Former NYC Ballet principal Philip Neal to direct NGB 2015 summer intensive

The Patel Conservatory and Next Generation Ballet (NGB) is proud to announce that acclaimed choreographer and former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Philip Neal has been engaged as the interim artistic director of NGB’s 2015 Summer Intensive.

Neal gives corrections at an NGB master class.

Having been a guest instructor for NGB’s summer intensive in previous years, Neal is excited to return to Tampa this summer.

“I’m really honored and thrilled. I love to be in the studio working with students,” said Neal.

After a 23-year tenure with New York City Ballet, 17 years as a principal dancer, Neal currently is a repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust and the Jerome Robbins Rights Trust, staging the ballets of both legendary choreographers throughout the world.

He began his dance career with the New York City Ballet in the same year as current NGB artistic director Peter Stark, and the two have remained friends throughout the years.

“I work with companies all over the world," said Neal. "I saw NGB’s Nutcracker in December, and what Peter has built with NGB is amazing. So it’s very important to me that I protect the top level of training expected. I want to be sure students receive training that will continue to serve them on a global scale, preparing them for a myriad of companies.”

Neal has created work for the Richmond Ballet, and has been invited to participate in the New York Choreographic Institute. He has been on the permanent faculty of the School of American Ballet, and continues to teach there as a guest instructor. He has been a guest instructor for numerous dance companies and schools, including Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Joffrey Ballet.

NGB’s summer intensive will also feature many guest instructors including Maria Kowroski, principal ballerina with New York City Ballet and Sascha Radetsky, star of the movie Center Stage and former soloist with American Ballet Theatre. 

In addition to leading a stellar group of instructors, Neal hopes to impart more than technique to his students.

“Training is as much about learning how to jump and turn, as it is about learning dignity and humility. I think those are principles that Peter and I  have in common,” said Neal. “Students joining us this summer will improve their training, mindset, discipline and humility, all the things they need to survive and succeed as a dancer in a professional environment.”

For more information on NGB’s summer intensive, including a full list of guest instructors, visit nextgenerationballet.org.

NGB dancers to compete in 2015 Prix de Lausanne

Congratulations to Next Generation Ballet (NGB) New Artists Jarod Curley and Peter Weil, who were two of only seven males from the United States to be accepted into the world’s most prestigious dance competition, the Prix de Lausanne.

The two dancers head to Lausanne, Switzerland this weekend for the competition, which will be Feb. 2 - 7, 2015.

Peter Weil

Peter Weil, 18, from Philadelphia, began his dance training at the Metropolitan Ballet Academy.

“My mom told me it would help me with my soccer skills,” said Weil.

At the age of 12, his soccer and dance schedules began to conflict and he had to choose. He chose dance.

He has performed as a guest artist with the Pennsylvania Ballet, including roles as Oliver Percy in the Carnival of the Animals, and as the Prince in the Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Before joining NGB in the summer of 2014, he spent two years as a trainee with the Boston Ballet where he had opportunities to perform with the company.

"I appreciate the level of training we get for men’s work [with NGB at the Patel Conservatory]. He [Stark] really knows what we need to do,” said Weil. “This year I’m working on the fluidity of my dancing and cleaning it up to be more professional. It’s a good finishing year for me.”

Curley, 16, from Frederick, Md. began his dance training with Frederick School of Classical Ballet and went on to study at CityDance Conservatory with Lorraine Spiegler. He’s performed principal roles in NGB's Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. He’s also attended the School of American Ballet’s summer intensive on full merit scholarship and participated in the choreography workshop under the direction of New York City Ballet company member, Silas Farley.

Prior to coming to NGB in the summer of 2013, Curley had been offered full scholarships to American Ballet Theatre and Bolshoi Ballet’s summer programs.

Jarod Curley

“I almost wasn’t going to audition [for NGB] because I already had other opportunities,” said Curley.

At the NGB audition, he felt an instant connection with artistic director Peter Stark.

“It was awesome working with him just in the audition class. When I got in the car, I said to my mother, ‘There’s no way I can go anywhere else,’” said Curley.

Curley’s family moved to Tampa in 2013. He and his younger siblings homeschool, and both his sister Ava and brother Winston enjoy many classes in dance, music and theater at the Patel Conservatory.

