine Conventions” where she teaches ballet classes to hundreds of children throughout the United States. She has performed on TV for the 2000 Kennedy Center Honors Awards and has been seen in various magazines such as “Oprah,” “Mademoiselle,” “Pointe,” and “Dance,” as well as the Italian magazine “Io Donna.” She currently is the director of the Harkness Youth Ballet, teaches private classes, and coaches students.
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Alexandra Wells was principal dancer of the Ballet National de Nancy, touring the world and forming lasting partnerships with the late Rudolf Nureyev for six years and Patrick Dupont for four. During her 13-year tenure, she danced lead roles in the classics as well as the ballets of Balanchine, Fokine, Nijinsky, Lifar, Culberg, Bejart, DeMIlle, Neumier, Kylian, Van Manen, Limon, Christy and Dove. During this period she often served as translator (English to French) for invited choreographers. Her fluency in the French language and familiarity with the culture of both European and American cultures has assisted her in the administration of exchange programs with America, Canada, and France. In 2002 Ms. Wells and Susan Alexander founded The Professional Project in Montreal. This program selects 50 talented dancers and gives them the opportunity to work with 10 professional contemporary companies over a three-week period. The project has led to employment with Montreal-based companies for many of the dancers and to the creation of dozens of new works. Currently Ms. Wells is a full-time faculty member at The Juilliard School in New York City, teaching various levels of ballet and pointe as well as acting as rehearsal assistant to invited choreographers. She also functions as a colloquium facilitator, a program for first-time college students, and is a mentor in Juilliard’s new Mentoring Program, where she has the opportunity to work with students in all of the artistic disciplines and to facilitate collaborations between them.
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Walter Cinquinella,
originally from Italy, is co-founder and artistic director
of Dance Farm Project (Tel Aviv ). He started dancing at the
age of 9, with Gabriel Popescu, private teacher of Marcia
Haydee and Carla Fracci. At 16 he trained at the Ballet Academy
of Dance in Koln, Germany. Mr. Cinquinella has performed the
major roles in the classical repertoire and the contemporary
works of Nacho Duato, Jiri Killian, Mats Ek, Birgit Cullburg,
Robert North, Igal Perri, Hans Van Manen, Niels Christie,
Inbal Pinto, and many others. He was a principal dancer with
many companies including Teatro S. Carlo Opera Ballet, Teatro
Massimo Opera Ballet, Bat-Dor Dance Company, Inbal Pinto Dance
Company, Buglisi/Foreman Dance in NYC, and Ballet Hispanico
of NY where he shared the stage with stars such as Rudolf
Nureyev, Carla Fracci, Fernando Bujones, Terese Capucilli,
Donlin Foreman and Christine Dakin. In addition Mr. Cinquinella
has also been Ballet Master for Cedarlake Ensemble NYC, BAT-DOR
Dance Company and faculty member for Peridance and the New
Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble.
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Jean Emile trained
in New York City at the High School of Performing Arts, Alvin
Ailey School, School of American Ballet, Dr. Glory’s
School of Musical Theater, Joffrey Ballet School and at the
Summer Dance Academy in Cologne, Germany. His professional
experiences include working with Netherlands Dance Theater
2 and Netherlands Dance Theater 1 in Holland, Compania Nacional
de Danza in Spain, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Notre Dame
de Paris, and Donald Byrd, The Group. He has danced in various
projects with choreographers and musicians such as Francesca
Harper, Tessa Cooke, Nils Christie, Jennifer Hanna and Zane
Booker and Prince to name a few. In 1999 he worked with Peter
Sellars on a Stravinsky Opera {Biblical Pieces}. He has taught
at IT-Dansa (dir. Catherine Allard), Barcelona and La Compania,
at the Rotterdam Dance Academy, Henry Juriens Foundation in
Amsterdam, Ballet Du Nord in France and Oakland Ballet. He
has taught, evaluated and auditioned dancers for Cirque du
Soleil, for Celine Dion's new Las Vegas show "A New Day",
and was dance captain for Notre Dame de Paris in Las Vegas.
