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NEW YORK SUMMER INTENSIVE
Melissa Allen Bowman (Artistic Director
of Summer Intensives) began her classical ballet training
at age six with Lois Ellyn, formerly of New York City Ballet, and
at age eleven began training with Stanley Holden and Margaret Graham
Hills, both from the Royal Ballet in London. At age fifteen, she
was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join the corps de ballet of
American Ballet Theatre, where she danced for the next seven years.
During that time, Bowman began her own ballet company, the Emerson
Dance Theatre, which featured up-and-coming ABT dancers. From 1981
to 1988, Bowman also appeared in several of ABT’s Great
Performances in America. In 1988, she moved to Europe to join
the Bern Ballet in Switzerland and then the Zurich Ballet with Uwe
Scholz. In 1990, she followed Scholz to Leipzig, Germany, where
she danced many soloist and principal roles and became his associate
director. Bowman returned to the United States in 1999 to join the
staff of the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, where in 2000 she became resident
choreographer and associate director in 2000. While at PYB, she
choreographed many pieces for their youth company that were performed
not only at the Regional Dance America festivals but also for the
Pittsburgh Symphony. Since 2001, Bowman has taught at ABT Summer
Intensive in Detroit and, in 2007, became an advisor to ABT’s
Curriculum committee. She has also been an adjudicator for the National
Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts for the past two years.
Bowman is currently founder and artistic director of the Danse Conservatory
in southern California and its youth ballet company, California
Danse Theatre.
Ethan Brown was born in New York City and received
his training at the School of American Ballet. He joined the corps
de ballet of American Ballet Theatre in 1981, was promoted to soloist
in 1988. Brown danced a wide range of ABT’s repertoire through
2004. He is on the faculty of the ABT Summer Intensives in New York
City and Bermuda and also guest teaches with the main Company. He
is on the faculty of The School at STEPS and regularly guest teaches
at STEPS on Broadway in New York City. Brown judges ballet competitions
for Youth America Grand Prix and regularly guest teaches and coaches
for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Leslie Browne received her early training from
her parents, Kelly and Isabel Brown, who were both former members
of American Ballet Theatre. She also spent summers studying at the
ABT School and with Walter Camryn and Bently Stone. Browne joined
the School of American Ballet at age fourteen on scholarship. At
sixteen, she joined New York City Ballet under the direction of
George Balanchine. At seventeen, she was cast in the role of “Emilia”
in the motion picture The Turning Point. Browne joined
American Ballet Theatre in 1976 as a Soloist and was promoted to
Principal Dancer in 1986. Since leaving ABT in 1993, Browne has
enjoyed teaching and choreographing throughout the United States.
She is currently on faculty at The School at STEPS in New York City
and enjoys guest teaching and giving master classes.
Giuseppe Canale is an internationally recognized
ballet dancer, choreographer, instructor and coach. Born in Palermo,
Italy, he began his dance training at age eleven under the direction
of Ludivicio Durst. He then trained at the National Academy of Dance
in Rome, as well as Maurice Bejart’s famous Mudra dance school
in Brussels, and the School of American Ballet in New York. He has
toured extensively as a dancer with such companies as Ballet Company
of Germinal Casado (West Germany), Ballet Company Jean Deroc (Switzerland),
and the Het National Ballet in the Netherlands. Canale has toured
all over Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, and has
choreographed works for Het National Ballet and Teatro Massimo.
In 1994, the Mayor of Palermo invited him to return to his native
home to serve as director of corps de ballet for Teatro Massimo
– a company, which had been abandoned for over twenty years.
As director, he revived the company and revitalized the theatre’s
repertoire. He also spearheaded multiple arts outreach programs
for Sicilian children with little or no dance exposure. Since moving
to the United States, Canale has become the co-director of the Northeast
Academy of Dance in Oscoda, Michigan, where he brings his passion
for dance to the youth in the area. He has appeared as a judge at
the Luxembourg International Ballet Competition, and most recently
as a judge for the Youth America Grand Prix Dance Competition in
New York City. Canale has been cited by the American Guild of Music
Artists as having extraordinary ability in the field of dance.
Hilary Cartwright performed as a soloist and principal
dancer at the Royal Ballet of England before becoming the company’s
ballet mistress and repetiteur. After leaving the Royal Ballet,
Cartwright became the associate artistic director of Royal Winnipeg
Ballet and director of Netherlands Dans Theatre II. Cartwright co-founded
White Cloud Studio, New York with Gyrotonic and Yoga for Dancers
and is currently an international guest teacher of ballet and Yoga
with various companies. Cartwright has been teaching at ABT Summer
Intensives since 1996.
Harriet Clark began her training at the Houston
Ballet School and received her professional training at the School
of American Ballet in New York. While still a student at the school,
she was chosen to perform with Makarova and Company on Broadway,
and danced as a soloist in ballets with Cynthia Gregory, Anthony
Dowell, Fernando Bujones, as well as Natalia Makarova. Later she
joined American Ballet Theatre, then under the directorship of Mikhail
Baryshnikov, where she performed not only the classics, but also
in the works of George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Jose Limón,
Antony Tudor, and Twyla Tharp. Clark went on to dance as a soloist
at The Pacific Northwest Ballet. For many years Clark performed
as the Dance Captain and Swing of the Broadway production of The
Phantom of the Opera. As such she was in charge of teaching
and rehearsing choreography and much of the musical staging in the
show as well as covering and performing every female ensemble role
(dancers as well as singers) and a few of the male roles as well.
Clark is currently the Artistic Associate of Educational Outreach
at American Ballet Theatre where she participates in a variety of
programs including The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American
Ballet Theatre, ABT’s Ballet for the Young Dancer, and ABT’s
Summer Intensives.
Franco De Vita, Principal of Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre, graduated from the Conservatoire
Royal de Musique de Charleroi, Belgium, and was awarded the “Premier
Prix” and Gold Medal. De Vita made his professional stage
debut at age 9 and began his career as a professional ballet dancer
at the age of 15. He danced with several European companies, in
ballets of the classical repertoire, and by choreographers such
as Peter Van Dyk, George Skibine, Antony Tudor and George Balanchine.
In Europe, he performed in musical comedies and operettas such as
Hello Dolly, Kiss Me Kate and My Fair Lady.
After retiring from performing, De Vita acquired the Enrico Cecchetti
Diploma and the highest teaching degree given by the Italian Ministry
of Education through the “Accademia Nazionale di Danza”,
Rome. He is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing,
London. In 1983, he directed, together with Raymond Lukens, the
Hamlyn School of Ballet in Florence, Italy. He was President and
co-founder of the Associazione Nazione Coreutica Enrico Cecchetti
(the Italian Cecchetti Society). In New York City, De Vita was a
faculty member at The Ailey School, The Ailey/Fordham BFA program
and a guest company teacher for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
and Ailey II. He was company teacher for Hartford Ballet and principal
faculty member of the School of Hartford Ballet and the BFA dance
program of the University of Hartford. In Hartford, he was part
of the task force that revised Hartford Ballet School’s curriculum.
Before joining American Ballet Theatre, De Vita was Dean of Faculty
and Curriculum of the Boston Ballet School and company teacher for
Boston Ballet. De Vita has been a guest teacher for Virginia School
of the Arts, Peridance International, Dance Connecticut, Dance Educators
of America, Youth America Grand Prix and for Alberta Ballet Company
and School. De Vita’s students have won prestigious international
dance competitions including the Prix de Lausanne and have danced
in many of the world’s major companies such as London’s
Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The English National Ballet,
Dutch National Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and
Boston Ballet.
