National Visiting Fellows

Michael Cook, born in Phoenix, Arizona, began his Arizona training at Tempe Dance Academy under the direction of Wanda Manville, inspiring him to open a sister school – Tempe Dance West – in Laveen, Arizona in 2007. Having grown up in this historically rural community that was lacking in arts and arts education, Michael’s vision for the school was – and remains – ensuring that all children have access to the arts and arts education.

For nearly two decades, Michael’s passion for dancing has extended beyond the stage to teaching and inspiring young dancers. Through the Education Department at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, DC, he taught a series of master classes in ballet and partnering.Michael continues to co-Direct the nationally recognized Tempe Dance Company in Tempe, Arizona. Many of Michael’s students have moved on to Broadway, Crique Du Soleil dance companies including – Hubbard Street, Lines Contemporary Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, The Rockettes, SYTYCD, and scholarships to colleges such as Juilliard, Marymount, Pace, University of the Arts, Point Park, Univ. of AZ and ASU. Michael is always excited to share his love and passion in dance with all his students.

Rebecca embarked on her dance journey at Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre, furthering her training at Atlanta Ballet, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and Miami City Ballet School. Her professional chapters include Miami City Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Ballet Arizona, and as a freelance performer.

While still a young performer, Rebecca was encouraged by a mentor to begin teaching ballet. While teaching dancers in the Atlanta region, she concurrently earned a B.A. in History and a Masters in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University. Her passion for holistic wellness led her to complete her RYT 200 at Kashi Ashram.

2017 marked a significant milestone when Rebecca founded Neighborhood Ballet, aiming to serve young dancers in the Downtown Atlanta community and beyond. Since that time, the school witnessed rapid growth, leading to the establishment of a youth company, Rise City Dance, in 2021.

Today, Rebecca resides in the heart of Atlanta with her husband, Steven, and their three children. Rebecca’s teachings emphasize the traditions of classical ballet, all while exploring the balance between technical excellence, the pleasure of movement, and the evolution of dance for generations to come.

Alan Obuzor, Founder, Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, and Dancer for Texture Contemporary Ballet was honored in 2013 by Dance Magazine by being named one of the “Top 25 to Watch.” Originally from Pittsburgh, Alan began dancing at the age of nine. Two years later he attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School (PBTS), where in 1998 he was a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Dance Honorarium. Alan received a contract to join Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s (PBT’s)professional company at the age of 17.

During his seven years in PBT’s Company, he danced a wide array of ballets ranging from classical to neoclassical to contemporary, which included principal and soloist roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Symphony in C, Carmina Burana and Divertimento 15. In that time, he also worked with many world-renowned figures in dance and was selected to originate soloist roles in new works by choreographers Dwight Rhoden, Derek Dean, Matjash Mrozewski and Jiabin Pan. Alan began teaching in 2002; from 2007-2012 Alan was on the faculty of PBTS as one of the primary Pre-Professional Division teachers and choreographers. In the fall of 2012, Alan joined the teaching faculty of Pittsburgh Youth Ballet where he was a main faculty member from 2012-2019.

Alan choreographed his first work in 2002 on himself and a fellow dancer. Since that time, he has choreographed over 115 new works for Texture Contemporary Ballet, PBT, PBTS, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company, New Ballet Ensemble, Harvard Ballet Company, Point Park University, Dancers’ Trust, Canton Ballet, Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and various independent projects. In 2011, Alan won first place in the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Dance/Choreography competition. During 2014 Alan was awarded a BRAZZY Award – “Outstanding Male Dancer in Pittsburgh 2014”. In 2017 Mr. Obuzor received an “Outstanding Teacher Award” by Youth America Grand Prix. In addition to founding Texture Contemporary Ballet in 2011, he oversaw the start of Texture Ballet School in 2019.

Maria Pellejero, born in Granada, Spain, embarked on her dance journey under the guidance of esteemed trainers, Andres Williams and Marisa Mondo, eventually graduating as a professional dancer. Maria further honed her skills by obtaining the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies from the Royal Academy of Dance in London.

Having joined the Spanish company Tiempo Presente, she performed roles from all the traditional ballets like, Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, Don quixote, Paquita among others, as well as contemporary and neoclassical works. In 2016, she made a bold move to the United States to continue her dance career and deepen her knowledge of Cuban methodology under the tutelage of Ana Julia Bermudez de Castro. She was privileged to perform as a soloist pieces like Delibes Suite Pas de Deux, The Nutcracker, Paquita and The Bluebeard. Driven by her passion for teaching, Maria founded L&M Ballet, a professional ballet school located in Boca Raton, Florida, in 2018. Her mission is to bring the world of ballet closer to all students who share a deep passion for this art form. Through her school, she emphasizes positive training and nurturing a genuine love for ballet.

