Matthew Rushing Teaches Ballet Master Class at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Now thru 3/6

The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn St., announces that The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Matthew Rushing will teach an Advanced Ballet Master Class as part of Ruth Page's 2014 Guest Artist Master Class Series tonight, March 4 from 6 - 7:30 p.m., to be held in Ruth Page's own facilities. The class will be available at a first-come, first-serve drop-in basis and will be offered for $20 to the general public and $15 for industry professionals and college students. Note that Ruth Page Class Cards and packages are not applicable to Master Classes. For more information, call (312) 337-6543 or visit www.ruthpage.org. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs Feb. 28 - March 9 at the Auditorium Theatre. For information/tickets please visit www.auditoriumtheatre.org.

Matthew Rushing was born in Los Angeles, CA. He began his dance training with Kashmir Blake in Inglewood, CA, and later continued his training at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He received a Spotlight Award and was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. He trained at The Ailey School and later became a member of Ailey II, where he danced for a year. During his career, Rushing has performed as a guest artist for galas in Vail, Colorado, as well as in France, Russia,

Canada, Austria, and Italy. As a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, he has performed for former Presidents George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush and for President Barack Obama, as well as at the 2010 White House tribute to

Judith Jamison. During his time with the Company he has choreographed two ballets: Acceptance in Surrender (2005), a collaboration with Company members Hope Boykin and Abdur Rahim-Jackson, and Uptown (2009), a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance. He was recently named a 2010 recipient of the Dance Magazine Award. Rushing joined the Company in 1992 and became Rehearsal Director in June.