New Book Celebrates Rochester City Ballet Founder Tim Draper

Meliora Press, an Imprint of the University of Rochester Press, announces the publication of Tim Draper: From Eastman Theatre's Muses to the Founding of Rochester City Ballet by Rochester writer Wendy Roxin Wicks.

"I became a close friend of Tim's through my daughter, Brittany Shinay, who's currently dancing with The Georgia Ballet, but who studied with Tim for many years before joining Rochester City Ballet," says Wicks, who has been working on the book since Draper's death more than a decade ago at his request. "So many of his former students are dancing with major companies or choreographing all over world - his story is just too important not to be shared."

When Draper returned to his hometown of Rochester, NY in 1986 to found his own school and company, he quickly garnered a reputation as one of the top ballet instructors in the nation due to his ability to recognize and develop world-class talent. One of Draper's alumna is ballet superstar, Sarah Lane, a soloist with American Ballet Theatre, who was the ballet double for Academy Award-winning actress, Natalie Portman, in the dark, psychological thriller feature film, Black Swan.

Draper's own artistic lineage may be traced directly to the very first professional ballet company in the United States, the Eastman Theatre Ballet, founded by Enid Knapp Botsford in Rochester, NY in 1923. One of Botsford's star dancers, Olive McCue, later trained and directed Draper in the 1960's after co-founding the Mercury Ballet Company with her legendary colleague and early Martha Graham dancer, Thelma Biracree.

Draper died tragically at the age of 49 in 2003. The book examines how he, with his gifted protégé and current Rochester City Ballet (RCB) Artistic Director Jamey Leverett, launched the professional careers of scores of dancers, many of whom have gone on to perform on the great stages of the world. Wicks features touching reminiscences from 19 of these dancers, including Lane, interwoven with Draper's own story. The result is a compelling portrait of a complex and brilliant teacher.

"We all still miss him terribly, and I am so grateful to Tim's wonderful family, friends, colleagues and students, as well as the University of Rochester Press for assisting me in bringing this story home," adds Wicks. "I would love it if the book spawns others because, as someone once said, 'any single person who met Tim Draper had a story to tell.'"

Wendy Roxin Wicks's work has appeared in DanceMedia magazines, Rochester Magazine, Adirondack Life Magazine, and New York Archives Magazine. She is a graduate of Brighton High School, Cornell University, and is currently a student at the University of Rochester's Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Wicks will donate half the profits from her book to the Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education.

The book (paperback, $16.95; hardcover, $34.95) will be available beginning October 30 at University of Rochester Press (https://www.urpress.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=14584), as well as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

A book talk and signing is scheduled at the Pittsford Barnes & Noble on Saturday, November 8 at 7 p.m., with several members of Draper's original company reading their tributes from the book. They include: Jim Nowakowski of Webster, whose explosive talent catapulted him onto the world stage while he was still a young teen and who is currently a Demi Soloist with the Houston Ballet; Cindy Van Scoter Chamot, one of the early breakout stars of the company who went on to dance with Ballet Met Columbus and on whom Tim set the memorable role of Christmas Spirit in his Nutcracker; and Chelsea Bonosky, a marvelously versatile dancer and choreographer who went on to graduate from NYC's Tisch School of the Arts and who is presently preparing to tour with Adam Barruch, with whom she will set an original work on River North Chicago Dance Co.

Wicks will also present a talk and signing at the Pittsford Memorial Library on December 27 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Participating will be daughter Brittany Shinay, who will be remembered for her roles as the elegant Snow Queen, Cinderella, and The Firebird with Rochester City Ballet; went on to attend The Juilliard School; and is presently a company member of The Georgia Ballet. Anyone who wants to learn how to do a perfect pirouette should plan on being there!