Maria Pellejero’s dedication to her craft and her commitment to spreading the joy of ballet continue to inspire dancers of all ages. Her journey is a testament to her unwavering pursuit of excellence.

Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager began her dance training at a local studio in Spring Arbor, Michigan. Rubio Slager went on to study under notable teachers from the New York City Ballet, the Vaganova Academy, and Puerto Rican National Ballet. Rubio Slager enjoyed dancing under Barbara Smith at Greater Lansing Ballet, and also under Kathy Thibodeaux and Sol Maisonet at Ballet Magnificat. Upon moving to Chicago, Rubio Slager had the opportunity to work as a freelance artist, teacher, and choreographer in the Greater Chicago area.

Rubio Slager co-founded Ballet 5:8 and the School of Ballet 5:8 in 2012. Her philosophy on teaching ballet centers on holistic methods that honor each student’s unique voice and give students of every background the ability to flourish in her classroom. She has had the privilege of working daily at the School of Ballet 5:8 and has guest taught at over 100 schools across the United States.

Rubio Slager is a groundbreaking figure within the field, as one of the few Mexican American Artistic Directors and Resident Choreographers of professional ballet companies in the world.  She hopes that her leadership and creative work at Ballet 5:8 will pave the way for other women and minorities to command space in professional ballet

Tristan Grannum is originally from Brooklyn, New York. He began training in classical ballet at the age of 14 at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts and Manhattan Youth Ballet. Over the years he has trained year-round at the School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Dance Theater of Harlem where he was selected to dance in several outreach performances. He has also attended many notable ballet summer programs on full scholarship which include the Harid Conservatory, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, and Charlotte Ballet. In June 2017 he was invited to and participated in an international dance competition (Royal Dance Grand Prix) held in Beijing, China. There he won first place in the Contemporary ballet category.

His professional performance credits include dancing with Brooklyn Ballet, Ballet Austin, Dayton Ballet, and the Black Iris Project. He has performed works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Septime Webre, Stephen Mills, Marianna Oliviera, and Tan Dao. Tristan has taught at several ballet/dance institutions across New York, Ohio, and Texas. He is a certified dance teacher through the Mark Morris Teacher Training Program. In 2021, Tristan was selected to be a part of Dance/USA’s Institute for Leadership Training where, as an early career leader, he was paired with Peter Boal (Former NYCB Principal Dancer/Artistic Director of Pacific Northwest Ballet). Most recently Tristan took on the position as the Director of Dance for the Brooklyn Center for the Arts, an arts program that specializes in providing access to classical art forms for underprivileged adolescents across New York City. He is also the Artistic Director of the Judah International Dance Theater, a professional dance company that provides a platform for professional ballet and contemporary ballet dancers of color to showcase their artistry and talent.

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Lona Gomez began her serious ballet studies when she was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship to train with the Boston Ballet School in 1972. From 1979-1982, she was a member of Boston Ballet II as well as an apprentice with the Boston Ballet Company under the late E. Virginia Williams, Boston Ballet’s founder, and longtime director. In 1982 she joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre under the directorship and tutelage of Patricia Wilde, former principal dancer with New York City Ballet. She danced corps, soloist, and principal roles in full-length classical ballets, as well as many Balanchine ballets. Her favorite roles were the Scotch Lass in Balanchine’s Scotch Symphony, Dew Drop and Lead Marzipan in The Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, Valse Fantasie, Square Dance and Serenade.

As Director and Ballet Master for the Center for Dancer Education in Spartanburg, SC for the past 26 years, Mrs. Gomez has created and implemented a spiral-based school syllabus. She instructs and choreographs for the Pre-Professional and Trainee Division. She also instructs Ballet Spartanburg’s Professional Company. Her students’ professional dance opportunities include Houston Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, St. Louis Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, and Los Angeles Ballet.

