Usdan Center For the Performing Arts, the nationally renowned summer arts day camp which has introduced the arts to more than 50,000 young people, announces that Maurice Brandon Curry, a director/choreographer/educator, and former Director of the Joffrey Ballet School, will become Chairperson of the Usdan Center Dance Department beginning in the summer of 2010.
Usdan has also announced that former American Ballet Theater/Joffrey Ballet star
Dennis Nahat, who is Artistic and Executive Director of Ballet San Jose, CA, will be a Visiting Master Teacher this summer, directing selected classes at Usdan. As a choreographer, Nahat has more than a hundred choreographic credits in film ("The Turning Point") television, on Broadway and with major ballet companies of the world.
Usdan's Executive Director, Dale Lewis, recently spoke about Mr. Curry's appointment: "We are honored to have a Chairman of the international stature and talent of Maurice Brandon Curry. A celebrated dancer, choreographer, and educator, Maurice has introduced the magic of dance into the lives of thousands of young people, and has guided many into successful professional careers. We are thrilled to have this distinguished and dedicated educator at the helm of Usdan' Dance Department."
Maurice Brandon Curry has directed, choreographed and produced events around the world. His ballets are in active repertoires of numerous companies and his competition choreography has won awards at the Prix de Lausanne and the Varna International Ballet Competition. His students dance with
American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, the
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and with dozens of other companies.
In addition to a celebrated career as a director, choreographer, and educator, Mr. Curry has developed a distinguished reputation as an arts administrator. He has worked in both an artistic and/or administrative capacities for DancEllington (directed by
Mercedes Ellington), Lexington Repertory Dance Theatre (SC), the Usdan Center for the Performing Arts, Repertory Dance Theatre (PA), and Jazz Dance America. Additionally, Mr. Curry was the Director of Educational Programs for the Joffrey Ballet School. Mr. Curry has served on the board of directors for dre.dance (a company directed by
Andrew Palermo and
Taye Diggs), Bangor Ballet, and is currently on the advisory board of DANCER magazine. In addition to his BFA in Choreography, Mr. Curry holds a degree in Digital Filmmaking and Multimedia. He is currently the Creative Director for the NYC-based
Production Company, Innovative Arts and Media and part of the creative team at Bad Boys of Dance.
Usdan Center's 43rd season of more than 40 programs in music, dance, theater, visual arts, creative writing, nature and ecology and chess begins June 28, 2010. In addition, advanced ballet students entering the 11th and 12th grades who would like to apply for the selective Dance Staff Internships, which is a paid internship program, can contact Mr. Dale Lewis at Usdan Center For the Creative and Performing Arts's New York City office, 420 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone (212) 772-6060.
Usdan Center, now entering its 43rd season, has introduced the arts to more than 50,000 Tri-State Area children since its founding in 1968. The Center, on a 200-acre woodland setting at 185 Colonial Springs Road in Huntington, is open to all young people from age 6 to 18. No audition is needed for most programs - rather, admission is based on an expression of interest in the arts. Each summer, 1,600 students are transported to the Center in air-conditioned buses every day. One-third of Usdan's students attend on
scholarship. Although the mission of the Center is for every child to establish a relationship with the arts, the unique stimulation of the Center has caused many to go on to arts careers. Alumni include singers
Jane Monheit and
Mariah Carey, actresses
Natalie Portman and
Lisa Gay Hamilton, and members of major music, theater, and dance ensembles such as the Boston Pops and the NewYork City Ballet. Usdan Center is an agency of the UJA-Federation of New York
