Dance Theatre of Tennessee Debuts New Series of Master Classes With DeJesus, Calvert

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Ron De Jesus will help Dance Theatre of Tennessee launch  its Master Class Series— a series of innovative in-studio classes focusing on different styles, taught by some of the most celebrated experts in the professional performing field.

World-renowned dance and ballet masters will lead and teach intermediate to advance and professional level classes created from their unique experiences.  Classes are open to the public, with a maximum class size of 35 attendees. The cost to participate is $15 for students and community members.

The Master Class Series kicks off with De Jesus, the award-winning dancer and choreographer. A Chicago native, De Jesus has danced with Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater, Joseph Holmes Dance Theater, Chicago Repertory Dance Ensemble, and for 17 years has been principal dancer with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

In 2001, he was handpicked by Twyla Tharp to be in the original cast of her ground breaking Billy Joel musical Movin’ Out. De Jesus is also a repetiteur for Twyla Tharp and “Black Swan” the movie choreographer Benjamin Millipied, setting and staging their ballets for companies worldwide.

DeJesus’ master class will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on Saturday, February 4.

In March, the Master Class Series will host Stacey Calvert, soloist with the New York City Ballet as a for almost two decades and now a representative of NYCB as an official repetiteur and restager for the George Balanchine Trust, setting ballets by George Balanchine for companies worldwide.

Calvert’s master class will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30p.m. on Saturday, March 3.

True to its mission of bringing the beauty of dance and magic of ballet to the people, Dance Theatre of Tennessee shares with the community the experience of working with distinguished dance professionals first hand. This affords students and community members the opportunity to learn from the very best in their field locally. Other master teachers are already being lined up for the rest of the season and will be announced after this initial series.

This inaugural Master Class Series is presented in partnership with Metro Arts Nashville. All classes will be held at the Dance Theatre of Tennessee Center for Dance located at 2710 Old Lebanon Rd., suite 15, Nashville. Master class fee is $15 for students and community members.

For more information and to reserve your spot, please visit the company website at www.dancetheatretn.org, or call (615) 391-5500 or you may email DTT at dance@dancetheatretn.org.

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