A total of 70 dancers from 18 countries were selected to compete at this year’s Prix de Lausanne. All dancers will participate in master classes and receive scholarship opportunities with renowned ballet schools worldwide.

“I’m really excited to go to Switzerland. I’m hoping to get into a company, so I’m excited about the job opportunities,” said Weil.

NGB alumni who have competed in the Prix de Lausanne include Hannah Bettes (“Audience Favorite” and 2nd place Prix de Lausanne 2011, company member Boston Ballet), William Dugan (Hamburg Ballet School), Tanner Bleck (San Francisco Ballet School) and Olivia Gusti (Ballet West Trainee).

Congratulations and best of luck to Peter and Jarod!

NGB receives top honors at YAGP 2015 Tampa semi-finals

Janaya Zimmermann, left, and Jarod Curley
placed 1st for  their Coppelia pas de deux.

Congratulations to Next Generation Ballet (NGB) for winning Outstanding School at the 2015 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Tampa semi-finals.

NGB also received 1st place for the Large Ensemble category for both pieces, Odalisques and Turkish March; and for the Ensemble Pas De Deux category, NGB received 1st place for Coppelia pas de deux with Janaya Zimmermann and Jarod Curley, and 3rd place for Flames of Paris pas de deux with Madeleine Gardella and Peter Weil.

Approximately 350 students from throughout the southeast competed in the regional event, which was held last weekend at the Straz Center. Among them, 16 NGB students qualified to go to the YAGP finals in New York in April.

The following NGB dancers also placed at the competition:

Sr. Classical Women

Madeleine Gardella - 1st place

Alexandria Marx - 3rd Place

Madeleine Gardella received 1st place in the Sr.
Classical Women category and other top honors.

Sr. Classical Women Top 24

Chloe Pruett

Lexa Armstrong

Brittany Broussard

Sr. Classical Men

Peter Weil - 2nd place

Jarod Curley - 3rd place

Sr. Contemporary Women

Alexandria Marx - 1st place

Sr. Contemporary Women Top 12

Madeleine Gardella

Sr. Contemporary Men

Jake Tribus - 2nd place

Jarod Curley - 3rd place

Jr. Classical Women

Natalie Thornley-Hall - 2nd place

Jr. Classical Women Top 24

Makayla Dorris

Tessa Hartmann

Kiyo Miyazato

Miya Mobley

Jr. Classical Men

Liam Boswell - 1st place

Jordan Martinez - 3rd place

Jr. Contemporary Top 12

Tessa Hartmann

Natalie Thornley-Hall

Jr. Contemporary Men

Liam Boswell - 1st place

Jonathan Fahoury - 3rd place

Pre-competitive Classical Men and Women

Alexandra de Roos - 3rd place

Pre-competitive Classical Men and Women Top 12

Gabrielle Vogel

Pre-competitive Contemporary Men and Women Top 12

Alexandra de Roos

Gabrielle Vogel

Students compete in 2015 YAGP Tampa regional

Patel Conservatory's 2014/2015 Next Generation Ballet dancers

Best of luck to the Next Generation Ballet (NGB) dancers competing this weekend in the regional Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest student ballet competition.

Students who qualify at regional competitions worldwide will go on to the prestigious final YAGP competition in New York City in April, 2015, where they’ll have the opportunity to win scholarships to prominent ballet schools such as School of American Ballet in New York and Royal Ballet School in London.

At last year’s Tampa competition, NGB earned the Outstanding School award and NGB dancer Olivia Gusti won the Grand Prix award. Gusti is now a trainee with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, UT.

More than 300 dancers from throughout the southeast, including 34 from the Patel Conservatory’s NGB, will compete in the Tampa regional, which will be held at the Straz Center through tomorrow.

On Saturday evening, top students from the competition will perform along with international ballet stars from some of the most renowned dance companies in the world in YAGP’s gala performance Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow.

Don’t miss this unique, all-star dance performance which sells out in New York City! For tickets, click here.

