Ballet Hawaii is excited to announce our Virtual Master Class series for Intermediate and Advanced dancers! We have gathered an incredible, diverse faculty for this exciting program, including dancers from international companies. Please read below for more details.
July 20 – July 31
M/T/W/Th/F via Zoom
9:00-10:30am HST (12:00-1:30pm PST, 3:00-4:30pm EST)
10-Day Tuition: $250
Each day will feature a 1 hr 30 min Virtual Master Class with one of the following guest teachers: Erica De La O, Sonia Dvorak, Francisco Estevez, Robert Fairchild, Katherine Hartsell, Tracy Jones, Lesley Rausch, Cira Robinson, Margaret Severin-Hansen, and Kristopher Wojtera
July 20 – July 31
M/W/F via Zoom
9:00-10:30am HST (12:00-1:30pm PST, 3:00-4:30pm EST)
6-Day Tuition: $150
Each day will feature a 1 hr 30 min Virtual Master Class with one of the following guest teachers: Danielle Tolmie, Mark Tucker, and Katie Williams
Erica De La O is from East Los Angeles, CA. She discovered dance through her Godmother Martha Baldwin. Erica trained at Le Studio Pasadena Dance Theatre and continued her studies with Daylena Ruiz. Erica joined Louisville Ballet in 2003. Highlights include (Sylph) La Sylphide, Giselle (Giselle), (Odette/Odile) Swan Lake, Alun Jones’ (Juliet) Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella (Cinderella), (Kitri) Quixote, Helen Starr’s staging of Les Sylphides (little Waltz), Curran’s Coppélia (Swanhilda), Caniparoli’s Seasons (The Sparrow), A Cinderella Story (Nancy), Lady of the Camellias (Marguerite/Olympe) and Marie and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Brown-Forman Nutcracker. Ashton’s Les Patineurs (Blue Girl), Principal in Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Rubies, Concerto Baroque, Square Dance, Who Cares, Agon, and Western Symphony. Prokovsky’s Three Musketeers (Milady), Hougland’s Cold Virtues and Fragile Stasis, Stevenson’s Four Last Songs, Tharp‘s Nine Sinatra Songs, Picket’s Etesian, Choo-San Goh’s In the Glow of Night, Taylor’s Company B, Ma Cong’s Tethered Pulse, Jervies’ Human Abstract, Riley’s Sacred Shifts among others. Recently she debuted her first full-length ballet of Cleopatra at Shakespeare in the Park. She was honored with an award from Kentucky Woman’s Foundation in 2019. She medaled at the Music Center Spotlight Awards, received the John Orr Award, Pasadena Arts Council. Erica holds an MFA from Hollins University and is a Hadley Creatives artist.
Sonia Dvorak received her early training at the Ithaca Ballet and finished her schooling at Canada’s National Ballet School where she received the Christopher Ondaatje Award and the Peter Dwyer Award upon graduation. Since 2011 she has been dancing in Europe as a Soloist, first working with Ballett Kiel followed by Ballett am Rhein. Sonia Dvorak has performed featured roles in works by Jerome Robbins, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Hans van Manen, Jiří Kylián, Martha Graham, Martin Schläpfer and George Balanchine as well as originated many new works. Since beginning her professional career, she has performed all over Germany and toured to Japan, Russia, Taiwan, Spain, Israel, and Austria. As of September 2020 she will continue dancing under the direction of Martin Schläpfer with the Vienna State Ballet.
Born in Quito, Ecuador, Francisco moved to the USA in 1995. He began his ballet training in Louisville, Kentucky and at the age of 16 moved to finish his professional training at the School of American Ballet in New York where he also performed featured roles with New York City Ballet. Upon graduating in 2008, Francisco joined Boston Ballet where he danced for two years before joining the Barcelona Ballet under the direction of Angel Corella in 2010, where he danced various soloist and principal roles. Francisco joined Colorado Ballet during the 2012-2013 season, was promoted to Soloist in 2015 and then to Principal in 2019.
