Jury Panel Archives
2022 JURY & SELECTION COMMITTEE
GARRETT ANDERSON
BALLET IDAHO
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Garrett Anderson began his training in Walnut Creek, California, under the direction of Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong at the Contra Costa Ballet Centre. He continued to study on scholarship at San Francisco Ballet School, and then in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s professional division.
In 2001, Garrett joined San Francisco Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet and in 2005 was promoted to soloist. During his time there he danced works by George Balanchine, Helgi Tomasson, Yuri Possokov, Christopher Wheldon, Jerome Robbins and Mark Morris. After seven years in the company, he left to join the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Antwerp, Belgium, as a first soloist, under the direction of Kathryn Bennets. There he toured extensively throughout Europe and the world, dancing works by renowned choreographers including William Forsythe and Marcia Haydée. In January of 2011, he returned to the United States to dance with Trey McIntyre Project for their touring season, before joining Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. During his five seasons with Hubbard Street he danced the work of Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Alejandro Cerrudo, Nacho Duato, among others.
In 2016, Garrett became Chair of the Dance Department at New Mexico School for the Arts, where he created curriculum, taught, choreographed, and staged existing works including pieces by Alejandro Cerrudo and Penny Saunders. He has since performed three seasons with SFDanceworks, for which he was named one of the year’s outstanding male performers by Dance Europe.
IGOR ANTONOV
RICHMOND BALLET
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR &
RICHMOND BALLET II DIRECTOR
Igor Antonov was born in Zaporozie, Ukraine. Upon graduation from the Kiev Choreographic Institute, he joined the Donetsk Ballet (Ukraine) as a soloist. In 1990, he was invited to join Richmond Ballet, where for five seasons he danced leading roles in works by George Balanchine, John Butler, Antony Tudor, William Soleau, Malcolm Burn, and Stoner Winslett. During that time, he was also a medalist and best couple award winner at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.
For the next several years, he danced with Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, Germany, and made guest appearances with major ballet companies in Berlin, Madrid, and Nice. In 2003, he returned to Richmond Ballet, and while continuing to perform with the Company, he began conducting rehearsals and teaching at the School of Richmond Ballet. After his retirement from the stage, Mr. Antonov stepped into the role of leading Richmond Ballet’s second company, Richmond Ballet II
KARIN AVERTY
FORMER PRINCIPAL DANCER
PARIS OPERA BALLET & SAN FRANCISCO BALLET
Serving as the 2022 Female Compulsory Coach
Karin Averty was born in France. Her ballet training began in 1972, at age 9, with Yvonne Goubé at the Centre de Danse de Paris. One year later, in 1973, she was admitted to the Paris Opera Ballet School and joined the company in September 1979 at age 16.
In 1980, she received international recognition early in her career when she won the Grand Prix, junior category, at the International Ballet Competition in Varna. In 1983, at the Paris Opera Ballet, she rose to Premiere Danseuse.
Starting in 1984, under Artistic Director Rudolf Nureyev, Karin performed leading roles including his versions of Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, and La Bayadere. She danced in masterpieces by prestigious choreographers such as George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, Kenneth MacMillan, Frederick Ashton, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, James Kudelka, Hans Van Mannen and John Neumeier.
In 1986, the Paris Opera Ballet Friends Association (AROP) awarded her its Prix du Public. The following year, William Forsythe chose Karin to be in the original cast of Somewhere in the Middle. In1987, Karin took a one-year leave of absence from the Paris Opera Ballet to become a Principal Dancer with the San Francisco Ballet under Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson. She returned to the Paris Opera Ballet the following year, but remained a Guest Artist with the SFB for its 1988-1989 season.
In 2003, Karin received her official ballet teaching diploma, the Diplôme d’Etat de Professeur de Danse. In 2004, the Prime Minister of France honored her with the National Merit Order as a Chevalier – a Knight.
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MELISSA BOWMAN
HOUSTON BALLET
DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM
Melissa Allen Bowman 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 joined 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 was a Soloist 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 2004, she established, with her husband Richard, Danse Conservatory and California Danse Theatre Youth Ballet and served as the Artistic Director for five years.
