National Visiting Fellows
View the roster of our current and past National Visiting Fellows below.
2024-2025
Julio Alegria
Brass City Ballet,
Middlebury, CT
Julio Alegria
Brass City Ballet,
Middlebury, CT
Julio Alegria is a passionate dance and ballet teacher and mentor to young professional dancers. His positive and “happy” attitude toward dance and life and his work ethic reflect on stage in both his own performances and in those of the students he instructs. Mr. Alegria is Co-Artistic Director with Brass City Ballet in Middlebury, Connecticut.
Julio was born and raised in Mexico City and received his training from the National Arts Center (BFA in Dance) and the Centro de Educacion Artistico Frida Kahlo. Upon moving to the United States, he entered the Joffrey Ballet School’s training program on scholarship and has also studied at the Boston Ballet School, Ballet Austin, the Banff Center for the Arts in Canada, Ballet Hispanico, the Dance Theatre of Harlem School, and Ballet Academy East. Among the famed instructors Mr. Alegria has studied with are Gelsey Kirkland, Eleanor D’Antuono, Cheryl Yeager, Darla Hoover, Nadege Hottier, Karina Elver, Elizabeth Walker, Eva Evdokimova, Reyna Perez, David Howard, Fabrice Herrault, Peter Frame, and Richard Bowman.
Julio has danced for companies and choreographers in Mexico, Canada, Europe, and the United States, including the Alabama Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Gelsey Kirkland Studio Company, Eglevsky Ballet, Atlantic City Ballet, Merce Cunningham Trust, Bronx Opera Company, Ardentia, and Compañia Nacional de Danza (Mexico City). Previously, Mr. Alegria served as Ballet Faculty Instructor & Rehearsal Master at Ballet Theatre of Scranton; Ballet Faculty Instructor at Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley; Assistant Director at Scranton Civic Ballet; and Head Dance Instructor and Supervisor at Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center and the Brighter Choice Community School in Brooklyn. Mr. Alegria also was Founder and Artistic and Executive Director of NEPA Ballet in the Poconos, Pennsylvania.
Mark Burns
City Dance and Music,
Atlanta, GA
Mark Burns
City Dance and Music,
Atlanta, GA
Harry Mark Burns Jr. trained at the Joffrey School of Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and New York University, where he got a Bachelor of Fine Arts. After receiving his degree, Burns joined Dance Theatre of Harlem. In his decade with the company, Burns performed extensively—reaching the rank of soloist—and taught in their educational outreach program. Subsequently, Burns was a principal dancer with Collage Dance Collective and The Georgia Ballet, where he was also a teacher. He has also been a guest artist with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Brooklyn Ballet. Over his career, Burns has performed leading roles by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Alonzo King, Alvin Ailey, John Alleyne, Dwight Rhoden, and William Forsythe. Today, Burns continues his robust teaching career with a particular focus on education in his local Atlanta, Georgia community
Richard Glover
Mark Morris Dance Center,
Brooklyn, NY
Richard Glover
Mark Morris Dance Center,
Brooklyn, NY
Elizabeth Pelton
Morton Street Dance Center,
Baltimore, MD
Elizabeth Pelton
Morton Street Dance Center,
Baltimore, MD
Liz Pelton has been on the ballet faculty at the Morton Street Dance Center in Baltimore, Maryland, for 15 years. She has been a member of Baltimore’s Full Circle Dance Company since 2001 and she has been its Associate Artistic Director since 2018. She has created interdisciplinary dance performance projects at both public and private schools in Maryland, integrating movement with science and literature curriculums. In 2024, she taught ballet as part of Full Circle’s professional residency at the Ohio University Summer Dance Institute. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she was student director of the Georgetown University Dance Company. Her early training was in Massachusetts at North River Arts Ballet and at the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program.
