Celebrated Artists Arrive to Instruct Young Dancers at Metropolitan Ballet Academy, Now thru 6/10

Today, June 3rd, Metropolitan Ballet Academy will begin its annual master class series, The Bridge. The series gives intermediate and advanced level students the opportunity to study with some of the region's most celebrated professional teachers and dancers. This year's series features ballet instruction led by three acclaimed dance artists and teachers: Abi Stafford, Olga Kostritzky, and John Selya.

Abi Stafford, Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet, began her dance training at the age of six with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She went on to study at The School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of the New York City Ballet, performing the role of Clarinet in Jerome Robbins' Fanfare and a role in Christopher Wheeldon's Scènes de Ballet for SAB's Annual Workshop performances. Ms. Stafford was later invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet. She joined the corps de ballet in January 2000, was promoted to the rank of soloist in 2002 and to principal dancer in 2007.

Olga Kostritzky lives in New York City and teaches world-wide. She is a world recognized Ballet Teacher/Mistress who served twenty years as a faculty member at SAB, where she created and developed The Boys Program. Since 2009 she has been a guest teacher/coach for the Novosibirsk State Opera and Ballet Theater. Ms. Kostritzky has also served as Ballet Teacher/Mistress for the acclaimed Morphoses, The Wheeldon Company, and the 2007-2008 Vail International Dance Festival. She received the Senate State of New York Award for her contributions to the arts and the Mae L. Wien Award for distinguished service to the art of ballet.

John Selya is a native New Yorker and a noted dancer and choreographer. He trained at The School of American Ballet (SAB),from 1980-1988, and was later invited by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join American Ballet Theatre where he served as a dancer and choreographer. In 2000, Selya joined Twyla Tharp Dance where he created and performed the central role of Eddie in Tharp's Tony winning Broadway show, Movin' Out. His performance earned him a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical, an Astaire award for outstanding dancing on a Broadway stage and a Theater World Award for outstanding Broadway debut. In 2008, he was an "Artist -in- Residence" at New York's Joyce SoHo, where he created two works: Tweaker and La Voix Humaine. This is Mr. Selya's third visit to Metropolitan Ballet Academy.

The Bridge runs June 3rd-10th, and is held at the Metropolitan Ballet Academy studios, 700 Cedar Road, Jenkintown. Classes are 90-120 minutes each and also include two seminars led by MBA faculty member Kate Carr: Dance History, and Yoga for Dancers.

Cost for the workshop is $225. For times and registration, please call Lisa Collins Vidnovic at 215-663-1665, email at collinsvidnovic@verizon.net or visit www.metropolitanballetacademy.com