Olga Dvorovenko is a former principal dancer and
ballet mistress for the Ukrainian State Academic Dance Ensemble.
She was the Recipient of the Honored Artist Award of Ukraine, given
by the President, has performed in practically every country of
the world, and has taught master classes in Canada and France. Dvorovenko
came to the United States in 1996 and turned her focus towards teaching
and sharing her wealth of knowledge with the next generation of
dancers. In 2002, she was invited by American Ballet Theatre to
dance the role of Madame in Antony Tudor’s Offenbach in
the Underworld. Currently, Dvorovenko is also on the faculty
of Ballet Academy East, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at
American Ballet Theatre, and ABT II.
Tina Fehlandt was an integral part of the Mark
Morris Dance Group for twenty years, from its inception in 1980
to January 2000, appearing in over 50 works choreographed by Mark
Morris. With the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG), she toured the
world and appeared in several television specials, most notably
as Louise in Mr. Morris’ production of The Hard Nut.
She has been the subject of feature articles in Self Magazine, Dance
Magazine, and Dance Teacher. Fehlandt has staged Mark Morris’
work on American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Royal New
Zealand Ballet, English National Ballet, The Royal Ballet Covent
Garden, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Dutch
National Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Washington Ballet, and
at New York University, University of Minnesota, The University
of Texas, Marymount Manhattan College, Barnard College, the Juilliard
School, Long Island University, Princeton University, and the White
Oak Dance Project. Fehlandt currently teaches ballet and pointe
at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and is a lecturer in Modern Dance
at Princeton University. 2009 marks her fourth year teaching at
ABT’s Summer Intensives in NYC. She has taught at MMDG workshops
at the School at the Mark Morris Dance Center, Skidmore College,
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, SUNY Brockport, and the University
of Washington. In addition, she has conducted master classes at
the Edinburgh International Festival, Adelaide (Australia) Festival,
American Dance Festival, Cornish College of the Arts, Wesleyan University,
and The Place in London among others. Fehlandt was appointed artist-in-residence
at Barnard College in fall 2004 and Long Island University, Brooklyn
Campus. Fehlandt has worked in television as Production Coordinator
for the Emmy Award winning DANCE IN AMERICA series.
Jessica Lang is a graduate of The Juilliard School
and a former member of Twyla Tharp’s company THARP! Lang has
choreographed on companies including American Ballet Theatre’s
Studio Company (now ABT II), New York City Ballet (selected for
the Choreographic Institute), Colorado Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet,
Richmond Ballet (Choo-San Goh Award 2003), Hubbard Street 2, Ballet
de Monterey in Mexico, among others. She has also choreographed
on The Juilliard Dance Ensemble, The Ailey School/Fordham BFA Program,
Princeton University, Texas Christian University, Bucknell University,
Mesa State College, Barat Conservatory and commercially for BMW
International Industrials. Lang currently teaches modern at the
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. She
is also on faculty, teaching modern and composition/improvisation,
for ABT Summer Intensives in New York and Bermuda and is a choreographer
for the ABT J.P.Morgan Make a Ballet program.
Kate Lydon, born in Berkeley, California, began
ballet and movement classes at the age of three. Her professional
training includes American Ballet Theatre’s School of Classical
Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. She danced with San Francisco
Ballet for five years before joining American Ballet Theatre as
a member of the corps de ballet in 1995. Her repertoire with ABT
includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, the pas d’action in
La Bayadère, the Spring Fairy in Cinderella,
Prayer in Coppélia, Zulma in Giselle, and
The Rancher’s Daughter in Rodeo. Lydon’s teaching
credits include American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive
programs in New York and Bermuda, ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School, and ABT’s Ballet for the Young Dancer program
in Greenwich, CT. In late September 2008, she taught a professional
development workshop at New York City Center’s Fall for Dance
program. Lydon is currently and Editor-in-Chief of Dance Spirit
Magazine.
Amanda McKerrow is one of America’s most
acclaimed ballerinas. She has the honor of being the first American
to receive a gold medal at the International Ballet Competition
in Moscow in 1981. Since then she has been a recipient of numerous
other awards, including the Princess Grace Foundation Dance Fellowship.
McKerrow was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and began her ballet
training at the age of seven at the Twinbrook School of Ballet in
Rockville, Maryland. She later studied with Mary Day at the Washington
School of Ballet, where she danced with the company for two years
and toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe.
McKerrow joined American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail
Baryshnikov in 1982, was appointed a soloist in 1983, and became
a Principal Dancer in 1987. Her repertoire included: the leading
roles in Cinderella, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet,
Manon, La Bayadère, Coppélia,
Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake,
La Sylphide and The Nutcracker. She has been acclaimed
for performances of shorter works by George Balanchine, Antony Tudor,
Sir Frederick Ashton, Jerome Robbins and Jiri Kilian. McKerrow has
created roles in ballets by choreographers such as Twyla Tharp,
Clark Tippet, James Kudelka, Agnes de Mille, Choo San Goh and Mark
Morris. She has also appeared as a guest artist with ballet companies
throughout the world. In 2000, together with her husband John Gardner,
McKerrow began working for the Antony Tudor Trust, staging and coaching
his superlative ballet, The Leaves Are Fading, around the
country. She has also staged numerous other ballets for professional
companies and schools across the United States. During her last
ten years performing as a Principal Dancer with ABT, she spent as
much time as she could working with students and young dancers.
Upon her retirement from ABT in 2005, she has devoted the majority
of her time to teaching and coaching this great art form.
Brian Reeder, born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, began
his training with Marcia Dale Weary at the Central Pennsylvania
Youth Ballet. After attending American Ballet Theatre’s Summer
Program, he studied at the School of American Ballet. Before joining
American Ballet Theatre (1994-2003), Reeder performed as a soloist
with William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt (1990-1993) and also
danced with New York City Ballet (1986-1990). Over a four-year period,
Reeder created five original works for American Ballet Theatre’s
Studio Company. In 2005, he choreographed a full-length The Nutcracker
for Ballet Pacifica. In collaboration with the Washington Ballet,
Reeder was the recipient of the New York Choreographic Institute
Fellowship Grant (2005). He has created works for the Washington
Ballet and it’s Studio Company including a production of Peter
& The Wolf. In 2006, he was commissioned by the Guggenheim
Museum in New York City to create two new works for their Works
& Process series. Reeder was artist in residence at Brown University,
Emory University, and St. Paul’s School where he taught and
created works for student dance companies. He was involved with
the ABT J.P.Morgan Make A Ballet program (2004-2006),
and is currently on staff at ABT’s Summer Intensives program
in NYC. He served as the Coordinating Director of the ABT Summer
Intensive in Bermuda (2006), and has been a guest teacher at the
Alvin Ailey School, Icelandic National Ballet Company and School.
Kanji Segawa is a member of Battleworks
Dance Company (Artistic Director Robert Battle) since 2002.
Segawa has also been performing with Mark Morris Dance Group since
2004 appearing in 5 full evening productions including Mr. Morris’
new Romeo & Juliet as an original cast member. He has
appeared in several opera productions at the Metropolitan Opera
and English National Opera in the United Kingdom. He is a former
member of Alvin Ailey II and Jennifer Muller/The Works and has performed
for Aszure and Artists and choreographer Jessica Lang. He is represented
by MSA Talent Agency. Mr. Segawa has taught and choreographed for
prestigious institutions including at Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation
(Ailey School, Ailey Camp, Arts in Education), American
Ballet Theatre (Make a Ballet, Collegiate Summer Intensive,
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School), Steps on Broadway, Brown
University, Long Island University, Dance Bermuda, Saint Louis Ballet
School, Booker T Washington Performing Arts School, Metropolitan
Ballet Academy, among others. He is a recipient of the Outstanding
Choreography Award for Youth America Grand Prix in Philadelphia
in 2009. Segawa is Artistic Director of Dance Project New York,
a project that provides educational workshops and performances in
New York and Japan. DPNY’s mission is to provide the Japanese
community the experience of American dance while giving young generations
of Japanese dancers ideas for career development in the arts.