Bowman taught at the ABT Summer Intensive in Detroit starting in 2003 and after 5 years, became the Artistic Director of the ABT Summer Intensives. In 2007 she became an advisor to ABT’s National Training Curriculum committee. Ms. Bowman was previously the Assistant Principal of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT. She has also been an adjudicator for the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts.
She joined Houston Ballet in 2016 and is now the Director of Curriculum for the Houston Ballet Academy.
Mr. Broomhead, most notably, was a Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet and Houston Ballet, performing in and often originating numerous leading roles. He also served as Houston Ballet’s Ballet Master, and has traveled all around the world as a dancer, coach and judge, with a strong involvement in the Youth America Grand Prix. Now, as School Director, Mr. Broomhead will work closely with Artistic Director Robert Hill to oversee the artistic and instructional leadership of Orlando Ballet School.
PHILLIP BROOMHEAD
ORLANDO BALLET
SCHOOL DIRECTOR
EDWARD ELLISON
ELLISON BALLET
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Edward Ellison has traveled the world as a dancer, teacher, choreographer and ballet master. Companies he has taught for include American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, Alvin Ailey and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. He has been a guest teacher with The Juilliard School and Joffrey Ballet School, and continues to teach open classes at STEPS on Broadway.
As a ballet master, he has worked for such companies as the Boston Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet and Alberta Ballet, as well as staging Helgi Tomasson's Nutcracker for San Francisco Ballet's annual tour. With love and devotion to his students guiding his work, his approach is infused by study and close association with renown ballet masters and directors, such as Larisa Sklyanskaya, Helgi Tomasson, Irina Jacobson and Marius Zirra. He particularly credits his years of pedagogical study with Ms. Sklyanskaya for the depth of his artistic knowledge, as well as teacher courses at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia and the National Ballet School in Canada.
A former soloist with the San Francisco Ballet and guest artist with many companies in the U.S. and abroad, Mr. Ellison's repertoire spans the great classical works of the 19th century to neoclassical and contemporary choreography of the 20th century and today.
Mr. Ellison employs a combination of detailed technical insight — including precise verbal and physical guidance to ensure proper alignment, placement, strength and coordinaton of the body — and artistic vision to excite and advance the student's journey. As Founder & Artistic Director of Ellison Ballet, Mr. Ellison has crafted an intensive study program to meet the needs of gifted ballet students from around the world who wish to dance professionally. Both the Summer Intensive and the in-depth Professional Training Program offer a stepping stone approach to realize new levels of achievement. The classes emphasize development of strong classical ballet technique, the exploration and discovery of the student's full artistic potential, and individual attention from the ballet master.
MARJORIE GRUNDVIG
PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE
SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Ms. Grundvig began her ballet training in her hometown of Davis, California, and with Marguerite Phares in
Sacramento, California. Additionally, she spent summers on scholarship with San Francisco Ballet School.
At the age of 17, Ms. Grundvig joined the North Carolina Dance Theatre. She continued her performing career as a soloist with both the Tulsa Ballet and the Boston Ballet.
She has guest taught at many schools, both nationally and internationally, in addition to touring nationally to audition students for the annual summer programs of Boston Ballet and PBT.
Ms. Grundvig directed the ballet department of the Washington Academy of Performing Arts in Seattle prior to being appointed Director of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School in August 2005. Since
starting at PBT, Ms. Grundvig has been part of a leadership team that has managed to increase total school
enrollment by more than 30%.
CHRISTOPHER HIRD
SARASOTA BALLET
EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Christopher Hird is from England and studied the Royal Academy of Dance syllabi before training at The Royal Ballet School. He toured Europe as part of a company headlined by the internationally acclaimed ballerina, Sylvie Guillem. After retiring from the stage, Hird worked as the Assistant to the Director of the British Ballet Organization, and later as Assistant to the Development Manager at The Royal Ballet School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Roehampton and a Diploma from Canada’s National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program.