He has contributed to the Netherlands Dance Theater choreography
workshop with three works and also choreographed for La Compania
in Barcelona, the operetta "Die Herzogin Van Chicago"
for the Theater Osnabruck in Germany as well as works for
the Ailey School and Marymount Manhattan College. Jean continues
to teach and choreograph in the US and abroad and is currently
is on faculty at The Alvin Ailey School. “Talk To Her”
is his first work for NJDTE.
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Joseph Fritz
began his training in Bethlehem, PA at The Ballet Guild of
the Lehigh Valley under the direction of Alexi Ramov. He continued
his training as a scholarship student at both the School of
American Ballet and the Joffrey School. His professional career
includes former principal dancer at the Metropolitan Opera
Ballet for 16 years, principal dancer and guest artist with
New Jersey Ballet, principal dancer with the Eglevsky Ballet
in New York, as well as Guest Artist with the NJDTE’s
Nutcracker’s for many years. Mr. Fritz has been a guest
teacher with the NJDTE and Ballet Master at Blue Lake Fine
Arts Camp in Michigan. He is currently the dance administrator
at the Metropolitan Opera. As administrator he is responsible
for staging and rehearsing all dances for the operas. Last
season Joe choreographed two dance scenes for the opera Vespri.
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Iyun Harrison
began his formal training at The Jamaica School of Dance and
later received his BFA from The Juilliard School. Mr. Harrison’s
professional credits include Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet
Hispanico of New York, Ailey II and The National Dance Theatre
Company of Jamaica. He has also appeared as guest artist with
Lubbock Ballet, New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble and Delaware
Dance Company. Mr. Harrison has taught ballet and choreographed
works for The Ailey School, New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble,
Talent Unlimited High School, Professional Performing Arts
School (NYC), The Center of Creative Arts (St. Louis, MO)
and the Jamaica School of Dance. He has also choreographed
a work for the Juilliard Dance Ensemble.
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Francisco Martinez,
was a dancer with Compania Nacional de Danza (Spain), and
Ballet Royal de Wallonie (Belgium), from 1983 to 1994. His
performance experience is diverse, including works of Petipa,
Fokine, Balanchine, Jiri Kilian, Hans Van Manen, Nacho Duato,
Vicente Nebrada, Alberto Alonso, and Ana Sokolow, among others.
He received his Ballet Degree from the Royal Conservatory
of Dance in Madrid and also graduated from the Dance Education
Laboratory at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center in New
York City. Mr. Martinez was a rehearsal director for Ballet
Hispanico of New York from 1996 to 2000 and has been a guest
teacher for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, BJM
Danse- Ballet Jazz de Montreal, and Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater. He has been also a faculty member of Sarah Lawrence
College, Joyce Theater Educational Program, Long Island University,
Peridance, Boston Ballet summer program, and he is currently
on the faculties of The Ailey School and Marymount Manhattan
College as a ballet instructor. Francisco Martinez has staged
works by Vicente Nebrada, Hans Van Manen, Jiri Kilian, and
Nacho Duato. Mr. Martinez's has choreographed works for the
Ballet Hispanico School, the Harkness Youth Ballet, The New
Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble, and The Ailey School.