Rosanna Seravalli was born in Florence, Italy
where she began ballet classes at the School of Daria Colin. Shortly
after her arrival in the U.S. she joined the Joffrey Ballet, then
moved to American Ballet Theatre where she spent the next eleven
years, reaching the rank of soloist. Seravalli is currently professor
of ballet in the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College –
SUNY. She has staged works and taught for the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre
and the National Institute for the Arts in Taiwan, the Hong Kong
Academy of Performing Arts, Beijing Academy of Dance, Ballet Philippines,
Ballet Municipal de Santiago, the Guangdong Modern Dance Company
in China, the University of Melbourne’s Victorian College
of the Arts, and the Queensland Institute of Technology (Australia),
in Spain and in her home country of Italy, as well as throughout
the United States. She has received a SUNY Research Foundation grant
to develop methods for adapting Russian Classical training for American
dancers, and in 1995 was a recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship to
Chile (Santiago) and neighboring countries.
Lupe Serrano had a distinguished performing career
as a leading ballerina with American Ballet Theatre for two decades,
beginning 1953. She began her teaching career at the University
of Milwaukee and later served as Assistant Director at The National
Academy of Dance in Illinois. In 1974, she joined The Pennsylvania
Ballet as company teacher and head of the apprentice program. She
also directed the school for eight years. In 1988, Serrano joined
The Washington Ballet as artistic associate where she taught and
coached the company and the advanced students. Currently, Serrano
teaches company class for American Ballet Theatre, ABT II, and the
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre.
New York Summer Intensive faculty will also include special
guest teachers:
Kevin McKenzie (Artistic Director of ABT), a native
of Vermont, received his ballet training at the Washington School
of Ballet. In 1972, McKenzie was awarded a Silver medal at the Sixth
International Competition in Varna, Bulgaria. He was a leading dancer
with both the National Ballet of Washington and The Joffrey Ballet
before joining American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in March 1979.
McKenzie was appointed a Principal dancer the following December
and danced with the Company until 1991. As a Principal dancer with
American Ballet Theatre, McKenzie danced leading roles in all of
the major full-length classics including Solor in La Bayadère,
Don Jose in Carmen, the Prince in Mikhail Baryshnikov's
production of the full-length Cinderella, Franz in Coppélia,
the Gentleman With Her in Dim Lustre, Basil and Espada
in Don Quixote (Kitri's Wedding), Albrecht in Giselle,
a leading role in The Garden of Villandry, Her Lover in
Jardin aux Lilas, the leading role in The Leaves Are
Fading, the Friend in Pillar of Fire, the leading
role in Raymonda (Grand Pas Hongrois), a featured role
in Requiem, the Champion Roper in Rodeo, Romeo
and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Desire in The
Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, James
in La Sylphide and the leading roles in Other Dances,
Paquita, Les Sylphides, the Sylvia Pas de
Deux and Theme and Variations. He created the role
of Amnon in Martine van Hamel's Amnon V'Tamar and a leading
role in Clark Tippet's S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. During his performing
career, McKenzie performed as a guest artist in cities throughout
the world, including Spoleto, Italy, Paris, London, Tokyo, Havana,
Moscow, Vienna and Korea, dancing with, among others, the London
Festival Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba
and the Universal Ballet in Seoul. In September 1989, McKenzie was
appointed a permanent guest artist with The Washington Ballet, and,
in 1991, assumed the position of Artistic Associate of that company.
He has also acted as Associate Artistic Director of, and a choreographer
with, Martine van Hamel's New Amsterdam Ballet. McKenzie was appointed
Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre in October 1992. His
choreographic credits include Groupo Zamboria (1984) and
Liszt Études, now called Transcendental Études,
(1991), both for Martine van Hamel's New Amsterdam Ballet, Lucy
and the Count (1992) for The Washington Ballet, and the full-length
classic The Nutcracker (1993), Don Quixote (1995)
in collaboration with Susan Jones, and a new production of Swan
Lake (2000), all for American Ballet Theatre.
Susan Jones (ABT Ballet Mistress) was born in
York, Pennsylvania and began her early dance training there. She
continued her studies with Lucille Hood at the Rockville School
of Ballet, Rockville, Maryland, and with Mary Day at the Washington
School of Ballet in Washington, D.C. In 1969, she accepted an apprenticeship
with the Joffrey Ballet, dancing with the original Joffrey II, and
made her professional debut with the New York City Opera, Robert
Joffrey, choreographic director. Jones joined American Ballet Theatre
in 1971 and danced with the Company for eight successive seasons.
Among her roles were the Cowgirl in Rodeo and Lizzie Bordon
as a child in Fall River Legend. Her transition from dancing
to staff began in 1976 when she assisted Twyla Tharp with Push
Comes to Shove. She was appointed Assistant Ballet Mistress
in 1978. Retiring as a dancer at the close of the 1979/80 season,
she was appointed Ballet Mistress in the spring of 1980 and Regisseur
in 1982. Jones has returned to ABT after a three-year absence during
which she mounted Natalia Makarova's full-length La Bayadère
for the Ballet del Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and
Mikhail Barysnikov's production of Don Quixote (Kitri's
Wedding) for The Royal Ballet.
Clinton Luckett (ABT Ballet Master) was a dancer
with American Ballet Theatre for ten years. His professional career
spanned fifteen years and began at the National Ballet of Canada.
As a dancer he created roles in original works by Glen Tetley, William
Forsythe, John Neumeier, and James Kudelka among others and appeared
in featured roles in most of the full-length ballets in the classical
repertoire. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he began his dance training
there, and after two years of study at the National Ballet School
in Toronto, joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1987. In 1992
Luckett came to American Ballet Theatre where he was featured in
the works of Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Agnes De Mille,
Jiri Kylian, Lar Lubovitch, Kenneth MacMillan, Mark Morris, and
Antony Tudor. He appeared on television in the PBS/Dance in America
programs ABT Now and Le Corsaire, and in the CBC/Rombus
Media productions of Glen Tetley’s Alice and La
Ronde. A faculty member of the ABT New York Summer Intensive
since 2001, Luckett assumed his position as the Artistic Associate
for Education and Training in 2002 where he taught, rehearsed, and
coordinated ABT Studio Company and also served as a Company Teacher
at ABT and as the Artistic Coordinator of ABT’s first Bermuda
Summer Intensive in 2005. Luckett has been a guest teacher for the
Alvin Ailey company and taught ballet at New York University.
Nancy Raffa (ABT Ballet Mistress) was born in
Brooklyn, New York, and received her early training with Madame
Gabriella Darvash. In 1980, she became the youngest and first American
female to win the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne competition
in Switzerland. The same year, Raffa joined Makarova and Company
on Broadway and, at age 16, became a member of the corps de ballet
of American Ballet Theatre. She joined Ballet de Santiago in 1985
as a principal dancer and was also a principal dancer at Ballet
National Française de Nancy. In 1992, she became a principal
dancer with Miami City Ballet. She began her teaching career in
Miami at the New World School of the Arts and joined the staff of
the Miami City Ballet School in 1994, becoming the coordinator for
the School’s summer intensive program and Ballet for Young
People program. Among her many awards, Raffa was twice awarded a
special teacher’s recognition from the National Foundation
for the Advancement in the Arts and won a grant from the United
States Information Services to act as a cultural ambassador and
teacher for the company and school in Honduras. Raffa holds an Ace
certification in exercise physiology and graduated magna cum laude
in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Thomas
University. Raffa was appointed Ballet Mistress with American Ballet
Theatre in June 2007.
