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Mission Statement

The Ballet Western Reserve, Inc. exists as a regional dance school and performing company to:

1)      Provide the highest level of pre-professional training in ballet, modern, jazz and tap to those members of our community interested in pursuing careers in dance, and those whose interest in the study of the discipline of dance is for their personal creative enrichment and growth;

2)      Entertain, educate and expose our audience to the art of dance through excellence in performance of a diverse repertoire, from classical to contemporary, in season performances, school tours and regional tours;

3)      To make dance accessible to all who are interested in our community, as performers or audience members, through scholarships, free lecture-demonstrations, and reduced rates to the economically disadvantaged for all BWR public performances;

4)      To encourage local choreographers and performers by providing a venue for new works that will challenge both our performing company and our audience;

5)      To work in cooperation with other local arts organizations through joint projects and performances to enhance the understanding and appreciation of all art forms in our community, and to strengthen our cultural image.

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History

Ballet Western Reserve is a non-profit organization that is committed to offering the highest quality of classes for children and adults at various levels of ability.  The school enrolls approximately three hundred students from the age of three to adult.  Professional training is offered in ballet, pointe, pas de deux, creative movement, pre-ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, pilates, and yoga.  In accordance with the Ballet Western Reserve mission statement, students are offered the opportunity to develop the skills, experience and discipline that provide the necessary foundation for a professional career in dance.  The Ballet also maintains a commitment to offer a variety of dance courses designed to provide physical and aesthetic benefits unmatched by any other athletic endeavors.  Classes are available for students interested in performing in the Ballet Western Reserve Company and also for students interested in learning dance technique and discipline simply for the enjoyment of it.

For more than forty years, Ballet Western Reserve has been a fixture of the area’s cultural scene.  Founded by a parents organization in 1962 as the Youngstown Symphony Ballet, it expanded to become Ballet Western Reserve and was incorporated in 1979 as a regional company.  Throughout the 1970’s, the company flourished under various directors who worked to build the school and company, establish workshops and programs, increase enrollment and develop community activities and outreach with the Butler Museum of Art, the public schools, and other civic organizations.

In 1982, Anita Lin assumed total responsibility as Ballet Western Reserve Artistic Director, stepping down from that position in 2007 to serve as the organization's Executive Director.  Her apt leadership has led to substantial enrollment increases, continued program development, and extensive community involvement.  The current Artistic Director, Richard Dickinson, is moving the school in new directions while honoring its carefully built reputation.

The 2007-2008 Season included the classical ballet "Cinderella” at Powers Auditorium, and “An Evening of Dance at the Butler” was performed in March.  In May, an exciting new production of “Enchanted Evening at the Gardens” entitled "Dancing Through the Decades" was held at Fellows Riverside Gardens.  The annual “Spring Gala” was a success at the Ford Family Recital Hall.

The 2008-2009 Season will begin with the first locally staged production of "The Nutcracker" at Powers Auditorium in November. ""An Evening of Dance at the Butler" and "Enchanted Evening at the Gardens" are just a few of the events in progress.  Please join us for these great performances.

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Teacher's Bios
 

Richard Dickinson

Richard is the Artistic Director of Ballet Western Reserve.  A former dancer with Ohio Ballet, Richard was associated with the company since 1988. He later became ballet master and director of company touring. Mr. Dickinson has also directed Boston Ballet II and was a soloist with Boston Ballet for eight years.  At age fifteen, he joined the Pasadena Dance Theatre and later was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Emerging Choreographer Award for a work premiered by the same company. He performed in the PBS television production of "Frankie and Johnny" with the Chicago Ballet and danced principal roles in Asian, European, and American tours with Rudolf Nureyev and the Boston Ballet. In addition to an extensive dance career, including principal and soloist roles with Ohio Ballet, Boston Ballet, Chicago Ballet, and Honolulu City Ballet, Mr. Dickinson has choreographed for the Ohio Ballet, Boston Ballet, Honolulu City Ballet, various regional companies and Chamber Dance Theatre in Milwaukee, where he was Artistic Director. He was most recently the Artistic Director of Great Lakes Ballet and has also served as Artistic Associate for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.  Formerly an associate professor of dance at the University of Wisconsin, Richard is currently a part time lecturer in the dance program at Case Western Reserve University.