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Modern Faculty
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Elisa Clark,
originally from the Washington, DC area, received her early
dance training with Tensia Fonseca, Eric Hampton, Helen Hayes,
and the Maryland Youth Ballet, amongst others. She graduated
with her BFA from the Juilliard School, under the direction
of the late Benjamin Harkarvy. Ms. Clark danced with the Lar
Lubovitch Dance Company, the Nederlands Dans Theater, and
Igal Perry's Peridance Ensemble, before becoming a founding
member of Robert Battle's Battleworks Dance Company, where
she also served as Company Manager, from 2001 to 2006. Additionally,
she has frequently returned to the DC area as a Guest Artist
with Bowen McCauley Dance, performing original roles at the
Kennedy Center, as well as in Mexico and Germany. Ms. Clark
has staged her own work, as well as the works of Mr. Battle,
Mr. Perry, David Parsons and Adam Hougland on the Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater, Ailey II, the Juilliard Dance Ensemble,
Introdans (Holland), Houston Met, Brown University, the University
of Massachusetts, Georgetown University, New World School
of the Arts, Barnard College, the Fieldston School, Ballet
Divertimento (Montreal), the New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble,
Perry-Mansfield, Plymouth State University, COCA and other
companies and schools. She has been on the faculty of the
American Dance Festival, the New York State Summer School
for the Arts School of Dance, the New Jersey Dance Theater
Ensemble, and Perry-Mansfield. In February 2006 Ms. Clark
joined the Mark Morris Dance Group, where she currently dances.
She also works very closely with Carolyn Adams and the American
Dance Legacy Institute, as well as serves on an advisory panel
for Capezio.
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Carlos dos Santos, Jr.
is a recognized dancer, choreographer and teacher. He has
performed as a principal dancer with major Brazilian and U.S.
dance companies, including the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble,
Complexions, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble (US); Grupo
Salto, Bale Folclorico da Bahia, Bale Teatro Castro Alves,
and DanceBrazil (Brazil), where he also served as a rehearsal
director. Mr. Dos Santos' choreographic credits include works
for Colorado Ballet, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center,
American Dance Festival, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and DanceBrazil,
as well as his own solo performances around the world. Mr.
Dos Santos has been featured in numerous TV programs as an
actor, dancer and model. His TV credits include appearances
on PBS (US) and SBT TV (major Brazilian TV network), as well
as coverage as a performer and choreographer in news programs
around the world. His acting career included Medea Materialis
for the New York Fringe Festival, Dream on Monkey Mountain
with the Denter Center Theater Company, Chaplin with the Edison
Souto Theatre Group, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands with the
Fernando Guerreiro Theatre Group, and Yalorixa, a popular
Brazilian soap-opera. Mr. Dos Santos has taught at dance festivals,
schools and universities around the world, including the Alvin
Ailey Repertory Ensemble, The Ailey School, Steps on Broadway,
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance School and International Summer
Institute, DanceBrazil, Academy of Colorado Ballet, Youth
America Grand Prix Ballet and Contemporary Dance Competition
for Students, as well as master classes in the U.S., Italy,
Switzerland, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Chekh Republic, Argentina,
and Brazil.
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I-Fang Huang
is from Taiwan. She began her dance training at age of six.
She graduated from National Taiwan University of the Art (National
Taiwan Academy of the Arts) in dance in 1994. In Taiwan she
worked with Neo-Classic Dance Company for three years and
has toured internationally as well as worked with Hugo Delevaller
for two years. She moved to New York in 1995 and continued
her training on scholarship at the Merce Cunningham school.
I-Fang has worked with a range of choreographers and companies
such as Nancy Turano, Igal Perry, Elisa Monte Dance Company,
Buglisi/Foreman Dance Company, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company,
Chen-Chien Yu, Fabrice Lamego, Michael Mao Dance and in musical
theater "The King and I"( Director Baayork Lee)
as Angel George. I-Fang joined Metropolitan Opera for the
season of 2006-2007 for "Madame Butterfly"(Director
Anthony Minghella), "The First Emperor" (Director
Zhang Yimou) and is an assistant for choreographer DouDou
Huang, "Turandot" and "Giulio Cesare."
I-Fang has been teaching as a guest teacher with NYU Tisch
School, Colorado College, and she is faculty member at the
New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. I-Fang is an invited guest
artist with GMuter Dance Theater and will be performing with
them in Taiwan in 2007.
