Lindsay Di Giuseppe Bowman, Director & Owner Mrs Bowman is a Dallas girl, and began her training under Joyce Seaborne
Bader, A.R.A.D., and Lyndette Bader Galen of Dallas Dance Academy where she studied the Royal Academy of Dancing syllabus.
She received the honors of highest marks on Grades 2-8 and Majors Exams, Elementary and Intermediate. Upon graduating high
school from Ursuline Academy of Dallas, Lindsay went on to earn a BFA in Dance, graduating cum laude from Southern Methodist
University. While at SMU, her performance credits included Danny Buraczeski’s debut, Cortege, for The Algur
H. Meadows Award Ceremony honoring jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. In addition, Lindsay performed in numerous SMU mainstage
and student productions, with roles ranging in ballet, modern, and jazz. Professionally, Mrs. Bowman has performed as Dance
Captain at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg in This is Oktoberfest, The Frontera Festival in Austin, Sweet Charity
with Austin Musical Theatre, West Side Story with Casa Manana, and six seasons with CBD! Lindsay has performed
several lead roles with CBD, such as “Gerda” and “Snow Queen” in The Snow Queen, “The
Addict” in Out of the Zone, “Mrs. Peacock” in Not a Clue, and “The Hostess”
in Feast of Friends. Some of her favorite ensemble roles include Personnel, Deconstructing Harry, The Princess & the
Pea, Blue, The Rising and Pit & the Pendulum. She has also trained under numerous wonderful
teachers such as: Jeremy Blanton, Violette Verdy, Mignon Furman, Lynette Kelley, Hilary Cartwright, Joe Orlando, Antony
Dowson, Myra Woodruff, Shelly Berg, Patty Harrington Delaney, Karen Kriete, Bob Beard, Ethel Winter, Irina Baronova, and Alan
Sherfield. Lindsay has also choreographed for CBD, and continues to set works. Mrs. Bowman loves teaching and
working with children of all ages in dance. She thinks dance is the greatest gift to give - the joy of moving! In addition
to running the school, Mrs. Bowman is also the Assistant Artistic Director to Contemporary Ballet Dallas. Contact her
at lindsay@schoolofcbd.com. Valerie Shelton-Tabor, Ballet, Tap & Contemporary Dance Mrs. Tabor co-founded Contemporary Ballet Dallas in 2001, and has served as one of the company's choreographers
and Executive Director. She received her early dance training from Ballet Midland, Dallas Metropolitan
Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet Theatre. She has performed in works by choreographers Isadora Duncan, Helen Tamaris, George Balanchine
and Martha Graham. Throughout her training, Mrs. Tabor had the privilege to work with renowned artists such as Ann Reinking,
Suzanne Farrell, Heather Watts, Jillana, the late Gregory Hines, Timothy Curry, Anthony Ferro, Martin Viscount, Treat Williams,
Savion Glover, and vocal coach Seth Riggs. Some of her honors include scholarships to study with Pacific Northwest Ballet,
Pennsylvania Ballet, Hartford Ballet and Ann Reinking’s Musical Theatre Project. As a native of Dallas, Valerie returned
to attend Southern Methodist University, earning both a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Sociology, graduating cum laude.
Mrs. Tabor then pursued law school at the University of Oklahoma’s School of Law, earning a Juris Doctorate. A former
Assistant District Attorney for Dallas County, she maintains a private practice, focusing on criminal defense and general
family law litigation, including juvenile delinquency and child custody. Mrs. Tabor also serves on the Executive Committee
of the Dallas Dance Council. Contact me at valerie@schoolofcbd.com.
Eileen McKee, Adult Ballet & Yoga At an early age, Eileen received
a prestigious Ford Foundation Scholarship to the School of American Ballet, followed by a full scholarship to SMU. At SMU,
she became an assistant to Nikita Talin and also performed with numerous national companies including: Harkness Ballet of
New York, Berkeley Ballet, Miami Ballet, Ballet Pacifica of Laguna Beach, and Los Angeles Choreographers and Dancers (a modern
dance company). Mrs. McKee has directed small performing companies locally, nationally, and internationally. Eileen has studied
with such notables as George Balanchine and his staff at SAB, including, Alexandra Danilova and Madame Pereyeslavic; Antony
Tudor at American Ballet Theatre; David Howard, Maggie Black and Vladimir Doukodovsky in NYC. Eileen has taught locally for
the SMU Dance Department, BTWHSPVA, and Buster Cooper. She was the former Ballet Mistress for the Krassovska Ballet Jeunesse
prior to Madame Krassovska’s death. Eileen serves on the Board of Dance Council and is a long time participant in the
Dallas Dance Community. Mrs. McKee has a degree in Communications/ Public Relations from SMU and is also a fundraising and
development consultant for Dallas arts organizations, assisting organizations such as Texas Ballet Theatre, Arts District
Friends, the Dallas Bach Society, and Voices of Change.
