MMAC Presents a Contemporary Master Class with Alex Wong 1/15

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center presents a Contemporary Master Class with Alex Wong, a former Principal Soloist with Miami City Ballet and Finalist on Season 7 of "So You Think You Can Dance," on Saturday, January 15, 2011 from 12:00 - 1:30pm at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, 248 W. 60th Street, NYC (between Amsterdam and West End Avenues). The class is $20. Registration is available at www.manhattanmovement.com/event/alex-wong-at-mmac/.

Alex Wong was born in Canada and began his tap and jazz training at the age of seven. At age ten, he started his ballet studies with the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Canada. In 2000, Alex won two Junior World Titles in Tap and Showdance. Awarded with the Royal Academy of Dancing Solo Seal, Alex won the Audience Choice Award and was a Bronze Medalist in the 2003 Genée International Ballet Competition. In 2004, he became the first Canadian to win the Prix de Lausanne competition in Switzerland, and later that year joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company. In 2005, Alex danced briefly with American Ballet Theatre before joining Miami City Ballet. In early 2007, Alex was promoted to the rank of soloist at MCB. Alex's repertoire of leading roles include Balanchine's Symphony In Three Movements, Agon, Western Symphony, The Nutcracker; Twyla Tharp's Push Comes to Shove, In the Upper Room, The Golden Section; Mark Morris's Silhouettes; Edward Villela's Don Quixote; Paul Taylor's Funny Papers; Bournonville's Conservatory; Stephen Mill's Hush; Anton Dolin's Variations for Four and La Fille Mal Gardée. In 2009, Alex chose to audition for the FOX dance series "So You Think You Can Dance." He was selected for the final Top 20 but was forced to withdraw due to contractual issues with the Miami City Ballet. After his SYTYCD season five audition, Alex was promoted again to the rank of principal soloist at MCB. In 2010, Alex was offered a position as principal dancer at MCB but declined the offer to pursue another shot at SYTYCD. He went through another grueling Vegas week, but again made the Top 10 contestants for season seven. Although often referred to as the favorite to win, Alex had to withdraw from the competition due to injury.

About Manhattan Movement & Arts Center
Manhattan Movement & Arts Center was developed by Rose Caiola as the home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet, a graded, pre-professional ballet academy and performance company. Ms. Caiola, a former dancer and actress, founded the academy in the fall of 1994 as Studio Maestro at 48 W. 68th Street, and serves today as the youth ballet's executive artistic director.

The school is modeled after the European academies and adheres to the French School of classical ballet technique. Under the direction of Francois Perron, managing artistic director, the Manhattan Youth Ballet has acquired a reputation for excellent teaching in an intimate and individually supportive environment. The school's graduates have danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet de España, San Francisco Ballet and Complexions.

As the ballet academy grew, the search for a larger space inspired in Ms. Caiola a highly personal vision of a studio and theater complex that would encompass all aspects of dance education and performance.

mmac opened its doors in June 2008, occupying a dramatic bi-level space within The Element, a luxury high-rise condominium located to the southwest of Lincoln Center. In addition to the Manhattan Youth Ballet, mmac's studios and theater host daily adult dance and fitness classes, the mmac Kids program, summer intensive programs, as well as an array of performances and special events.

For more information about mmac, visit www.manhattanmovement.com