MICHIGAN SUMMER INTENSIVE
Alaine Haubert (Artistic Coordinator), a fourth
generation Californian, has the unique distinction of having been
associated with America’s three major companies. She received
her training from age fifteen at the School of American Ballet in
New York City where she studied with George Balanchine and his illustrious
post-Diaghilev faculty. After graduation from high school she performed
with San Francisco’s Pacific Ballet, then joined the national
touring company of Camelot. In 1965 after a year on the
road with Camelot, Haubert joined American Ballet Theatre,
where she performed corps de ballet, soloist and principal roles.
She was coached, during this period, by such diverse and exciting
choreographers as: Antony Tudor, Agnes De Mille, Jerome Robbins,
Elliot Feld, Birgit Culberg, Herald Lander, and Glen Tetley, and
also danced the classics. In 1969 Haubert joined the Joffrey Ballet
as Principal Dancer performing leading roles in many ballets including
The Green Table, The Dream, Feast of Ashes,
The Moor’s Pavane, The Still Point, The
Three Cornered Hat, Cakewalk and Le Bleu Danube.
After nearly a decade with the Joffrey Ballet, a serious back injury
ended Haubert’s performing career, and she began teaching
and coaching in such wide-ranging locations as Europe, Japan, Canada,
the United States, and the Caribbean. In 1986 Haubert moved to Hawaii
where she was on faculty at the University of Hawaii for seven years.
In 1993, Haubert was invited by Kevin McKenzie to return to New
York as Ballet Mistress for American Ballet Theatre, where she instructed,
coached, and rehearsed the world’s leading dancers for four
years. She now makes her home in California where she was on faculty
at California State University, Long Beach for six years. She continues
her association with ABT and annually travels the U.S. auditioning
dancers for the ABT Summer Intensives. She has been Artistic Coordinator
of the ABT Detroit Summer Intensive for eleven years. In spring,
2002, Haubert had the honor of adjudicating the Pacific Region for
Regional Dance America (RDA) and in 2003 was adjudicator for the
Southwest Region. Haubert continues to travel worldwide, offering
master classes and workshops and scouting for future ballet professionals.
Ted Kivitt is a former Principal dancer of American
Ballet Theatre, International Guest Artist and Artistic Director
of The Milwaukee Ballet. On stage, Kivitt was known throughout the
world as one of American Ballet Theatre’s danseurs nobles.
After dancing with ABT from 1961 to 1979, he made the challenging
transition from performer to director, teacher and administrator
of the Milwaukee Ballet, which he led to national acclaim. Kivitt
has performed world wide, partnering many of the world’s leading
ballerinas, including Cynthia Gregory, Eleanor D’Antuono,
Lupe Serrano, Michelle Lucci, Carla Fracci, Gelsey Kirkland, Marianna
Tcherkassky, and Natalia Makarova. In addition to his many appearances
with ABT as a Principal dancer, he has also been a popular guest
artist and teacher throughout the world. His performances in Russia,
England, Spain, Italy, Japan, France, Cuba and Central and South
America have received standing ovations and critical acclaim. In
1975, he was the first American male dancer invited to dance in
Cuba. In the summer of 1977, Kivitt was invited to perform with
Cynthia Gregory at a “Command Performance” at the White
House for President Jimmy Carter in honor of the President of Venezuela.
Currently, Kivitt is an Associate Professor in the Conservatory
of Dance at Purchase College.
Orlando Molina began his training at the age of
ten in Cuba. In 1996, he directed and performed with Trujillo Ballet
in Peru. In 1998, Molina was a competitor in Jackson International
Ballet Competition, Mississippi, and the same year he was offered
a contract for Cleveland Ballet. In 2000, Molina joined Orlando
Ballet under the direction of Fernando Bujones. For the 2002-2003
season he was appointed ballet master. In 2003, Molina coached Joseph
Gatti, gold medal winner at the Youth American Grand Prix and recent
gold medal winner at the New York International Ballet Competition.
He has been a guest teacher with Spartanburg Ballet, Texas Christian
University, Alabama Dance Theatre, Jackson Mississippi Metropolitan
Ballet, and most recently at Kowa Ballet in Okayama, Japan, and
Ohio Dance Theatre.
Amy Rose joined American Ballet Theatre in 1979
at the age of sixteen and danced with the Company until 1992, rising
to the rank of Soloist. During that time she also performed with
Mikhail Baryshnikov in Spoleto, Italy, as well as Patrick Bissell
at Jacob’s Pillow and Wes Chapman in Manila. From 1992-1997,
she danced as a soloist with Pacific Northwest Ballet. After freelancing
several years as a guest artist, Rose settled down to teaching fulltime.
She is on full-time staff at four different schools in the Chicago
area and also guest teaches for the professional companies in the
city.
Samantha Shelton received her professional training
from the Joffrey Ballet and the David Howard Dance Center in New
York and in Michigan with Rose Marie Floyd. She has also trained
in London with Anita Young, former soloist with the Royal Ballet
and at the Cecchetti Summer Program in Chichester, England. For
the past eleven years, she has been on the ballet faculty for American
Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, teaching, setting ABT repertoire
and choreographing new ballets for the final performance at the
Detroit Opera House. She has also taught and choreographed for the
professional ballet program at the Walnut Hill School in Boston,
directed by former ABT principal, Michael Owen and was on faculty
at the Interlochen Arts Academy for three summers. She has performed
extensively in both classical and contemporary ballets, including
the Grand Pas from The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty,
Don Quixote and principal roles in Giselle and
Raymonda. Currently, she is on the ballet faculty at Wayne
State University and the Detroit Opera House, where she was the
artistic director for the Detroit Opera House’s Civic Dance
Ensemble. Shelton holds an M.F.A in Dance from the University of
Michigan, where she was awarded a Rackham Thesis grant, and a B.A.
in Political Science from the University of Michigan. She has also
done graduate work at New York University in Performing Arts Administration
with internships in development and marketing at Carnegie Hall and
the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Shelton is on the ballet faculties
of the Rochester School of Dance and Spotlight Dance Works in Chesterfield,
Michigan. Recently, she was elected to the University of Michigan’s
School of Music, Theatre & Dance Alumni Society Board of Governors
and the Executive Board of the Michigan Dance Council.
ALABAMA SUMMER INTENSIVE
Franco De Vita, Principal of Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre, graduated from the Conservatoire
Royal de Musique de Charleroi, Belgium, and was awarded the “Premier
Prix” and Gold Medal. De Vita made his professional stage
debut at age 9 and began his career as a professional ballet dancer
at the age of 15. He danced with several European companies, in
ballets of the classical repertoire, and by choreographers such
as Peter Van Dyk, George Skibine, Antony Tudor and George Balanchine.
In Europe, he performed in musical comedies and operettas such as
Hello Dolly, Kiss Me Kate and My Fair Lady.