Shomaree Potter
School of Carolina Ballet, Raleigh, NC
Shomaree Potter
School of Carolina Ballet, Raleigh, NC
Born in Norfolk, VA, Shomaree was accepted into the Tidewater Ballet Association School as a full scholarship student and attended the Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA where they studied under Patricia Sorrell, Glenn White, Kathy Brenner, and Elbert Watson. As a scholarship student, Shomaree was invited to attend prestigious ballet programs such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Houston Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and School of American Ballet. In 1997, Shomaree moved to New York City to study full-time at the School of American Ballet where they had the honor to study under the tutelage of numerous Ballet legends, including but not limited to: Peter Martins, Peter Boal, Suki Schorer, Susan Pilarre, Kay Mazzo, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Stanley Williams, and Richard Rapp. During their 16-year career, Shomaree has had the opportunity to perform with such reputable companies as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and The Dance Theatre of Harlem. Shomaree has had the honor of dancing numerous roles in several ballet works including but not limited to Serenade, Jewels, Gounod Symphony, Allegro Brillante, Square Dance, Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Agon, Sleeping Beauty, Dougla, Banda, The Great Gatsby, Grand Pas Classique, Pas de Dix, Flames of Paris, Swan Lake and Firebird. In 2013, their passion transitioned from the art of performing to the art of dance education. Focusing their career on sharing the knowledge they had been so fortunate to attain. Shomaree’s performance and dance education gave them a solid foundation and provided many opportunities to increase their teaching, coaching, and mentoring skills. Their experience led them to me being requested as a guest teacher at prestigious ballet schools like the Washington School of Ballet Summer Program and dance programs within formal education schools like Hampton University. Shomaree has attended the Teachers Program at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and in 2023 was invited to join the Alumni Board of Diversity and Inclusion at the School of American Ballet. Striving to give their students the absolute best, Shomaree created, implemented, and managed a YAGP Program at two of the dance schools at which they served as Ballet Director and faculty, consistently having students attend and place in the Top 25 at the YAGP competition. Shomaree was invited to join the teaching faculty of the Carolina Ballet School in 2024 and continues to foster the growth of many students and current professional dancers as they embark on their professional careers.
2023-2024
Michael Cook
South Mountain Performing Arts
Laveen, AZ
Michael Cook
South Mountain Performing Arts
Laveen, AZ
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 Harman
Rise City Dance and Neighborhood Ballet
Atlanta, GA
Rebecca Harman
Rise City Dance and Neighborhood Ballet
Atlanta, GA
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
Texture Ballet School
Pittsburgh, PA
Alan Obuzor
Texture Ballet School
Pittsburgh, PA
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
L&M Ballet
Boca Raton, FL
Maria Pellejero
L&M Ballet
Boca Raton, FL
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.
Julianna
Rubio Slager
School of Ballet 5:8
Orland Park, IL
Julianna
Rubio Slager
School of Ballet 5:8
Orland Park, IL
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
2022-2023
Michael Crawford
STEPS on Broadway
New York, NY
Michael Crawford
STEPS on Broadway
New York, NY
Michael Crawford is from Takoma Park, Maryland. He began dancing with prestigious schools, including the Maryland Youth Ballet and Kirov Academy, with summer intensives at The Rock School and San Francisco Ballet on full scholarships. In his senior year, he was accepted into the Kennedy Center’s Master Class Series, where he trained and performed with top international companies.
Mr. Crawford then moved on to the Washington Ballet where, in their top training program, he performed with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Upon graduation, he went on to study and perform in the Professional Division of The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell.
After Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jose Mateo Ballet, Ballet Memphis, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. At these companies, he performed several ballets as a principal artist.
He has been privileged to work alongside top productions, such as “Guys and Dolls,” “West Side Story,” “Show Boat,” and other musical performances at The Kennedy Center, as well as touring many other international stages. He has also worked guestings with The Washington National Opera, Adam Miller Dance Project, Kinetic Dance Works, Brooklyn Ballet, and Ballet Neo.
While signed with New York Model Management, Mr. Crawford had the honor to internationally campaign. He has walked in several seasons of NYC Fashion Week. He also appeared in the feature film “Step Up” and can be seen on television in ABC’s production of “Forever.”
Michael is also an award-winning teacher and choreographer. He has been teaching and choreographing nationally and internationally for years. He has coached many prize-winning students for competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix. Some of his students have gone on to prestigious college programs, top dance companies, and leading broadway performers. Michael is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, STEPS on Broadway, AMDA College, and PACE University.