Hird joined Boston Ballet School in 2003 and was promoted to Artistic Manager in 2009. He was a main teacher for students in the Pre-Professional and Classical Ballet Programs as well as being part of the Senior Leadership Team. Hird has staged ballets for the School including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, and Sir Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, Les Rendezvous and La Fille mal Gardée. Hird was also a Children’s Ballet Master for Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker.
In 2013, Hird was appointed Head of Adult Programming. He has led the artistic vision for the redesign of the program as well as been instrumental in developing and enhancing the adult students’ engagement with Boston Ballet.
Hird has served on the international jury of the Japan Grand Prix in 2008 and 2010, the Surrey Festival of Dance (Canada) in 2007 and 2008, the Goiania Dance Festival (Brazil) in 2012 and 2015. He has been a guest teacher for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Canada’s National Ballet School, Cecchetti Council of America and Harvard University.
The Sarasota Ballet appointed Christopher Hird as Director of Education and Principal for the Margaret Barbieri Conservatory in July 2016.
ALEXEY KULPIN
THE HARID CONSERVATORY
FACULTY
Alexey Kulpin is a graduate of the University of Culture and Art in St. Petersburg, Russia. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ballet methodology and choreography. In 1998, he was the Grand Prix winner at the Muse of St. Petersburg Ballet Competition.
As a professional dancer, Mr. Kulpin has performed soloist and principal roles in both classical and contemporary ballets in Russia, Israel, and the United States. He danced professionally with St. Petersburg State Opera Ballet, St. Petersburg State Male Theatre by Mihailovsky, Ballet Israel, City Ballet of San Diego, Grand Rapids Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theater, Stars of St. Petersburg Municipal Theater of Music and Dance, and Krasnoyarsk Dance Ensemble. His roles included Basilio in Don Quixote; James in La Sylphide; Prince Ivan in Firebird; Spirit of the Rose in Le Spectre de la Rose; Swan Lake Pas de Trois; and the male leads in Tarentella and Maurice Bejart’s Trik Trak.
Mr. Kulpin specializes in teaching classical ballet, male and female variations, and character dance. His teaching career includes the Ballet Israel School, City Ballet of San Diego, Grand Rapids Ballet, and Charleston Ballet Company, where he taught company classes and served as director of the Charleston Ballet Young Artists Group. Most recently, he served as principal ballet teacher for Northern California Dance Conservatory. He has staged classical variations and choreographed solos for performance and ballet competitions. Mr. Kulpin joined The HARID Conservatory’s faculty in August, 2016.
MIMMO MICCOLIS
THE WASHINGTON BALLET
CHOREOGRAPHER
Mimmo Miccolis, born in Italy, is a neoclassical and contemporary teacher and choreographer at The Washington Ballet. He was the winner of the “Outstanding Choreographer Award” at the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) Finals 2015 in New York City, at the Indianapolis International Ballet Competition 2017 and at the YAGP Pittsburgh Semifinals 2016. In 2011, he was also a recipient of the BBC Performing Arts Fund in London, UK. In the last years several of his choreographic creations received awards in dance competitions across Europe and the US.
Miccolis graduated from the Italian dance academies “Fondazione Niccolò Piccinni” (Bari) and “Balletto di Toscana” (Florence). As a dancer he performed in theaters and companies across Europe, the Middle-East and the United States. Since the start of his professional career, his work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range.
Most of Mimmo’s choreographic work focuses on social issues and have been performed in prestigious venues such as the World Bank Headquarters, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Forum and the House of the European Union in Austria, the European Commission Joint Research Center in Italy and the Bernie Grand Arts Center in London(UK).
Selected credits include: (A)MORI (Milwaukee Ballet II), Dancing With The Future (commissioned by IIASA and Harvard University), FIRSTS and ICONS (commissioned by the Italian Institute of Culture and The Embassy of Italy), END (commissioned by the World Bank), WHO WHEN WHY (commissioned by Julie Kent for The Washington Ballet), AETERNA and WHITE (The Washington Ballet Studio Company), Contextual Matters and IN ALL (commissioned by the Economist Jeffrey Sachs), InDilemma, COURAGE and ENLIGHTENMENT 2.0 (commissioned by the IIASA and the European Commission), CRISIS, DEEP BLUE, UNDERWATER and HIGH TIDE (The Washington Ballet Trainee Program), RIGHTS(?) (Bernie Grand Arts Center in London(UK) and LUST LOST LAST (LCP Dance Theatre). Miccolis choreographed also the rebranding music video for the Inter American Development Bank(IDB).