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Elizabeth Koeppen,
Dancer/Associate Artistic Director with The Parsons Dance
Company, was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia,
where she began her training with Judith Hatcher and Darlene
Kelly. She continued her education at SUNY Purchase where
she received her BFA under the instruction of Gayle Young,
Larry Clarke, Kevin Wynn, Rosanna Seravalli and Betti-Jane
Sills. Teaching credits for The Parsons Dance Company include
SUNY Purchase, The Juilliard School, NYU's Tisch School of
the Arts, The 92nd Street Y, the New Arts Festival, Baltimore
School of the Arts, Peridance and Dancespace. Ms. Koeppen
has staged works by Mr. Parsons on numerous companies including
the Milwaukee Ballet, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Repertory
Dance Theater, New York City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet,
Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Louisville Ballet and Roland
Petit's Ballet National de Marseille. Ms. Koeppen joined The
Parsons Dance Company in 1989.
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Fabrice Lamego has
been a member of Elisa Monte Dance since 1998 and also serves
as Rehearsal Director for the company. Fabrice has won acclaim
for his technical and artistic proficiency and for the energy
and sheer joy that infuses his performances. An alumnus of
the Alvin Ailey School, which he attended on a French government
scholarship, Fabrice also won First Prize in the 1996 National
Competition of Dance in Paris. .Fabrice has taught dance in
New York, New Jersey, Bratislava, Slovak Republic; Lyon, France;
Barbados, Paris, France; London, UK; and Guadeloupe French
West Indies. Fabrice has danced in Russia, Switzerland, Italy,
Germany, Austria, France, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Singapore,
Philippine, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Brazil, London,
and through out the United States. Fabrice is currently creating
a work for the Elisa Monte Dance Company. He has also created
works for the Ailey School and his works Requiem and L’Envol
are in the NJDTE Repertory.
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Jason McDole was
born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. He received his formal dance
training from Paula Scriva, Buddy Thompson, and the Pittsburgh
Ballet Theater. McDole received a BFA from The Juilliard School
under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy in 1997. He has danced
in the companies of Twyla Tharp, Lar Lubovitch, and David
Parsons. Mc Dole is a dancer and assistant to Robert Battle
of Battleworks Dance Company. He has been privileged to work
on projects with Zvi Gotheiner, Mark Dendy, and Graciela Daniele.
He was featured in Twyla Tharp’s new Broadway show “The
Times They Are A- Changin.” Mr. McDole has taught and
staged works throughout the U.S. and abroad. He will be staging
Twyla Tharps TORELLI for the Ensemble to premiere in Spring
2008. He is faculty member at Point Park College and has been
a guest artist and faculty member with NJDTE since 1994.
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Virginie Mécène is
a native of France. She graduated from the French federation
of dance with a C.A.E. in Jazz. A principal dancer with the
Martha Graham Dance Company, she has danced many roles of
the repertoire around the world since 1994. She has also been
a member of the Buglisi/Foreman dance company, Battery Dance
Company, the Pearl Lang Dance Theater, White Wave Rising and
worked with Susan Stroman, Lucinda Child, Max Luna III, and
others. Ms. Mecene is presently Interim Director of the Martha
Graham School and the Artistic Director of the Martha Graham
Ensemble since January 2007. She has been a faculty member
of the Martha Graham School for over 14 years and has reconstructed
Martha Graham works for the University of the Arts in Philadelphia,
the University of Washington, Temple University in Philadelphia.
Ms. Mécène is a guest teacher at the Ailey School,
Peridance, Studio Harmonic, and the Centre National de la
Dance in Paris, has served as a lecturer at Barnard College.
She has also choreographed and taught for Joffrey Midwest
Workshop, L’Opera Ballet de Metz, France, the Singapore
Dance Ensemble, Singapore, The E.F.S.D., New York, the Dumbo
dance festival, New York, the Martha Graham Dance Ensemble
who premiered La Guinguette in New York and toured with her
duet Between Two Worlds.
