2025 Ballet & Contemporary Intensives
july 2 - july 19, 2025
The Ballet Intensive is designed for students pursuing excellence in ballet technique and artistry. Curriculum includes ballet, pointe, variations, pas de deux, character, jazz, contemporary, musical theatre, and repertory.
The Contemporary Intensive is designed for students pursuing excellence in contemporary training. Curriculum includes contemporary, ballet technique, jazz, musical theatre, lyrical, conditioning for dance, and repertory.
Guest Faculty
Ania Bartelmus
Ania Bartelmus, known as "La Candela," is an Atlanta-based flamenco dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist. As the founder and director of La Candela Flamenco, Ania strives to share her fascination with the art of flamenco with audiences of all ages throughout Georgia, the Southeast, and beyond. Ania collaborates with local musicians to create flamenco arrangements and innovative fusion pieces. She often assumes the role of a producer, bringing her creative endeavors to life. As a teaching artist, Ania educates K-12 students about flamenco's history, rhythms, and elements through lecture demonstrations, workshops, and residencies. She also brings flamenco programs and workshops to Colleges and Universities.
Ania's solo career includes annual performances at the Hudson Valley Flamenco Festival, where she was invited to choreograph in 2023. She toured the US with David Maldonado's flamenco symphony tour "Noche de Pasión" and received commissions for choreography, such as the "Pandemic Atlanta" project in 2020 and a grant from Arts Entertainment Atlanta for her project "Inspiración" in 2022. Ania has also performed solo in venues in Spain and Poland.
Ania is honored to be a member of Flamenco Vivo’s professional Consorcio Flamenco, a group dedicated to promoting flamenco on the national stage. Ania received her flamenco training from professional formation programs in Spain, held at Centro de Arte y Flamenco de Sevilla, Flamenco Danza, and La Truco Flamenco Institute.
Indiana Woodward
Indiana Woodward was born in Paris, France and began her dance training at the age of ten at the Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet in Venice, California. Ms. Woodward began studying at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, during the 2010 summer course and enrolled as a full-time student that fall.
In August 2012, she became an apprentice with NYCB and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in December 2012. Ms. Woodward was promoted to the rank of soloist dancer in February 2017, and to principal dancer October 2021.
Sarah Lane
Born in San Francisco, California, Sarah Lane began her dance training in Memphis, Tennessee under the direction of Pat Gillispie at the Memphis Classical Ballet. When her family moved to Rochester, New York, she continued instruction with Timothy Draper and Jamey Leverett at the Draper Center for Dance Education. Consequently, she performed numerous roles in productions by the affiliated Rochester City Ballet.
When Lane was 16, she received a full scholarship to the Boston Ballet's Summer Program. In 2000 and 2001, she was awarded first place and the Capezio Class Excellence Award at the North American Ballet Festival. In 2002, Lane was a National YoungArts Foundation Winner in Dance/Ballet, and through YoungArts became a 2002 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Lane was the Silver Medalist, the highest medal in the Junior Division, at the Jackson International Ballet Competition (2002). During the competition, she traveled to Washington, D. C. to perform at the Kennedy Center as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. That same year, Lane also won the Bronze Medal at the Youth America Grand Prix Competition.
Lane joined American Ballet Theatre’s studio company in 2002, joined the main company as an apprentice in August 2003, became a member of the Company's corps de ballet in April 2004 and was appointed a Soloist in July 2007 and Principal Dancer in 2017. Her roles with the Company include Manon in Manon, Giselle and the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Odette/Odile, Pas de Trois and Four Cygnets in Swan Lake, Nikiya and a Shades soloist in La Bayadère, Galya in The Bright Stream, the Fairy Spring in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Blossom in James Kudelka's Cinderella, Swanilda in Coppélia, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, Kitri, Amour and a flower girl in Don Quixote, Anne in Christopher Wheeldon's VIII, the Flames of Paris pas de deux, Other Dances, the Two of Diamonds in Jeu de Cartes, Vera in A Month in the Country, Clara in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Olga in Onegin, the Youngest Sister in Pillar of Fire, one of Juliet's friends in Romeo and Juliet, Celestial in Shadowplay, Princess Aurora, Princess Florine, the Fairy of Charity and the Fairy of Joy in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de deux from Stars and Stripes, the Waltz in Les Sylphides, a Goat in Sylvia, the Principal in Theme and Variations, Spectre de la Rose and roles in Bach Partita, Birthday Offering, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Chamber Symphony, Désir, Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes, Glow-Stop, In the Upper Room, Kaleidoscope, The Leaves Are Fading, Raymonda Divertissements, Seven Sonatas, Souvenir d’ un lieu Cher, Sinatra Suite, Some Assembly Required, Principal in Symphony in C, With A Chance of Rain, etc. She created the Chinese Dance in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Miranda in The Tempest, Princess Praline in Whipped Cream, Columbine in Harlequinade, Spring Rose in Seasons and a role in Demis Volpi's Private Light.
