Photo Marie Cornuelle

Dance

The Chautauqua Ballet Company, formed by artistic director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux in 1989, is composed of professional dancers from major companies nationwide.

Chautauqua Ballet is distinguished by its strong Balanchine influence. In addition to masterpieces in classical ballet, it stages modern dance and contemporary ballet. The company presents four performances in Chautauqua’s Amphitheater during its eight-week season, with an average of ten world premieres by guest and resident choreographers. Preview performances in the Carnahan-Jackson Studios, where the company and school study and rehearse daily, have also become anticipated events for Chautauqua fans.

Chautauqua Ballet’s School of Dance provides a select group of students from across the nation the opportunity of studying with world-renowned teachers. Students work regularly with choreographers Mark Diamond, Bonnefoux, Maris Battaglia and Michael Vernon. Under the tutelage of Patricia McBride, they also present ballets by Balanchine and Petipa. The most advanced students receive the experience of performing with live orchestras in the 5,000-seat Amphitheater. The School of Dance also provides instruction for Chautauqua vacationers of all ages. Classes include ballet, modern dance and creative movement. Please see the Special Studies catalog or contact: Chautauqua Dance, Carnahan-Jackson Studios, Hedding Avenue (716-357-6298).

Artistic Director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux - Former principal dancer with New York City Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet; currently artistic director of North Carolina Dance Theatre.

Associate Artistic Director Mark Diamond - Former soloist with Hamburg Ballet and principal dancer with Milwaukee Ballet; currently teacher and choreographer of North Carolina Dance Theatre.

Resident Faculty Maris Battaglia - Ballet Received training at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet; currently director of and choreographer for the American Academy in Buffalo.

Resident Faculty Constance Dinapoli - Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Economics at Stanford University. She danced with the Paul Taylor Dance Company from 1986-1993 and was co-director of Taylor 2 during 1999-2000 and since 1990 has served as repetiteur and faculty, restaging Paul Taylor's choreography for dance companies in the U. S. and Asia, as well as teaching master classes and workshops. She has been a faculty member at the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio and Barnard College in New York City. She is currently an Assistant Professor in George Mason University's Dance Department where she received her Master of Fine Arts degree. She serves as resident modern faculty and choreographer every summer at the Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, New York.

Resident Faculty Glenda Lucena - In Venezuela she began a long and varied professional performance career as principal dancer, touring nationally and internationally, ballet mistress, artistic director, and academic director of the Ballet Metropolitano de Caracas, the Ballet Nacional de Venezuela and Ballet Farten and the Choreographic Center for the Arts in Barquisimeto, respectively.She joined the Miami City Ballet under the direction of Edward Villella in 1994 as a professional ballet teacher and in 1997 was promoted to ballet mistress. Lucena is currently a faculty member at Gulfshore Ballet, Fla., and is a guest teacher for dance programs across the United States.

Resident Faculty Patricia McBride - Ballet Former distinguished prima ballerina with the New York City Ballet; currently artistic director of North Carolina Dance Theatre.

Resident Faculty Kathryn Moriarty - Ballet Former principal with Milwaukee Ballet and soloist with Norwegian National Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, and Cincinnati/New Orleans Ballet; former artistic associate of Dayton Ballet and co-director of Dayton Ballet II; currently on the faculty of the School of North Carolina Dance Theatre.

Resident Faculty Michael Vernon - Trained at the Royal Ballet School. Danced with London Festival Ballet. A recipient of the Winston Churchill Fellowship. Artistic director of Eglevsky Ballet 1988-96. He has choreographed and taught classes for many companies worldwide and on four continents. Currently a company teacher for American Ballet Theatre, he also teaches at STEPS, where he trains and coaches dancers from major dance companies all over the world.

Resident Faculty Fred Walton - Jazz Studied at Luigi Studio in Indianapolis and at the Joe Tremaine Dance Theatre in Los Angeles; currently teaches jazz at Indiana University and tap, jazz and ballet in private studios.

Chautauqua Dance Circle

The Chautauqua Dance Circle (CDC) is a supportive, enthusiastic link between Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Artistic Director of the Dance Program, and the Chautauqua Community, dedicated to assuring that Chautauqua Dance remains competitive with other summer dance programs and continues its tradition of excellence.

  Download the 2010 Chautauqua Dance Circle brochure