| 2008 - 2009 School Faculty -- Winter Program | |
Chairman of the Faculty -- Edward Villella CHAIRMAN OF THE FACULTY -- Edward Villella Carter Alexander - began his ballet training with his mother Amanda Stone in Cheyenne, WY. He continued at Arts Magnet and Dallas Ballet Academy before joining the Hartford Ballet, where he studied with his mentor, Truman Finney. He danced principal and soloist roles with the Kansas City Ballet, and also danced with Pennsylvania Ballet (where he taught on the faculty of the Rock School). Mr. Alexander received an offer to become the principal teacher at the Ballet Workshop New England in Boston, where he taught for five years. He also became the artistic associate of the Massachusetts Youth Ballet. He then joined Truman Finney at The School of Ballet Arizona as Assistant Director of the school. He is a principal teacher on the Miami City Ballet School faculty. Roberto Rodriguez - began his dance training with Ballets de San Juan in Puerto Rico and also studied at the School of American Ballet in New York. He worked for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, returning to Ballets de San Juan, where he performed many classical lead male roles specializing in George Balanchine's choreographies. Mr. Rodriguez holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and another one in Theater and Dance Education from the University of Puerto Rico. For the past 23 years he has been teaching ballet, theater, pantomime and creative movement. He is currently a Florida State Department of Education certified teacher, Dance Consultant for the MDCPS, and also an adjunct teacher for the New World School of the Arts. Faculty -- CHILDREN'S DIVISION Kristen Kramer - was born in upstate New York, where she began her training at the Saugerties Ballet Center and later attended the Albany Dance Institute under the direction of former New York City Ballet dancer, David Otto. During the summers she studied at the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Chautauqua Dance Institute. After being a scholarship student at the Miami City Ballet School for one year, she joined the Company in 2001. During her six years with Miami City Ballet, she was featured in such ballets as Giselle, Edward Villella's "THE QUICK-STEP: Unspeakable Jazz Must Go!", The Nutcracker, and many others. Sandra Portal-Andreu - is a Miami native who received her AA from New World School of the Arts, a BFA in Dance from Florida State University, and a M.S. in Movement Sciences from Barry University. She participated in summer intensives such as: Florida Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival, and the Limon Summer Intensivein Saratoga Springs, New York. She has trained with Fernando Bujones, Suzanne Farrell, Michael Foley, Gerri Houlihan, and Ronald K. Brown. She is a faculty member of the musical theater department at the New World School of the Arts, as well as a professor of beginner and intermediate levels of dance. Her dancing experience includes Momentum Dance Company, Ballet Theater of Miami, South Florida Ballet, Next Step Dance Company and Florida Grand Opera's "AIDA". In addition, she has appeared in local and regional commercials and has done voice-overs for TV. She is certified in GYROTONIC® and GYROKENESIS®. Ms. Portal-Andreu teaches ballet technique in the Children's Division. Roberto Rodriguez - See above Faculty -- JAZZ Rafi Maldonado-López - is a faculty member of New World School of the Arts, where he teaches ballet and advanced Jazz for Music Theatre, and Movement in the Drama track. He has worked as a guest teacher across the Midwest as well as St. Petersburg, Russia, for the resident dance company of the famed Music Hall. He began his dance training in San Juan, Puerto Rico with Ballet Concierto and Ballet de San Juan, and later continued his studies under scholarship at Joffrey Ballet School and the Boston Conservatory. He performed contemporary works with Boston Dance Company, Minnesota Dance Theater, Ballet of the Dolls, Ballet Arts of Minnesota, as well as various commercial video works. Most recently he has choreographed for Anything Goes, Carousel, and Guys and Dolls, and has just been awarded a choreography commission for a new original Broadway musical: Palladium. Mr. Maldonado-Lopez is head of the Jazz department of MCB School since 2004. Liz Malm - is a Miami native who graduated from New World School of the Arts. Ms. Malm has worked in the music video industry, where she has choreographed, danced and toured with artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Ricky Martin, Jay-Z, P-Diddy, Beastie Boys, Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, Lil' Romeo, Baha Men, Carlos Ponce, Jaime Camil, Tito Puente and Iron and Wine. She has choreographed many commercials and television shows such as Virgin Mobile featuring Missy Elliot, Samsung, Bud Light featuring Cedric the Entertainer, Super Bowl, Lays Potato Chips, Telefonica, Herbal Essence, Pollo Tropical, "Truth" Anti-smoking campaign, MTV, BET, CBS, Telemundo and Univision. She has also choreographed half-time shows for the Miami Heat. Richard Amaro - has danced in film, television, commercials, and numerous Broadway shows -- including West Side Story, Jerome Robbins Broadway, and Kiss of the Spider Woman -- and music videos with Prince, Tina Turner, Vanessa Williams and Michael Bolton. He has choreographed Chita Rivera and All that Jazz, Dreamgirls National Tour, and the music video "Diamonds and Pearls" for Prince. He has been a master teacher in Vienna, Venice, Amsterdam, Boston, London, Japan, Los Angeles and New York. He was also s National Judo Champion. Mr. Amaro has just finished a two year Broadway and international tour as a lead dancer for Chita Rivera in her Broadway show Chita Rivera: the Dancer's Life. Faculty -- STRETCH Yelena Doroshenko - was born in Moscow, Russia. She is a master of sport in the international class in acrobatics. She has performed in Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus all over the United States and internatioally. She was also a silver medalist from 1994 through 1997.
For more information about MCB School please call 305.929.7007 or e-mail at school@miamicityballet.org. | |
Miami City Ballet School students, Photo © Bruce Hibbs |