Lane was a recipient of the Princess Grace Award in 2007 and Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts in 2008. She was the dancing double for Natalie Portman in Fox Searchlight Pictures' feature film Black Swan. She has modeled for numerous magazines, designers and companies.
Lane is an international guest artist who has performed with numerous ballet companies around the world including Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma, Kremlin Ballet, Barcelona Ballet, NBA Ballet Company and Hong Kong Ballet. Sarah is also an international guest ballet teacher. She has taught for Kansas City Ballet School, the ABT William J. Gillispie School, LakeCities Ballet Theatre, The Washington Ballet, Colorado Ballet Academy, American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, Skidmore College, Santa Fe College, New York Dance Alliance and Barcelona Ballet to name a few. She has worked as a guest rehearsal director for American Repertory Ballet, alongside Ethan Stiefel and Gillian Murphy. She is currently the Director of the School of Ballet RI. Sarah is a certified Gyrokinesis instructor and a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Lane has written essays for the Wall Street Journal Online, Dance Magazine, Pointe Magazine, and Dance Spirit Magazine. She has been featured by numerous magazines and newspapers, including Dance Teacher, Glamour, Elle, Pulp, Interview, Timeout, Dance and Pointe magazines. She is an alumna of the Harvard Crossover into Business Program. Sarah is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree.
Joseph Phillips
Touted as the “golden boy of ballet” for winning more gold medals from prestigious international ballet competitions than any other male American danseur, his numerous awards include top honors from the 2008 Seoul International Competition, the 2002 USA International Ballet Competition, the 2002 Prague International Ballet Competition, the 2002 Youth America Grand Prix Finals, and the 2002 Youth America Grand Prix Regional competitions. He was a laureate of Les Etoiles de Ballet 2000 Critic’s Award in both Cannes and Paris in 2017. He lit the flame at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 and 2014 International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS.
Joseph became one of a handful of American dancers to ever become a principal dancer in Russia at the Mariinsky Theatre, Primorsky Stage in 2013. Previously he performed leading roles with companies including American Ballet Theatre, Miami City Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet.
Joseph joined Ballet Manila as an artist in residents in 2018, making the Philippines his Asian base as he continues to travel the world as a highly esteemed international guest artist.
Among his notable classical roles are those of Basilo in Don Quixote, the Prince in The Nutcracker, Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Ali, and Conrad in Le Corsaire, Franz in Coppelia, and Prince Desire and the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty. He has performed leading roles in contemporary work by William Forsythe, Kenneth MacMillan, Alexei Ratmansky, Twyla Tharp, and Paul Taylor, among others. He has recently been named Artistic Director for the Columbia Classical Ballet.
Principals
Jury Prize at the International Ballet Competition (Helsinki, Finland, 2001)
Recipient of the Coca-Cola Foundation scholarship (Scholarship awarded by the American Ballet Theatre, 2001)
Gold medal and Grand Prix at the regional round of the Youth America Grand Prix (2002)
Gold medal in the final round of the Youth America Grand Prix (New York, USA, 2002)
Gold medal at the I International Ballet Competition (Prague, Czech Republic, 2002)
Gold medal at the International Ballet Competition (Jackson, USA, 2002)
Key to the City of Columbia, South Carolina (USA, 2003)
Laureate of the Ballet2000 Critic’s Award in Cannes (France, 2007)
Gold medal at the Korean International Ballet Competition (Seoul, South Korea, 2008)
Norbert Nirewicz
A native of Poland, Norbert began his ballet studies at the National Ballet School in Gdansk. He was a finalist in Poland’s 7th national Ballet Competition and obtained a silver medal in the same competition in 2 years later. As a Dancer for the Polish National Theater he portrayed roles in a variety of classical ballets such as "Swan Lake", "Giselle", "Sleeping Baeuty" and "La Fille Mal Gardee" in Warsaw and throughout Europe. After leaving Poland Mr. Nirewicz joined Ballet Classico de Camara in Venezuela, as a Principal Dancer adding "La Bayadere", "Le Corsaire" and many more to his repertoire. After Mr. Nirewicz competed at US International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, he was offered a Principal contract to join Cleveland/San Jose Ballet. He performed with the company for two seasons in Nahat's "Blue Suede Shoes" and Roland Petit's "Carmen" garnering public and critical acclaim. In the Summer Norbert competed in the 16th New York International Ballet Competition where he was a finalist. After two seasons with Cleveland/San Jose Ballet Mr. Nirewicz joined Columbia City Ballet with a Principal contract where he performed in "Don Quichote" and "Dracula" among the others.