Donna Jacobs
Morton Street Dance Center
Baltimore, MD
Donna Jacobs
Morton Street Dance Center
Baltimore, MD
Ms. Jacobs has directed the Morton Street Dance Center in Baltimore, MD for 30 years and its resident company, Full Circle Dance Company, for 22 years. Originally from New York City, Ms. Jacobs serves young dancers in the central Maryland metropolitan region. Her school is renowned in the area for providing excellent training in ballet and modern dance and for developing and graduating talented dancers in multiple disciplines. Her work and leadership have garnered recognition from many sources including the Howard County, MD Arts Council (two-time recipient of the Mark Ryder Award for Choreography), Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance/Robert W. Deutch Foundation (Ruby Grant recipient), Baker Foundation (b-grant Artist Award), the City of Baltimore (Artscape Festival, choreography), Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (Communities Thrive Grant 2022), Maryland Council for Dance (choreography), Dream for It Foundation (Excellence in the Arts), and The Baltimore Links (Excellence in the Arts). Her training progressed from a very early age at the Bernice Johnson Dance Studio in NYC, to the NYC High School for the Performing Arts, and Wesleyan University in CT. Ms. Jacobs danced with many local companies in Baltimore before opening Morton Street Dance Center. She is a member of the Circle of Excellence in Maryland, having been recognized three times as one of Maryland’s top 100 Women.
Mia Klinger
Ballet Excel Ohio/Nan Klinger School of Dance
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Mia Klinger
Ballet Excel Ohio/Nan Klinger School of Dance
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Ms. Klinger is a founding member of the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet since 1975. After studying under Nan Klinger, Mia went on to study as a scholarship student with the School of American Ballet, Melissa Hayden Studio and Steps Studio in New York City. She is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, where she performed with NCSA’s touring dance ensemble.
A premier teacher and coach, Mia has studied many years under her mother Nan Klinger, Oleg and Marielle Briansky, Mimi Paul, Joysanne Sidimus, Melissa Hayden and many more. She also has attended courses as a dance teacher with John White of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society, Marcia Dale-Weary of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and travels nationwide to expand her teaching skills. Her unequaled dedication to her school, students and instructors and her unique teaching style has brought national attention to the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet dba Ballet Excel Ohio and Nan Klinger Excellence in Dance for their high quality training. She has guest taught at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center in Saratoga Springs, New York, Vevey Youth Ballet in Vevey, Switzerland, West London School of Dance and many others.
Mia joined the faculty of Excellence in Dance studio in 1989, where she has continued to meet the growing needs of the Pre-professional program. Since 1989 she has introduced Variations class, where the most advanced students learn world-renowned choreography, Men’s class and Partnering for the increasing numbers of young men studying ballet and a Choreographic Workshop in which veteran dancers create original works and compositions for the Excellence in Dance Spring Workshop. She served as Artistic Director of Wayne Center of the Arts Dance Program from 2015-2018 to help establish dance and youth company for the Wayne County area.
Mia served as Artistic Assistant when the CVYB toured Taiwan in 1992, before being named Artistic Associate in 1999 and Artistic Director in 2001. Since being named Artistic Director, Mia played an integral role in creating the International Youth Festival held in Vevey, Switzerland in which her students have taken class and performed with dancers from around the world including England, Russia, South America and Switzerland. In 2005, the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet was asked to perform Madeline at the Circus at Symphony Space in New York City, fulfilling the dream of founding artistic director Nan Klinger. The CVYB returned to New York City in 2009 to perform “Fancy Nancy”.
Mia has been awarded “Outstanding Artist in Dance” and “Outstanding Outreach Program” by the Akron Area Arts Alliance. She was recently awarded “Outstanding Artist” for the Morgan Impact Awards in 2021. She served on the Ohio Dance board from 2015-2017.
Rachel Seeholzer
Metro Dance Center
Shoreview, MN
Rachel Seeholzer
Metro Dance Center
Shoreview, MN
Rachel Seeholzer was born and raised in Los Angeles, California where she first began her classical dance training at age nine. She set her focus in ballet after high school and traveled to further her training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Ballet Chicago, LINES Contemporary Ballet School, North Carolina Dance Theatre (Charlotte Ballet) and Richmond Ballet. Rachel began dancing professionally in 2014 and has had the pleasure of working with the Charlottesville Ballet, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, RVA Dance Collective, Oakland Ballet, Virginia Repertory Theatre, Stavna Ballet, Ballet Co.Laboratory, Collide Dance Theatrical and is now currently dancing with James Sewell Ballet. She has worked with acclaimed choreographers and teachers such as Daniel Duell, Sheila Rozann, Alonzo King, Patricia McBride, Suzanne Farrell, Kim Jones, Graham Lustig, Starr Foster, Colby Damon, and Maggie Small. Rachel explored choreographing in 2011 when she set a contemporary ballet on the trainees and apprentices of the Charlotte Ballet; again in 2013 when she choreographed and staged the production of The Nutcracker on the Degas Dance Studio in Encino, California; and then again in 2017 when she set a ballet on the trainees of the Charlottesville Ballet. Rachel has been teaching for over a decade in California, Virginia and Minnesota, working with students ages 3 through adult at more than a dozen dance studios, schools, and academies.
