Schools
2021/2022 Partner Schools
Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter
Add B. Anderson Middle School
Kearny Elementary School
Fitler Academy Plus School
Tacony Academy Charter School
Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter
Add B. Anderson Middle School
Kearny Elementary School
Fitler Academy Plus School
Tacony Academy Charter School
For 1st grade students, Dance Chance is an instructional program that provides dance lessons to nearly 300 students each year. Established in 2012, the goal of this program is to empower children in underserved communities through instruction that leads to physical, emotional, and artistic growth. Students who show promise and dedication are invited to attend classes at The School of Philadelphia Ballet on scholarship, allowing the company to forge a meaningful bond and sustained impact on future generations of prospective professional dancers.
Specific Objectives:
Rachel began her dance journey at the age of two in Grand Forks, ND. She was fortunate enough to study throughout the United States, but gained much of her pre-professional training at Koresh Dance Company in Philadelphia, PA. After high school she was accepted into the Joffrey Ballet School Trainee program in New York City under the direction of Michael Blake, and went on to earn her BFA with honors in Dance from The University of the Arts. Post graduation, Ms. Neitzke’s professional dancing and passion for teaching has taken her throughout the United States and abroad. Ms. Neitzke served as the Broadway/Theatrical Jazz teacher at the Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School for grades 5-8. She is currently the Ballet Coordinator and Xtensions Performing Group Director at CORE Academy of Movement in Mt. Laurel, NJ and teaches Ballet and Jazz classes at Academy of International Ballet. Ms. Neitzke is thrilled to be a part of the Philadelphia Ballet Community Engagement program this year.
Roberta is a performer, teacher, and choreographer based in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area. She has been training in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern for over twenty years. Her training has taken her to The Bowman School of Dance, Center Stage Dance Studio, Princeton Ballet School, Miami City Ballet, and more. During her career as a dancer Roberta has had the privilege of performing the choreography of Todrick Hall, Derek Hough, Debra McWaters, and Christopher d’Amboise. She also had the honor of performing the original choreography of Bob Fosse restaged by Ben Vereen. Other appearances include: The Atlantic City Ballet, The Broadway Theatre of Pitman, The Ritz Theatre, NYMF, Reverie Dance Theatre, and The Lady Hoofers Junior Company. Roberta has been teaching dance for over eight years. During that time, she has taught for private dance studios in both New Jersey, and Philadelphia, as well as for summer camp programs at The Ritz Theatre and Media Theatre. Select works of choreography include: The Addams Family, 13 The Musical, The Little Mermaid Jr, and Sweet Charity. Roberta is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
Pan American Charter School
Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter
Thomas Holme Middle School
Add B. Anderson Middle School
Conwell Middle Magnet School
The Let’s Dance Program provides after-school dance classes, visits to dress rehearsals and performances for Philadelphia Middle Schools and concludes with a student showcase in which all partner schools join for a collaborative performance. Each year, close to 300 students take lessons in various forms of dance including: Classical Ballet, Jazz, Latin, African dance, and Hip-Hop. The program provides meaningful cultural experiences for students, positively influencing a variety of their behaviors and improving their self-confidence.
Specific Objectives:
Dancing from age four at the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts (home of Philadanco) for Joan Myers Brown’s very first school on 52nd Street, for the past five decades Bonnie has pursued a professional career in dance. A member of Philadanco’s first dance company, she has also worked with new and emerging Motown artists, choreographed for the WDAS Coca – Cola radio Juice dancers, WHYY’S pilot TV show Night Music, and for the youth in Aretha Franklin’s concert performances. Bonnie has taught in both the public and private school systems as well as area dance studios, including the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts. After retiring from the performance stage she continued to work in her field from artist to administrator as the past Director of Development and Finance Officer for Philadanco, Unit Director for Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, Inc. Germantown. In 1992 Bonnie was appointed Executive Director of the International Association of Blacks in Dance working directly with dance legends Joan Myers Brown (Philadanco), Sherrill Berryman Johnson (Images of Cultural Images), Cleo Parker Robinson (Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater), Jeraldyne Blunden (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company) Ann Williams (Dallas Black Dance Theater), Carmen De Lavallade, Donald McKayle, Walter Nicks, Eleo Pomare, Donald Byrd, Chuck Davis (DanceAfrica), Lula Washington (Lula Washington Dance), Louise Jackson and Ronald. K. Brown. In 1999 Bonnie received the highest award bestowed upon dancers “The Bessie Award” (The New York Dance and Performance Award) Special Citation for the International Association of Blacks in Dance. Presently Bonnie has now operates her own school with professional artists from the PA Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Philadanco and Freedom Theater along with teaching in the Pennsylvania Ballet’s Delphi Project, praise dance Bethlehem Baptist Church and with her own touring ministry Chosen Generation. She is the proud mother of two daughters, Erica and Tenille and three grandchildren Laci, Stephen & Chloe who she loves with great admiration.