Since 2002 Norbert has been working as a Freelance Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer performing across United States Japan, Latin America and Europe adding many more ballets to his repertory such as "Apollo", "Who Cares", "Allegro Brilliante", "Combat", "Serenade", "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, "Romeo & Juliet" to name the few as well as taught numerous Master Classes, Company Classes and Summer Intensive Workshops through out the Country as well as created Award Winning choreographies for Ballet Companies and Dance Competitions.
Luis Ribagorda
Born in Madrid, Spain, Luis Ribagorda began his dance training at the age of seven at the Real Conservatorio Professional de Danza de Madrid where he studied classic, contemporary, and Spanish dance and music with such renowned dance teachers as Victor Alvarez and Lázaro Carreño.
In May 2001 Ribagorda took part in the Castellón Contest where he won two scholarships to study with the Compañia Nacional de Danza 2 and the Nederlands Dans Theater II. In December of that year, he won first prize in the Junior Category at tha Zaragoza International Dance Contest.
In the summers of 2001 and 2002, Ribagorda was chosen to appear in the Europa Dance Project where he performed roles in George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, William Forsythe’s New Sleep, Nacho Duato’s Na Floresta, and John Neumeier’s Petrouchka Variations, as well as Michel Fokine’s Petrouchka, Jiří Kylián’s Songs of a Wayfarer, and Marius Petipa’s Raymonda and Don Quixote.
In November 2002, he took part in the Roseta Mauri International Dance Competition in Reus, Spain, winning a scholarship to The Royal Ballet School.
Ribagorda joined Boston Ballet in 2003 as a member of the corps de ballet. His repertory with the company included soloist roles in Don Quixote, Stars and Stripes, The Nutcracker, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, and Swan Lake.
Ribogorda joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in August 2004. His repertory with the Company includes the Tractor Driver in The Bright Stream, Lead Mazurka/Czardas in Coppélia, Birbanto in Le Corsaire, the Lead Gypsy and Sancho Panza in Don Quixote, Wilfred in Giselle, the Spanish Dance and the Russian Dance in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, a Fairy Knight in The Sleeping Beauty, the Italian Prince in Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty, the Neapolitan Dance in Swan Lake, Pluto in Sylvia, Don Zucchero in Whipped Cream, and featured roles in Amazed in Burning Dreams, Bach Partita, Baker’s Dozen, Black Tuesday, Deuce Coupe, Duets, Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once, From Here On Out, Private Light, Sinfonietta, and A Time There Was. He created the Recruit in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker and a featured role in Dumbarton.
Featured Residential Faculty
Christopher Aldeguer
Christopher Aldeguer is a highly accomplished dancer and choreographer from Daly City, CA with a passion for hip hop culture. With 18 years of experience under his belt, Christopher's impressive career began with 8 years of training in movement and music in Daly City, where he honed his skills under the guidance of renowned choreographers Pat Cruz and Shaun Evaristo. As a member of the world-renowned dance crew, The Company, Christopher made a significant impact in the dance world, gaining recognition for his outstanding talent and contributions.
In 2012, Christopher embarked on his professional journey in Las Vegas, NV, where he quickly rose to prominence for 10 years. His career spanned a diverse range of dance roles, from being an extra for multiple flash mobs to performing as a backup dancer for high-profile acts like the K-Pop group BTS. He even had the privilege of being a guest performer for the World of Dance Las Vegas tour.
Currently, Christopher is a dancer and choreographer for Unbound Dance Company led by Caroline Lewis Jones, showcasing his talent and creativity in a new setting. He is also training under an elite Krump crew called Lionzden based in Columbia, South Carolina, led by Davon Bush aka Lionheart. As a choreographer, Christopher's work has been featured in many corporate events and shows, including Mariah Carey's live show in Las Vegas and the new Donny Osmond show. Additionally, Christopher achieved a dream in 2021 when he was able to assist the legendary dance duo Nappytabs.
Christopher's passion for dance and dedication to his craft have enabled him to leave an indelible mark on the dance world. His remarkable talent, along with his impressive resume, make him an invaluable asset to any dance production or event.
