Jennifer Agbay (Director of Dance) received her early dance training at the age of six at The Performing Arts School of Worcester. Studying under Directors, Shirley Benjamin, Wayne Stuart, Gayla Zuchavich and Kevin Milam, Jennifer was encouraged to pursue a career in dance. In 1997 Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science in Dance and Dance Education from New York University. In the six years that Jennifer resided in NYC her professional repertoire included: The Washington Square Repertory Dance Company and a New York City based Ballet Company, Ballet for Young Audiences. Jennifer has danced for former Joffery Ballerina, Amy Dannis in Expectations and for Blue Note Records' recording artist Ron Perkov.
Jennifer has served on faculty at the Boston Ballet School and has been invited to teach at the school's Young Dancers Summer Workshop for the past three summers. Jennifer also teaches and choreographs in various private and public schools and at Assumption College in Worcester. She was the former Artistic Director and Upper School Coordinator at Dance It Up! Dance Center in Grafton, as well as B.F. Brown Arts Vision Middle School in Fitchburg, MA and has served as one of Lincoln Center's National Educators.
Jennifer also served as Artistic Director for the Performing Arts School of Worcester for two years. She directed the Worcester Youth Ballet Company and choreographed all school productions including The Nutcracker. While working as Artistic Director for PASOW she founded and directed, Company X. Company "X" is a dance company created for the professional dancer. The Company made their debut on January 29, 2005 at The Performing Arts School of Worcester's Underground Theatre.
Jennifer was selected by The Pulse Magazine as one of Worcester's 25 to watch for the 2005 year.
Jolanta Valeikaite (Ballet Mistress) has received recognition as a laureate of international ballet competitions, winning the silver medal at the Ballet competition in Moscow, the bronze medal at the International Ballet competition in Varna, and the Prix Ohya at the the Third International Ballet Competition in Paris. A graduate of the Vilnius Ballet School, she was Principal of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre for ten years.
Dean Vollick (Ballet) Teaching credits: National Ballet of Canada, Boston Ballet, former City Dance Program Director at Boston Ballet, Walnut Hill and Ballet Theatre of Boston. Professional credits include: Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble, Plymouth Ballet Company, Rebecca Rice Dances, Toronto Dance Theatre, Ontario Ballet Theatre, Ballet Florida, Ballet Michigan and Ballet Omaha. Mr. Vollick danced many roles for these companies as soloist and corps de ballet. Mr. Volick has recently been certified in Gyrotonics.
Ana Luisa Thompson (Ballet) a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ms. Thompson graduated from the Maria Olenewa School of Dance, the official school of the Theatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro. The Olenewa School is internationally recognized, with graduates performing throughout the world. While a student there, Ms. Thompson was chosen to perform Coppelia and La Sylphides with the company of Theatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro. She also danced as a member of the Brazilian modern dance company, Compahis de Danca Rio.
Rebekah Fontane (Ballet, Modern) was previously a member of the modern/contemporary dance group Koresh Dance Company in Philadelphia, PA and Buffalo City Ballet Company in Buffalo, NY. She studied ballet at the Pennsylvania Ballet School, New York State Summer School of the Arts and Festival School of Ballet in Buffalo, New York. She has performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet Company, participated in many lecture demonstrations for Buffalo public schools and taught at both the Koresh Dance School and the Royal Academy of Ballet in Buffalo, New York. Rebekah is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America and currently studies ballet and modern at Green Street Studios in Cambridge and jazz and modern at the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio in Boston.
Elisabeth Hughes (Creative Movement/ Song and Dance) is the former owner/artistic director of the Performing Arts Theatre in Sterling, MA for over 18 years. She is certified to teach dance through Dance Masters of America Chapter #5 and has taught ballet, tap, jazz and modern to students ages 2 through adult for over 25 years. She has studied in New York, Boston and Cambridge with Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchett, David Howard, Cahrle Kelley, Luigi and Ann Reinking.
Michelle Santora (Jazz) is currently working in her second year at Ballet Arts Worcester. She has previously been a faculty member for the Diane Kelley Dance Studios. Michelle has been dancing for sixteen years, both at the Cathy Taylor School of Dance in Auburn, MA and Diane Kelley Dance Studios in West Boylston, MA. She is currently a member of the Assumption College Dance Team, for which she has produced some choreography. She was awarded the title, Dancer of the Year, in 2001 by the American Dance Awards regional competition and has also performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She has competed in national dance competitions across the country, including Las Vegas, NV and Orlando, FL. In 2002, Michelle received the title of Miss Worcester County and competed in the Miss Massachusetts pageant, a preliminary to Miss America.
Donna Onacki is certified in Pilates Mat through the Physical Mind Institute of NY and is currently pursuing her Pilates reformer certification with Stott Pilates NE as well as a national Pilates Certification. Donna's background in dance and exercise goes back to a very young age. She studied dance with the Nutmeg Ballet and Hartford Ballet Companies in CT, and later with the Jeanette Neal and MJT Dance Companies in Boston. In 1985 she became aerobics certified and in 1996 became a certified personal trainer through AFAA. Donna was responsible for the fitness program at Assumption College where she worked with students, faculty, and alumni doing fitness testing and designing individual fitness programs. While there, she also worked with Residence Life doing nutrition, fitness, and body image workshops, and taught workshops for sports teams to develop more effective weight training techniques. Donna has been studying Pilates over 12 years ago under the guidance of Tammy Plaxico founder of Body Mind Balance, Worcester.
Mark Harootian (Ballet) A native of Worcester, Mark received his early training from the Performing Arts School of Worcester, dancing with the Worcester Youth Ballet. He matriculated to University of Utah's ballet department on scholarship and as a member of Utah Ballet, graduating with a BFA, emphasis on performing and teaching. There Mark performed and choreographed in the department's productions as well as dancing many leading roles with Utah Ballet. He has also performed at Disney's Epcot Center, the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, and the Festival of White Nights in Pushkin Russia. Aside from roles including The Captain in Carmen, The Sailor in Con Amore and Doug Spivey in The Widows Broom, Mark has captivated audiences by choreographing Breaking the Limits, Let it Go for a While, and Mutable Air for the Up CLOSE, on HOPE series. He is pleased to return after breaking his ankle during rehearsals for Don Quixote, and will premiere a new work for the 2006-2007 Up CLOSE on HOPE series. This is Mark's third season with Festival Ballet Providence.