DIERDRE MILES BURGER
SARASOTA BALLET
ASSISTANT EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Born in Burlington, Massachusetts, Dierdre Miles Burger joined the Boston Ballet Corps de Ballet in 1974. From 1978 until 1982 Miles Burger danced in New York City and with Houston Ballet before returning to Boston Ballet in 1983. During her career she danced countless principal roles in the classical and contemporary ballet repertory but was most known for her portrayal of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and the Principal Stomper in Twyla Tharp’s Brief Fling. In June of 1993 Miles Burger retired from performing and joined Boston Ballet’s Artistic Staff. In September 2002 Miles Burger was appointed Principal of Boston Ballet School, having been a member of the faculty of The Boston Conservatory since 1991. She is also certified in the dance notation method Labanotation.
In the summer of 2006 she left Boston Ballet to move to Florida with her husband David Burger, where she continued to teach and coach on a freelance basis. During this time Miles Burger became an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 7 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and was later appointed to the prestigious Board of Examiners for the curriculum. In addition she has served on the jury for a number of ballet conventions and competition including Youth America Grand Prix regional semi-finals and New York City Finals. In July 2010 she was appointed Director of Orlando Ballet School, serving there for eight years until August 2018. Under her leadership Orlando Ballet School grew and developed programming, most notably the Orlando Ballet School Academy which develops young dancers for professional careers. Reaching out to the community, she instituted several programs for children with special needs including Adaptive Dance for students with Down Syndrome, Come Dance With Us for children with physical challenges, and Kids Beating Cancer for children recovering from cancer.
RACHEAL NYE
OKLAHOMA CITY BALLET
SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Racheal Nye joined Oklahoma City Ballet as the Yvonne Chouteau School Director in 2020. Racheal was previously Principal of Kansas City Ballet School where she created and oversaw their Pre-Professional Day Program. She also worked as Children’s Ballet Coach and staged children’s roles in the company’s productions including Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker which toured to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of the Kirov Academy in Washington, D.C., where she attended on scholarship and studied with Nikolai Morozov, Alla Sizova, and Elena Vinogradova. She then joined Ballet Internationale in Indianapolis and continued training with Irina Kolpakova and Vladien Semenov. In 2000, Racheal joined Nevada Ballet Theatre and was promoted to principal in 2006. Racheal has danced leading roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Cinderella, Balanchine’s Serenade and Who Cares?, as well as works by Twyla Tharp, Choo San Goh, Val Caniparoli, and many others. She has performed internationally including in Luxembourg, Korea, and Portugal.
She is a Master Teacher and Judge for Youth America Grand Prix and her students have been awarded scholarships to international ballet schools. She has been teaching, coaching, and staging ballet professionally for 20 years and is Pilates and PBT certified. Racheal is married to Rehearsal Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye.
CHRIS RUUD
KANSAS CITY BALLET
SECOND COMPANY MANAGER
Christopher Ruud has been a part of the performing arts since birth. Growing up back stage at San Francisco Ballet he was immersed in the art of professional dance, performance and stagecraft. Receiving the majority of his dance training at San Francisco Ballet School he began his performing career on the War Memorial Opera House stage at the age of 9.
Ruud was hired into Ballet West in 1998. Quickly moving through the ranks he was named Principal Dancer in 2004. He spent 21 years as a leading artist for Ballet West performing a huge range of classical and contemporary repertoire. Ruud is grateful to have see sold out houses in Utah, all over the United States, and internationally most notably in China, Cuba, New York and at the Kennedy Center receiving glowing reviews. In his time with the company he danced major roles in the great works of Balanchine, Kylián, Tharp, Forsythe, Ashton, Tudor and Cranko to name a few. He has been personally coached by some of the great names in the ballet world such as Sir Anthony Dowell, Cynthia Gregory, Hans Van Mannen, and Bruce Marks.