NGB Dancers competing this weekend:

Alexander Correa

Alexandra de Roos

Alexandria Marx

Avery Jarrard

Bridge Taylor

Brittany Broussard

Chloe Pruett

Christopher Kunzelmann

Cosette Falker

Devin Hammond

Gabrielle Vogel

Hailey Cherry

Jaison Allen

Jake Tribus

Janaya Zimmermann

Jarod Curley

Jonathan Fahoury

Jordan Martinez

Kiyo Miyazato

Kyra McDonald

Levi Durie

Lexa Armstrong

Liam Boswell

Madeleine Gardella

Makayla Dorris

Miya Mobley

Natalie Thornley-Hall

Neal Burks

Peter Weil

Ryan Ward

Tessa Hartmann

Treyden Chiaravalloti

Tucker Nickman

NGB dancers competing in YAGP regionals in other cities:

Autumn Kilby

Dylan McIntyre 

Eliana Vogel

Julia Meister

Noelle Miller

Savannah Payne 

Zoe Briscoe

NGB dancer's mom makes unexpected visit from Afghanistan

For Next Generation Ballet trainee Neal Burks, competing in this weekend's Youth America Grand Prix's Tampa semi-finals will be especially exciting. Burks’ mom Makeda Oates surprised him on Wednesday when she showed up at his rehearsal.

A logistics coordinator with a military contractor in Afghanistan, she hasn’t seen her son in almost a year.

"It was surprising, I was happy to see her," said Neal.

“It was breathtaking to watch him [in practice]," said Oates. "I knew he’d come further than he was last year, but I didn’t expect to see such high kicks. He’s come a long way.”

Oates is in her second tour in Afghanistan and has spent at least the last four years out of the country. Neal lives in Tampa with his grandmother, having relocated from Jacksonville in 2013 to train with NGB.

Oates is excited for the opportunity to see her son perform in the competition this weekend, having missed him in the Nutcracker in December. She leaves Sunday to return to Afghanistan.

“[NGB faculty] are definitely taking him to the next level. I could see that from the last time,” she said. “It’s a blessing for him to be here.”

Snow falls in Morsani Hall at this year's Nutcracker

The holidays are approaching, and there's no better way to celebrate the season than to enjoy the classic story of The Nutcracker.

This year’s production of Next Generation Ballet’s (NGB) Nutcracker will be even more magical as snow will fall on stage and over the audience!

Miguel Anaya

Featuring guest artists from The Washington Ballet Miguel Anaya and Maki Onuki, this enchanting ballet is a family tradition that’s sure to delight!

Miguel Anaya, who joins us as the Cavalier, is from Havana, Cuba, having trained at the Alfonso Perez Isaac School and National Ballet School of Cuba. He is a winner of the Grand Prix National Competicion in Cuba, and has performed as a soloist with Ballet Nacional de Cuba with Alicia Alonso.

This year’s Sugar Plum Fairy, Onuki, is from Kanagawa, Japan, and is currently in her 10th season with The Washington Ballet. She has received numerous awards including the 2010 bronze medal at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Miss., a MetroDC Dance Award for Outstanding Individual Performance for Wunderland in 2011, and a gold medal at VKIBC competition this year.

Maki Onuki

Choreographed by NGB Artistic Director Peter Stark, this production has “marvelous” costumes “with inventive, whimsical touches.” (Tampa Bay Times) From the moment the lights dim, audiences are transported to a magical place filled with marching toy soldiers, a growing Christmas tree, giant mice and crystalline waltzing snowflakes. “This Nutcracker is a standout among many.” (Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

Don’t miss our award-winning NGB dancers, along with a cast of nearly 175 dancers, inThe Nutcracker Dec. 13 and 14, 2014 at the Straz Center.

Be sure to arrive early to get family photos with Santa Clause, and, on Sunday, enjoy live pre-show caroling in Morsani lobby from Patel Conservatory’s vocal arts students.

For more information or tickets, click here, visit our Ticket Sales Office in person, or call 813.229.7827.

Next Generation Ballet is the official pre-professional dance company of the Straz Center's Patel Conservatory. For more information about NGB, click here.

Dancers inspire kindness and acceptance

Like any sport, the dance world can be competitive.

Jake Tribus

But Next Generation Ballet dancers Jake Tribus and Jonathan Fahoury hope to show that even though dancers may compete against each other for titles, they can still support each other without judgement or criticism.

Tribus, 16, from Raleigh, N.C., and Fahoury, 14, from Boulder, Colo., are part of group of dancers from around the country trying to inspire kindness and acceptance through their non-profit organization Artists Giving Hope.

“Kindness changes everything is our motto,” said Tribus, “we want everyone to understand and accept one another regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc..”

