2015 Press Kit
(Photo: ABA dancers in "Waltz of the Flowers" in ABA's Nutcracker.) About Academy of Ballet Arts Academy of Ballet Arts is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization as the Community Arts Advisory Council-Academy of Ballet Arts. CAAC was originally founded in 1986 by area artists interested in bringing a greater quality and quantity of arts to San Diego and its East County communities. An emphasis was placed on arts education and affordability for all residents. Since its inception, hundreds of students have participated in classes of dance, music, drama, and the visual arts. Residents have enjoyed numerous stage productions. Many of our students have moved on to professional careers in the arts with many more developing a lifelong appreciation of how the arts enrich their lives. We are proud to announce that the CAAC is now permanently housed at the Academy of Ballet Arts studios in Murrieta, CA. We offer classes in dance, our Jr. Company, an annual Nutcracker performance, our Summer Ballet Intensives, our annual Summer Performances, and other performances throughout the Inland Valley area. Our Vision At the Academy of Ballet Arts, we feel very privileged to work with your children and pass on to them the beauty and art of ballet. We provide the highest caliber training from the beginning student to the professional, while developing confidence and self-esteem in a caring, supportive environment. We believe in teaching our students that with passion, discipline, and self-motivation they will be able to be successful in any career they choose to pursue. We believe that experiencing the performing arts is a vital element in the development and education of our children. We extend a heartfelt welcome to you and your family!
(Photo: Diana Gallegos as "Titania" and Reagan Bryant as "Oberon" in ABA's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".) Faculty As the Directors of the Academy of Ballet Arts, Dana Nelson, Jose Chavez and Teresa Hall-Wells take great pleasure in sharing their love and knowledge of classical ballet with all of their students. As former professional ballet dancers, they feel honored to have worked with some of the best choreographers and teachers of our time, and it is their great pleasure and privilege to pass that heritage and knowledge on to the future generation of dancers. Ms. Dana and Mr. Chavez have had the opportunity to train many dancers that have been accepted to several prestigious Ballet Summer Intensives and have gone on to become professional ballerinas and male danseurs. Dana Nelson Director Miss Dana received her training with Teresa Wells, formerly of Kansas City Ballet and has trained with Paul Koverman, Paul Giovionazzo, California Ballet, Robin Sheretz-Morgan of the San Diego Ballet, Steve and Elizabeth Wistrich of City Ballet of San Diego, Wilson Morelli, Dame Sonia Arova, Jose Mateo of Ballet Theatre of Boston and Boston Ballet. She began dancing professionally at the age of 16, and has performed soloist and principle roles with Mirábilé Ballet Company, Ballet Theatre of Boston, California Ballet, San Diego Ballet, Spindle City Ballet, Pax Fiat and Island Moving Company-Providence. Dana has training in Dance Medicine, Dance Kinesiology and Conditioning for Dancers. She is also a certified massage technician and mat Pilates instructor. She has been teaching for over 20 years, and has taught for Boston Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Boston, California Ballet, San Diego Ballet, San Diego Dance Centre, Ballet at the Heritage, Temecula Dance Company and California Ballet Opera.
Jose Chavez Director Jose Chavez theatrical experience began in junior high school as a stage actor with the Old Globe Theater. His ballet training began with Teresa Wells, formerly of Kansas City Ballet, as well as intensive studies on scholarship with California Ballet and San Diego Ballet. Jose was awarded a full scholarship to attend the graduate program at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre under the direction of Terence Orr and Marianna Tcherkassky where he performed with company for three years. Jose has performed ballet by such choreographers as Dwight Rodin, Desmond Richardson, Ben Stevenson and Twyla Tharp. Jose later danced as a principle and guest artist throughout the East Coast, performing principle roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Giselle, Swan Lake Western Symphony, Don Quixote, and Sleeping Beauty. Jose now performs as a guest artist and teacher throughout Southern California. He also has a great passion for the healing arts and became certified as a massage therapist so he can help fellow dancers. Teresa Hall-Wells Artistic Director Ms. Wells was born in Kansas City, Mo. where she trained with Tatiana Doukoudovska at the University of Missouri Conservatory of Music and Dance. She began her professional career at the age of 13 with the Performing Arts Foundation where she performed with such notable people as Margot Fonteyn and Edward Villella. From the age of 12 she was a member and later, a featured soloist with the University of Mo. Ballet Company and the Kansas City Ballet. Since moving to California, Ms. Wells has been company teacher for the Golden State Ballet, Artistic Director and founder of the Mirabile Ballet Co., Executive Director and founder of the Community Arts Advisory Council and it s programming for which she received a S.D. County Board of Supervisor s Commendation Award for her contributions to the arts in our area. She served as the Artistic Director of the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet in Balboa Park and has taught locally for the San Diego Ballet, Centre City Ballet, Academy of Performing Arts, San Diego Ballet, and California Ballet schools, as well as being a master class teacher for schools in her native state of Missouri.
