Ballet Arizona Welcomes James Payne as New College Director

The College of Ballet Arizona, the official coaching faculty of Ballet Arizona, is thrilled to welcome James Payne as its new faculty director, along with his tenure starting on Might 27.

The College of Ballet Arizona affords complete ballet training for college kids of all ages and talent ranges, from newbie to pre-professional. The College’s curriculum emphasizes basic ballet approach, artistry and efficiency alternatives, guided by skilled college who carry skilled experience to the studio. With a dedication to excellence and particular person progress, The College fosters a love for dance whereas getting ready college students for a future within the arts or past.

A revered determine in ballet training boasting over 35 years {of professional} expertise within the artwork, Payne involves Ballet Arizona from Ballet West in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah, the place he served because the Principal School and Trainee Coordinator on the group’s Academy for 3 years.

The transfer represents a homecoming for Payne, who started his coaching in Phoenix with Russian choreographer and dancer, Michel Fokine’s nice niece Nina Marlow earlier than transferring on to a performing profession with Ballet West (1989-1994) and Houston Ballet (1994-2001), which afforded him the chance to carry out internationally, working with distinctive choreographers and coaches.

Excelling at each classical and modern work allowed him to carry out soloist and principal roles in all of the classics in addition to work by Ben Stevenson, Christopher Bruce, Ronald Hynd, George Balanchine, Val Caniparoli, Glen Tetley, William Forsythe, John Neumeier, Eugene Loring, Helgi Tomasson, Peter Martins, Jiri Kylian, Trey McIntyre and extra.

After retiring from performing, James Payne took on the function of firm supervisor at Houston Ballet earlier than co-founding and main a pupil performing firm and faculty in The Woodlands, Texas, for 17 years. His in depth profession additionally consists of choreographing and producing 5 full-length ballets and quite a few one-act works, in addition to serving as College Director for Philadelphia Ballet, a college member at Houston Ballet Academy, and a board member of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).

In the present day, Payne continues to function a grasp instructor and choose for Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) and repetiteur for famend dancer Trey McIntyre, staging his ballets internationally. After his household, Jim’s largest ardour is instructing and mentoring the following era of artists.

“It’s with each humility and pleasure that I settle for the place of College Director. I’m deeply honored by the boldness that Daniela Cardim and Jami Kozemczak have positioned in me to guide this group into the longer term. The College performs a pivotal function within the total progress and long-term success of the Ballet Arizona, and we’ve a singular alternative to raise The College of Ballet Arizona to the following stage,” stated Payne. “Whereas this may actually be a difficult endeavor, I carry years of expertise in constructing and main faculties, and I’m assured that collectively as a group, we’ll mix our experience, creativity, and dedication to create a vacation spot College that can usher within the subsequent era of dancers.”

“It’s with nice pleasure that we welcome James Payne as the brand new College Director for the College of Ballet Arizona,” stated Jami Kozemczak, govt director of Ballet Arizona. “James brings a wealth of expertise, ardour and imaginative and prescient to this function. His dedication to the event of younger dancers and his dedication to excellence align completely with our mission to foster the following era of artists. Below his management, the college will proceed to develop and thrive, offering distinctive coaching and alternatives for all our college students.”