Kate Walker, Adult Beg/
Int Ballet & Contemporary Dance
Originally from Stroudsburg,
Pennsylvania, began her dance training under Darrell and Sally Notara. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor
of Fine Arts degree from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington in 2004. Kate has performed works by Deborah
Wolf, Mark Haim, Pat Graney, David Parsons, Amii Legendre and Allyne Gartrell to name a few. She is formerly a member
of Dallas Black Dance Theatre II, and most recently started her own company, DekaDance, which completed it's first season
in '08-'09.
Keira Leverton, Tap
Keira's
dance background includes training at the Buster Cooper School of Dance and the University of North Texas. Ms. Leverton
has had extensive tap training from some of the most well known and talented tap professionals, such as, Buster Copper, Henry
Le Tang, Gregory Hines, Acia Gray, and many more. Keira has performed at such venues as Radio City Music Hall, The Kodak
Theatre, The Sky Dome in Toronto, and Wembley Stadium in London. From 2000 to 2006 she directed The Drawbacks Tap Company
which has performed internationally in Prague and Italy. Keira toured as a dancer with "Barney's Colorful World"
and was given the role of dance captain for three years. She also played Bert in Sesame Street's production of "When
Elmo Grows Up" from 2007-2008. Keira was recently given the lead role in a Lilah Vandenburgh short film that was selected
to play at the Sundance Film Festival. In between tours she teaches and choreographs for studios around Dallas and has also
been invited to choreograph for Barbara Ryan Phillips' youth tap company in San Antonio, RPM. Now, Keira is back in Dallas
and looking forward to choreographing for the Drawbacks Youth Tap Ensemble! Frances Ockels McGee, Dance
Workout Frances
was raised in Dallas and trained with Dallas Ballet Academy and the Etgen-Atkinson School of Ballet. As a member of Ballet
Arkansas, she performed in Firebird, Coppelia, Classical Symphony and Wings on Wind. Ms. Ockels has also appeared with the
formers Ft. Worth/Dallas Ballet and Dallas Ballet; and worked with artists Paul Mejia, Frank Vega, Monica Saba and Suzanne
Farrell. Ms. Ockels holds a BA in Physics from the University of Arkansas with minors in Theatre Dance and Biology. She later
earned her MS in Environmental Science from Ohio State University. CBD is thrilled she has returned for her fourth
season with the company. Erin Mallar, Adult
Beginner Pointe & Ballet, substitute Erin Mallar completed her Master of Fine Arts in Choreographic Theory
and Practice at Southern Methodist University in May 2007. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Ballet at Texas Christian University where she performed principal roles in ballets choreographed and/or staged by Fernando
Bujones. Ms. Mallar received her early training at Dallas Ballet and Dallas Metropolitan Ballet and was a scholarship student
at The School of American Ballet for two years. Upon graduating, she performed in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco,
Rubies, and Valse Fantaisie in their Spring Workshop. Ms. Mallar received scholarships and grants to participate
in numerous summer programs such as The School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Pennsylvania Ballet School,
Hartford Ballet School, Bartholin in Copenhagen, Denmark and Impulstanz in Vienna, Austria. She has danced professionally
with Fort Worth-Dallas Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Wichita Ballet Theater, Ballet Concerto, and Collin County Ballet Theater.
Ms. Mallar currently teaches dance classes at Tarrant County College, Richland College, and Southern Methodist University.
In addition, she continues to perform and choreograph for dance productions around the community. Jule Aguirre, NIA Black Belt Practitioner Jule has been facilitating movement in the health and wellness industry since 1985.
She studied with and was certified by Carlos Rosas and Debbie Rosas, the co-founders of
The Nia Technique and is a Certified Nia Black Belt Practitioner.
Jule passionately embraces the power of body-mind-spirit integration in sharing Nia with others through her classes,
workshops and private sessions. Jule is also a Licensed and Certified Counselor who has been a practicing psychotherapist
for individuals, families and groups since 1990. Her vision is to integrate the concepts of Nia with her counseling
techniques to form an integrative, therapeutic program of wellness and healing for participants of her work. Jule also
works privately with individuals seeking personal growth and self-actualization, as well as those living with illness, chronic
pain, body image issues, childhood trauma and grief issues. Currently, she presents The Nia Technique and other
mind-body programs nationally and internationally and maintains a private counseling practice. To learn more about Jule
and her practice, visit www.juleinthelotus.com.
