MDT/DI Announces Hiring Of Broadway's Jeffrey Hankinson As School Director

Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute (MDT/DI) announced today the hiring of Jeffrey Hankinson as School Director and Lirena Branitski as School Principal effective August 31, 2009.

"I am excited to introduce to our community new leadership for the Dance Institute. Jeffrey Hankinson is a man of many talents, on the stage, in the studio and in business administration. Mr. Hankinson thrilled Twin Cities audiences with his extraordinary interpretation of Drosselmayer in our 2004 Nutcracker while simultaneously inspiring and training students in the classrooms.

Mr. Hankinson brings to us a commitment to the standard of excellence that serves the art of dance. With his wealth of experience from the best training grounds in NYC to the Broadway stage he is passionate about "making dance relevant" and participating fully in the evolving art form.

Mr. Hankinson brings to us the commitment to serve each student in their pursuit of excellence, whatever their life choices may be.

Mr. Hankinson brings to us his experience in management, which will facilitate our staffing and infrastructure needs, providing greater resources to our DI community.

I hope you will join us in welcoming Jeffrey Hankinson at our Open House on Saturday, September 12th." -Lise Houlton, Artistic Director of Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute

A South Carolina native, Mr. Hankinson is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He continued his studies at the School of American Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Koln Dance Academy in Germany.

Mr. Hankinson was a principal dancer with the Des Moines Ballet and Ballet D'Angelo performing a wide variety of classical roles. He then moved to New York City and joined the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble directed by Sylvia Waters. While in New York he danced with Elisa Monte Dance Company and was a frequent guest artist with the Joyce Trisler Dance Company before joining the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. During this period he taught ballet and modern dance throughout the United States, Europe and Asia while touring, and was ballet master at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center under the director of Denise Jefferson.

Mr. Hankinson's Broadway credits include, "The King and I," "Little Me," "Ragtime," "Jerome Robbins Broadway," "Damn Yankees," "Follies," and Susan Stroman's "A Christmas Carol." He has also appeared in film and television. In September 2002 his first short film "Obedience" premiered at The New York International Independent Film Festival and has since been screened at six major festivals around the world.

In June of 2003 Mr. Hankinson moved to the Twin Cities and established a relationship with MDT/DI teaching for the school and made his final stage appearance in the 2004 production of "Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy" as Drossylmeyer.

"I am honored and thrilled to once again be a member of the Minnesota Dance Theatre and the Dance Institute Family and am eager to assist in the continuation of the level of excellence established over 45 years ago by founder Loyce Houlton and nurtured so passionately by her daughter Lise Houlton." -Jeffrey Hankinson

For more information on Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute visit www.mndance.org or call 612-338-0627.

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