Joshua Alexander
Joshua Alexander has recently returned to South Carolina where he began his dance training at Columbia City Jazz Conservatory. Before leaving LA, Joshua has worked with numerous Musical Videos with artist such as Arianna Grande, DJ Khalid, Katy Perry, and on more than one occasion Beyoncé. In addition to appearing on the 6th season of Glee, he has appeared in reality television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and World of Dance and America’s Got Talent. Joshua has also dance for world renowned LA native Lula Washington and her dance company, Lula Washington Dance Company. As a SAG-AFTRA affiliate Joshua has also had the privilege to be apart of numerous award shows like the AMAS, VMAs, Grammys, the Latin Billboard Awards and more. In more recent years Josh has appeared in NBC’s Hairspray Live! and performed with The Weeknd at the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show in 2021.
Susan Anderson
MFA, University of California at Irvine. 2011 SC Professor of the Year. 2009 Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor. 2009 Governor's Professor of the Year.
Professor Anderson is the founding director of the USC Dance Company, USC Dance Conservatory, and South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, which hosts international students and world-renowned faculty and choreographers.
Under her directorship, the dance program implemented a BA major in Dance Performance and Choreography in 2004, with concentrations in Ballet or Contemporary Dance. Soon after, the program added an emphasis in Dance Education, a K-12 Teacher Certification program, in partnership with the College of Education. Since this time, the dance program has become nationally recognized, earning distinction from Dance Magazine as one of the top three collegiate programs to consider for classical ballet study. The program now has more than 65 course offerings and approximately 3,000 students enroll each year taking dance courses.
Some of Susan Anderson’s professional artistic works include the creation of over 200 ballets such as Scheherazade, Ondine, Taming of the Shrew, Plant Dance with artist Blue Sky, The Firebird, Phantom of the Night, Crown Jewels, Sylvia, Carnival of the Animals, Pleasures of Paris, and The Young Man and Death. She has choreographed and taught master classes for Gus Giordano Dance Company in Chicago, the University of California, University of Buffalo, University of Georgia, Several Dancers Core in Atlanta, Murray State, Knoxville Dance Theatre, Loyola University, Inco Ballet in Colombia, South America and Stadtische Opera in Gera, Germany.
In 2009, she was named the Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year and Governor’s Professor of the Year.
In 2011, she was named SC Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation.
Anita Ashley
Anita Ashley is owner and Artistic Director of the Columbia Ballet School, Columbia SC , which she founded in 1980. With over 50 years’ teaching experience she has served as founder and director of state’s first professional ballet company, South Carolina Ballet Theatre, and is one of the founders of Ann Brodie’s Carolina Ballet. She has taught classical ballet , jazz and theatre dance at USC, USC Aiken, Columbia College, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, Eglevsky Ballet, and North Carolina School for the Arts. Her students have gone on to successful careers in ballet companies such as Louisville Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Bebe Miller, Boston Ballet , Eglevsky Ballet, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Other students have found success in film, television, music, and Tony Award winning Broadway productions. Her students have been National Finalists at Youth America Grand Prix five times.
Ms Ashley’s choreography has been performed throughout the Southeast, Michigan, Ohio and Canada, as well as Ann Brodie’s Carolina Ballet, Columbia Classical Ballet, Artists for Africa, Town Theatre, Workshop Theatre and Trustus, where she was a company member.
Her choreography has received positive reviews in Dance Magazine and she was featured in Dance Teacher Magazine. She was awarded the Maria Tallchief Award for Excellence by the Eastern Cherokee Nation .
Jennifer Deckert
Jennifer Deckert is a native of St. Louis, Missouri where she began her training with Alexandra Zaharias. She received a BFA in ballet performance from University of Utah, performing with Character Dance Ensemble, Eastern Arts Ensemble, and Utah Ballet. Jennifer continued to perform for Utah Ballet as she received her MFA in ballet teaching, choreography, and research.
She was then invited to join Roxey Ballet, under the direction of Mark Roxey. During her performance career she performed such leads as Myrtha in Giselle, Dew Drop and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Prelude in Les Sylphides, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the principle role in Paquita. As her performance horizons broadened she was invited to perform in Charles Weidman’s The Unicorn in the Garden and was coached by modern dance pioneer Mary Anthony herself. In 2014, she choreographed and performed in the evening length duet, Kiss Romeo Bang! Juliet, created in collaboration with Czech physical theatre director Petr Hudecek and co-choreographer André Megerdichian, presented at the Alta Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic.