Ruud has seen success as a choreographer having his ballets performed in the Ballet West Innovations program and at their annual gala performance garnering such awards as a New York Choreographic Institute Fellowship as well as several NEA grants. Ruud directed his own small company RUUDDANCES, which was a regular attraction at the annual Utah Arts Festival, and has toured to Jacobs Pillow.
Retiring from being a professional dancer in 2019, Ruud joined the artistic team at Kansas City Ballet that same year. Since taking the position of KCB Second Company Manager and Ballet Master for the company he has created and ballet-mastered many new and existing works, such as Adam Hougland’s “Carmina Burana” and Lila York’s “Celts”, while also spending time in the Kansas City community educating children about ballet and live performance.
WILLIAM STARRETT
COLUMBIA CITY BALLET
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
William Starrett leads the Columbia City Ballet for his 35th Performance Season as Artistic Director. First appearing as a guest artist in 1977, over the past 40 years he has served as Artist-in-Residence, Associate Director and Premier Danseur.
Named Artistic Director in 1986, he is only the 2nd Artistic Director in the Company’s 60 year history. Mr. Starrett has worked tirelessly to make his vision a reality ---to offer South Carolina and the Southeastern United States audiences the highest quality ballet and to provide dancers with the very best in professional dance training. In 1979 he won the bronze medal at the first US international Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. Following this achievement, Starrett became one of the most prolific and proficient guest artists in the world. In a 1984 interview, Dance Magazine profiled Starrett as a “fully freelance dancer jetting to and from cities like some people drive to the drugstore...a man who has been whisked off the stage after a matinee in Detroit and flown to Atlanta for a performance that same night.”
Since 1988 he has choreographed 20 full-length ballets for the Columbia City Ballet’s repertoire. Starrett is a graduate of Leadership Columbia, founder of AIDS Benefit Foundation of South Carolina, member of the Columbia Chamber, Columbia Rotary Club, Columbia’s Executives and Owners Association, and Founding Director of the Columbia Conservatory of Dance. In addition, he is the recipient of the Elizabeth O’Neil Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts, the state of South Carolina’s most prestigious arts award. Weekly you can catch him on FOX News as a host of Arts WACH. He received the 2015 Steve Morrison Visionary Award from One Columbia and the 2019 Jefferson Award for his tremendous contributions to our community. Earlier this year, Starrett was selected as a 2021 recipient of the R.I.C.E. Award, presented by the Lowcountry Rice Culture Project in recognition of exemplifying qualities of Inclusion, Culture, and Excellence.
SHARON STORY
ATLANTA BALLET
DEAN OF EDUCATION
Dean Story is currently in her 21st season with Atlanta Ballet. She joined Atlanta Ballet after a professional dance career that spanned more than 20 years, including tenures with Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet, New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and ten years with Boston Ballet.
In 1996, in addition to her role as ballet mistress, John McFall’s vision and mentorship brought Sharon to her current position as dean of the Centre for Dance Education, which has rapidly grown to one of the largest dance schools in the nation. The Centre for Dance Education is nationally recognized for great accomplishments in its programs and community initiatives. Under Sharon’s direction, the Centre achieved accreditation with National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). Sharon is a member of the Board of Directors for NASD and is delighted to serve on many community and national boards.
Sharon received the 2015 Women Making a Mark award from Atlanta Magazine. She is committed to providing a noncompetitive atmosphere and access to dance education that is shaped by the community needs, is innovative, and inspires the commitment and excellence that are the trademarks of Atlanta Ballet. She is very proud of the dancers who have studied at the Centre for Dance Education and continue to share their experiences on stage in the Atlanta Ballet company and around the globe. She thanks her family for all their love and support during her career.
CHRISTOPHER STUART
CHARLOTTE BALLET
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Christopher Stuart, began his formal training with Steve Sirico, Angela D’valda Sirico, Franco De Vita and Raymond Lukens, and now with a child of his own, he understands why the arts are so important to enriching our community, especially its children.