After retiring from performing, De Vita acquired the Enrico Cecchetti
Diploma and the highest teaching degree given by the Italian Ministry
of Education through the “Accademia Nazionale di Danza”,
Rome. He is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing,
London. In 1983, he directed, together with Raymond Lukens, the
Hamlyn School of Ballet in Florence, Italy. He was President and
co-founder of the Associazione Nazione Coreutica Enrico Cecchetti
(the Italian Cecchetti Society). In New York City, De Vita was a
faculty member at The Ailey School, The Ailey/Fordham BFA program
and a guest company teacher for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
and Ailey II. He was company teacher for Hartford Ballet and principal
faculty member of the School of Hartford Ballet and the BFA dance
program of the University of Hartford. In Hartford, he was part
of the task force that revised Hartford Ballet School’s curriculum.
Before joining American Ballet Theatre, De Vita was Dean of Faculty
and Curriculum of the Boston Ballet School and company teacher for
Boston Ballet. De Vita has been a guest teacher for Virginia School
of the Arts, Peridance International, Dance Connecticut, Dance Educators
of America, Youth America Grand Prix and for Alberta Ballet Company
and School. De Vita’s students have won prestigious international
dance competitions including the Prix de Lausanne and have danced
in many of the world’s major companies such as London’s
Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The English National Ballet,
Dutch National Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and
Boston Ballet.
Melissa Hale Coyle grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma
where she received her early training from Roman Jasinski and Moscelyne
Larkin. She studied as a scholarship student for two summers at
American Ballet Theatre with Leon Danelion and Patricia Wilde. After
graduating from high school, she joined American Ballet Theatre
as a company member for three years. Hale later joined Cincinnati
Ballet Company where she performed in principal roles and Tulsa
Ballet Theatre where she was a principal dancer for six years. For
the past 20 years, Hale has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina where
she is on the faculty and Artistic Director of the Ballet Program
at Sullivan Dance Centre, Artistic Director of Charlotte City Ballet
Company, part-time faculty member at the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte and teaches company classes at North Carolina Dance
Theatre. She has been a guest choreographer for the Charlotte Philharmonic
Orchestra, Carolina Voices, Atlanta Dance Theatre, The Dance Collective,
Ballet San Antonio, Civic Ballet of Chicago, South Carolina’s
Governors Summer School and Orange County Performing Arts High School.
In 2001, The North Carolina School of the Arts awarded Hale “Best
Dance Teacher of North Carolina”.
Lorin Johnson danced with the San Francisco Ballet
before joining American Ballet Theatre in New York in 1987 under
the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov. Johnson performed at ABT until
1995, creating original roles in ballets by Ulysses Dove, Clark
Tippet, and Agnes De Mille, among others. He has also worked with
some of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century
including Glen Tetley, Kenneth MacMillan, Twyla Tharp, and Jerome
Robbins. His choreography has been commissioned in the United States
and abroad, and in 2003 he choreographed and produced an evening
of dance at the renowned dance festival at the Fabbrica Europa in
Florence, Italy. Johnson has been on faculty of the American Ballet
Theatre Summer Intensives program since 2004. In 2005, he directed
the Ballet Pacifica Academy in Southern California. In 2006, Mr.
Johnson became an Assistant Professor of Dance at California State
University, Long Beach, where he teaches courses in ballet technique
and dance history. Johnson has published several articles and has
both B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Southern California.
Colleen O'Callaghan danced with American Ballet
Theatre under the direction of Lucia Chase and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
She trained on scholarship with the schools of the Louisville Ballet,
the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, and American Ballet
Theatre. Before joining American Ballet Theatre, she danced with
ABT’s Ballet Repertory Company under the direction of Richard
Englund and Gage Bush. O’Callaghan received a Bachelor of
University Studies degree from the University of Utah. She has been
teaching ballet for over 23 years and has been a faculty member
of the University of Utah, Ballet West, California State Long Beach,
California Institute of the Arts, the Stanley Holden Dance Center,
Westside School of Ballet, Louisville Ballet and many other nationally
recognized schools. For over five years she was the classical dance
director for the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA).
Currently, O'Callaghan is a faculty member for the American Ballet
Theatre Summer Intensive programs. Most recently, she taught for
ABT II and for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American
Ballet Theatre in New York City. She continues to teach for South
Bay Ballet and California Dance Theater. She is a certified Yoga
instructor and has developed a Yoga program for children in pre-K
through grade 8 that has had much success throughout Southern California.
The uniqueness of this situation is that the highly experienced
teachers travel to the students, allowing the dancers to stay close
to home and experience a professional and positive dance intensive.
O'Callaghan lives with her husband and three children in Ventura,
California.
Lisa Slagle began her professional dancing career
at the age of eleven when she appeared as a solo dancer in the Elvis
Presley movie, Clambake. She performed as a soloist and
principal Dancer with the Joffrey Ballet in New York in the 1970’s.
In the 1980’s, she performed as a soloist with the Ballet
du Grande Theatre de Geneve in Switzerland, and as a principal dancer
with Tulsa Ballet Theatre. She brings to her students a wide range
of training styles, having studied with world-renowned teachers
in the Russian, Cecchetti, and Bournonville techniques. She directs
the Ballet Academy of Texas School in the Dallas, Texas area, which
has received the “Outstanding School” award from the
Youth America Grand Prix’s Semi-Final in the Southwest for
the years 2005, 2006, and 2007. In addition, Slagle has received
the “Outstanding Teacher” award in 2006. She is also
the director of the pre-professional company, Ballet Ensemble of
Texas. Slagle has been a Master Teacher in the summers for Burklyn
Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Texas Workshop, American Dance Institute
in Washington, D.C. and the Orlando Ballet School in Florida. In
2007 she was asked to be on the advisory board for American Ballet
Theatre’s National Training Curriculum, and was a Master Teacher
for ABT’s Young Dancer Workshops in Los Angeles and New York
in 2007 and 2008.
Carla Stallings Lippert spent eleven years with
American Ballet Theatre in New York City. She won the Bronze medal
at the Jackson International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi,
in 1982 and toured with Baryshnikov and Company in 1983. After this
she spent nine years as a principal dancer with Boston Ballet and
retired from Boston Ballet in 1994.
TEXAS SUMMER INTENSIVE
Rodney Gustafson (Artistic Coordinator) trained
at the School of American Ballet and spent the majority of his performing
career as a dancer with the world-renowned American Ballet Theatre.
During this period, Gustafson trained and worked with many of the
great dancers and choreographers of our time including Mikhail Baryshnikov,
Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins,
and Anthony Tudor and appeared in the films The Turning
Point, Baryshnikov’s The Nutcracker, and
several Live from Lincoln Center specials for PBS. He continues
his affiliation with American Ballet Theatre as a coordinator, choreographer,
and teacher for its summer programs. Academically, Gustafson holds
a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (1994) from the
University of Arizona, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management
(2001) from Antioch University in California. Gustafson founded
State Street Ballet in 1994 and, from a modest debut in a small
black box theatre to performances throughout the United States,
and Asia, the company continues to gain prominence and recognition
both nationally and internationally. A talented choreographer, Gustafson
has created many new ballets for the company’s repertoire
including full-length versions of The Nutcracker, Romeo
& Juliet, and Cinderella. He has built a company
respected for its choreography, dancing, and fiscally responsible
management.
Julie Bickerton Bravata is from Honolulu, Hawaii
where she received her early dance training from Barbara Theusen.
She continued her studies on full scholarship at the National Academy
of Arts in Champaign, IL and in New York City at the School of American
Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre Scholarship Program, and with
Madame Darvash. At the age of 15, Bickerton became a member of ABT's
Ballet Repertory Company. At 18, she was invited to join American
Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov. During
her six years there she was privileged to work with some of the
world's leading choreographers, such as Kenneth MacMillan, Antony
Tudor, Roland Petit, Jerome Robbins, and Twyla Tharp. While with
American Ballet Theatre, Bickerton appeared in several Dance
in America and Live from Lincoln Center television
special presentations. She then went on to dance as a soloist with
Ballet du Nord in France and with The Feld Ballet in New York City.