Darrell Cleveland, Jazz, Lyrical Jazz, Contemporary
Darrell received a BA in Accounting from Morehouse
College and received his early dance training from Harrison Dance Studio of Atlanta, Georgia. His professional
dance experience includes Dallas Black Dance Theatre for nine seasons and the Lula Washington Contemporary Dance
Theatre in Los Angeles. Darrel has also worked with renowned artists such as En Vogue, Toni Braxton & Monica. He
has also performed in stage productions, including Nickelodeon Children's Kids Choice Awards, Soul Train, Showtime at
the Apollo, & Centennial Olympic Park Festival; as well as appeared in commercials for the Texas Lottery. He
has also performed in various industrial events such as Mary Kay Cosmetics.
Whitney Robins Holley, Ballet, Pointe & Combo
Whitney started
dancing with Ballet Lubbock under Suzanne Aker and later Yvonne Racz. She was a member of the performing company throughout
high school and attended various summer programs in New York, Austin, and Kansas City. She attended the University of Utah
with an academic scholarship as a Ballet Major and worked with several renowned teachers. She returned to Lubbock where she
taught for 3 years and began choreographing for the company. In 2006, Whitney moved to Dallas where she instructed for
the Hathaway Academy of Ballet and served as ballet mistress for Collin County Ballet Theater. She is very proud to be a
member of the faculty of CBD. Melissa
Nagel, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Combo Melissa is an honor
graduate of Ohio State University where she majored in Dance Choreography. She trained with Chamberlain Ballet School and
attended summer programs at School of American Ballet (SAB) and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Upon graduation, Ms. Nagel
danced as a trainee for Ballet Magnificat and toured the west coast with Sidewalk Productions (a professional dance group
formed by Youth with a Mission. She then earned her associates degree in dance at Collin County Community College under
the instruction of Tiffanee Arnold. While at CCCC, she student taught, choreographed for several shows, attended American
College Dance festival, and performed with Tiffanee’s, "Collin Dance Ensemble." Melissa then transferred to
Ohio State University were she studied choreography, music, digital video editing (for media related works), kinesiology,
yoga, pilates, lighting, and production. She’s taken technique classes from many teachers with styles in Taylor technique,
Graham, Tricia Brown, Ailey, Chinese Opera, Royal Ballet, Cunningham, and Mark Morris. -
Courtne' Shed,
Tap, Jazz/ Hip hop, Combo From San Antonio, TX, Courtné received her B.S. in Biology
and minored in Chemistry from Prairie View A&M University. She has received training from Northeast School of the Arts
in San Antonio, Classic Dance Ensemble, and Earle Cobb Dance Studio. Ms. Shed was a former member
of Dallas Black Dance Theatre II. She has studied under many choreographers such as Nicholas Young, Barbara
Phillip, Dena Mabry, Sarah Jo Fazio, Allyne D. Gartrell to name a few. Courtne’ really enjoys sharing
her passion of dance to others.
Tay
Taylor Stewart, Adult Ballet, Ballet, Combo, guest teacher Taylor received her 10 years of classical training from Hugh Nini
of Denton Ballet Academy. During this time, she had the priviledge of traveling to the south of France for a 3 week
ballet intensive with Mme. Villers of the Paris Opera Ballet. She attended college at SMU and received her BFA
in Dance Performance in 2008 where she studied vernacular jazz, Martha Graham, and Balanchine techniques. She has performed
professionally with The Fesitval Ballet of North Central Texas and is currently dancing with Contemporary Ballet Dallas.
_ Shelley Zadina, Hip-hop, substitute Shelley Zadina received her degree in Marketing and Management from Abilene Christian University.
While in school, Shelley studied hip hop, ballet and tap and was a member of the Chamilion Performing Arts Company under the
direction of Teri Wilkerson. Upon returning to Dallas after school, Shelley continued to pursue her passion for music
and dance and participated in the Garland Summer Musicals and the Parker Square Playhouse. Shelley
particularly enjoyed performing for the Arena Football League with the Dallas Desperados Dancers under the direction
of Jenny Durbin. Shelley has been working professionally in telecommunications sales for seven years, however, continues to
spread her love and passion for dance and music and is extremely excited to be a part of the School of Contempory Ballet Dallas
staff. Gregory King, Adult Beg/Int Jazz, Adult Musical Theatre Gregory King started his training
at The Washington Ballet. He later studied at the American University before participating in The Horton Project in collaboration
with The Library of Congress. He continued to study at Dance Theatre of Harlem and The Alvin Ailey School. Gregory has performed
with The Washington Ballet, Rebecca Kelly Ballet, Eric Hawkins Dance Company, New York Theatre Ballet, Donald Byrd/ The Group,
The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and recently was seen on Broadway in Disney’s The Lion King. He has been
a guest teacher at Texas Ballet Theatre, Camp Broadway, Lake Placid Performing Arts, The Chappaqua Summer Program and in the
Public Schools here in Dallas as a Teaching Artist. Gregory is currently on faculty at Park Cities Dance, where he teaches
Contemporary Jazz. Gregory is also a Master degree candidate at Southern Methodist University where he also teaches Jazz.