Robert Fairchild made his Broadway debut in 2015 with his breakout role as “Jerry Mulligan” in the Tony Award-winning musical AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, which he reprised in London in 2017. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance By An Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and the Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Performance, and won the 2015 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, the 2015 Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer, the 2015 Theatre World Award, and the National Dance Award UK. He was also nominated for the 2015 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.
As one of the world’s preeminent dancers, Robert Fairchild began dancing at the age of four in Salt Lake City. He began his balletic training at the School of American Ballet at the age of 15 and shortly after rose through the ranks of the prestigious New York City Ballet. He became an apprentice with NYCB in June 2005. The following June, he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet, was promoted to Soloist in May 2007 and to Principal Dancer in October 2009. He recently performed his farewell performance with the company last October.
Theater: Monster in “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein” at Signature Theater (Chita Rivera Award); Harry Beaton in “Brigadoon” at New York City Center; Jerry Mulligan in “An American in Paris” on Broadway and the West End; Will Parker in “Oklahoma” at the Royal Albert Hall for the “BBC Proms”; Mike Costa in “A Chorus Line” at the Hollywood Bowl; Bill Calhoun in “Kiss Me Kate” for Roundabout Theater Company’s 2017 Gala. TV: “Mixtape” FOX Pilot; “Julie’s Greenroom” on Netflix; BBC Proms “Oklahoma”; Romeo in NYCB’s “Romeo and Juliet” and Carousel Boy in NY Philharmonic’s “Carousel,” both for PBS “Live From Lincoln Center”; “Dancing With The Stars”; “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”; “Live with Kelly and Michael”; “CBS Sunday Morning”; “60 Minutes.” Film: “An American in Paris” Live West End Production; “The Chaperone”; “NY Export: Opus Jazz.”
Fairchild originated the role of Romeo in Peter Martins’ Romeo and Juliet featured in the PBS Live From Lincoln Center television broadcast. Last season Fairchild played the role of Carousel Boy in the NY Philharmonic’s Emmy nominated production of Carousel directed by John Rando and choreographed by Warren Carlyle.
He is a Recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise at The School of American Ballet.
Katherine brings a lifelong exploration of movement to her teaching. Her appreciation for human potential is shaped by many years in the dance world and as a former corps de ballet member with Boston Ballet. As a licensed physical therapist assistant, her conditioning classes prioritize sustainable, healthy movement. Through studies with Bo Forbes and Embodied Awareness, Katherine also taught yoga for many years. Various mindfulness practices play a central role in her approach to movement and well-being. Students can expect to feel both challenged and supported in her classes. Outside the studio, Katherine owns Jai-Dee Dancewear, a sustainable leotard company dedicated to supporting female artists. She currently lives in Boston and is learning the humbling art of Motherhood under directorship of her daughter
Born in Cork, Ireland, Tracy started dancing at the age of five with Ballet Theatre Ireland. At 11, she went on to train at The Royal Ballet School in London. During her graduate year, she performed with the Royal Ballet Company in many of their productions and joined them on their 2007 International tour to Mexico and the USA. Upon graduating, Tracy joined the English National Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member where she performed throughout the UK and toured to Beijing, China. Tracy was a founding member of the Barcelona Ballet under the direction of Angel Corella from 2008 to 2012, where she toured worldwide, performing various soloist and principal roles. Tracy joined Colorado Ballet in 2013 and was promoted to Soloist in 2017.
Lesley Rausch is from Columbus, Ohio. She studied with Shir Lee Wu at Columbus Youth Ballet and also trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Ms. Rausch joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as member of the corps de ballet in 2001. She was promoted to soloist in 2007 and principal in 2011.
Ms. Rausch has performed as a guest artist with Chicago Dancing Festival (Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun), Lafayette Ballet Theatre (Snow pas de deux and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker), Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival (Balcony pas de deux from Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Cylindrical Shadows), and Nevada Ballet Theatre (Titania in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
In addition to her performing career, Ms. Rausch has been a guest teacher at Ballet Hawaii, Evergreen City Ballet, New American Youth Ballet, and Punahou Dance School. She also is on the faculty of Pacific Northwest Ballet School.
Ms. Rausch is a Stott Certified Pilates Instructor.
