Mr. Andros teaches intermediate level ballet Monday thru Friday at 11:30 AM at Ballet Academy East.

WHAT'S NEW

Coppélia and the Demise of the Paris Opera Ballet

May 14, 2008

Every ballet goer has seen Coppélia or at least heard about it. It's a fun ballet that encompasses many forms of dance: character, and classical ballet. It is a clever comment on the evils of infatuation. What is not known about Coppélia is; it was one of the last attempts to save ballet in Paris from oblivion. MORE...

Marie-Jeanne (1920 - 2008)

January 6, 2008

We celebrate the life of Marie-Jeanne who passed away on January 3, 2008 in Austin, TX. The NYC native studied at the School of American Ballet and performed with a number of companies including the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the predecessor companies to the New York City Ballet. She is probably best remembered for her work with George Balanchine. MORE...

Michael Kidd (1919 - 2007)

December 24, 2007

We celebrate the life of dancer and choreographer Michael Kidd, who passed away on December 23, 2007 at his home in Los Angeles. The Brooklyn native began his career with American Ballet and Ballet Caravan (predecessors of the New York City Ballet) before joining Ballet Theatre as a soloist. Kidd later choreographed on Broadway and in Hollywood, ultimately earning five Tony awards in almost a half century of work. MORE...

A League of His Own

November 19, 2007

In mid-20th-century Oklahoma, the Andros name was well-known for two brothers who achieved fame in the athletic arena. But many folks did not realize there was a third brother, our own Mr. Andros. The Oklahoma Journal Record featured a nice article by Max Nichols, Youngest Andros Brother Finds League of His Own. MORE...

Igor Moiseyev (1906 - 2007)

November 5, 2007

We celebrate the life of Igor Moiseyev, the famed Russian choreographer who passed away November 3, 2007. Moiseyev distilled folk styles from many different countries into a unique form of theatrical dance that was wildly popular in the mid-20th century. The Moiseyev Dance Company’s NYC debut in 1958 at the Metropolitan Opera House was presented by impressario Sol Hurok and, as the first U.S. visit by a major Soviet dance troupe, began a new era of cultural exchange. MORE...

Glen Tetley (1926 - 2007)

March 27, 2007

We celebrate the life of Glen Tetley, who passed away on January 10, 2007. Tetley worked both in the worlds of ballet and modern dance, at one time he was a performer both with American Ballet Theatre and the Martha Graham Company. Tetley also worked extensively with Hanya Holm and his later work as a choreographer was a pioneering (and controversial) fusion of modern dance and ballet. MORE...

Ruthanna Boris (1918 - 2007)

February 7, 2007

We celebrate the life of Ruthanna Boris, who passed away on January 5, 2007. Boris performed with the Ballet Russes, American Ballet, Ballet Caravan and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. Boris later went on to work as a choreographer, administrator and educator. MORE...

Words

January 15, 2007

Words often have powerful, subconscious meanings that we often fail to consider when these words become a part of our daily vocabulary. In the arts, casually-used words and phrases often reveal subtle deceptions upon deeper reflection. What's in a name? Consider these...

Melissa Hayden (1923 - 2006)

August 9, 2006

We celebrate the life of Melissa Hayden, who passed away on August 8, 2006 at her home in Winston-Salem, NC.

Over 80 and Still Teaching

May 18, 2006

This is a continuation of an earlier article I wrote, 60 and Still Counting, which appeared in Dance and the Arts magazine twenty years ago. Who knew I would still be teaching at 80!? MORE...

Pierina Legnani (1863 - 1923)

April 23, 2006

The title "Prima Ballerina Assoluta" has only been given to two ballerinas at the Maryinsky Theatre. The first was an Italian, Pierina Legnani. Her greatest success came in Russia, when she introduced 32 fouette turns in her performance of CINDERELLA, which she had done the year before in London. MORE...

Virginia Zucchi (1847-1930)

April 23, 2006

Virginia Zucchi studied with Carlo Blasis and Lepri in Milan, and in 1866 started dancing in Italy and other European countries. Almost 20 years passed before she came to St. Petersburg in Russia. Her dazzling virtuosity attracted the attention of the Tzar and he commanded her to dance for him - insisting that she dance at the Maryinsky Theatre. While dancing at the Maryinsky Theatre, she became very influential, perfecting the technique of the St. Petersburg School. MORE...

Raven Wilkinson (b. 1935)

December 28, 2005

In 1954, Sergie Denham, director of the Ballet Russes school and company, He offered one of his exceptional young dancers a strange proposal. Denham wanted her to be part of the company without a contract, telling her that there was another girl in Chicago he wanted to see first. In reality, Denham wanted to see how the public would accept the woman that would become the first African-American member of a major ballet company. MORE...