She assists with the recruitment of students for Project D.A.N.C.E, an inclusive and diverse outreach program that offers annual dance classes to underrepresented students of color in the community. She researched the development to bring the first and only Sensory Sensitive Performance of The Nutcracker in South Carolina. It is an inclusive program designed for students who are on the Autism spectrum and are multi-sensory, physically, and cognitively challenged, an opportunity to attend a professional ballet production. Recently, she taught a series of Zoom classes for Leap of Dance Academy in Nigeria, Africa, and was a guest faculty for Converse College.

Ms. Obeso began ballet training in her native Peru at the age of seven. Her career there included eight years of training and performing around the world with the Ballet Nacional de Peru. She received a Kennedy Center Fellowship of the Americas award in Ballet in 1996. The prestigious fellowship brought her to the United States where she trained and danced with the Boston Ballet and Suzanne Farrell Summer Dance Program in Washington, DC. Ms. Obeso later served as a lead dancer with Margot Parsons Dance Company, Cadence Dance Project, Impulse Dance Company, Ace Entertainment Dance Company, Northern Ballet Company, and the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble in several performances and different venues between 1996 and 2005. It was with this last group that Ms. Obeso participated in special performances for Pope John Paul II at the World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada in 2002.

Her ballroom career started in 2000 when she began training with Studio 665 owner and former National 10 Dance Champion Mark Nocera. Television appearances, live performances, as well as award-winning coaching, judging, and choreographing have marked her ballroom and Latin career. Her lifelong interest in fitness and the development of a dancer’s body has led her to expand her education in exercise and fitness; she is a Certified Pilates instructor and has created different cardio and body conditioning classes throughout her teaching career. Ms. Obeso is also a Certified instructor in Progressing Ballet Training. Some of the schools where Ms. Obeso has helped develop talented dancers in different dance styles are Boston Arts Academy, The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Sally Gould Dance Center, Studio 665, and Revolution Dance Academy. She offers instruction and choreography in ballet, theatrical jazz, pointe as well as all styles of Ballroom and Latin dancing. Ms. Obeso is a Summa Cum Laude graduate recipient from Bay Path University in Liberal Arts with a Certification in Health and Wellness.

Yvonne Racz Key began her dance training in Syracuse, NY, and continued in Lubbock, TX. After graduating from the University of Utah, Yvonne danced professionally with companies including Maryland Ballet, Desrosiers Dance Theatre (Canada), Catanach Ballet Theatre (NY), Ballet Hispanico (NY), Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage, and Cirque Du Soleil. She received her MFA in Performance and Pedagogy from Texas Tech University. As the artistic director, Yvonne established Ballet Lubbock as a pre-professional ballet school with a regional performing company and a developed Community Outreach Program.

Her students have been accepted with scholarships to internationally top-ranked summer programs all over the country and include an alum of professional dancers performing and teaching internationally. Ballet Lubbock curriculum sustains diversity, equity, and inclusive practices in conjunction with the discipline of ballet technique. She appeared in publications such as VOGUE, TIME, and Dance Magazine. Her international guest teaching includes NOW Dance, Mexico, and Budapest Dance Theatre. Ms. Racz has given a TEDx talk on the positive effects of ballet training on young people. She is a member of the Corps De Ballet International and has served on the Texas Commission on the Arts for the Young Masters Program Dance Panel. Her awards include The Arts Alliance Dynamic Force ACE award, YWCA’s Woman of Excellence in Culture, the Louise Hopkins Underwood Arts Center’s “Performing Arts Award,” and she is listed in the Avalanche-Journal as one of Lubbock’s 100 most influential persons.

Kristen S. Stevenson is a Professor of Ballet at the Peabody Conservatory and the Managing Director of the Ballet Nouveau School. She originally fell in love with ballet at the age of 2 and continued her studies with The Washington Ballet, the Peabody Preparatory, The Julliard School, The Dance Theater of Harlem, The Donetsk Ballet, and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Kristen Stevenson is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Stevenson is also a Partner Teacher with the ABT® Project Plie Program. Stevenson is a National NAACP Gold Medalist as a classical ballet soloist. She holds both certification and membership with the Royal Academy of Dance and has performed on major stages such as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and The Merriam Theater.

While studying at the University of the Arts for a Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance, she performed works choreographed by many internationally acclaimed artists. She has also been recognized for her contemporary ballet choreography featured in the Youth America Grand Prix. Although Stevenson enjoyed performing, her true passion is teaching the next generation of dancers and she has successfully done so for the past 13 years. Kristen Stevenson is ecstatic to continue educating and sharing her passion for fine arts by influencing others through dance.