Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Showcases Rising Talent

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Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Showcases Rising Dance Talent in Spring Performance 2013 & Pre-Professional Showcase 2013

PITTSBURGH, PA (April 2013) – As the capstone of the 2012-2013 school year, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School will spotlight the talent and diversity of nearly 200 students in the 2013 Spring Performance and Pre-Professional Showcases onstage this May in the Cultural District.

Spring Performance 2013 – August Wilson Center
Friday, May 10, 2013 and Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Under the direction of PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall, nearly 200 students from the school’s Student and Pre-Professional divisions will perform a range of classical and contemporary works, including choreography by James Washington of the August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble.

The program will include two works staged by PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr – Graduation Ball, choreographed by David Lichine, as well as Swan Lake Act II Divertissements in anticipation of PBT’s upcoming full-length production of Swan Lake in the 2013-2014 Season. Graduation Ball is a one-act ballet full of festivities, flirtations and exuberant divertissements that take place when a girl’s boarding school and a nearby military academy come together to celebrate their Graduation Ball. In a cameo appearance as the headmistress, PBT company soloist Robert Moore will reprise the en travesti talents he recently performed as a Stepsister in PBT’s 2012-2013 Season finale Cinderella. PBT School Faculty member and former San Francisco Ballet principal Andre Reyes also will join the students onstage to perform the character role of the General.

In an artistic offshoot of PBT’s partnership with the August Wilson Center, James Washington of the August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble choreographed Beauty, The Lack Of on a group of PBT graduate students in December 2012. Set to music by Olafur Arnalds, the contemporary ballet work is about discovering the joy in life. Pre-Professional students also will perform the elegant classical quartet Quattro a Verdi, choreographed by Michael Smuin and staged by PBT School’s Andre Reyes. Finally, the choreography of PBT School Principal Anastasia Wovchko explores the artistic journey of 120 students in Level I-B through VI in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Pre-Professional Showcase 2013 – Point Park University, George Rowland White Performance Studio
Friday, May 17, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 18, at 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.; Sunday, May 19, at 1 p.m.

PBT School’s Pre-Professional Showcase features the high school and graduate students, ages 14 to 22, who are training to be the next generation of professional ballet dancers. In addition to Swan Lake Act II Divertissements,Beauty, the Lack of; Graduation Ball and Quattro a Verdi, the program will include an all-male work created by PBT School’s newest faculty member, Andre Reyes, to spotlight the talents of the young men of the Pre-Professional program. Spanning a range of age groups and training levels, PBT School dancers include 15 international students representing Japan, Canada, Guam and Japan, as well as incoming 2013-2014 PBT company apprentice Diana Yohe.

Tickets          
Tickets for Spring Performance 2013 range in price from $16.75-28.75, and can be purchased online at www.pbt.orgor by calling 412-456-6666. Tickets for the 2013 Pre-Professional Showcase are available for $20 online atwww.pbt.org or by calling 412-281-0360.

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of over 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre-Professional Program prepare for professional careers in classical ballet. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center. Each year, PBT School students can audition for The Nutcracker, and in 2012 more than 150 were cast in a variety of roles.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Silnicki Advances in International Ballet Competition

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CONTACT:  Meghan McNamara
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 mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org  

                                 
PBT School Student Advances to Final Round of Youth America Grand Prix
Silnicki Places among Top Competitors at Semi-Finals of International Student Ballet Competition

PITTSBURGH, PA (March 2013) –  After receiving multiple awards at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) semifinals this weekend, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School student Sophie Silnicki, 16, will advance to the final round of the international student ballet competition from April 12-17, in New York City.

Silnicki’s performance at the YAGP Semi-Finals – held March 8-10, 2013 in Indianapolis – earned her first place in the Contemporary Category and third place in the Classical Category for the Senior Division, which included 177 competitors from the United States and abroad of the 15-19 year-old age range. Silnicki’s winning solos included Gone, a contemporary piece choreographed by Adrienne Canterna (1st Place) and the variation from Raymonda Act II (3rd Place) for her classical piece.

Sophie Silnicki

 The 2013 YAGP marks Silnicki’s sixth consecutive year performing in the competition. In 2012, Silnicki received the Grand Prize in the Junior Division of the Semi-Finals in Torrington, CT, with top awards for both her Classical and Contemporary Solos. This April, Sophie will go on to compete in the finals competition from April 12-17, at the Jack H. Skirball Center for Performing Arts in New York City.

Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition and annually awards more than $250,000 in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide. The competition is held annually around the world and in New York City, and is open to dance students of all nationalities from 9-19 years old. Launched in 1999 by two former dancers of the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet, Larissa and Gennadi Saveliev, YAGP is also a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization created with a mission to provide extraordinary educational and professional opportunities to young dancers, acting as a stepping stone to a professional dance career, according to the YACP website.
“The Youth America Grand Prix brings together the most accomplished students from the across the country and abroad, so we are extremely proud that Sophie has been recognized so highly among her peers. These awards speak to the remarkable artistry, discipline and commitment that we see Sophie dedicate every day to her ballet training,” said PBT School Director Marjorie Grundvig.

Silnicki has trained with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School for four years under the direction of School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall. Prior to enrolling at PBT School, Silnicki trained at the dance studio of her mother, Stephanie Lopez, where she continues to dance regularly.  A full-time student in PBT School’s High School Division, Silnicki has been featured in PBT company productions, including The Nutcracker, as well as PBT School’s annual spring performances.

Now in its 14th Season, YAGP has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to the leading dance schools worldwide. Over 25,000 dancers worldwide have participated in YAGP’s international workshops, competitions, and audition classes. Over 300 YAGP alumni are now dancing with 50 companies around the world, including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, among others. YAGP’s contributions to international dance education were recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with a membership in UNESCO’s prestigious Conseil International de la Danse (CID).For more information, please visit www.yagp.org.

Media Note: Photos are available upon request. For interviews or photos, please contact Meghan McNamara, marketing coordinator, at 412-454-9117 or mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org.

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional ballet careers. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

PBT Theatre School Holds Auditions

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mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

   
PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE SCHOOL DIRECTORS HOLD PITTSBURGH AUDITIONS TO CONCLUDE NATION-WIDE TOUR

PITTSBURGH, PA (February 2013) –Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School  - the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre – concludes a nation-wide audition tour for its 2013 Intensive Summer Program with Pittsburgh auditions on  Sunday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m. at the PBT Studios in the Strip District.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall and School Principal Janet Popeleski kicked off PBT School’s 2013 audition tour in January, and held auditions at 28 sites, in 27 cities and 16 states to bring young dance talent to Pittsburgh. In addition to U.S. sites, Mr. Marshall also held auditions in Osaka, Japan in August. The audition team selects students from each audition to attend the school’s 2013 Intensive Summer Program (ISP).  The U.S. audition tour concludes in Pittsburgh on February 17, 2013, at the PBT Studios, 2900 Liberty Avenue.

PBT School’s ISP is a five-week program of diverse dance curriculum, including ballet technique, partnering, pointe and repertoire as well as jazz, modern and character dance. Under the direction of PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall, ISP includes instruction by prominent PBT faculty members and guest instructors of international acclaim. With classes six days a week, students will also attend seminars and workshops focused on nutrition, choreography, injury prevention and the psychology of dance. The PBT School Intensive Summer Program is designed to instill long-term value for the art form through the study of diverse, high-quality techniques that adapt well to the demands of professional ballet companies.

The nation-wide audition tour draws more than 600 candidates and places more than 170 students from around the United States into the program.  Students living outside the United States are invited to audition by video, and the program often accepts students from around the world, including Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Hungary and Taiwan.  The PBT School ISP has recently seen a surge in participation by young Japanese students as a result of Mr. Marshall’s engagement with the annual Japan Grand Prix ballet competition, where he serves (2009-present) on an international panel of judges.  PBT School has earned the distinguished reputation as an artistic and instructional leader of dance training and offers aspiring dancers a comprehensive curriculum in a professional, fast-paced environment.

The auditions and program are open to male and female ballet dancers ages 12 and older.  The program features a strong male to female ratio; generally 1:4, a competitive ratio that distinguishes PBT School from other programs by allowing students to maximize their partnering classes.

The Intensive Summer Program takes place June 24, to July 27, 2013 and is held in the spacious PBT Studios, which are fully equipped with new Harlequin sprung floors, in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.  Find the complete list of audition tour sites and dates at http://www.pbt.org/pittsburgh-ballet-theatre-school/audition-tour.

MEDIA NOTE: PBT School’s Pittsburgh ISP audition will be open to media representatives for photographing and filming. Please contact Meghan McNamara at 412-454-9117 to make arrangements.


ISP Faculty and Guest Instructors
Under the direction of PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall, the Intensive Summer Program includes instruction by prominent PBT faculty members and accomplished guest instructors.  Faculty members at the Intensive Summer Program include: PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr; PBT School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall; PBT School Principals Janet Popeleski and Anastasia Wovchko among others. The Intensive Summer Program also includes opportunities for students to study with a number of esteemed guest instructors, including: PBT Ballet Master Steven Annegarn; PBT Ballet Mistress and former ABT Principal Dancer Marianna Tcherkassky; former PBT Artistic Director Patricia Wilde, Li Chou Cheng, Anna-Marie Holmes, Mireille Leterrier, Gyula Pandi and Larissa Ponomarenko. Seminar presenters will include Antoine Douaihy, M.D. (Psychology of Dance), Kathleen Nachazel, A.T.C. (Injury Prevention), and Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., LDN, CSSD (Nutrition).