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Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish
was born in Manila and became the youngest member of Ballet
Phillippines. After receiving scholarships to Joffrey, Graham
and The Ailey School, she danced with the Metropolitan Opera
Ballet, Joyce Trisler Dance Company before joining Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theatre where she was a principal dancer from
1984-1997. She performed in the Emmy award-winning PBS specials
“Two by Dove” and Judith Jamison’s “A
Hymn for Alvin Ailey” among others, and was featured
in a 1997 Dance Magazine cover article and named by Avenue
Magazine as one of 500 most influential Asian-Americans. After
leaving Ailey as a dancer, she was asked to perform on Broadway
in The King and I and made several guest appearances before
she turned full time to teaching. She is currently a teacher
at The Ailey School and at Cap 21 for NYU’s Tisch School
of the Arts. She also lends her talents to Jacobs Pillow,
Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Ailey II, and New Jersey Dance
Theatre Ensemble. Elizabeth choreographed "The Reserves"
for NJDTE in Spring 2007.
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Abby Silva grew
up in New Orleans, LA. She studied at a local studio under
the guidance of Rhonda Edmundson and Charleen Locasio. While
in New Orleans, Abby performed for Disney, Fox TV, and numerous
dance competitions. After graduating from the New Orleans
Center for Creative Arts in 1998, Abby moved to New York to
attend Marymount Manhattan College, under the direction of Katie Langan,
Merle Holloman, and Anthony Ferro. Abby completed her BFA
in Dance at Marymount and soon after began working with The
Parsons Dance Company in the Spring of 2002.
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Katarzyna Skarpetowska is
a native of Warsaw, Poland. She is an alumna of the NYC High
School of Performing Arts and received a BFA from The Juilliard
School in May 1999 under Artistic Director Benjamin Harkarvy.
In 1992 she performed on Broadway in the musical Metro, directed
and choreographed by Janusz Jozefowicz. She was a member of
The Parsons Dance Company from 1999-2006. Currently, Kate
is working for the Battleworks Dance Company and Lar Lubovitch
Dance Company. She has had the privilege of setting the works
of David Parsons and Robert Battle in The United States and
abroad. Her own choreography has been performed by various
universities and is in the repertory of Houston Metropolitan
Dance Company, Hubbard Street 2 and The Parsons Dance Company.
Ms Skarpetowska is also a freelance teacher holding workshops
throughout the world. She resides in New York City.
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Bradley Shelver,
South Africa, graduated from The National School of the Arts
in 1997. He trained at the Ailey School and the ISTD in London.
Mr. Shelver has performed with The Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble,
Elisa Monte Dance,The Francesca Harper Project, Complexions
Contemporary Ballet, and Ballet Hispanico. He has been a guest
artist with Universal Ballet company, Bill T Jones Dance and
Jessey Norman at Carnegie Hall. He has his South African National
Colors in Dance and in 1997 was chosen as Contemporary Dancer
of the year by the National Arts Council .In 2002, he had
the Honor of being asked to Perform "The Blackbird Solo"
choreographed by Mr. Jiri Kylian for the 70th Anniversary
of Jacobs Pillow Festival. He also performed works by Angelin
Preljocaj and Ohad Naharin for the festival. He has been featured
in International gala's as a solo artist, performing works
by Kylian, Limon, Ailey, Monte and Shelver. He is co-founder
and Artistic Director of Bradley Shelver Contemporary Dance
and is on the teaching faculty for many academy's and schools
across Europe and the United States as well as being company
teacher for Matthew Bourne's Company, "New Adventures
in Motion Pictures.” He is on the guest faculty for
London Contemporary Dance School and the Millennium 2000 School
in London.He is currently a member of the Limon Dance Company,
and is on the advisory Board for Dance Spirit Magazine. His
Book, "Techniques of Performance through the principals
of the Horton technique" will be published by Lepos publishers
in Italy and France in 2008. His Choreography can be seen
on companies throughout Europe and the United States.