Jacqueline Hepner Thurston Artistic Adviser, Historian Miss Jackie has trained in three recognized methods of ballet: Russian (Vaganova), Cecchetti, and Royal Academy. A member of the New York City Ballet from 1948 to 1952 Principal ballerina with the Washington Ballet and National Ballet from 1954 to 1964 Artist in Residence, Maryland University from 1958 to 1964 Director of Jacqueline Hepner School of Ballet, Bethesda, Maryland from 1964 to 1972 Director of San Diego Ballet School from 1972 to 1977 Faculty member, UCSD from 1977 to 1986 Director of Ballet Society of San Diego from 1977 to 1986 Director of Ballet Department at School of Creative Dance & Performing Arts from 1989 to 1999 Master Teacher for California Ballet, Dance Masters of America, and the Academy of Performing Arts Ms. Hepner holds a California teaching credential since 1974 with Choreography as her specialty. Alyssa Boysen Alyssa began dancing at the age of four. She has received formal ballet training at the San Diego Academy of Ballet and later graduated from Virginia School of the Arts under the direction of Adam Sage. She has attended intensive programs at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and on full scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. Alyssa has performed roles such as Sugarplum Fairy, Columbine Doll and Arabian in The Nutcracker, Swanhilda in Coppelia, and performed ballets such as The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Paquita, and Don Quixote as well as roles in contemporary pieces choreographed by Rafael Delgado and Lisa Thomas. She currently performs professionally as a guest artist throughout Southern California and enjoys sharing her passion with those around her by teaching ballet, yoga, and Pilates.
Kerry Flores Kerry Flores has been dancing and singing for 24 years and involved in musical theatre for the past 15 years. She has directed and choreographed various musicals and has performed in over 15 ballet productions. She began competing in dance at the age of five and over the course of nine years, won numerous dance titles. She won the Dance Star title when she was a senior in high school and was flown to London to dance and represent California in the New Year s Day parade. She attended UCI where she majored in dance. While in college, she worked as a professional dance instructor for the Universal Cheerleading Association for four years. She taught dance camps to high school and college dance teams all throughout California. Kerry is also an accomplished singer, having performed and competed with the Madrigal Show Choir for four years. She released her first CD with the Tyler Street Praise Band in 1997. She is currently the dance director at SCEGA gymnastics, where she is training the competitive gymnasts in the areas of jazz and ballet. Kerry s energy in contagious and she always gets 100% effort from all of her students. Of her many accomplishments, the ones she takes the most pride in, are her four beautiful children; Kylee, Allie, Ian and Titus. (Photo: Reagan Bryant and Macie Rowe as the "Arabian Coffee" in ABA's Nutcracker.)
Training Center In 2015 we celebrate our 4 th year in the Temecula and Murrieta Valley. Since opening our doors in 2011, we have trained award winning talent and won numerous scholarships. Since our inception, we have developed a junior company consisting of our most dedicated trainees. The junior company membership is by invitation only through an audition process. Members have been recognized at the regional and national levels in both the 2014 and 2015 Youth America Grand Prix competitions. Our studio welcomes students of all ages from 3 through adult with classes running 6 days a week for students of all levels from beginner to advanced and pre-professional. Academy of Ballet Arts (ABA) is a recognized is an approved vendor for Julian, Sky Mountain and River Springs Charter schools. For serious students committed to ongoing training, ABA provides summer intensives geared toward advancing trainees up to the next level. The Summer Intensive Program provides: We offer smaller classes taught by two instructors. Each dancer receives individual attention and coaching. Technique classes are focused on proper placement, form, and injury prevention. We focus on clean, un-stylized technique so that our dancers are versatile and are able to adapt to any style or company they are desiring to work for. Our Pas de Deux classes are instructed by both a male and female teacher so that both dancers receive the correct technique and coaching. We offer Pilates and core/cardio conditioning, stretch classes and thera-band work to keep our dancers strong and flexible. We offer the absolute best training in the area. Our studios have professionally sprung floors and have air-conditioning and heat. (Photo: ABA dancer Elisa DiCarpio as "Clara" and Pierce Bryant as "Nutcracker Prince" in ABA's Nutcracker.)
Achievements Our full time dancers have recently won and placed in the San Diego YAGP regionals and several were qualified for the New York Finals. Our dancers this year (2014), have been accepted to Ellison Ballet, ABT- New York and Irvine, The Rock School for Dance Education, Bolshoi Academy, San Francisco Ballet, Harid Conservatory, Kirov Academy, School of American Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, Joffrey, PNB, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Ballet West, and many others. Many of our dancers have received full and partial scholarships as well as offers to attend year round programs abroad. Our training is being proven by our results and the many opportunities our dancers are receiving. (Photo: ABA dancer Macie Rowe.)