Jackie Cunningham

Jackie is a former student of Ballet Western Reserve.  She received her B.A. in Dance from Slippery Rock University in 2005.  While in college, she choreographed and performed for SRUDT’s Fall and Winter Concerts, Senior Synthesis, Site Specific, and Guest and Faculty performances.  She has worked with artists such as Teena Custer, Art Bridgman and Myrna Packer of Bridgman/Packer Dance, Jennifer Keller and Gwen Hunter Ritchie of Labco Dance Company, and Hellanius Wilkins of Edgeworks Dance Theatre.  In 2004, Jackie performed works by Anna Sokolow in Sharing the Legacy, Dance Masterworks of the 20th Century at Hunter College, New York, NY.  In 2003, she received a scholarship to the American Dance Festival (ADF), where she studied with instructors such as Gerri Houlihan, Nicholas Leichter, Ronald K. Brown, Eiko & Koma, David Dorfman, and Vitali Kononov, to name a few.  Jackie is also a dance instructor of Gigi’s Studio of Dance of New Castle, PA.

Kendall Garczewski

Kendall is a senior at Slippery Rock University where she is studying Elementary Education/Early Childhood and Dance.  She is currently a student teacher at Slippery Rock Elementary and will be graduating in December.  At Slippery Rock Kendall performed many dances for Slippery Rock University Dance Theater and was captain of Slippery Rock's dance team for two years.  She was also the advisor for the Union Area Middle School Dance Team for two seasons.  She performed at the American College Dance Festival in 2005 and has completed two years of teacher's training school hosted by Dance Masters of America, which is held in Buffalo, New York.  She has taught dance for the past seven years in New Castle, PA, including ballet, tap, jazz, Broadway and hip hop.  Kendall is extremely excited to be joining the staff at Ballet Western Reserve and is looking forward to meeting everyone.

Virginia Hartman

Virginia Hartman had her early studies of Ballet at Ballet Western Reserve.  She was accepted into the Richmond School of Ballet under the direction of Ruth Petrinovec.  It was there that she studied under such noted teachers as David Howard, Leslie Peck, Malcolm Burns and Stoner Winslett, to name a few.  In 1990 Virginia joined the Richmond Ballet as an apprentice.  In 1992 she joined the Atlanta Ballet.  Her repertoire included Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Who Cares?, Serenade, Carmina Burana, Swan Lake, Cinderella, and Coppelia.  After returning to the area she taught master classes at many local studios.

Christina Hovanec

Christina Hovanec is a graduate from the University of Akron where her professional dance training began in 1996. Christina has an extensive background in both working with children and teaching and performing dance. Christina began working with children in 1996 as a Full-time Preschool teacher in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio, later in 2003 Christina began teaching dance at two local schools in Solon and in Austintown, Ohio. Currently Christina is a full-time Science teacher for the Willoughby-Eastlake City School district and is a recent graduate from Cleveland State University having received her Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology and a minor in Dance. Christina danced full time with the Cleveland State University Dance Company during the 2004 school year.

Pamela Reeping

Pamela Reeping is a 1994 graduate of Point Park College having received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance.  While attending Point Park College, Pamela studied with Roberto Munoz and Pittsburgh Ballet founder Nicholas Petrov.  She has also studied and performed with Ballet Baroque and the Northern Connecticut Ballet Company.  Pamela has taught ballet and jazz in the United States and abroad, including teaching and developing a curriculum for private schools in the West Indies.

Jessica Terrell

Jessica Terrell graduated from Ohio University with a BFA in Dance in 2006.  She studied under Anita Lin at Ballet Western Reserve from three years of age through her senior year of high school.  Jessica attended the Pointe Park College summer intensive dance workshop, as well as Ballet Met's summer intensive program.  She has performed in collaborations with the Oakland Center for the Arts, Easy Street Productions and the Moscow Ballet, and in venues including the Youngstown Playhouse, Powers Auditorium and the Butler Institute of American Art.  Jessica also performed in the National American College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.                             