Cira was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she began dancing at the age of eight. After graduating from the Performing Arts School in 2004, she moved to New York to dance full-time with the Dance Theater of Harlem. During her three years there, she performed at the White House for the President of the United States, as well as the Protégé Festival. In 2008, Cira travelled to the United Kingdom for the first time to join Ballet Black. In the summer that year, she danced with Ballet Identity in Los Angeles, before returning to Ballet Black in November. Since 2008, she has danced in Ballet Black commissions by Martin Lawrance, Richard Alston, Henri Oguike, Liam Scarlett and Robert Binet to name a few. She created the role of one of the Furies in Will Tuckett’s Orpheus (2011) and the lead role of Nola in Ballet Black’s production of Storyville, choreographed for BB by Christopher Hampson in 2012 and reprised the part in 2016. In 2013 she was featured in War Letters (Christopher Marney) and received her first nomination for Outstanding Classical dancer at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards in 2014. She also created the role of Titania in Arthur Pita’s Ballet Black production of A Dream Within a Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Serpent in Second Coming (choreographed by Mark Bruce). In 2016, she was a featured dancer in Arthur Pita’s Cristaux, and in 2017, was a lead dancer in the revival of Martin Lawrance’s Captured. She also created the role of Red in Red Riding Hood by Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa. In 2017, Cira, along with Company Founder, Cassa Pancho, collaborated with renowned British ballet shoe manufacturer, Freed of London, to create two brand new pointe shoe colours to enable dancers of black descent to buy skin-tone pointe shoes ready-made. These are now available to buy worldwide. In 2018, Cira reprised her part as Titania in Dream and created the role of Matilda in The Suit (Cathy Marston). She also teaches regularly at the Ballet Black Junior School and for the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School.
Margaret Severin-Hansen began her training at the Huntington School of Ballet on Long Island, NY. She was accepted into the School of American Ballet and trained there until being accepted into Carolina Ballet in the inaugural season (1998). Ms. Severin-Hansen has also trained with the Royal Danish Ballet and danced with The Royal Ballet of Flanders. At Carolina Ballet, Ms. Severin-Hansen has had many ballets created on her and has danced the majority of the ballets in the repertoire. She has repeatedly been singled out for her artistry and technical merit. In January of 2009, Ms. Severin-Hansen was one of eight graduates of the School of American Ballet personally invited by Peter Martins to perform with New York City Ballet dancers in the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the school. In addition, to being a Principal at Carolina Ballet, Ms. Severin-Hansen is the Artistic Director of the Ruth S. Shur Summer Intensive, Assistant Director of Triangle Academy of Dance in Cary, NC and on the faculty of the School of Carolina Ballet.
Danielle received her early training from Connecticut Dance School and attended the University of Utah where she graduated with a BFA in Ballet Performance and a BS in Business Management. She joined Eugene Ballet Company in 2008 as an apprentice, was promoted to the corps de ballet in 2011, and principal in 2015. During her time with EBC, Danielle has performed numerous lead roles including Aurora, Juliet, Myrtha in Giselle, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Carmen, The Snow Queen, and Anitra in Peer Gynt. She has also been showcased in various contemporary ballets such as Stephanie Martinez’s Wandering On, Amy Seiwert’s White Noise, Jessica Lang’s Solo in Nine Parts, and Val Caniparoli’s Tutto Eccetto Il Lavandino. Danielle is an instructor for Eugene Ballet Academy and also performs and teaches throughout the northwest. She has had the opportunity to perform as a guest artist with Ballet Hawaii in Septime Webre’s Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and as the Dark Angel and Waltz Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade. Last season Danielle was featured as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and in February welcomed her first child, Luca, with her husband and fellow principal dancer Mark Tucker.