Other choreographic credits include Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Chorus Line, Cinderella, and original contemporary works Fire & Ice, A Perfect Thorn, Song Bird, Footfalls Echo, Reverb and Through the Line, among others. In 2015 she was invited to present work at the 3rd Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition in Beijing, China. Most recently Jennifer choreographed a full-length Dracula working in collaboration with composer Sean Stone, and dramaturg Patrick Konesko.
As a rehearsal director, Jennifer has had the honor to coach original works by Darrell Grand Moultrie, Daniel Charon, Bill T Jones, and Jesse Obremski. In 2016, she worked with Pablo Francisco Ruvalcaba in his reconstruction of José Limón’s The Winged, which was then invited to the Kennedy Center and performed as part of the American College Dance Association’s National Festival.
Prior to her appointment at University of South Carolina, Jennifer was on Dance Faculty at the University of Wyoming where she worked to establish a BFA in Dance Science Program and served as co-director of the Snowy Range Summer Dance Festival. Jennifer has been an invited guest instructor at the Utah Valley University, Colorado State University, Casper College, Western Wyoming College, University of Utah, American College Dance Association, Regional Dance America, and the Duncan Center in Prague, Czech Republic.
Jennifer is also an active member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS), where she serves on the Dance Educators’ Committee, and has been invited to present her research throughout the world at international conferences. Her research interests include dynamic alignment, the effects of fatigue, and the integration of wellness based training into the classroom and University environment.
Jessica Edwards
Jessica is a South Carolina native, who began dancing and competing under the instruction of Lauren Metts at The Dance Dept. While still in high school, Jessica was a featured dancer in The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, soloist in DanceWordz the company, dance captain and a featured choreographer for various performances. After graduating from the National Honors Society of Dance Arts, Jessica was invited to New York City to complete Broadway Dance Center’s most prestigious program, the Professional Semester. At completion, she was awarded “The Quiet Storm Award,” one of the highest honors.
Jessica has performed in live stage, film, TV, music video, and theme park productions. Her favorite credits include: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids’ “Gypsy of the Year” with the Broadway cast of Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, on Good Morning America, fitness video with Insanity workout video sensation Shaun T, music video with singing group Neon Trees, at Lincoln Center with the Buglisi Dance Theatre in their Table of Silence 9/11 Project and completed a contract as the lead female performer in an original Halloween production by RWS and Associates.
While Jessica is a dynamic and talented performer, she found her true talent of teaching and choreographing at a young age. She is extremely passionate about sharing her love of dance and longing for her student’s growth within the entertainment industry. She has traveled across the country adjudicating and teaching for many National Dance Competitions, taught as a middle school dance educator and artist in residence in the South Carolina Public School system, was a Raleigh based Company Director for a Competitive Studio and has choreographed for numerous pageants, schools and studios throughout the nation. She recently moved back to her hometown of Columbia and is a resident teacher and choreographer for her home studio. Jessica is also a Certified Health Coach.
Carly Gallup
Carly Gallup is a South Carolina native. She is an original Unbound Dance company member, as she danced with them in their first show at the age of 15. She is also an alumni of the award winning Southern Strutt Dance Company. Carly began dancing at the age of 2 and has trained under many prestigious choreographers in all genres of dance. She has lived in Atlanta and Los Angeles where she pursued her professional performance career, highlighted by dancing for the Atlanta Hawks NBA team where she danced in London at the NBA Global Games. She also danced alongside Ludacris and 2 Chainz. Carly is pas-sionate about working with young dancers as a traveling choreographer and instructor. She has won many awards for her innovative and entertaining choreography.
Erin Jaffe Gardner
A native of Columbia, SC, Erin received her early training from William Starrett, Mariclare Miranda, and Professor Susan E. Anderson. At the age of 16, she entered the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School's Professional Division, where she studied under Jacqueline Webber and Galina Yordanova. Upon graduation, Erin returned home to study at the University of South Carolina, training under Stanislav Issaev. In 1998 she competed in IBCs in Jackson, Mississippi and Varna Bulgaria, where she was a semi-finalist. Erin danced professionally as a principal with Columbia Classical Ballet. In 2000, she began studying and competing in international style Ballroom and Latin, under Valery Ganiev. In 2005, Erin opened a full-service ballroom studio, Vista Ballroom. At that time she began training in Argentine Tango under Harby Gonzalez and then Orlando Farias. Erin was invited to perform during the 2008 - 2010 Spoleto arts festival with Quintango Orchestra, of Washington, DC, in Charleston, SC. In 2009 she created an original Argentine Tango show "Tango Dream," which was performed annually, through 2013, touring South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. In 2010 she produced an annual Argentine Tango seminar called "Mad Hot Tango." The workshop hosted notable Argentine Tango instructors and brought students from across the United States to study Argentine Tango in South Carolina. Currently, Erin is an Adjunct Ballet Instructor for the University of South Carolina Department of Theatre and Dance, Board Member of USC Dance Company, and Freelance Dance Writer for The Free-Times in Columbia, SC. Erin holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of South Carolina.