Karen Westerfield                                                                

Karen has been with Ballet Western Reserve since 1994, teaching all levels of Modern Dance and creating works for concert dance performances and the Spring Gala.  She received her B.F.A. in Dance from Ohio State University where she danced with the University Dance Company and taught in the elective dance program.  Karen spent four years dancing professionally with Footpath Dance Company, a former Cleveland based Modern Dance Company.  On the Dance Department faculty of Allentown College, Allentown, Pennsylvania (now DeSales University), she taught dance major courses in Modern Dance, Ballet, Composition and Labanotation in addition to directing the Allentown College Dance Ensemble.  While studying in New York, Karen worked as Assistant to the Executive Director (the late Muriel Topaz) at the Dance Notation Bureau.  This past summer her work was performed in conjunction with the Watoto Children's Choir of Uganda in Chicago and she was on the faculty of the Summer Dance Program at Northeast Ohio Dance, teaching Modern Dance, Composition and Repertory.  She has been an adjudicator for the Youngstown State University Dance Ensemble for the past 10+ years and a guest teacher in both Modern and Liturgical Dance.

Norman Toot

Norman Toot has been pianist for Ballet Western Reserve since 1980. He started there as a substitute pianist for Tim Webb. In 1982, he became the full-time accompanist. He grew up in Columbiana, Ohio and graduated from high school in 1969. In 1975, he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Dana School of Music at YSU. He was the organist for Richard Brown Methodist Church for five years and currently plays piano for Centenary Methodist Church. He has been playing piano for the Golden Age Follies since 1990. In addition to being accompanist at BWR, Norman is also in charge of all custodial work.

James McClellan

Jim McClellan was hired in the fall of 2005 as Business Manager for Ballet Western Reserve.  His association with the company dates back to 1994, when he first appeared as the title role in the BWR / Easy Street co-production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Over the ensuing years, he has appeared in the BWR productions of The Will Rogers Follies, The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella and Footloose, and was a featured vocalist in the 2003 edition of "An Evening of Dance at the Butler."  In 2001, he taught acting classes during the school's summer workshop.

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Studio Policies

Female Students: hair must be pulled back into a bun; no hair in face.

Attire for ballet classes: black leotard, pink tights, pink slippers (male dancers: white t-shirt, black tights, black slippers); attire for all other classes at the instructor's discretion.

Conferences with instructors must be arranged through the BWR office, and will take place outside of regular class times.

Parents who are over 15 minutes late in picking up students will incur a security charge.

Please notify the office if your child will not be in class, regardless of the reason.

Tardiness is not tolerated; students over 5 minutes late for class will be asked to sit out and observe.

Friends and family are not permitted to sit in on a class unless it has been arranged with the instructor.

Students taking Pointe classes are required to take 3 ballet and/or modern classes in addition to Pointe.

No one is allowed in the student lobby but the students and instructors. Parents who are found loitering in the student lobby without permission will jeopardize their child's standing at BWR.
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Tuition

A non-refundable registration fee of $35 per student is required upon enrollment. (Registrations received on or after the first day of each semester will be considered late, and the registration fee will be $40).

There are two 15-week semesters. Tuition installment payments are due the first week of each month, from September to April. If two installments in a row are missed, the student will automatically be suspended from class. Students with unpaid balances will be ineligible to participage in any BWR performances, including the Spring Gala.

Refunds and credits will not be given for unattended classes; make-up classes can be arranged by calling the BWR office.

Returned checks will be charged a $25 fee.
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Contact Information

Ballet Western Reserve
218 W. Boardman Street
P.O. Box 1684
Youngstown, Ohio  
44501-1684
Phone: 330-744-1934
Fax: 330-744-2631
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Richard Dickinson: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Seasonal Studio Hours
Monday - Thursday: 3:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Friday: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Office Hours
Monday - Wednesday: 9:30 am to 7:00 pm
Thursday: 12:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Friday: 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am to 12:30 pm