Mauro Villanueva
The Joffrey Workshop
San Antonio, TX
Mauro Villanueva
The Joffrey Workshop
San Antonio, TX
Mauro Villanueva (he/him) grew up in Dallas, Texas. He began his dance training with Shawn Knife and later joined the University of Incarnate Word Ballet School. Mauro also studied for two years at the Nutmeg Conservatory in Connecticut.
During his thirteen years at the Joffrey Ballet he danced ballets by world renowned choreographers, was an AGMA union representative, and was one of two dancers chosen to participate in the search for the new artistic director. He appeared as a representative for the Joffrey Ballet and on television and radio in Chicago, San Antonio, Los Angeles and Manila, Philippines.
Mr. Villanueva retired from the Joffrey Ballet to pursue a career as an independent artist, teacher, coach, and choreographer. He has worked for Barak Ballet, Intermezzo Dance Company, Ballet San Antonio, The Jacksonville Symphony and others. He has taught at the Colburn School, Edge Performing Arts Center, Regional Dance America, The New Orleans Ballet Association, North Carolina School of the Arts, The New Jersey Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, and The Ballet Alliance. Mr. Villanueva is dedicated to creating inclusive dance spaces through his work as co-director of The Joffrey Workshop.
2021-2022
Tristan Grannum
Brooklyn Center for the Arts
New York, NY
Tristan Grannum
Brooklyn Center for the Arts
New York, NY
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.
Lona Gomez
Ballet Spartanburg
Spartanburg, SC
Lona Gomez
Ballet Spartanburg
Spartanburg, SC
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.
Tatiana Obeso
Boston Arts Academy
Boston, MA
Tatiana Obeso
Boston Arts Academy
Boston, MA
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
Ballet Lubbock
Lubbock, TX
Yvonne Racz Key
Ballet Lubbock
Lubbock, TX
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 Stevenson
Ballet Nouveau School
Baltimore, MD
Kristen Stevenson
Ballet Nouveau School
Baltimore, MD
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.
2019-2021
Lisa Attles
The Ailey School
New York, NY
Kelby Brown
The Ailey School
New York, NY
Aline Neves de
Souza-Myers
New Orleans Ballet Association
New Orleans, LA
Damien Johnson
The Washington Ballet School
Washington, DC
2018-2019
Janine Beckles
Philadelphia School of Dance Arts
Philadelphia, PA
Lanette Costas
InSpira Performing Arts and Cultural Center
New Brunswick, NJ
Ebony Haswell
Frazier
Debbie Allen Dance Academy
Los Angeles, CA
Gayle Ratliff
Hyde Park School of Dance
Chicago, IL
2017-2018
Sandra Fortune-Green
Jones Haywood Dance School
Washington, D.C.
Nikki Hefko
New Orleans School of Ballet
New Orleans, LA
Aaron Jackson
Berrend Dance Center
Olney, MD
Regine Metayer
Metayer Conservatory of the Arts
Roswell, GA
Kevin Thomas
Collage Dance Collective
Memphis, TN
2016-2017
Mariana Alvarez Brake
Thomas Armour Youth Ballet
Miami, FL
Kay Eichman
Creative Arts Academy at Cuyahoga Community College
Cleveland, OH
Robyn
Gardenhire
City Ballet of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Jennifer Mason
Eagles Landing Dance Center
Stockbridge, GA
Christopher
McDaniel
Connally's Dance Workshop, Inc.
San Antonio, TX
2015-2016
Nina Gilreath
Ballethnic Dance Company and Academy
East Point, GA
Angela Harris
Dance Canvas
Atlanta, GA
Jessica Lawrence
Northern California Dance Conservatory
Roseville, CA
Adam McKinney
New Mexico School for the Arts
Santa Fe, NM
Robin Williams
Uptown Dance Academy
New York, NY