Since retiring from her performing career in 1988, Bickerton has
taught all levels of ballet from creative movement through professional
classes in New York, Oregon, and South Florida. In April 2002, Bickerton
received a certificate of recognition from the National Foundation
for Advancement in the Arts for inspiring young dancers and for
her commitment to the arts. She is currently the Ballet Director
for Southern Dance Theatre in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Lawrence Pech was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov
to join American Ballet Theatre in 1980. For the next six years,
Pech worked with such choreographers as George Balanchine, Martha
Graham, Antony Tudor, Agnes De Mille, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp,
Paul Taylor, Jirąí Kylián, Carol Armitage, David Gordon,
Natalia Makarova, Erik Bruhn, and Mark Morris. He has danced with
such greats as Baryshnikov, Makarova, Ivan Nagy, Cynthia Gregory,
Fernando Bujones, Gelsey Kirkland, Cynthia Harvey, Martine Van Hamel,
Kevin McKenzie, among others. He has made numerous television appearances
with ABT in Live from Lincoln Center as well as figuring
prominently with Baryshnikov in the 1983 BBC movie, Dancer and
the Dance. In 1986, Helgi Tomasson invited Pech to join the
San Francisco Ballet and in 1989, was promoted to Principal Dancer.
In 1991, Pech was the subject of a PBS/KQED special entitled, Blue
Lair, a ballet about his victory over cancer. This special
was awarded a 1991 Emmy for “Best Choreography.” To
date, Pech has choreographed over forty-five ballets, forty musicals,
thirty operas, and numerous self-produced evenings of original music,
dance, and theater. He has garnered numerous awards such as the
Bay Area Theater Critics’ Circle and Dean Goodman awards for
“Best Choreography” and “Best Supporting Actor
in a Musical”.
Christine Spizzo-Serrano trained at the North
Carolina School of the Arts and at the School of American Ballet
in New York. She first performed professionally with the National
Ballet of Washington (DC) and Ballet Repertory Co. (NY), before
joining American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in 1975. She appeared
in many of ABT’s Live From Lincoln Center and Dance
in America programs and the Herbert Ross movies The Turning
Point (1977) and Dancers (1987). She was a principal
dancer with Ballet Arizona (1988, 1990) and with the Nureyev and
Friends North American tour in 1990. She performed on Broadway in
The Phantom of the Opera for ten years before retiring
from the stage. She is on the dance faculty at the University of
North Carolina School of the Arts and was the original Artistic
Coordinator of ABT’s Summer Intensive Programs (1996 and 1997).
She has remained a primary teacher for all subsequent ABT Summer
Intensives in NYC and Austin.
Roger Van Fleteren, a native of Michigan, began
his dance training at the age of twelve with Charmaine Schick. Two
years later, he was offered a scholarship to study with Madame Nathalie
Krassovska in Dallas. In 1982 he joined ABT and became soloist in
1990, where his repertory included works by Antony Tudor, Kenneth
Macmillan, Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine, Mikhail Baryshnikov,
Jirąí Kylián, and Frederic Ashton among other. He
was chosen by Agnes de Mille to dance the principal role in her
final ballet, The Other. Van Fleteren has appeared as a
guest artist with companies throughout the United States including
Wes Chapman's American Ballet in 1991-1992. Van Fleteren has also
performed throughout Europe at major Opera Houses including the
Paris Opera and the Coliseum Theatre in London. He has also performed
in productions of 42nd Street, Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the
television series The Equalizer and in the film Dancers
starring Mikhail Baryshnikov. Van Fleteren joined the Alabama Ballet
Company from the London City Ballet in 1996 where he served as principal
dancer at the renowned Sadler's Wells Theatre. His repertoire included
Giselle, TheSleeping Beauty, Cinderella,
Coppelia, Don Quixote pas de deux and works with
Royal Ballet stars David Wall and Leslie Collier. While at the Alabama
Ballet, Van Felteren has been featured as Albrecht in Giselle,
Drosselmeyer in Nutcracker, Herr Stahlbaum in George Balanchine's
The Nutcracker, as well as principal roles in Bolero
and Swan Lake. Van Fleteren continues to be closely affiliated
with American Ballet Theatre. In the summer of 1998 and 1999, he
was appointed Administrative Coordinator of the ABT Summer Intensive
in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was on the teaching staff of the intensive
in Detroit, MI. In 1998, he co-choreographed Dracula, and
in the 1999-2000 season Wes Chapman and Van Fleteren choreographed
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In 2001 he choreographed the Alabama
Ballet's one- act full-length Romeo & Juliet and the
full length Cinderella, and in 2003 he created original
choreography for Swan Lake. In 1999, he won the Panoply
Award for best overall choreography for Tickling the Ivories,
in 2001 for Bach Variations. In the 2002- 2003 season he
choreographed Be Major. Van Fleteren is one of the principal
instructors in the Alabama Ballet School, and an Artist in Residence
at the Gorham's Bluff Institute's Summer Residency.
ORANGE COUNTY SUMMER INTENSIVE
Melissa Allen Bowman (Artistic Director
of Summer Intensives) began her classical ballet training
at age six with Lois Ellyn, formerly of New York City Ballet, and
at age eleven began training with Stanley Holden and Margaret Graham
Hills, both from the Royal Ballet in London. At age fifteen, she
was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join the corps de ballet of
American Ballet Theatre, where she danced for the next seven years.
During that time, Bowman began her own ballet company, the Emerson
Dance Theatre, which featured up-and-coming ABT dancers. From 1981
to 1988, Bowman also appeared in several of ABT’s Great
Performances in America. In 1988, she moved to Europe to join
the Bern Ballet in Switzerland and then the Zurich Ballet with Uwe
Scholz. In 1990, she followed Scholz to Leipzig, Germany, where
she danced many soloist and principal roles and became his associate
director. Bowman returned to the United States in 1999 to join the
staff of the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, where in 2000 she became resident
choreographer and associate director in 2000. While at PYB, she
choreographed many pieces for their youth company that were performed
not only at the Regional Dance America festivals but also for the
Pittsburgh Symphony. Since 2001, Bowman has taught at ABT Summer
Intensive in Detroit and, in 2007, became an advisor to ABT’s
Curriculum committee. She has also been an adjudicator for the National
Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts for the past two years.
Bowman is currently founder and artistic director of the Danse Conservatory
in southern California and its youth ballet company, California
Danse Theatre.
Alaine Haubert (Artistic Coordinator), a fourth
generation Californian, has the unique distinction of having been
associated with America’s three major companies. She received
her training from age fifteen at the School of American Ballet in
New York City where she studied with George Balanchine and his illustrious
post-Diaghilev faculty. After graduation from high school she performed
with San Francisco’s Pacific Ballet, then joined the national
touring company of Camelot. In 1965 after a year on the
road with Camelot, Haubert joined American Ballet Theatre,
where she performed corps de ballet, soloist and principal roles.
She was coached, during this period, by such diverse and exciting
choreographers as: Antony Tudor, Agnes De Mille, Jerome Robbins,
Elliot Feld, Birgit Culberg, Herald Lander, and Glen Tetley, and
also danced the classics. In 1969 Haubert joined the Joffrey Ballet
as Principal Dancer performing leading roles in many ballets including
The Green Table, The Dream, Feast of Ashes,
The Moor’s Pavane, The Still Point, The
Three Cornered Hat, Cakewalk and Le Bleu Danube.
