Ruth Page School of Dance Announces Tuition-Free Training for Aspiring Male Dancers

The Ruth Page Center for the Arts and Ruth Page School of Dance proudly announce tuition-free mentored training for aspiring young male dancers this fall with the beginning of the 2017-2018 season. Providing the highest level of training and expertise, the Ruth Page School of Dance is one of the country's finest dance education centers. The program, The Victor AleXander Young Men's Scholarship Program, offers boys ages 7 - 17 years old, waved tuition and includes nine months and up to 16 hours a week of professional training. To apply, prospective students should email info@ruthpage.org or call 312.337.6543.

Victor Alexander, director of Ruth Page School of Dance and co-director of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, said "It brings our organization extreme joy to be able to continue the legacy of Ruth Page and offer an opportunity for young men with talent and passion the opportunity to perfect their skills and excel in our accomplished environment."

The scholarship will be available to young male dancers and is made possible by several contributors including Graziano and Robyn Berto.

About Victor Alexander

Director, Ruth Page School of Dance, and Co-Director, Ruth Page Civic Ballet

Victor Alexander joined the artistic and administrative team of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the summer of 2013. As both the Director of the Ruth Page School of Dance and Co-Director of the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, he continues a nearly 50-year tradition of exceptional training and mentoring of the next generation of the nation's best young dancers. Through the development of international partnerships and networks, Alexander has also expanded the School's reach with important collaborations and exchanges with other leading dance institutions. Significant among these is the historic relationship with Cuba's National School of Ballet (Escuela Nacional de Ballet) begun in 2015, and the placement of a Ruth Page School of Dance student in the prestigious Cuban training program - the first American student to be invited since the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Alexander's keen insight, experience and a dedication to the craft come from an international dancing, choreographic and teaching career. A native of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, he was trained at the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) in Havana, graduating in 1992 with a degree in Modern and Cuban folkloric dance. As a student, his exceptional talents were recognized in 1992 when he won first place for dance in the 4th National Union of Writers and Artists in Havana. He went on to be a principal dancer for the prominent Danza Contemporánea de Cuba from 1992 to 2002, where both his technical talent and expressive dance style gained national prominence. Alexander has studied with distinguished teachers such as Donald McKayle, Chuck Davis, and Jeffrey Bullock and has performed throughout Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the United States. Since relocating from Cuba to Chicago in 2002, Alexander has performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Hedwig Dances, CDI/Concert Dance Inc, and Luna Negra Dance Theater. While with CDI, Alexander was a featured artist in the 2008 Emmy Award-nominated production of the re-envisioned Ruth Page's Billy Sunday on PBS.

His teaching experience is extensive, encompassing local, national and international dance institutions. Of particular importance to Alexander is teaching in outreach programs that bring dance to youth. Recent outreach programs include Dance Art (2007-2010) and the Elementary Dance Scholarship Program (2010-2011) within the Chicago Public Schools. Included in Dance Magazine's prestigious "25 to Watch in 2013" list, Alexander is known for his riveting stage presence as he mixes formidable technique he gained in the rigorous training ground of Cuban dance schools with facility at theatrical interpretation. In 2012, he was one of four choreographers selected for the Lab Artists Program, a one-year program of the Chicago Dancemakers Forum that focuses on the development of new choreography. In addition to the Chicago Dancemakers Forum grant, he has also received a fellowship from the Illinois Arts Council for his work,"Line of Sighs" and was selected as one of the 2013 Novel Affair Artists selected by The Ragdale Curatorial Board. In December of 2013, "Line of Sighs" was highlighted in the Chicago Tribune's "Top 10 Best Dance Performances of 2013."

Recently Alexander was one of the choreographers chosen to participate in Chicago's Afro-Latino Festival 2014 with his work "Among us." Additionally in 2014, he was selected to participate in Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's choreographic initiative, The International Commissioning Project, which provides residencies to choreographers, offering them the opportunity to create original works for HS2's dancers and to conduct master classes.

About the Ruth Page School of Dance

The Ruth Page School of Dance, now in its 46th year, provides the highest level of training and expertise and is one of the country's finest dance education centers, teaching and mentoring hundreds of young and aspiring students annually.

Led by Director Victor Alexander, and through an experienced and dedicated faculty of dance professionals and international partners, the Ruth Page School of Dance develops well-rounded dance artists through high-quality training. The School also embraces diverse cultures as a source of inspiration for creativity and human self-expression in dance, creating lifelong ambassadors for the art of dance. By providing the highest level of training and personal development to each student, the School's philosophy is all students will benefit from the discipline, creative thinking and emotional expressiveness that dance provides. Through the Young Dancer's Training Program, the School also strives to prepare young dancers for the demands of today's world in dance.

With a strong commitment to international partners and collaborations, the Ruth Page School of Dance has developed a network of exceptional programs and exchanges with esteemed dance training centers in Spain, Italy and Cuba, among others. Significant among these is the relationship with Cuba's National School of Ballet (Escuela Nacional de Cuba - ENB), which was a pioneering program and cultural exchange in 2015 between the two schools. Because of this program, ENB welcomed an American ballet dancer from the Ruth Page School of Dance to its training program. Catherine Conley, is the first American to receive an official invitation from the Cuban National Ballet School since the normalization of relations, made possible through the efforts of both governments and their desire to continue building cultural bridges between the US and Cuba.

The School's curriculum is grounded in a unique functional athleticism coupled with elements of Vaganova, Cecchetti, and RDA techniques. Essential to the curriculum and student learning is contemporary, modern, jazz, and other styles of dance as well as other related arts. The School believes that anyone can dance if they are disciplined, well trained and open to a variety of concepts. Flexibility of ideas is helpful in any profession, but especially crucial in today's professional dance environment where choreographers often integrate various styles into their work. The Ruth Page School of Dance trains students to be ready for the ever changing and exciting world of today's dance world.

The Ruth Page School of Dance reflects the legendary career and work of its visionary leader. Ruth Page's classical and iconic "The Nutcracker " displayed her grounding in ballet. But her collaborations with notable choreographers and artists for example such as Harold Kreutzberg, a cutting edge modern dance expressionist, and her jazz-influenced work at the Music Box Theater in NYC speak to her dedication to exploring all forms and styles of dance. Ruth Page's school embodies her vision of the versatile, well-trained, and exceptional dancer.

About the Ruth Page Center for the Arts

An incubator of artistic energy and excellence and the center of Chicago's dance history, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts carries forward the vision of international dance icon Ruth Page to make dance accessible to everyone, ensuring that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence. Located at 1016 N. Dearborn Street, the Center serves the Chicago dance community by being an incubator, providing a home, office space, rehearsal space, performance opportunities, professional dance training and marketing support for the up-and-coming companies and artists of Chicago's vibrant dance scene. Founded by Chicago icon and internationally-renown performer and choreographer, Ruth Page, the Center reflects her vision of supporting dance excellence in Chicago. Emanating from the Illinois heartland, the visionary work of Ruth Page influenced the growth of theater design, opera-ballet and dance. She achieved worldwide recognition as a true pioneer of dance in America by creating at the forefront of social, political and artistic issues. As a prominent force in the Chicago arts community, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts continues that legacy through its initiatives and programs that nurture the art form of dance, and by being an arts incubator for emerging and established artists and organizations.

To learn more about the Ruth Page Center for the Arts and the organizations additional initiatives such as the Ruth Page Civic Ballet, CDI/Concert Dance Inc., please visit www.RuthPage.Org.