Lawrence Rhodes Appointed Artistic Director of The Juilliard Dance Division
Joseph W. Polisi, President of The Juilliard School, announced that ballet master, artistic director, and master teacher Lawrence Rhodes has been appointed Artistic Director of Juilliard's Dance Division, succeeding longtime division head Benjamin Harkarvy, who died in March. Mr. Rhodes, who has had a distinguished career at numerous dance companies worldwide, and at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, became Juilliard's Dance Division head effective July 1, 2002.
In a varied and long career, Mr. Rhodes has danced most of the classical ballets including "Giselle," "Swan Lake," and "The Nutcracker;" and the works of Bournonville, Balanchine, Limón, Tudor, and Béjart, among others. He has been part of the creation of dances by numerous choreographers such as Ailey, Arpino, Joffrey, Macdonald, van Dantzig, Lubovitch, Harkarvy, Neumeier, Cole, and Butler, to name just a few. Since September 1999, Mr. Rhodes has been a freelance master ballet teacher to New York City dance institutions such as the American Ballet Theatre, Steps Studio, and Peridance; important companies in Europe such as Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballett Frankfurt, Ballets de Monte Carlo, Compañía Nacional de Danza in Madrid, and Le Ballet de l'Ópera National de Lyon; as well as companies in Canada, Mexico, and other parts of the United States. For ten years prior (1989 - 1999) he was artistic director of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. Mr. Rhodes was chair of the dance department at NYU's Tisch School from 1981 to 1989, having been a respected master teacher there since 1978. He brought many important changes to that school's curriculum and faculty, in addition to a unique expertise in classical ballet technique, contemporary dance, and first-hand work with a range of outstanding choreographers.
In remarking on his return to the city and a role in dance education he said, "I'm honored to be chosen to head the Dance Division at Juilliard. The training of a dancer is one of the fundamentals of dance that I most enjoy. The development of human potential is most rewarding. My position at Juilliard will enable me to use all the areas of expertise I've collected during 46 years as a dance professional."
The Juilliard Dance Division's four-year course of study offers students the choice of pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree or a diploma. The core curriculum requires intensive technical study and performance in classical ballet and modern dance, and includes courses in repertory, pas de deux, pointe or men's class, dance composition, anatomy, dance history, stagecraft, production, and music theory. The dancers work in an enormous variety of repertory styles and techniques. Electives such as acting, voice, and tap also are offered, as well as jazz, and elements of performing. All dancers are introduced to the techniques of creating new works in beginning choreography classes. For those who wish to explore further, there are advanced choreography classes and the opportunity for all to work with established choreographers and in premiere dances. Dance facilities at Juilliard include five class and rehearsal studios, as well as the 933-seat Juilliard Theater and other smaller performance venues.
The Juilliard Dance Division also presents programs in Lincoln Center's Clark Theater, and in venues throughout the metropolitan region, including New York City public schools. Next March, Juilliard dancers travel south to perform new works by alumni choreographers Charlotte Griffin and Adam Hougland in the Juilliard Dance Ensemble's debut at Sarasota Ballet of Florida, in the ballet's subscription series Sarasota Ballet Presents.
For more information, contact Juilliard, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, NY 10023
Phone: 212.721.0965; Fax: 212.799.1993; E-Mail: news@juilliard.edu •