After nearly a decade with the Joffrey Ballet, a serious back injury
ended Haubert’s performing career, and she began teaching
and coaching in such wide-ranging locations as Europe, Japan, Canada,
the United States, and the Caribbean. In 1986 Haubert moved to Hawaii
where she was on faculty at the University of Hawaii for seven years.
In 1993, Haubert was invited by Kevin McKenzie to return to New
York as Ballet Mistress for American Ballet Theatre, where she instructed,
coached, and rehearsed the world’s leading dancers for four
years. She now makes her home in California where she was on faculty
at California State University, Long Beach for six years. She continues
her association with ABT and annually travels the U.S. auditioning
dancers for the ABT Summer Intensives. She has been Artistic Coordinator
of the ABT Detroit Summer Intensive for eleven years. In spring,
2002, Haubert had the honor of adjudicating the Pacific Region for
Regional Dance America (RDA) and in 2003 was adjudicator for the
Southwest Region. Haubert continues to travel worldwide, offering
master classes and workshops and scouting for future ballet professionals.
Deirdre Carberry danced with American Ballet Theatre
for 12 years, and remains the youngest member to have been accepted
into the Company at the age of 14. She was the youngest Company
member to have performed solo and principal roles. Carberry received
her early dance training at the American Ballet Theatre School,
Miami Conservatory, David Howard & Elena Tchernichova. She was
accepted by the School of American Ballet on scholarship, and she
also attended the Harkness House Ballet & David Howard Studio
on scholarship. At the First U.S. International Ballet Competition
held in Jackson, Mississippi, Carberry was the youngest competitor
and won a silver medal, in a year in which a gold medal was not
awarded. After her 12 years dancing with ABT under the artistic
direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov, she was also a principal dancer
with the Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Memphis, and
the Miami City Ballet. While with American Ballet Theatre, Twyla
Tharp cast her as the leading ballerina in a new ballet she choreographed
called The Little Ballet partnered by Baryshnikov. She
then debuted as Kitri in Baryshnikov’s Don Quixote
partnered by Kevin McKenzie (currently ABT Artistic Director) and
then partnered by Patrick Bissel. Fernando Bujones invited her to
dance the Sugar Plum Fairy opposite him in SUNY Purchase, NY. Carberry
has appeared in several PBS Great Performances programs
for television & video: Baryshnikov Dances Balanchine,
Baryshnikov Dances Sinatra and More with ABT, in both her
partner was Baryshnikov. She is also featured in several Dance
in America television programs & videos: ABT at the
Met and ABT in San Francisco. The following seasons
she demonstrated a quality of technique, style, presence and artistic
interpretation that inspired ABT to promote her to increasingly
important and prominent roles. Some of her other partners have been
Wes Chapman (currently Artistic Director of ABT II), Robert LaFosse,
Johan Renvall, Robert Hill, and Ross Stretton. She has toured three
times with Baryshnikov & Company, toured with Alexander Godunov
& Stars of the American Ballet, she has danced extensively throughout
the USA, Europe, Israel, Japan, Central & South America, Mexico,
Denmark and Toronto. Carberry had the great honor to have been coached
by Dame Margot Fonteyn, Natalia Makarova, Fredrick Franklin, and
Baryshnikov. Several works were created on her: Common Ground
by Toni Pimble, Carmen by Nigel Burgione, Elements
by Dennis Poole, Rigaudon by Clark Tippet, Taming of
the Shrew and Diane Corbin Bruning contemporary work. While
still performing she had taught at: Atlanta Ballet School, Cincinnati
Ballet School, and the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive,
master classes for Emory University in Atlanta, The Washington Ballet
School, and numerous workshops throughout the USA and Europe. Carberry
was the ballet teacher and judge for American Idol’s
Paula Abdul Company Dance Conventions & Competition. This included
being televised on ESPN from Disney Florida. Carberry was also a
judge for the Star Search Finals in Atlanta. She has been a ballet
mistress for the Columbia City Ballet and ballet instructor for
the school. Some of the ballets she has staged on students include
Cinderella, Don Quixote, La Slyphide,
The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Paquita
and Swan Lake. As part of her workshops she has included
educating the students in stage makeup and nutrition awareness.
Most recently Carberry was a guest instructor for several months
at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. She was also a
faculty member at American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive in Detroit
for 2008.
Yan Chen was born in China where she started her
dance training at the Shanghai Dance School. She later continued
her studies at the San Francisco Ballet School and was a prizewinner
at the 1987 Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland. Prior to joining American
Ballet Theatre in 1993, Chen was a principal dancer with the Washington
Ballet. As one of ABT's most lyrical and versatile dancers, Chen
performed many demanding leading roles. She received critical praise
from The New York Times for her "refined and exuberant"
rendition in all pieces.
Warren Conover, a former soloist with American
Ballet Theatre, performed a wide range of roles from classical to
demi-character to modern in more than fifty ballets. He has also
appeared on several Live from Lincoln Center broadcasts;
a Dance in America presentation and he performed a feature
role in the television broadcast of Baryshnikov’s The
Nutcracker. He was a faculty member at the Ruth Page Foundation
School of Dance, the Gus Giordano Dance Center and the Lou Conte
Dance Studio in Chicago for thirteen years. For ten years, Conover
was the Artistic Associate/Ballet Master for Hubbard Street Dance
Chicago, touring extensively throughout the United States, South
America, and Europe. In 1994, Conover joined the faculty of the
University North Carolina School of the Arts, where he is Assistant
Dean/School of Dance. Since that time he has staged and choreographed
numerous ballets for the School of the Arts. In February 1997, he
returned to American Ballet Theatre to restage Frederick Ashton’s
Les Patineurs, which had been absent from their repertoire
for twelve years. Conover continues to guest teach nationally, including
the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive program, the Southeastern
Regional Ballet Association, the Regional Dance America Northeast
Festival as well as a long association with Chicago Dance Masters
of America.
Charles Maple began his training with Evelyn LeMone,
the founder of Pasadena Dance Theatre. He continued his studies
with Andrei Tremaine and Stanley Holden until 1972 when he received
a Ford Foundation scholarship to the School of American Ballet.
At the age of nineteen, he joined American Ballet Theatre and rapidly
rose through the ranks to become a featured soloist. In 1979, he
made numerous guest appearances with the National Ballet of Mexico
and danced the leading roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Les
Sylphides, and La Fille Mal Gardee. In 1983 he became
a principal dancer with the Basel Ballet of Switzerland. His association
with ABT gave him the opportunity to dance in the works of Europe
and America’s most influential choreographers. He has appeared
as a guest artist throughout the United States, in Europe, Mexico,
and South Africa. In 1992, Maple began creating his own works. He
has since received a steady stream of commissions, awards and a
growing reputation as a freelance choreographer. Companies in Regional
Dance America have presented several of his works. Two of his works
for Rosella Hightower’s Ballet La Jeunesse were presented
with top awards at the 1992 La Baule Festival in France. In 1993,
he attended the Tokyo International Choreographers Competition where
his works received international recognition and critical acclaim.
In 1993 Maple’s The Angel of the Abyss was created
to open the televised Posada Aids Procession in Los Angeles. In
1995, his new version of La Fille Mal Gardee for Pasadena
Dance Theatre opened to rave reviews. In 1997 he created a new version
of The Nutcracker for Black Hills Dance Theatre and Symphony.