Jill Rucci, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary
Jazz, Combo Jill S Rucci graduated from Dean college with a degree in Dance. She also
studied at Alvin Ailey and completed two intensive certificate programs. Miss Rucci has trained, taught,
performed, and presented her choreography in many cities including but not limited to Boston, Los Angeles, and New York.
Jill was a dancer for the New Jersy Squires basketball team. She has performed with a variety of dance companies, a
few of them include Bare Bones Dance Co.,and Magna Ba Drum and Dance Company. Miss Rucci found her home in 1999 when
she began dancing for Vissi Dance Theater in NYC. Jill was a principle dancer and a guest choreographer for 10 years with
this company. She is fluent in many different styles of dance and enjoys reaching out to the community as a dancer,
dance teacher and choreographer. Janicka Arthur, Ballet, Adult Ballet, Combo Natalie Young, Administrative Extraordinaire Jillian Cox Emilie Rupp, Adult Beginner/ Intermediate
Ballet Emilie Rupp began her training in
classical ballet 20 years ago with Gilbert Rome and Victorian Vittum-deBittencourt in Houston, Texas. She performed with their
company, Houston Repertoire Ballet, for 7 years; cast in various roles in the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Gisele, Pas de
Trois and other works choreographed by the directors. Growing up she also attended intensive summer workshops at Joffrey Ballet,
Austin Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. While the primary focus of her training was on classical ballet, she
also has experience in modern, jazz and contemporary dance. Since graduating high school, Emilie has been involved with several
dance companies, attained her bachelors in French from University of North Texas and began teaching at Taylor Dance in 2007.
Currently, she is in her third season of dancing with Contemporary Ballet Dallas.
Sarah Smith, Modern/ contemporary Sarah started dancing at the age of four
and has not stopped since. Originally from the small town of Canfield, Ohio, Sarah received a well-rounded dance education
by training in both classical ballet and competition jazz and tap. She moved south of the mason-dixon line
to pursue dance, as a major, at Southern Methodist University. Four years later she obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising
and minor in Religious Studies. Sarah is yoga certified and enjoys incorperating her dance and yoga training into her classes.
Patrick "PK" Smith, Modern/ contemporary From Little Rock, AR, Patrick was introduced to dance while attending Horace Mann Arts/Science
Magnet Jr. High & continued his training at the Centre for the DansArts under the direction of C. Michael Tidwell. Patrick
earned a B.A. in Music from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Currently, he serves as the rehearsal assistant for
Dallas Black Dance Theatre II; recently completing his 4th season. His most recent professional dance experience includes
guest work with HappyNia Dance Theatre and Beckels Dancing Company. He has performed the works of nationally recognized choreographers
such as Christopher Huggins, Allyne D. Gartrell, Nycole Ray, Edmond Giles and Dianne Grigsby. -
Suzy Rossol Matheson, Adaptive Dance & You & Me Baby
(Registered Dance/Movement
Therapist through the American Dance Therapy Association)
Dallas native, Suzy Rossol Matheson, MA, ADTR, received a
BFA in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University and an MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Minor in Counseling Psychology
from Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, NH. Suzy is the new dance/movement therapist for A.R.T.S. for People combining
her work as a dancer, counselor, and therapist to help people experience the healing power of movement through both verbal
and non-verbal expression. Suzy brings with her six years of clinical experience as a dance/movement therapist and has worked
a variety of populations and settings including the elderly, children, developmentally delayed, rehabilitation, psychiatric
and substance abuse. To learn more, visit www.movementexpressions.com. ds _
Lisa Lagravinese, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, substitute Lisa
is originally from Massapequa, NY on Long Island. She trained at the Marianne Anderson School of Dance and attended Long Island
High School of Arts. After graduating high school she journeyed down to Dallas, TX on artistic scholarship to attend SMU as
a dance major. She there received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. Lisa enjoyed performing works by choreographers
as Martha Graham, Balanchine, Sabrina Madison-Cannon and Max Stone and working with renowned teachers as Jeremy Blanton, Karen
Kriete, Myra Woodruff, and Nathan Montoya along with others! She ventured back to NY where she continued training at the Graham