Founded by Tribus and fellow dance competitor Christina Ricucci, in March, the group performs and offers master classes to raise awareness and help support like-minded charities. They recently offered a master class at a studio in Birmingham, Ala., which raised approximately $500 for Dancers Fighting Cancer. Their next goal is to raise enough to fulfill a dance-related wish for Make-A-Wish.

Tribus and Fahoury met in 2013 at the New York City Dance Alliance convention.

“It’s a week-long national dance competition and workshops,” said Tribus.

Tribus won the National Teen Male division, and Fahoury won the National Male Junior division. As title winners, they toured the country with the organization, performing and assisting faculty.

“It was a great experience teaching me how to be more of a professional,” said Tribus.

Both dancers recently moved to Tampa with their families to train at the Patel Conservatory.

Jonathan Fahoury

Fahoury attended NGB’s summer intensive and found the training exceeded his expectations.

“In three weeks, I improved so much. I wanted to improve more,” said Fahoury. “I know I want to do this as a profession...so I want to be as well trained as possible in various styles.”

Tribus, whose background is predominantly in contemporary and jazz, joined NGB to improve his ballet technique.

“I’ve never had a ballet class with all men...I can already see my technique growing in just the month and half I’ve been here,” said Tribus. “Definitely having multiple classes a day filled with kids of the same passion and same caliber...it pushes me.”

Tribus will play the Mouse King, lead Russian and lead Arabian in Next Generation Ballet’s upcoming production of The Nutcracker. Fahoury will play the lead Chinese and a Russian dancer.

Come see Tribus and Fahoury in this year’s The Nutcracker, Dec. 13 and 14, 2014 at the Straz Center.

NGB alumni success

Congratulations to several Next Generation Ballet alumni who have gone on to prestigious opportunities throughout the world this fall.

The following NGB alumni have joined professional companies this fall:

Hannah Bettes, Boston Ballet, company member 

Diana Dizon, Boston Ballet II, company member 

Olivia Gusti, Ballet West trainee

The following NGB alumni are training on scholarship with dance schools and colleges around the globe:

Florrie Geller and John Hewitt

Kemper Cassada - School of American Ballet, New York City, NY

Ethan Fuller - School of American Ballet

Carolynn Rowland - School of American Ballet

Hannah Stanford - Royal Ballet School, London, United Kingdom

John Hewitt - Hamburg Ballet School, Hamburg, Germany

Chander Hammond - John Cranko School, Stuttgart, Germany

Tanner Bleck - San Francisco Ballet School, San Francisco, CA

Courtney Gunsteens - San Francisco Ballet School 

Leo McGrath - Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

Corbin Panturad - Butler University

Florrie Geller- The School of Dance at UNC School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC

Claire Ashcraft - Miami City Ballet School, Miami Beach, FL

Congrats to all of these dancers for their hard work and success. We are so proud of their accomplishments!

Ethan Fuller wins silver at YoungArts Week in Miami

Congratulations to Next Generation Ballet dancer Ethan Fuller who won the silver award at the recent YoungArts Week in Miami.

Fuller, 15, was among 650 young artists chosen out of approximately 11,000 applicants, as a 2014 YoungArts Winner by the National YoungArts Foundation.

YoungArts winners were recognized for their outstanding work and accomplishments in one of 10 disciplines across the literary, performing, visual and design arts fields.

Fuller has been training with Next Generation Ballet (NGB) at the Straz Center full-time since 2012. Prior to that, he performed for nearly two years as Billy in the national tour of Billy Elliot the Musical.

"The coaching staff at the Patel Conservatory help you get to a professional level," said Fuller.

Fuller lives in Melbourne, Fla., and commutes every week to Tampa to train with us.

“There are such great teachers here, and such a great facility and program,” he said.

As a YoungArts Finalist, Fuller got to participate in the YoungArts’ regional program in Miami, where finalists worked with master teachers and mentors in their field and showcased their work through performances, film screenings, an art exhibition and writers’ readings.

Fuller received the silver award, which won him $5,000.

Congratulations, Ethan!

Come see Fuller along with the rest of our talented Next Generation Ballet dancers in Sleeping Beauty in May.

NGB students among elite dancers accepted to Prix de Lausanne

Congratulations to Next Generation Ballet (NGB) New Artists Tanner Bleck and Olivia Gusti, who will compete in the world’s most prestigious dance competition, the Prix de Lausanne.