His work Latcho Drom was selected by Regional Dance America
to be shown at the 1998 International Ballet Competition in Jackson,
Mississippi. Maple has set numerous works for American Ballet Theatre’s
Summer Intensive programs. Maple’s choreography represents
a diversity of dance styles that are firmly rooted in the traditions
of classical ballet. In 2007, he founded the Maple Conservatory
of Dance, a classical ballet school with a curriculum based training
program that is dedicated to nurturing dancers with the highest
standard of excellence in a caring and healthy environment. He is
also Artistic Director of the school’s performing entity,
The Maple Youth Ballet. In 1994 and 1995, Maple directed Pasadena
Dance Theatre. He then founded Charles Maple and Dancers to concentrate
on developing his own creations. Maple has been an active advocate
for Regional Dance America. In 2001, he became the associate director
and resident choreographer for South Bay Ballet, a position he held
until 2007. He has served as an adjudicator as well as a faculty
member at numerous RDA Festivals. Maple has also acted as the artistic
coordinator for American Ballet Theatre’s Alabama and California
Summer Intensive programs. In conjunction with many of his choreographic
projects, Maple holds special lecture demonstrations that are designed
to enhance the audience’s understanding and appreciation of
dance. In them he explains choreographic techniques and discusses
the process of creating a new work. The lectures are invariably
successful because they bring the audience into a process which
they are generally not permitted to share.
COLLEGIATE SUMMER INTENSIVE
Melissa Allen Bowman (Artistic Director
of Summer Intensives) began her classical ballet training
at age six with Lois Ellyn, formerly of New York City Ballet, and
at age eleven began training with Stanley Holden and Margaret Graham
Hills, both from the Royal Ballet in London. At age fifteen, she
was invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join the corps de ballet of
American Ballet Theatre, where she danced for the next seven years.
During that time, Bowman began her own ballet company, the Emerson
Dance Theatre, which featured up-and-coming ABT dancers. From 1981
to 1988, Bowman also appeared in several of ABT’s Great
Performances in America. In 1988, she moved to Europe to join
the Bern Ballet in Switzerland and then the Zurich Ballet with Uwe
Scholz. In 1990, she followed Scholz to Leipzig, Germany, where
she danced many soloist and principal roles and became his associate
director. Bowman returned to the United States in 1999 to join the
staff of the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, where in 2000 she became resident
choreographer and associate director in 2000. While at PYB, she
choreographed many pieces for their youth company that were performed
not only at the Regional Dance America festivals but also for the
Pittsburgh Symphony. Since 2001, Bowman has taught at ABT Summer
Intensive in Detroit and, in 2007, became an advisor to ABT’s
Curriculum committee. She has also been an adjudicator for the National
Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts for the past two years.
Bowman is currently founder and artistic director of the Danse Conservatory
in southern California and its youth ballet company, California
Danse Theatre.
Ethan Brown was born in New York City and received
his training at the School of American Ballet. He joined the corps
de ballet of American Ballet Theatre in 1981, was promoted to soloist
in 1988. Brown danced a wide range of ABT’s repertoire through
2004. He is on the faculty of the ABT Summer Intensives in New York
City and Bermuda and also guest teaches with the main Company. He
is on the faculty of The School at STEPS and regularly guest teaches
at STEPS on Broadway in New York City. Brown judges ballet competitions
for Youth America Grand Prix and regularly guest teaches and coaches
for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Jessica Lang is a graduate of The Juilliard School
and a former member of Twyla Tharp’s company THARP! Lang has
choreographed on companies including American Ballet Theatre’s
Studio Company (now ABT II), New York City Ballet (selected for
the Choreographic Institute), Colorado Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet,
Richmond Ballet (Choo-San Goh Award 2003), Hubbard Street 2, Ballet
de Monterey in Mexico, among others. She has also choreographed
on The Juilliard Dance Ensemble, The Ailey School/Fordham BFA Program,
Princeton University, Texas Christian University, Bucknell University,
Mesa State College, Barat Conservatory and commercially for BMW
International Industrials. Lang currently teaches modern at the
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. She
is also on faculty, teaching modern and composition/improvisation,
for ABT Summer Intensives in New York and Bermuda and is a choreographer
for the ABT J.P.Morgan Make a Ballet program.
Kate Lydon, born in Berkeley, California, began
ballet and movement classes at the age of three. Her professional
training includes American Ballet Theatre’s School of Classical
Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. She danced with San Francisco
Ballet for five years before joining American Ballet Theatre as
a member of the corps de ballet in 1995. Her repertoire with ABT
includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, the pas d’action in
La Bayadère, the Spring Fairy in Cinderella,
Prayer in Coppélia, Zulma in Giselle, and
The Rancher’s Daughter in Rodeo. Lydon’s teaching
credits include American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive
programs in New York and Bermuda, ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School, and ABT’s Ballet for the Young Dancer program
in Greenwich, CT. In late September 2008, she taught a professional
development workshop at New York City Center’s Fall for Dance
program. Lydon is currently and Editor-in-Chief of Dance Spirit
Magazine.
Brian Reeder, born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, began
his training with Marcia Dale Weary at the Central Pennsylvania
Youth Ballet. After attending American Ballet Theatre’s Summer
Program, he studied at the School of American Ballet. Before joining
American Ballet Theatre (1994-2003), Reeder performed as a soloist
with William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt (1990-1993) and also
danced with New York City Ballet (1986-1990). Over a four-year period,
Reeder created five original works for American Ballet Theatre’s
Studio Company. In 2005, he choreographed a full-length The Nutcracker
for Ballet Pacifica. In collaboration with the Washington Ballet,
Reeder was the recipient of the New York Choreographic Institute
Fellowship Grant (2005). He has created works for the Washington
Ballet and it’s Studio Company including a production of Peter
& The Wolf. In 2006, he was commissioned by the Guggenheim
Museum in New York City to create two new works for their Works
& Process series. Reeder was artist in residence at Brown University,
Emory University, and St. Paul’s School where he taught and
created works for student dance companies. He was involved with
the ABT J.P.Morgan Make A Ballet program (2004-2006), and
is currently on staff at ABT’s Summer Intensives program in
NYC. He served as the Coordinating Director of the ABT Summer Intensive
in Bermuda (2006), and has been a guest teacher at the Alvin Ailey
School, Icelandic National Ballet Company and School.
Kanji Segawa is a member of Battleworks
Dance Company (Artistic Director Robert Battle) since 2002.
Segawa has also been performing with Mark Morris Dance Group since
2004 appearing in 5 full evening productions including Mr. Morris’
new Romeo & Juliet as an original cast member. He has
appeared in several opera productions at the Metropolitan Opera
and English National Opera in the United Kingdom. He is a former
member of Alvin Ailey II and Jennifer Muller/The Works and has performed
for Aszure and Artists and choreographer Jessica Lang. He is represented
by MSA Talent Agency. Mr. Segawa has taught and choreographed for
prestigious institutions including at Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation
(Ailey School, Ailey Camp, Arts in Education), American
Ballet Theatre (Make a Ballet, Collegiate Summer Intensive,
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School), Steps on Broadway, Brown
University, Long Island University, Dance Bermuda, Saint Louis Ballet
School, Booker T Washington Performing Arts School, Metropolitan
Ballet Academy, among others. He is a recipient of the Outstanding
Choreography Award for Youth America Grand Prix in Philadelphia
in 2009. Segawa is Artistic Director of Dance Project New York,
a project that provides educational workshops and performances in
New York and Japan. DPNY’s mission is to provide the Japanese
community the experience of American dance while giving young generations
of Japanese dancers ideas for career development in the arts.
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