Victor has been dancing since childhood. Raised in Puerto Rico, Victor’s extensive background provides him knowledge of styles to include Salsa, Hip Hop, Mambo, Merengue, Bachata, and Cha-Cha. Victor has also expanded his training to include Ballroom, Hustle, Ballet, Jazz and African. Victor’s classic style, elegance, and understanding of the natural island rhythms make him a perfect lead for students of any level. A cheerful personality and high energy performance style has earned Victor the reputation of “The Entertainer” in Philadelphia. Victor has taught and choreographed classes for adults and teens as well as routines performed at salsa congresses. Victor’s professional credits also include collaboration with Art In Motion, La Luna and Living in Rhythm and several television appearances in PA, NJ and NY.
Victor has performed regularly in local venues such as Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar in the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ and Philadelphia locations as well as at several weddings, office parties, school functions and other private functions.
Victor teaches group and private lessons daily. He is currently teaching dance for the School District of Philadelphia. He teaches students of all levels and grades. Victor teaches everything from basic movements and music appreciation at the beginner level to choreography development for more advanced students interested in Performance Classes.
Tepra khu Johnson-Corinaldi is a Brooklyn born but Philly raised African percussionists who started his craft at the age of 5. He graduated from Morgan State University and works in multiple fields including education, physical fitness, musical art, health, and wellness. Tepra khu has played for multiple groups and schools in and out of Pennsylvania including, Coppin State University, Temple University, Dance 4 Nia, Freedom Theater, Just Danz, DIP Dance Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania Ballet. His main goal is to continue working in fields of service and continue to experience personal and professional growth.
Julian Darden studied performance and choreography at the Esther Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. As a teaching artist, he has worked with the youth of Philadelphia as an Education Assistant at the Lenfest Center, and a Mentor/Dance Instructor with Upbeat Dance Center, Rain Dance Studio, Elkins Park School, Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School, The Village of Arts and Humanities, Urban Movement Arts and both Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School and Conwell Middle School through the Philadelphia Ballet. Darden was granted the opportunity to teach Umfundalai as an adjunct at Temple University for the fall semester of 2018. As a performing artist, Darden danced with D2D: Dare to Dance Co., Kariamu & Company:Traditions, and the Nance Dance Collective. He has performed at New Freedom Theatre in “The Ballad of Trayvon Martin” (2016) and had his choreography featured in the productions of “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope” (2016) and “Black Nativity” (2016), shared the stage with the Stella Maris Dance Ensemble in Kingston, Jamaica (2017-2019) and participated in the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Darden had the privilege to work as an assistant choreographer and be featured in Saleka Shyamalan’s music video “Clarity” (2020) and Kingsley Ibeneche’s music video “So Kind” (2021). Standing on the shoulders of his mentors Oluko C. Kemal Nance and his Mwalimu Monique Newton Walker, Darden received his professional teaching certification of the Umfundalai dance technique in February 2021
Patricia “Peaches” Jones has served many roles in her life weaving together community, culture, movement, education, and health. She is a dancer, teaching artist, public health professional, educator, and lifelong student. Peaches’ career path was ignited in high school when she was introduced to African dance. This transformational event moved her towards realizing the potential her teachers had always mentioned. In one marking period, she went from being a C student since elementary school to honor roll. She had been dancing from a young age so what made this different? The rhythm, the movement, the touching of history and culture, the connection to community, and a feeling of belonging.
Since that time, Peaches earned a BA with a double major in African American Studies and Urban Studies, a Master’s in Public Administration, and has worked in several capacities on public health and education initiatives. She continues to study African dance and has performed as a member of Les Ballet Shango, Troupe Dada, FlyGround, and Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble. She has traveled to Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Brazil, and Cuba studying African dance in its many different styles and forms. Peaches is grounded in cultivating a connection to rhythm and movement, history and culture, self and community; and she is passionate about sharing this healing practice with others in a safe and supportive environment.