Susan Hancock
Susan Hancock was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina and began her ballet training at the Calvert-Brodie School of Dance. In 1989, Susan entered the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet, and studied there for three consecutive summers. In 1992, she was invited to stay for the winter term, but instead decided upon The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, then known as North Carolina School of the Arts. From there Ms. Hancock went on to join The Los Angeles Classical Ballet in 1994. Susan performed roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker (Mirlitons) Coppelia (Swanhilda’s friend), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Helena, Hermia) and Paquita (principal role). In 1998, Ms. Hancock joined Francisco Martinez Dance Theater while continuing to dance with Los Angeles Classical Ballet. During her time in L.A., Susan was a featured dancer on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, as well as the VH1 comedy hour featuring Wendy the Snapple Lady. After her time in L.A. was over, Susan moved back home to study at the University of South Carolina under the direction of Dr. Susan Anderson and Stacey Calvert. While dancing with the USC ballet company she danced numerous featured roles including George Balanchine’s Apollo, Western Symphony, Who Cares?, Walpurgisnaught, Allegro Brilliant, Mozartiana and Serenade. Susan performed featured roles alongside members of The New York City Ballet. Those included Dark Angel from Serenade and Polycythemia from Apollo. She was also a principle dancer in Alan Hineline's production of Glennies, as well as Martha Graham's Sketches from Chronicle. Ms. Hancock was featured in SCETV’s documentary following the re-staging of Sketches from Chronicle. While at USC, Susan represented the dance company at the American College Dance Festival and Spoleto Festival, and received the Director's Award for Outstanding Artistic Merit and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography.
Caroline Lewis-Jones
Caroline Lewis-Jones, from South Carolina, has been dancing for over 27 years. At the age of 18 she moved to New York City where she performed for six years. Her credits include the VMA’s with NSYNC, the Latin Grammy Awards, WNBA National Commercial, Commercial work, Disney Industrials, Britany Spears “Me Against the Music” video, MTV’s Body Rock Fitness Video, and more. Although successful as a commercial dancer, her true passion lies within contemporary company work, where she has had the opportunity to work for Mia Michaels Company R.A.W, Dee Caspary’s IV Dance Company, Notario Dance Company, Rhapsody and Company, A.S.H Contemporary, and Justin Giles’ Soul Escape. In 2001 she traveled to Seoul, Korea where she performed for Jason Parson’s and POZ Dance Theatre. In July 2010, Caroline performed with Sonya Tayeh from “So You Think You Can Dance” with her company in Chicago. She also choreographs for studios around the country, and teaches for Adrenaline Dance Convention and The Dance Sessions.
In December 2007, Caroline choreographed and performed a one-woman show, called Finding My Way. It was about the loss of her mother and her life currently without her. It is her greatest accomplishment yet. Caroline also founded Unbound Dance Company in Columbia, South Carolina in 2008. Her goal as Artistic Director of UNBOUND is to inspire and give dancers over 18 years old a new outlet to perform. She wants to show Columbia a new way of moving with No Boundaries.
André Megerdichian
André Megerdichian performed professionally with such companies and choreographers as the Limón Dance Company, Janis Brenner and Dancers, The Mary Anthony Dance Theatre, Soundance Repertory Company, Reidel Dance Theatre, Daniel Charon, Seán Curran, and Dance Kaleidoscope. An Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina he has also served as a faculty member at the Duncan Center Conservatory in Prague Czech, Republic, The Limón Institute in New York City, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, among others. In addition, he regularly teaches workshops and master classes throughout the United States, and internationally at such institutions as the Xing Hai Conservatory of Music, Institutes of the Arts Barcelona, The Beijing Dance Academy, Pole D’Enseignement Superior Music/Dance of Bordeaux, France, and as a Master Teacher for the 3rd Annual Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition.
Peter Powlus
Peter Powlus was the recipient of a Greater Augusta Arts Council’s Individual Artist of the Year Award. Peter served with Zanne Colton as Associate Director and Resident Choreographer for The Augusta Ballet from 1994 until 2006 during which time he created numerous original full length works as well as shorter and extended repertory dance pieces. His highly successful and much lauded collaborations with Wynton Marsalis, Sam Bush, Ted Nash and many other musical artists changed the artistic landscape of Augusta by introducing audiences to music and dance on a level previously unattained.