School and Broadway Dance Center along with teaching ballet and modern on Long Island. Lisa is very excited to be back in
Dallas and be part of CBD faculty and to begin her first season with CBD Company and DekaDance. -
Karla Muller, Zumba Karla Muller was born in Durango,
Mexico. She started dancing at the age of four. Throughout the years, she practice Mexican
Folklore , Jazz and Contemporary dance. In 1998 while attending the Universidad Autonoma
de Chihuahua Bellas Artes, Karla danced professionally with the Dance Company and toured throughout Mexico
including Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico, D. F, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She
performed at the Mariachi Festival in New Mexico. Relocating to El Paso TX, she continued
her dancing education at El Paso Community College as long as her Fashion Design career, Taking
Ballroom Classes that include Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Salsa, Merengue, Swing,
Tango, Flamenco, Waltz and Rumba. In 2007 after graduating from the University
of North Texas with two BFA’s one in Fashion Design and the Second one in Fibers
(textiles), Karla got two Certifications in Zumba, Zumba Basic (for beginners and all level fitness) and
Zumba Gold (for older active adults, and people that are restricted in their range motion and wheelchair). Now as a Zumba
Instructor she can share her latin-inspired dance- fitness movements creating a dynamic, exciting and effective fitness system.!d
Juan
Chavez, Contemporary Afro-Cuban , guest teacher Juan
Chavez is a part of the new generation of professional salsa dancers. Juan is best known for his highly musical and technically
challenging choreography, along with his gift for teaching and communicating movement. These aspects have driven his dance
career in Boston for the past five years. He has trained and worked with some of the world's most celebrated salsa companies
and performers, and is admired on dance floors throughout the U.S.
Aside from his work
in dance, Juan is an international presence in Salsa and Afro-Cuban music as a Contemporary Latin violinist. His vast knowledge
of Afro-Latin music and rhythms are evident in his dancing, teaching and choreography. Juan is a visiting instructor
in Dallas through December 2009. For more information visit www.juanpchavez.com. - Alex
Collins, Lyrical Jazz Workshop, Hip-hop, substitute A scholarship graduate of the Edge Performing Art Center in LA, Alex has worked with
choreographers Roger Lee, Gail Durdado, Brian Friedman, David Scott, Leslie Scott, Tabatha & Napoleon,
Teresa Espinosa, Andre Fuentes, and more. He has held master classes in hip hop, lyrical, jazz, in Cancun, Alabama,
and Mexico City to name a few. Alex is new to the Dallas area. j
Evgeny
Lushkin, Ballet, Pointe, Partnering Guest teacher Yelena
Ryabinkina, Vaganova Instructor and honored artist of Russia has described Evgeny Lushkin as "an artist of heroic character,
with excellent natural abilities and musicality. He excels in his masculine technique and has great acting abilities."
He graduated from Perm State Academy of Ballet in Russia in 1998, and shortly thereafter, joined St. Petersburg Ballet as
a principal dancer. He has also performed with Stuttgart Ballet and the Russian State Ballet in Moscow. His repertoire includes
principal roles in Walpurgis Nights, Diana and Acteon, Giselle, Swan Lake, Esmeralda, Don Quixote, Corsaire and The
Nutcracker.
While visiting Moscow, Roy
Kaiser, the director of Pennsylvania Ballet, observed Mr. Lushkin and invited him to perform in his company's gala in 2001.
Mr. Lushkin was delighted to come to the United States and desired to stay. He joined Columbia Classical Ballet in South Carolina
for one season, which afforded him the opportunity to dance in Allegro Brillante, his first Balanchine ballet, and
principal roles in other ballets including Carmina Burana and Four Seasons.
Wishing to see more of
America, Mr. Lushkin became a freelance guest artist, performing extensively with ballet companies nationwide, including the
American Ballet Theatre where he became a full time member of the company for one season. Since then, Mr.
Lushkin has been a regular guest with the professional companies nationwide, performing such roles as Cavalier and Snow King
in The Nutcracker, Bluebird and Rose Adagio Suitor in Sleeping Beauty, and Escamillo the Toreador in Carmen.
In addition to his performance career, Mr. Lushkin has served numerous companies as both a teacher and Assistant Artistic
Director. Mr. Lushkin has now settled in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area where he has been appointed Ballet Director at the Coppell
Dance Center. Additionally, he is offering both private and master classes throughout the metroplex for aspiring talent.
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