Approximately 60 dancers are selected from hundreds of entries worldwide.

Tanner Bleck

Gusti and Bleck were two of only 10 from the United States to be accepted into the competition, which will be Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2014 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Bleck, 15, is one of only three American males accepted into the Prix de Lausanne.

The six-day event offers dancers scholarships to world renowned ballet schools.

Bleck moved to Tampa from Kentucky last year to train with NGB. He started ballet at age seven at Bluegrass Youth Ballet in Lexington, KY, and continued at Bluegrass School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Tanner has received scholarships and attended summer intensive programs at the Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Jose Carreño Dance Festival and Next Generation Ballet. He recently placed second in the Classical Senior Men category and in the top 12 in the Contemporary Senior Men at the Youth America Grand Prix semi-finals in Tampa.

St. Petersburg native Gusti, 15, has been with the Patel Conservatory’s dance program for several years. She began dancing at age 6 with Ballet Pensacola before moving to the Tampa area and training at Florida West Ballet under the instruction of Povel Fomin. With NGB, she’s danced feature roles including Godmother in Cinderella and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker. She has also performed with the Moscow Ballet in St. Petersburg. Most recently, she won the Grand Prix award at the YAGP semi-finals in Tampa.

Former NGB dancers Hannah Bettes and William Dugan are now training abroad through opportunities at the Prix de Lausanne.

Best of luck to Bleck and Gusti as they embark on their journey!

NGB wins Outstanding School at Tampa YAGP semi-final

Congratulations to all of our dancers who competed in the recent semi-final Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) competition in Tampa.

Olivia Gusti, Grand Prix winner at the
YAGP Tampa semi-final competition.
Photo by SOHO Images.

The Patel Conservatory is proud to announce that Next Generation Ballet (NGB) was named “Outstanding School” and NGB trainee Olivia Gusti was named “Grand Prix winner” at the competition, which took place Jan. 3 - 5 at the Straz Center.

“We are so proud of our students and instructors and appreciate this recognition from YAGP,” said Wendy Leigh, Straz Center vice president of education.

NGB beat out 48 other schools for the Outstanding School title. And Gusti competed against hundreds of other dancers to win YAGP’s highest honor. Approximately 350 dancers came from all over Florida and six other states for the two-day competition.

Gusti, 15, was also recently selected for the prestigious Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland.

YAGP is the largest student ballet competition in the world and screens more than 5,000 dance students internationally in regional competitions. Gusti and other top dancers will go on to compete in the finals in New York City on April 9 for the chance to win scholarships and job offers from professional dance companies.

NGB students who also placed in the competition:

• First place Classical Jr. Men: Jordan Martinez
• First place Classical Jr. Women: Florrie Geller
• Top 12 Classical Jr. Women: Geller, Courtney Gunsteens, Chandler Hammond, Janaya Zimmerman
• Top 6 Classical Jr. Men: Liam Boswell, Neal Burks, Martinez
• Third place Contemporary Jr. Women: Geller 
• Comtemporary Top 12 Jr. Women: Geller, Hammond, Zimmerman
• First place Contemporary Jr. Men: Liam Boswell
• Second place Contemporary Jr. Men: Martinez
• Contemporary Top 6 Jr. Men: Boswell, Martinez 
• Second place Classical Sr. Female: Stanford
• Second place Classical Sr. Male: Tanner Bleck
• Second place Pas de Deux – Claire Ashcraft and Ethan Fuller
• Third place Classical Sr. Men: Fuller
• Classical Top 12 Sr. Men: Bleck, Jarod Curley, Fuller, John Hewitt, Christopher Kunzelmann, Corbin Panturad
• Classical Top 12 Sr. Women: Lexa Armstrong, Brittany Broussard, Gusti, Hannah Stanford
• Contemporary Top 12 Sr. Women: Claire Ashcraft, Gusti, Alexandria Marx
• Second place Contemporary Dance Sr. Men: Fuller
• Contemporary Top 12 Sr. Men: Bleck, Curley, Fuller, Hewitt, Kunzelmann 

Congratulations to the following daners who qualified to participate in the YAGP finals in New York City in April:

Olivia Gusti

Jordan Martinez

Florrie Geller

Courtney Gunsteens

Chandler Hammond

Janaya Zimmerman

Tanner Bleck

Ethan Fuller

Hannah Stanford