Born and raised in Miami, FL, Isabella Mojares is a freelance dance artist and arts administrator. She holds a BA in Art History and Dance from Kenyon College, where she choreographed and performed in numerous productions, including a restaging of Vaslav Nijinsky’s L’après-midi d’un Faun from the original Labanotation score. Her senior thesis, an original work entitled Presssing, was presented for adjudication at the American College Dance Festival’s East-Central Conference. After graduation, Isa served as a dance fellow through the program ArtistYear, working at a K-8 school in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia. Most recently, she performed with Ani/Malayaworks during the 2021 Fringe Festival. You can find Isa’s work on Vimeo, her writing on the Philadelphia Dance Journal’s website, and Isa herself at a coffee shop in Queen Village.
Karen was born, raised, and educated in Philadelphia. While attending Temple University, Karen began her studies in dance. From there she joined the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO), becoming a principal in 1974. Karen is an art educator for forty years, serving as adjunct instructor of dance at Drexel University and Artistic/Program Director for the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center and Director for the Salem Baptist Praise Dance Ensemble, as well as long term teaching artist for Philadelphia Ballet.
CAPA
KCAPA
Esperanza Academy Charter School
Northeast High School
Girls High
Franklin Learning Center
Global Leadership Academy
Hallahan Catholic Girls High
Philadelphia Ballet staff mentor select high school students, that have expressed considerable interest in dance, through the process of creating original choreography. The culmination of each student’s workshopping and designing results in the self-produced performance of their new work.
Specific Objectives:
Dancer, Artists, Educator and Producer are just a few words to describe Ms. Jourdan Cooper. With over 23 years of national and international dance training, her passion for dance was cultivated at a very early age. Jourdan is a graduate of Cab Calloway School of Arts in Washington DC and Christina Cultural Arts Center in Wilmington DE. In her teen years Jourdan embarked upon her professional and teaching career performing in the New York City, Philadelphia and DC metropolitan areas. During her senior year at Duke Ellington, she was awarded the opportunity to write a published article featured in Black Dance Magazine. Upon graduating from Duke Ellington she went on to study Dance at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia PA and graduate from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, NY. At age 17 she began her professional dance career by performing as a company member with Philadanco’s (Philadelphia Dance Company) second company in Philadelphia PA. By age 20 she began performing as a first company member in ASHA Dance Company in New York City. Jourdan’s dancing has awarded her international performance opportunities in Canada and Venice Italy. She has also performed on BET Networks and has assisted teaching dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Summer Programs. Some of Jourdan’s most recent work has landed her opportunities in academia as an instructor of Dance Arts at Syracuse University, developing and producing dance programming in NYC Public schools with The Leadership Program, and assisting the writing and production of Black Dance Magazine. Soaring a strapping 5 foot 9 inches, Jourdan takes pride in her height and pays homage to pioneer amazonian female dancers such as Courtney Henry, Teresa Reichlen, and the tremendously influential Judith Jamison.
“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion”
… Martha Graham
Cherae Grimes – A graduate of The University of the Arts where she majored in dance (ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, liturgical, pointe). Cherae began
her dance training at the age of three, at The Spring School of The Arts Preschool while also studying West African Dance under Vena Jefferson and Hodari Banks at The Children of Shango. It became apparent that Cherae was built for the stage at the age of five while studying at Philadanco. In 2001 Cherae began studying at the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center which is where she made the decision to pursue dance for life. Cherae became a member of the Point Breeze Dance Company (PBDC) at the age of seven, putting in long hours for rehearsals under the company manager Charon Mapp (Muffin). Cherae continued to work and study under Charon through Creative
Expressions Dance Company and Creative Expressions Camp. She has been a member of Eleone Connections, the pre-professional company to Eleone Dance Theatre and currently in season as a member of Eleone Dance Theatre.
Cherae continues to keep a tight dance schedule seeking any opportunity to learn from dance greats such as Anthony Burrell, an Alumni of PBDC, Debbie Allen, Karen McDonald, Assane Konte with Kankouran West African Dance Company, Tessandra Chavez, Ian Eastwood, Laurieanne Gibson, Gil
Duldulao, Brian Friedman, and Tyce Diorio from The Pulse On Tour, as well as local greats such as Wayne St. David, Molly Misgalla, Tommie Waheed, Kim Bears-Bailey, Roni Koresh, Martha Chamberlin, Eva Szabo, Denis Gronostayskiy, Riolama Lorenzo, Kathryn (Katie) Swords- Thurman, through her affiliation with UArts and Eleone.
