Ballet Academy Appoints New Principal Of Pre-Professional Division

New York City's leading center for complete ballet education, Ballet Academy East (BAE) today announced the appointment of Jenna Lavin as Principal of the BAE Pre-Professional Division. A BAE faculty member since 2003, Lavin has been teaching ballet to young dancers throughout her career and has choreographed over 20 ballets for Ballet Academy East.

"I am so thankful that Jenna has enthusiastically agreed to accept this newly created position," said Julia Dubno, founder and director of BAE. "The addition of the role of principal will provide an enhanced educational experience for our students." Jenna Lavin danced professionally with the Chicago City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and as a soloist with the Miami City Ballet under the direction of Edward Villella where she danced principal roles. She began her ballet training with Mme. Gabriela Darvash and Jody Fugate, and later graduated from the School of American Ballet where she studied with such teachers as Alexandria Danilova, Antonia Tumkovsky, and Stanley Williams. Jenna has worked with numerous choreographers, creating principal roles in ballets by Alonzo King, Lisa de Ribere, and Stanton Welch, to name a few.

According to Darla Hoover, artistic director of the BAE Pre-Professional Division, Jenna brings many gifts to the BAE Pre-Professional Division. "Her expertise in teaching all levels, from level one all through way up to our most advanced dancers in level nine, allows her to have an impact on every student in the program. Jenna's brilliant choreography is evident in the over two dozen ballets currently in BAE's repertory. In addition to Jenna's impressive talent and skills, she is passionate about teaching and shares my deep belief in the importance of nurturing our aspiring dancers while maintaining the highest standards of excellence."

The BAE Pre-Professional Division is celebrated for producing technically strong and artistically expressive dancers who are sought after for their professionalism and ability to adapt to a broad range of styles demanded of today's dance professionals. Alumni include Ariel Rose and Petra Love (Miami City Ballet), Siobhan Howley (Pennsylvania Ballet), Hannah Marshall (American Ballet Theatre), and Erica Pereira (New York City Ballet), to name a few. The comprehensive ballet training is combined with professional-caliber performance opportunities.

The year-round curriculum includes technique, pointe, partnering, variations, stretch, men's classes, modern and character. Students are ages seven to 19 and are accepted through an audition process. "I am absolutely thrilled to be named as Principal of Ballet Academy East's Pre-Professional Division," said Lavin. "I look forward to playing a larger role in guiding each of our students toward their goals, and to working with Darla, Julia and the entire faculty and staff to support the needs of our growing BAE community."

With a vision of inspiring dancers of all ages and levels to achieve their greatest potential, director, Julia Dubno, founded Ballet Academy East (BAE) in 1979. Today BAE is New York City's leading center for complete ballet education, internationally recognized for its exceptional training. The school's Young Dancer, Pre- Professional and Adult Divisions nurture students' physical and emotional well-being, build technical skills, and develop artistry. Under the guidance of Artistic Director Darla Hoover BAE's Pre-Professional Division offers comprehensive ballet training with professional-caliber performance opportunities to prepare students for success in the dance world. BAE's proven syllabus creates technically strong, artistically expressive dancers who adapt easily to the broad range of styles required of today's professionals. balletacademyeast.com

To post a comment, you must register and login.