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School

 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional ballet careers. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center.


ISP Housing

Supervised room and board accommodations for students are available at Fickes and Woodlands Halls on the beautiful campus of Chatham University as well as PBT’s own Byham House.

Chatham University is situated on 35 park-like acres in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh and is one of the most idyllic locations in the city, located only 2.1 miles from PBT studios.

The Byham House occupies three floors in a historic 7,000-square-foot property located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, less than one mile away from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre studios. It originated as the rectory for what once was St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, immediately adjacent to the property.  The Byham House is a co-ed housing opportunity with separate floors and bathrooms for young men and women and can accommodate up to 20 students.
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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

PBT Student to Compete in Switzerland

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PBT School Student Selected to Compete in Switzerland’s Prix de Lausanne
Morris is One of Only 6 U.S. Dancers to Receive Invitation to International Ballet Competition

PITTSBURGH, PA (January 2013) – This month, PBT School student Elenora Morris, 17, joins a select number of candidates from around the world, including only five other females from the United States, to compete in Switzerland’s 41st Annual Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition Jan. 27, to Feb. 2, 2013.

Founded in 1973 to discover, promote and support the world’s finest young talents, the Prix de Lausanne is an international competition and educational workshop for young pre-professional dancers, ages 15 to 18, of all nationalities. This year, from a total of 250 dancers who auditioned by video, 81 candidates (41 females and 40 males) representing 20 different nationalities, were selected to participate in the competition in Lausanne from Jan. 27, to Feb. 2, 2013. In addition to the 81 candidates chosen through video auditions, an additional three candidates were selected in the pre-selection session at Danza America in Argentina.

“Elenora has grown up training with PBT School, and it is very exciting to see her hard work and dedication gain her a place among a very select group of young dancers from around the world,” said PBT School Director Marjorie Grundvig. “We are extremely proud to have her represent Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School to the international ballet community.”

Morris started her dance education at the age of eight and has trained exclusively with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, including seven years under the direction of School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall. Since beginning in Level I of the Student Division, Morris now trains as a full-time high school student in PBT School’s Pre-Professional Division. In addition to PBT School performances, Morris has had the opportunity to perform onstage with the PBT company in various season productions, including Coppélia and Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker.

Morris will be the third female PBT School student to compete in the prestigious competition in the last two years, following PBT School Pre-Professional student Aviana Adams and former student Anwen David, who competed in the 2012 Prix de Lausanne.

Throughout the five-day selection process in Lausanne, candidates participate in daily classical and contemporary ballet classes with leading dance professionals and perform a classical and contemporary variation for the Prix’s nine-member judging panel. At the close of the selection period, a select number of candidates will receive invitations to compete in the finals on Feb. 3.

Through scholarships, exposure to the world’s leading dance personalities, schools and companies, the Prix de Lausanne was created to discover the best young talents in the world and open the doors of the most prestigious dance schools and companies to help them realize their potential and become high-level professional dancers. The Prix has launched the careers of some of ballet’s leading performers, such as Carlos Acosta, Julie Kent, Darcey Bussell and Christopher Wheeldon. For more information, please visitwww.prixdelausanne.org.

Media Note: Photos are available upon request. For interviews or photos, please contact Meghan McNamara, marketing coordinator, at 412-454-9117 or mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org.

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
 Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional ballet careers. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center.
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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Pgh Ballet Theatre To Expand

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Advances School Expansion Plan
with Liberty Avenue Land Acquisition

(Pittsburgh, PA) –   Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre announces that it closed today on a land acquisition that will increase the total footprint of PBT’s Strip District campus to more than 60,000 square feet, launching a third phase in the PBT School Expansion Plan.

Located at 2930 Liberty Avenue adjacent to the PBT Studios, PBT purchased the 10,800 square-foot  property as part of a four-phase strategic plan to support growing enrollment in PBT School’s Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Adult Open Divisions and attendance at patron and community engagement events hosted at the PBT Studios.

As part of the total $10.7 million school expansion campaign, the land purchase follows the 2009 acquisition of the Byham House, a historic Lawrenceville building renovated as PBT School’s first student residence, and the 2011 expansion of the PBT Studios reception area. The land purchase kicks off Phase III of the campaign with the long-term goal of expanding the campus’ parking capacity and studio space. PBT’s Board of Trustees approved the $850,000 purchase price at its July 10, meeting.

“Expanding our physical footprint has been recognized by the board as a strategic objective  to grow our reach and impact in the community,” said James E. Crockard III, chairman of the PBT Board of Trustees. “By investing in the growth of our campus, we’re ensuring the best possible resources for school families and students while increasing our capacity to serve a broader community.”