Peter has also served as choreographer for the Augusta Opera, Fort Gordon Dinner Theater and the Augusta Players (who have recognized him with multiple awards for outstanding choreography, (Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, South Pacific and Hairspray).
In 2006 the Augusta Ballet Company presented his award winning, “12 Foot 2 Step” on the Gala performance of Regional Dance America’s 50th Anniversary Festival in Knoxville, TN. He was again recognized for Outstanding Choreography and granted a full scholarship award to attend the prestigious Craft of Choreography Conference Second Tier program, which provides seasoned professionals an opportunity to develop a new work under the supervision of a nationally recognized Director of Choreography.
Peter served as the Artistic Director/Choreographer for the Augusta Players 06/07 and 07/08 productions, including “My Fair Lady”, “A Christmas Carol”, “The Odd Couple”, “South Pacific”, “Grease”, and “Hello Dolly”.
Peter was Fine Arts Conservatory Director for Augusta Preparatory Day School and contributed choreography to several of the school's outstanding musical productions (A Chorus Line, Batboy the Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Grease). He created and directed the Augusta Prep Summer Theater Camps which, in their fourth year, had developed into the premier Musical Theater Camp in the area.
Since returning to Atlanta Peter has served as director for CYT Atlanta’s production of The Little Mermaid, and performed in Roswell Dance Theater productions of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Aladdin, as well as North Atlanta Dance Theater’s The Nutcracker and Pirates of the Phantom Waves.
Peter teaches Tap, Jazz, Modern, and Musical Theater for several Atlanta area dance studios and continues to choreograph for repertory dance companies and musical theater. He is a regular commercial voice actor and has recorded 6 audio books for audible.com.
Kiyomi Ramirez
Kiyomi Ramirez is a dance educator with over twenty years of experience and a professional dancer with over fifteen years of performance experience. Mrs. Ramirez has an Associate’s Degree in Theatre, Film, Radio and Television. In 2017, Mrs. Ramirez earned her “Fellow” in the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA). She shares this title with approximately fifty colleagues across The United States. Mrs. Ramirez has experience as an Adjunct Faculty Member and Rehearsal Director with the University of South Carolina Dance Department, from 2011 through 2015; and was Artistic Director of Dallas Dance Company from 2009 through 2011. With over fifteen years of professional dance performance experience, Mrs. Ramirez has had the honor and privilege to perform with companies such as Ballet Dallas, The Dallas Opera, The Richmond Ballet, Ballet Austin, Dallas Summer Musicals, Rasa Dance Chicago, Dallas Dance Company, The South Carolina Philharmonic, Artists for Africa, and more. When opportunities arise, Mrs. Ramirez continues to make guest appearances.
Sidney Ramsey
In 2017, Sidney Ramsey left home in Columbia, SC, to attend the University of Southern California, where she pursued a double major in Dance (BFA) and Health and the Human Sciences (BA). Her passion for dance stems from the union of the mind and body, and she hopes to continue exploring the possibilities of intertwining dance and scientific research as she begins her professional career. During her time at USC Kaufman, Sidney has performed repertory by choreographers like William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Barak Marshall, Matthew Neenan, Paul Taylor, and more. She has also developed her own choreographic approach, inspired by the steps of the scientific method, through implementing structures and scores informed by psychological concepts and theories that she has found interesting in her studies. With her major in Health and the Human Sciences, Sidney has gained experience in internships exploring the correlations between dance, quality of life or holistic health, and one’s social environment. Immediately upon graduating, Sidney wants to perform and tour with a contemporary company. She also has long-term goals to use her degrees to explore how rigorous dance training impacts one’s health and aging process. Through conducting and advocating for further research into professional dancers’ health, Sidney will seek solutions to how dancers can sustain longer careers and increase their longevity.
Heather Stokes
Heather Stokes was born and raised in Columbia, SC has been dancing and performing since the age of three. She studied dance with Calvert Brodie, Brodie Burnham, Columbia Ballet School, Broadway Bound, and Dreher High School where she was trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, theatre and character. Heather also participated in summer dance intensives with the Bolshoi Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, The University of South Carolina, and the Radio City Rockettes. Heather is a 2013 graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City where she majored in Dance Theatre. Heather is a veteran of numerous community theatre productions, and appeared in her first professional performance as a member of the ensemble in the musical comedy “Once Upon A Mattress” (understudying the role of Lady Larkin) with the Fireside Dinner Theatre in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, in 2013. For the past 3 years, Heather has taught at numerous local dance studios as a master teacher, and choreographer for several local productions and school districts. She recently choreographed Spring Valley High School’s Beauty and the Beast and Guys and Dolls. She also choreographed for Town Theatre’s production of Hairpray. She has also been an instructor in the SC Summer Dance Conservatory, Broadway at USC summer program, and a jazz teacher for the USC Dance Program.