In 2002 Christopher graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Upon graduation he joined Nashville Ballet where he was featured in works by renowned choreographers such as Nashville Ballet’s Artistic Director Paul Vasterling, Jiri Kylian, Gina Patterson, Christopher Bruce, Christopher Wheeldon and numerous others. After a 16-year career with Nashville Ballet as a principal dancer, choreographer, and teacher, he was appointed as their Resident Choreographer in 2018, creating over 10 works during his tenure. He has created works for Nashville Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, Chattanooga Ballet, National Choreographers Initiative, Charlotte Ballet, various festivals, and commercial work. Christopher brought music lovers and dance enthusiasts together by collaborating with some of the music industry’s best including, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crow, Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), John Oates (Hall & Oates), Kellie Pickler, and John Carter Cash (son of Johnny and June Carter Cash).
His artistic achievements won him the 2010 Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship, one of the highest honors that a Tennessee artist can receive. In 2016 and 2017 he was awarded a Fellowship Initiative Grant from the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet. In July 2017 he created a new work for the National Choreographer’s Initiative, and in the same year created a new work for Nashville Ballet entitled The Raven after Edgar Allan Poe’s poem. In 2018, to rave reviews, Christopher created Seven Deadly Sins with new music by Ten out of Tenn, and the Nashville Symphony.
Under the direction of Hope Muir, Christopher was appointed Program Director of Charlotte Ballet II and Rehearsal Director for the main Company in July of 2020. Christopher is the new Interim Artistic Director of the Charlotte Ballet.
MARIA TORIJA
BALLETMET
ACADEMY DIRECTOR
Born in Madrid, Spain, Maria Torija began her ballet studies with Lola de Avila, Luis Fuentes and Carmen Roche. At the age of thirteen, she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study for three years at the School of American Ballet in New York.
After a short stint with the Ballet Nacional de España Clásico, in 1987 she began her 20-year career as a dancer with the Deutsche Oper Berlin ballet company, currently the Staatsballett Berlin. During her time in Berlin, Maria performed in solo and principal roles in numerous classic ballets, including works choreographed by George Balanchine.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ballet Teaching, and graduated summa cum laude with a Master’s and PhD in Performing Arts from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, in Madrid. She also has an extensive teaching resume. Beginning with the Opera Ballet of Deutsche Oper Berlin, she has served as a faculty member at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz, Dresden. Maria has participated in seminars and has been invited to teach classes throughout Europe, Japan and Hong King and the United States. While on the faculty of the Miami City Ballet and Miami City Ballet School, Maria taught dancing as well as classes on the history of ballet and other associated topics. She organized and conceived a popular program for the Open Barre at the Miami City Ballet, inviting the public to see a demonstration of the progression of professional ballet training. Maria became the Director of the BalletMet Academy in May 2017.
SUZETTE WEBB
CINCINNATI BALLET
SECOND COMPANY DIRECTOR
Suzette Boyer Webb joined Cincinnati Ballet in 1979. As a Principal Dancer, under the direction of David McClain, Frederic Franklin, and Ivan Nagy, she danced classical and contemporary roles in works by choreographers Frederic Franklin, Ivan Nagy, George Balanchine, Ruth Page, Peter Anastos, John Butler, Sir Kenneth McMillian, Ben Stevenson, James Truitte, Lester Horton, and Vincente Nebrada.
Upon retirement from Cincinnati Ballet, Webb served on the Dance Division faculty at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. There, she was awarded The Outstanding Adjunct Teacher of the Year award.
As the director of the Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company – CB2 and Young Performers Ballet Master, Webb has been instrumental in providing technical and artistic learning opportunities to CB2 and Academy dancers in various Cincinnati Ballet productions, including the highly successful Cincinnati Ballet Family Series. Webb has choreographed numerous works for the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company. She has staged many ballets, including children’s roles for Victoria Morgan’s The Nutcracker, in Cincinnati; Anchorage, Alaska; at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C.; and at the Detroit Opera House. Webb has worked nationally as guest teacher, adjudicator, and panelist.