Robert Hartwell Will Launch THE BROADWAY DANCE COLLECTIVE Master Class Tour on 1/24

Broadway veteran and Broadway Quick Change host, Robert Hartwell today announced the launch of The Broadway Dance Collective, a traveling, multi-disciplinary musical theater master class for youth.

Designed as a fresh approach to the market model of Broadway master classes, The Broadway Dance Collective will offer musical theatre jazz, broadway tap, and vocal performance technique for aspiring Broadway dancers in an action-packed four-hour master class in select locations all over the U.S. The master class will be taught by working Broadway professionals.

"Broadway is filled with the most stunning dancers on the planet. My goal with The Broadway Dance Collective is to connect students in local dance studios across the country with Broadway's finest dancers," says Hartwell. "Every student has a story, and I believe I was placed on this Earth to help them tell it more joyfully."

Since making his Broadway debut in 2009, Hartwell has dazzled audiences in Motown the Musical, Dreamgirls, Cinderella, Nick Work If You Can Get It and Memphis. But Hartwell notes, his offstage work has always held a special place in his life. "I have always been an entrepreneur at heart and I couldn't fight the call of building my own teaching company any longer...2016 is the year of the doer."

In addition to his Broadway accolades, Hartwell has worked as a teacher for Broadway Connection, Broadway Artists Alliance, Open Jar Productions, Broadway Classroom and The University of Michigan's Musical Theatre Department (his alma mater). "To work with Robert is not only to experience visionary choreography, but a gain for greater understanding of character development, stage presence and authenticity," testifies Christina Maxwell, a student of his master class.

The Broadway Dance Collective was created to share the necessary tools with students to best navigate the ever-evolving Broadway industry. To share their knowledge and skill, Hartwell has enlisted the help of fellow working performers (and industry veterans) as teaching artists for the duration of the tour. Teaching artists include (but not limited to): Krisha Marcano (The Color Purple, Aida, Fosse, Sweet Charity, Motown), Jarran Muse (Motown, White Christmas, 42nd St, Hairspray, American Idiot), and Jamison Scott (Memphis, Hairpsray, Motown, Spiderman, Grease).

The BDC teaching quartette notes, "We are going into this venture knowing that it's bigger than any of us and that our sole mission is to create a channel for students to express themselves on a higher level than they knew possible."

The Broadway Dance Collective will hold 21 classes in local markets throughout the country. The locations are currently lined up in parallel with the Motown the Musical tour schedule. However, the end goal is to globally link The Broadway Dance Collective to other tours and education centers.

"Robert passes on a high intensity of joy and gives honest direction in what it takes to make this profession a reality. His program was one of the most talked about workshops by both students and parents as he is so much more than a random teacher walking into your studio. He becomes family and genuinely cares about your students futures in the world of theatre," says Kirstie Spadie, a studio owner from North Carolina.

The BDC classes will begin January 24th in New Orleans, LA, at The NOCCA Institute and will run nationwide until July 2016. Check local dates and register for BDC classes in your hometown here or find more information at http://www.bwaycollective.com.

The Broadway Dance Collective is a four-hour master class for young students taught by working Broadway dance professionals in local dance studios throughout the country. The class rotates students through 3 different areas of concentration (musical theater jazz, Broadway tap, and vocal performance technique for dancers). Every student will get to work with every Broadway teaching artist. The BDC equips students with the tools to navigate the ever-evolving demands of the industry. The day ends with an industry Q&A and parent performance. Find out more information at www.bwaycollective.com.

MASTER CLASS DATES: New Orleans, LA (January 24th), Naples, FL (January 31st), Miami, FL (February 7th), West Palm Beach (February 14th), Nashville, TN (February 21st), Columbus, OH (February 28th), Madison, WI (March 6th), Baltimore, MD (March 13th), East Lansing, MI (March 20th), Hartford, CT (March 27th), Toledo, OH (April 3rd), Appleton, WI (April 10th), Louisville, KY (April 17th), Jacksonville, FL (April 24th), Austin, TX (May 1st), San Antonio (May 8th), Sacramento, CA (May 29th), Seattle, WA (June 4th), Portland, OR (June 19th), San Jose, CA (June 26th), and Salt Lake City, UT (July 3rd).

ADDITIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS : Ryan Steele (Matilda, Newsies, Billy Elliot), Cameron Adams (She Loves Me, Gigi, Nice Work, How To Succeed, Promise, Promises), Charlie Williams (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, How To Succeed, Memphis), Grasan Kingsberry(The Color Purple, Motown, Leap of Faith, Catch Me If You Can, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Andy Jones(Cinderella, Bullets Over Broadway), Preston Dugger (Motown, Memphis), Cody Williams (Memphis, On The Town, Cinderella), Monette McKay (Mama Mia, Memphis, Spiderman), and Samantha Sturm (Matilda, Addams Family, Nice Work, and On The Town).