Kyra strasberg
When Kyra Strasberg was 17, she traveled from her home in Columbia, South Carolina to Boston, Massachusetts to dance for the summer. Years later, she would return as Kyra Strasberg to fill a position at the University of South Carolina. In the years in between, Strasberg would ascend the ladder of professional dance at the Boston Ballet, rising to the rank of Principle dancer and retiring as suc
Strasberg began her training in Columbia at Calvert Brodie with Ann Brodie and traveled during summers to train with companies and schools such as Houston Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and the Boston Ballet.
When Strasberg attended the summer program at the Boston Ballet, it was she who took it upon herself to demonstrate, by taking extra classes and seeking guidance from her instructors, her intentions to be accepted as a year-round student. She recalls being pulled aside by Bruce Wells, director of the program and future assistant director of Boston Ballet, and told that her work had been noticed and they would see if she could “keep it up.” The young spitfire had set her sights on a contract with the Boston Ballet.
That first year, Strasberg became an apprentice with the company, getting her first exposure to the choreography of George Balanchine when she was selected to understudy the 1946 ballet The Four Temperaments. When Bruce Marks was brought in to take the artistic reigns of Boston Ballet in January of 1985, Strasberg was the only ensemble member hired. She developed a tutorial relationship with the former Metropolitan Opera Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Royal Danish Ballet principle who maintains still that she was the first person he hired. While under Marks’s artistic leadership, Strasberg had the opportunity to work with Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, and original members of the Ballet Russe.
Strasberg competed at the New York International Ballet Competition and had the privilege of being coached by the likes of Kirk Petersen and Frederick Franklin on variations from Swan Lake, Flower Festival, and Blue Danube. Of the many roles she performed she counts “Fate” in choreographer Choo San Goh’s 1984 Eastern version of Romeo and Juliet, the female lead in Marks’s The Lark Ascending, and Twyla Tharp’s athletic In the Upper Room amongst her favorites. Strasberg was later promoted to Principle dancer with Boston Ballet.
Upon her retirement from the Boston Ballet in 2000, Strasburg danced briefly with Suzanne Farrell, long-time advocate and teacher, but soon decided to direct her energies elsewhere. Having been introduced to the practice of yoga in 1999, Strasburg soon devoted much of her time to the study and practice. She went on a retreat, was hooked, and began teaching. Strasberg continued training, was certified in Pilates and ultimately in yoga.
In 2007, she took the position of Distinguished Artist in Residence at the University of South Carolina, and moved back to Columbia. In 2011, Strasberg opened her own Hot Vinyasa studio called Yoga Masala. Strasberg has many plans for her bustling studio, but as for herself, she plans simply to “Enjoy the sweetness of this present.”
Photo by Forrest Clonts.
Regina Willoughby
Regina Willoughby began dancing at the age of 8 at Ballet Midland while growing up in West Texas. At the age of 15, she was awarded a scholarship to study at Virginia School of the Arts, where she went on to graduate. She also studied at Westside in Los Angeles and on scholarship with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York.
Regina’s professional career began at Ballet Austin, where she danced solo roles, including Stephen Mills’ “Four Mortal Men.” In 1997, she joined Columbia City Ballet, dancing such roles as the Arabian, Dew Drop Fairy, Snow Queen, and Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker; Maiden and Lucy in Dracula: Ballet with a Bite; title roles in Cinderella, Giselle, and Romeo & Juliet; Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty; and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake.
Director William Starrett has created many roles on her for his original ballets, including Mina in Dracula’s Revenge and the “Sand Dance” pas de trois and “Daughters of the South” from Off the Wall & Onto the Stage. The title role of Cleopatra was created on Regina receiving rave reviews.
Critics have lauded her commanding stage presence, stating “Willoughby, as one of City Ballet’s up and coming stars, was exotically arrogant as Arabian,” and “the showstopper was Regina Willoughby with her sultry stage presence.” Free Times said that “Willoughby is the company’s most enchanting female performer, both technically and dramatically,” and “Willoughby possesses that special it quality that makes a performance so riveting.”
Regina was made a Soloist of the company in 2001, Principal dancer in 2006, and Ballerina in 2010. She is married with two children. Regina is an ABT National Training Curriculum certified teacher with 20 years teaching experience.
*faculty subject to change.