Joffrey Ballet Announces the Creation of the Joffrey Studio Company

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, and Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik, Co-Artistic Directors of the Joffrey Academy of Dance, are pleased to announce the formation of the new Joffrey Studio Company set to begin in the 2014-2015 season. Formalizing this program will enable the Academy to recruit potential students from around the globe and continue to strengthen Joffrey's reputation.

The Joffrey Studio Company is a scholarship program of the Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, consisting of 10 outstanding students selected by Wheater, Kremnev and Reznik. The selected participants will train alongside dancers in the Trainee Program of the Academy and participate in daily classes, Monday through Saturday. Led by Kremnev and Reznik, the Joffrey Studio Company will be taught and rehearsed by Academy Faculty, Academy Directors, and Joffrey Artistic Staff.

Students in the Joffrey Studio Company will have the opportunity to be selected to perform with the main company at the Auditorium Theatre, as well as perform in the Academy's performance series at Joffrey Tower and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and at additional festival opportunities.

Selection for the Joffrey Studio Company is by audition only. Students may be asked to join the Trainee Program in the Academy for one to two years prior to being selected for the Joffrey Studio Company, or may be asked to join the Joffrey Studio Company from an Academy audition.

"The individualized training and performance opportunities provided by the Joffrey Studio Company offers students unique insight into the life of a professional dancer, assisting students in preparation for a professional career in dance and helping them expand their technique and artistry," noted Wheater.

"We are excited to be able to take another milestone step for The Joffrey Ballet organization," said Kremnev. "The Joffrey StudioCompany will be dedicated to developing the next generation of dance professionals. This exceptional group of young, emerging dancers will make a huge impact on the future national and international professional dance community."

About the Joffrey Academy of Dance

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet thrives under the leadership of Joffrey Academy Artistic Directors Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik and Managing Director Karine Provost. The Joffrey Academy of Dance is committed to providing students of all ages, levels and backgrounds who have a desire to dance with a world-class education built on a foundation of classical ballet. With the talents cultivated at the Joffrey Academy, students can pursue careers as professional dancers at companies throughout the world, higher education opportunities in dance, or success in other fields. Through the Joffrey Academy's programs, students develop a diverse set of skills including artistry, creativity, discipline and confidence, among others. The Joffrey Academy's high-quality, educational programming forms future audiences and support for the Joffrey and builds the organization's reputation worldwide.

Located in the heart of Chicago's theater district, the 20,000-square foot Exelon Education Center, which is home to the Academy, boasts four state-of-the-art studios in the Joffrey Tower.

The Academy offers many different levels of training and education to the community. The Pre-Professional Division and Trainee Program take place during the academic year and are intended to augment students' academic schedules with valuable preparation for a professional dance career. The Academy also offers programs in the Children's Division, Youth Division and Adult Open Division, which are offered year-round, as well as summer intensives and summer camps.

Alexei Kremnev began his career in Moscow at the world famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy (Degree of Ballet Artist), the Russian Academy of Theatrical Art (GITIS), and the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (Degree in Pedagogy and Choreography). He was the recipient of the Leonide Massine Award and the Bronze Medal during 1992 International Diaghilev Competition in Moscow. He also claimed an honorable diploma in 1996 at the Nureyev International Ballet Competition as well as the 1996 Lifar International Ballet Competition. In 2001, Kremnev was recognized as one of the Most Influential People in the Arts in Cincinnati and has been praised for his extraordinary ability to work with a young generation of dancers, as well as for his original and creative choreography. In 2011, he was elected to the Advisory Board on Russia and Eastern Europe for Illinois Senator, Mark Kirk. In 2004-2006, Kremnev's choreography was presented at the legendary Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and he received the Outstanding Choreographer Award at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in 2006, 2007 and 2009. As Artistic Director, Kremnev led Southold Dance Theater to become the Outstanding School at YAGP in 2008. He has performed, choreographed and taught internationally with the Moscow Festival Ballet (Russian National Ballet), England's Northern Ballet Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, BalletMet, Tulsa Ballet and the Russian and European Stars of the Ballet. Under his current leadership as Academy Artistic Director, the Joffrey Academy of Dance was named Outstanding School of 2010 and 2012 by YAGP.

Anna Reznik began her career in Moscow at the world famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy (Degree of Ballet Artist) and the Bolshoi Institute of Choreography (Degree in Pedagogy). She toured throughout the world as a principal artist with the Moscow Festival Ballet (later the Russian National Ballet), Cincinnati Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and Russian and European Stars of the Ballet. As a principal guest artist, choreographer, and teacher, Ms. Reznik has worked with many companies including Northern Ballet Theatre (England, U.K.), Ballet Met, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Essex Dance (U.K.) and has participated in the Ballet Stars Master Class Series in England and in Germany. Reznik has been praised for her extraordinary ability to work with today's young generation of dancers. Her thorough knowledge of the most current teaching methods and styles has produced many dancers who have been accepted into some of the most prestigious companies including the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Staatsoper Berlin, Dresden Semperoper, Joffrey Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet and many others. Reznik received the Outstanding Teacher Award at YAGP in 2007. In 2013 Ms. Reznik received the Achievement Award in Culture from the Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI).

Learn more about the Joffrey Academy of Dance at http://joffrey.org/joffreyacademy.