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Choreographers
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Twyla Tharp formed Twyla Tharp Dance in 1965 and has created over 125 works to date. She has also choreographed for ABT, Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance and Martha Graham Company. Ms. Tharp’s Broadway credits include When We Were Very Young, The Catherine Wheel, Singin’ In The Rain and Movin’ Out. She collaborated in film on Hair, Ragtime, Amadeus, White Nights and I’ll Do Anything. Ms. Tharp is the author of two books: “Push Comes To Shove” and “The Creative Habit: Learn It And Use It For Life.” For more information visit: www.twylatharp.org
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David Parsons,
born in Chicago and raised in Kansas City, David Parsons enjoys
a career as a performer, choreographer, teacher, director
and producer. He was a lead dancer with the Paul Taylor Dance
Company and in 1987 founded The Parsons Dance Company with
lighting designer Howell Binkley. Mr. Parsons has created
over 70 works for his company and received commissions from
American Ballet Theatre, Paul Taylor Dance Company, New York
City Ballet, Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam and Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater. His work has been performed by the
Paris Opera Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theatre,
English National Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Company and
BatSheva Dance Company of Israel, among others. Mr. Parsons
is a recipient of the 2000 Dance Magazine Award. In 2001 he
received an American Choreography Award for his work as a
co-producer of Aeros, a production featuring the Romanian
Gymnastic Federation which premiered on the Bravo Channel.
In 1999, Mr. Parsons choreographed and directed the dance
elements for Times Square 2000, the 24-hour festivities in
New York celebrating the turn of the millennium.
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Robert Battle is
originally from Miami, Florida. Mr. Battle is a graduate of
the New World School of the Arts where he studied under the
direction of Ms. Gerri Houlihan. Mr. Battle holds a BFA in
dance from The Julliard School where he studied choreography
with Bessie Schoenberg, Elizabeth Keen, and Doris Rudko. While
at The Julliard School he received the Princess Grace Dance Scholarship
and the Martha Hill Prize.
As a member of the Parsons Dance Company
(1994-2001), Mr. Battle began setting his work on the company
in 1998. His choreography has been performed by Parsons across
the United States, Italy, Chile, Latvia, Columbia, Germany,
Japan, and for seven-weeks at the Sydney Opera House. Mr.
Battle’s work has been featured in five Parsons seasons
in New York City. After founding the Battleworks Dance Company
in 2001 Mr. Battle's work has been presented in New York City
at the Joyce Theater, St. Mark's Church, Evening Stars, The
Juilliard Theater, Dancing In The Streets, Symphony Space,
dancenOw/NYC, Joyce Soho, and Dance Theater Workshop, the
Hubbard Street Repertory Ensemble, The Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater, Ailey II, Introdans, Dallas Black Dance Theater,
Ruth Rosenberg Dance Ensemble, and PARADIGM have all commissioned
Mr. Battle for both new works and re-stagings of Battleworks
repertory. Recent commissions include Ballet Memphis, Ballet
Idaho, Koresh Dance Company, and another work for Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater, and the American Dance Festival for
their 2005 Season. In 2005 Battle was honored at the Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts with a medal proclaiming him
one of the “Masters of African-American Choreography.”
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Robert Garland
born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, began his dance training
with John Hines at the Philadelphia School for the Performing
Arts and the Pennsylvania Ballet. During this time he performed
as the youngest member of the Philadelphia Dance Company,
from the age 15. Upon graduation from high school, he moved
to New York City to attend The Juilliard School where he received
a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. Through a four-year
scholarship, Garland studied and performed works by noted
20th century choreographers including Anthony Tudor, Paul
Taylor, and Jose Limon. During this time he also performed
with Ballet Hispanico of New York as a principal dancer. In
1985, he joined Dance Theatre of Harlem, working under the
tutelage of Arthur Mitchell, founder and Artistic Director.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a Principal Dancer,
dancing many roles in their classical and contemporary repertory
including: George Balanchine (Four Temperaments, Agon, Serenade),
Jerome Robbins (Fancy Free), Garth Fagan (Footprints Dressed
in Red), Alvin Ailey (The River), Alonzo King (Signs and Wonders),
and Billy Wilson (Concerto in F). He also was an instructor
at the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, well versed in ballet
technique, jazz, modern, and composition. In 1995, Mr. Garland
was named Dance Theatre of Harlem’s first Official Resident
Choreographer, choreographing works for the Dance Theatre
of Harlem’s repertory. During this time he also served
as the Director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, working
closely with children and young adults while overseeing the
school’s four programs.