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With experience as an arts administrator of a 501c3 dance organization, and a performing artist/choreographer, I hope to further the education of global performing arts to a wide range of communities within the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Cherae Grimes is a multimedia artist raised and currently based in Philadelphia. She received her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of the Arts. She has also trained at Phialdanco, Pointe Breeze, Creative Expressions and Eleone Dance Unlimited. She performed professionally with the Anthony Burrell Dance Project as well as Eleone Dance Theatre. Cherae explores her creative passion through expressive contemporary movement, photography and film. Her work aims to motivate people to experience the true essence of evolution and freedom.
Meredith Rainey began dancing at 15 in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale. In 1985, he joined the Milwaukee Ballet. In 1987, he was invited to join the newly formed Pennsylvania-Milwaukee Ballet, remaining with the Pennsylvania Ballet when the collaboration ended—spending the majority of the time as a soloist—until his retirement in 2006.
Among other awards and fellowships, Meredith has been the recipient of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship (1995 & 2002), the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Artist as Catalyst Grant (2001), the Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts (2002), a finalist for the Pew Fellowship in the Arts (2003), and a Pew Center for Arts and Heritage Grant (2010).
Meredith has been commissioned to create works for Pennsylvania Ballet, now Philadelphia Ballet, Ballet X, Delaware Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, National Ballet De Cali, Danse4Nia Repertory Ensemble and institutions such as University of the Arts, Drexel University, Stockton University, Goucher College, Swarthmore College and Bryn Mawr College. His work has been performed in North and South America and throughout Spain.
In 2009 Meredith founded and directed Carbon Dance Theatre, a contemporary ballet company in Philadelphia. In 2014 after deciding to concentrate on more artistic projects Meredith closed the company and remained a sought-after teacher, mentor, and independent choreographer. In the Summer of 2018 Meredith became a member of the first University of the Arts Master of Fine Arts in Dance cohort and graduated in May of 2020.
Students throughout the Philadelphia area are invited to attend school-day matinees of select Philadelphia Ballet programs. This one-of-a-kind experience provides an up-close look at a professional ballet. These experiences are supplemented with curriculum guides and interactive educational programming at the beginning of the program and during intermission, helping prepare students for attendance and fostering a deeper understanding of ballet and its stories.
For the 2021 2022 season we will not be offering student matinees. If interested in registering for next season student matinees please contact Randy Benedict at [email protected]
Programs for individuals with all abilities, MADE (Movement, Access, Dance Enrichment), encompasses partnership with St. Katherine Day School in Wynnewood to offer regular dance classes for students ages 5-16 and at Philadelphia Ballet studios to provide a weekly class for students with developmental disabilities ages 10-16. Studies continue to show that exposure to dance increases social and physical functions of participating students, equipping them with the tools for physical fitness and relationships with others.
Specific Objectives:
Valerie Amiss began her training at age eight under Sue Millington at the Regency Ballet. She continued her instruction with Victor Moreno and Alexei Yudenich, and at age 12 joined the School of Pennsylvania Ballet, now known as School of Philadelphia Ballet. At age 15, Ms. Amiss spent a summer studying in Saratoga Springs, NY with members of New York City Ballet, including Peter Martins, Heather Watts, and Jock Soto. She was nominated for the prestigious Princess Grace Award in 1994, and in 1995 performed at the Algur H. Meadows Award Ceremony to honor choreographer, Paul Taylor. In the summer of that same year, she also performed with the Chautauqua Ballet Company, directed by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride, and, in 1997, performed at the St. Bart’s Music Festival.
Philadelphia Ballet provides weekly classes for blind and low vision clients of Associated Services for the Blind. As part of this partnership, regular visits to performances at the Academy of Music are included for participants to enjoy audio described Philadelphia Ballet season programs.
Specific Objectives:
Karen was born, raised, and educated in Philadelphia. While attending Temple University, Karen began her studies in dance. From there she joined the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO), becoming a principal in 1974. Karen is an art educator for forty years, serving as adjunct instructor of dance at Drexel University and Artistic/Program Director for the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center and Director for the Salem Baptist Praise Dance Ensemble, as well as long term teaching artist for Philadelphia Ballet.
Coming soon!