January 2014 - YAGP Regionals: San Diego, CA 1st Place Senior Contemporary 3rd Place Senior Contemporary 3rd Place Men s Classical 3rd Place Jr. Classical Top 12 Jr. Classical Top 12 Jr. Contemporary Top 24 Jr. Classical Top 24 Sr. Classical Top 12 Pre-Competitive Men s Top 12 Jr. Men s Classical Top 12 Ensembles Pas de Deux qualified for NYC Finals 2 Competitors Invited to NYC Finals January 2015 - YAGP Regionals, San Diego, CA 1st Place Senior Contemporary Top 12 Senior Classical Top 12 Jr. Classical Top 24 Jr. Classical 2 Scholarship Winners to NYC Master Classes2 NYC Finalists 3 Top 12 Ensemble 1st Place Men s Classical Top 12 Junior Classical NYC Finalists Ensemble April 2015 - Participated in YAGP Finals, New York City, NY
(Photo: ABA dancers Mira Larsen and Pierce Bryant as the "Sugar Plum Fairy" and "Cavalier" in ABA's Nutcracker.) Scholarships, Awards, Honors Aniase was awarded a 25% tuition scholarship to Joffrey New York. Ava was accepted into ABT Texas and Rock School of Dance Education in Philadelphia. Audrey was accepted into ABT New York, School of American Ballet (SAB), and Houston Ballet. Alexa was accepted into ABT North Carolina Diana, Macie and Mira all received Elite Top First Place Awards in the Pointe category, Elite Top First Place awards in the Contemporary Category at the KAR Dance Competition. The students also received scholarships to New York City to perform in KAR s NYC All Star Experience. Catherine was accepted into SAB New York and California. Isabella was accepted into Boston Ballet. Macie was accepted into Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Ellison Ballet, and Pittsburgh Company experience. She has been offered a 40% tuition scholarship at Pittsburgh s Summer Intensive
Program, and invited to stay for the year-round program. She was invited to, and competed in, the 2015 YAGP New York City Finals. Mia was accepted into School of American Ballet (SAB), both New York and California, Ellison Ballet s Intensive and Variations programs, ABT New York, and Houston Ballet where she has received a 100% tuition scholarship and 50% housing scholarship. Mira represented ABA as one of 15 semi-finalists at the Music Center Spotlight Awards selected out of hundreds of ballet students to compete in the Ballet Category. She was accepted into ABT, Ellison Ballet on a 25% scholarship and San Francisco Ballet on a 100% scholarship. Pierce was accepted to both San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB), and Ellison Ballet with 100% tuition scholarships. He was also awarded a 100% tuition scholarship plus housing stipend at the official Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Pierce and Reagan were selected to perform as supernumeraries in ABT s World Premier of Alexei Ratmansky s new staging of the Sleeping Beauty at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Reid was accepted to Ellison Ballet, Ballet West and Berlin State Ballet on 100% tuition scholarships. He was invited to, and competed in, the 2015 YAGP New York City Finals. (Photo: ABA dancers in performance for ABA's "Summer Ballet Concert" at the Old Town Temecula Theater.)
ABA In the News
http://m.pe.com/articles/ballet-641783-coppelia-dancers.html
http://myvalleynews.com/entertainment/temecula-dancers-perform-inaugural-nutcracker/
http://myvalleynews.com/entertainment/keeping-the-art-of-ballet-alive-new-ballet-studio-readies-forfirst-performance-of-coppelia-may-2-and-3-at-temecula-old-town-theater/
http://www.pe.com/articles/ballet-764247-dance-school.html
(Photo: Props in construction for Alice in Wonderland. Handmade by the ABA Directors, Jose Chavez and Dana Nelson.) ABA s Alice in Wonderland To commemorate the 150 th anniversary of Lewis Carroll s literary children s classic, Alice in Wonderland, ABA will bring the joy and whimsy of this book to life on stage May 16 and 17. The faculty set the book to ballet with original choreography, music, staging and costuming. ABA performers will breathe life into Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter the Queen of Hearts and many other enchanting characters from the legendary book. ABA s Commitment to Autism Awareness ABA is delighted to be the first studio in the area to produce an autism-friendly ballet on Sunday, May 17 at 5:00 pm at the Temecula Valley High School Theater located at 31555 Rancho Vista Road, in Temecula, California. Children with special learning needs, such as those with autism, don t always have a chance to enjoy community art, music, and dance performances. This performance will include enhancements to the typical production allowing students with special needs to access the full experience of going to a show. Other modifications include incorporation of a visual schedule to allow the audience members to keep track of the event s chronology, from arrival, through the show, and program s end.