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Stephen Pier
has achieved a uniquely rich and varied career as a dancer,
teacher, and choreographer. His credits include many years
as a principal dancer with the Jose Limon Co. where the New
York press hailed him as “one of the most gifted dancers
on the modern dance scene today.” Stephen went on to
become a leading soloist with the Hamburg Ballet performing
the title roles in John Neumeier’s “Othello”
and “Saint Matthew’s Passion” and creating
numerous other major roles during his nine years with the
company. As a member of the Royal Danish Ballet for six years,
Stephen had the privilege of dancing leading roles in works
of Bournonville, Balanchine, and Macmillan as well as collaborating
with choreographers Flemming Flindt, Laura Dean, Kim Brandstrup,
and others. He was also invited to teach both the company
and the school there, staged two full evening ballets of Neumeier’s,
established the New Choreographers Workshops which he directed
and created works for, and choreographed several successful
productions for the Royal Danish Opera and Theater. Stephen
is currently on the faculty of The Juilliard School in New
York City where he teaches ballet, partnering, and modern
repertory. He tours throughout the world as a guest teacher,
choreographer, and as a principal dancer with the Buglisi/Foreman
Co.
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Eduardo Vilaro
born in Havana, Cuba immigrated to the United States when
he was six years old and grew up in New York City. At age
17 he was accepted on scholarship at the Alvin Ailey American
Dance School and also studied at the Martha Graham School.
He received his BFA from Adelphi University and went right
from the university to Ballet Hispanico of New York where
he was a principal dancer for nine years. Mr. Vilaro has performed
throughout the United States, Europe, the Middle East, as
well as, Central and South America. He served as Ballet Hispanico’s
Assistant Outreach Coordinator and with the company as a professional
development consultant. In 1992, he performed for President
and Mrs. Bush at the Ford Theater. He has also performed for
President Menem of Argentina at the Casa Rosada. Since relocating
to Chicago in 1996, Eduardo has pushed his choreographic talent.
He began premiering works at Chicago’s NEXT Dance Festival,
Dance Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center. Since founding
Luna Negra Dance Theater in 1999, the company has participated
in many of the major dance festivals in Chicago including
Dance Chicago, Ruth Page Dance Series, Duets for My Valentine,
Baliwick's Director's festival as well as Dances for a New
World, which Eduardo organized. Recently Eduardo has created
works for Columbia College, The New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble,
Virginia School for the Arts, Kentucky Ballet Theater and
the Bat-Dor Summer Intensive in Israel. He continues to create
work for dance, theater and performance. As a teacher Eduardo
has taught extensively throughout the United States, Brazil,
Israel and Europe. In 1999 Mr. Vilaro received a Masters degree
from Columbia College’s Interdisciplinary Arts. For
four years he was on the faculty of the Chicago Academy of
the Arts before becoming an Artist in Residence at Columbia
College and joining the fulltime faculty at the Dance Center
of Columbia College. He has served on panels for the National
Endowment of the Arts, Dance USA and the Joyce Foundation.
Eduardo is a recipient of a 2001 Ruth Page Award in choreography,
a 2004 Artists Fellowship from the Illinois Arts Council,
and also in 2004, was recognized for his accomplishments through
an award from the Cuban Artists Fund. Mr. Vilaro's choreography
for the Ensemble, “Vol de Nuit,” premiered in
the spring of 2000.
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