Mark Tucker is honored to be taking part in his twelfth season with Eugene Ballet. Mark began his training in his home state of Hawaii. As well as continuing his training in Miami, Houston, and Washington DC, Mark attended The North Carolina School of the Arts where he graduated high school and obtained a BFA in Classical Ballet with a minor in Modern Dance. Mark joined Eugene Ballet in 2008 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2015. Mark has defined his career as a strong partner and has had the opportunity to be a part of the creation of some of Toni Pimble’s more modern ballet’s including Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon and “I Want You” in Pimble’s All You Need is Love. Over the course of his career, Mr. Tucker has had the opportunity to dance an expanding range of roles with choreographers and directors both internationally and from across the country. Septime Webre’s Alice in Wonderland, Mauricio Wainrot’s Anne Frank, Val Caniparoli’s Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino, Salvatore Aiello’s Journey, Head Wrangler in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo, Heather Maloy’s Stranger, as well as works by Jessica Lang, Amy Seiwert, Stephanie Martinez, Devon Carney, Victoria Morgan, Stanton Welch, and EB’s Suzanne Haag to name a few. In 2017, as a guest artist with Ballet Hawaii, he was featured as Waltz Boy in George Balanchine’s Serenade.
Mark began dancing lead roles with EBC in 2012 as the head male in Rite of Spring with, now, Associate Artistic Director Jennifer Martin. He has been featured as the lead male in Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain and more recently premiered the role of Fear in resident choreographer Suzanne Haag’s Firebird. He also enjoys bringing characters to life onstage in roles such as Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Von Rothbart in Swan Lake, and the sultan in Scheherazade. In 2015 Mark starred alongside his wife, EBC Principal Dancer Danielle Tolmie, in Pimble’s Carmen. “Dancing the role of Don Jose across from my wife was one of the most memorable and powerful moments I have ever experienced on stage.” In the 2020-2021 season Mr. Tucker looks forward to being apart of Toni Pimble’s world premiere of Taming of the Shrew and celebrating his son Luca’s first birthday.
Follow him and Danielle on Instagram @markdani8688
Katherine Williams was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and began her early training with the Hawaii State Ballet. After moving to Maryland with her family, she studied at the Ballet Royale Academy under the direction of Donna Pidel. She was awarded the Youth Grand Prix at the 2003 Finals of the Youth America Grand Prix in New York, and was a Top 12 Finalist at the 2005 Finals. In 2003, she was awarded a full scholarship to the Boston Ballet Summer Dance program. From 2004 to 2006, she attended American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensives as a National Training Scholar and, in 2006, she also attended the Stiefel and Stars Summer Program.
Williams joined the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in the Fall of 2005 and remained there until joining ABT Studio Company in January 2007. Williams joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in December 2007 and the corps de ballet in June 2008. She was promoted to Soloist in September 2018.
Her repertoire with the Company includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, a Shade in La Bayadère, Gulnare and an Odalisque in Le Corsaire, the Dryad Queen and a Flower Girl in Don Quixote, Myrta, the peasant pas de deux and Moyna in Giselle, the Spanish Dance and one of The Nutcracker’s Sisters in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, the Fairy Violente (Temperament), Princess Florine, Gold Fairy and Cinderella in Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty, Fairy of Sincerity in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de trois, a big swan and the Italian Princess in Swan Lake, Mademoiselle Marianne Chartreuse in Whipped Cream and roles in Airs, Company B, Continuo, Deuce Coupe, Her Notes, In the Upper Room and Jardin aux Lilas.
She created the Queen of Babylon in Of Love and Rage, Ice in The Seasons, leading roles in Garden Blue and New American Romance and featured roles AfterEffect, Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once, Songs of Bukovina and A Time There Was.
Ms. Williams’s performances at American Ballet Theatre are sponsored by Avery and Andy Barth, in memory of Laima Barth.
Born in Poland, Kristopher graduated from National Ballet School in Gdansk. He danced with the Polish National Theatre, where he portrayed roles in a variety of classical and contemporary ballets throughout Europe. Upon moving to the United States, he became a soloist with Columbia City Ballet (South Carolina). He joined the Louisville Ballet in 2003 as a first soloist and soon after began performing principal roles. In 2007, Kristopher was invited to perform Swan Lake with the English National Ballet. He has performed as a guest artist with the Ballet Theatre Midwest and the Governor’s School for the Arts in Virginia, among others. Kristopher is honored to have participated in the National Choreographers Initiative held in Irvine, California, for four consecutive years.