PBT Trustee and Facilities Chairman Mark Popovich agreed, noting, “With this purchase, the PBT campus is no longer landlocked, which was essential to laying the infrastructure for continued expansion.”

The land acquisition is planned to increase campus parking capacity with 44 new spaces and improve traffic flow for parking and student drop-offs. The new lot also will address a safety initiative by reducing the need for families and students to cross Liberty Avenue from the studios’ overflow parking lot.

It also lays the foundation for the final phase of the expansion plan: the future construction of an annex building with three new studio spaces. In the past five years, PBT School has increased Children’s Division enrollment by 92 percent while Student Division enrollment has grown by 53 percent in the past two years. Overall, the new facility would allow PBT School to increase enrollment by nearly 60 percent from 832 to more than 1,300 students.

Neighbors in the Strip Executive Director Becky Rodgers applauds the move. “We see the growth of the PBT campus as an accomplishment for the overall economic vitality of our neighborhood by drawing more students, families and artists to the Strip District,” Rogers said. “As a unique cultural anchor, PBT has contributed to the diversity and character of the neighborhood for more than 25 years.”

PBT launched its four-phase School Expansion Plan in 2009 with the opening of the Byham House, which houses 20 full-time Pre-Professional Division students and helps to draw aspiring young dancers to Pittsburgh each year. Also accomplished in Phase I was the installation of new Harlequin floors in the PBT Studios as a commitment  to the safety and health of PBT company and student dancers. Phase II marked the opening of a renovated lobby with expanded parent and sibling waiting areas and student study space. With more than 1,000 unique visitors each week, the spacious lobby now better accommodates rising enrollment and the need for more public space in the building.

“PBT positioned itself for this expansion by reducing debt and achieving consecutive operating surpluses for the past six years,” said PBT Executive Director Harris Ferris. “As the official training institution of PBT, the School plays an integral role in helping the company flourish artistically and in our strategic vision for the organization’s growth.”

In addition to PBT School’s total enrollment of more than 800 students, the PBT facility houses five fully-equipped studios for PBT’s company of 27 professional dancers and administrative offices for staff members. Each week, PBT School offers classes six days a week for the Pre-Professional, Student, Children’s and Adult Open Divisions. Throughout the season, PBT also hosts a number of community engagement events at the Studio for patrons, educators, community organizations and supporters.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Andre Reyes Joins Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Faculty

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CONTACT: Meghan McNamara
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Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Welcomes Andre Reyes to 2012-2013 Faculty

PITTSBURGH, PA (September 2012) – Marking the start of the 2012-2013 school year, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall have announced the addition of Andre Reyes as the school’s newest full-time faculty member.

Reyes brings more than 30 years of professional ballet and teaching experience to PBT School, where he will instruct students of the Pre-Professional Program in a variety of classes, including Pas de Deux, Men’s Technique and others.

“I’m really proud to be part of such an experienced team,” said Reyes, who danced for several years with School Director Dennis Marshall and remembers watching PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and Ballet Mistress Marianna Tcherkassky perform when he was a student at American Ballet Theatre.

A San Francisco Bay Area native, Reyes received his early dance training from his parents Benjamin Reyes and Josefa Villanueva at Santa Clara Ballet School before continuing on to Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. Reyes, a longtime favorite of Bay Area audiences, performed as a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet from 1980 to 1993 and Pacific Northwest Ballet from 1994 to 1996.

It was during his time as a principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet that Reyes first met PBT School Director Dennis Marshall, then a fellow principal with the company.

“Andre was an amazingly exciting dancer,” Marshall said. “He’s very versatile whether he’s working with classical or contemporary choreography, staging or creating works. He was a phenomenal dancer, and he’s a phenomenal teacher.”

Prior to joining PBT School, Reyes taught since 2007 on the faculty of the Boston Ballet School. Reyes has been a guest lecturer for Stanford University, University of Santa Clara, San Francisco State University, Boston College, Harvard, as well as the American College Dance Festival Association. During his career, he worked with world-renowned choreographers Glen Tetley, Jiri Kylian, Michael Smuin, Eliot Feld, James Kudelka, and David Bintley, and danced in a number of special invitation and international gala performances.

Joining Reyes in Pittsburgh are his wife, Cynthia Drayer, a former San Francisco Ballet principal who served as a guest ballet teacher during PBT’s 2012 Intensive Summer Program, as well as his daughter Rowan, a new full-time high school student in PBT School’s Pre-Professional Program.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional careers in classical ballet. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center. Each year, PBT School students can audition for The Nutcracker, and in 2011 more than 150 were cast in a
variety of roles.

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh