2023-2024 Master Class Series
Join us on the second Sunday of each month from 2:30-4pm for a class with a guest artist. Explore some of this fall’s guest artists’ bios below, or find more information on the upcoming events page. Find a pdf overview of the series here.
September 10th: David Taylor, Ballet technique
David Taylor has been professionally involved in the Colorado dance community for the past fifty-three years. He began choreographing in 1976 and since then has created over one hundred original works. In 1979, he founded the David Taylor Dance Theatre, for thirty-two years one of the Rocky Mountain Region's most well-known and respected dance organizations, and Denver’s original contemporary ballet company. Mr. Taylor is also an authority on dance history and sacred dance and he continues to conduct workshops and lecture demonstrations on these subjects for both statewide and national organizations. Currently, he also serves as the Artistic Director Emeritus and an upper level ballet program faculty member at Denver Ballet Theatre, teaching ballet technique and dance history. Mr. Taylor founded his new company, the Zikr Dance Ensemble, in 2009. With a roster that features some of the nation’s finest ballet-trained and contemporary dancers along with a totally unique repertoire, the company has been met consistently with standing ovations and critical acclaim. Read David’s full bio here.
October 8th: Madeline Harvey, coNteMporary ballet
Madeline Jazz Harvey is a dance educator, choreographer, and performer specializing in classical and contemporary ballet. In 2010, Madeline joined Carolina Ballet Theatre where she served as a principal dancer, resident choreographer, and outreach coordinator for five full-time seasons. Highlights include performing the role of Giselle, Alonzo King’s Map, Dwight Rhoden’s Beatle Juice, and various works created for her by artistic director Hernan Justo. After three performances as an invited guest artist, Madeline became a full member of Judy Bejarano’s IMPACT Dance Company in May 2020.
Madeline was appointed as Instructor of Ballet at the University of South Carolina in 2015 and became Assistant Professor of Dance at Colorado State University in 2017. Recent projects examine the artistry of parenting through dance. Her dance film, Embodiment, was featured as part of the Horsetooth International Film Festival (2019) and Screen Dance Miami (2020). She is currently working in collaboration with psychologist Zeynep Biringen to develop dance interventions for enhanced emotional availability and attachment from pregnancy through postpartum. Read Madeline’s full bio here.
November 12th: Anneke De Jong, Flamenco
Anneke De Jong began her Vaganova training with St. Croix Ballet in Stillwater, MN. In 2013, she moved to NYC to train with Gelsey Kirkland in her Professional Program for two years. Anneke additionally had the opportunity to train during summers with Open World Dance Foundation, Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam with Susan Jaffe and Ernst Meisner, Bolshoi Ballet, English National Ballet, Bossov Ballet Theatre and Kirov Academy of Ballet. After varied apprentice, demi-soloist, company artist and guest artist positions in several states, Anneke joined Canyon Concert Ballet as an Artistic Associate company member in 2022. In addition to her ballet expertise, Anneke has had extensive training in Character Dances of the Ukraine, Russia and Flamenco, which she is pleased to be able to share with FRCBA dancers!
December 10th: Ixchel Levendosky, port de bras
This class will be appropriate for Advanced Beginners all the way up to Advanced level dancers.
Ixchel Levendosky has been teaching, choreographing, and performing in the northern Colorado region since 1990. From her years of performing professionally and studying classical ballet and modern dance with many master teachers, Ixchel has a breadth of experience to share with her students. She is known for her precision in teaching proper technique geared towards minimizing injury and maximizing consistent student progress. Ixchel seeks to share the art and soul of dance with all who come into her classes, and she carefully nurtures the gifts and beauty in each of her students. Many of her students have gone on to professional dance careers, while others have achieved their dancing dreams training and dancing at FRCBA. Ixchel has choreographed and directed many classical and contemporary ballets and currently does so for her ballet school, the Front Range Classical Ballet Academy and its associated semi-professional company, Heartbeat Ballet. Her passion for dance and people thrives through the direction of her studio. Other interests have drawn her to a master’s degree in botany, work with the US Forest Service, teaching at River Song Waldorf School, volunteer work with Partners Mentoring Youth, and joyful years raising her son Orion.
January 14th: Sarah Tallman, Ballet TechNique, pointe & variations
Recently retired from a 22 year professional performance career, Sarah Tallman is currently serving as Ballet Master and Associate Choreographer for Wonderbound, Denver’s premier contemporary dance company.
She spent 15 years performing with Wonderbound and has danced in over 30 original works by Artistic Director, Garrett Ammon. Her technical prowess and artistic development over that time was guided by President, Dawn Fay. She has performed alongside musicians, poets, mentalists, and visual artists.
An accomplished choreographer, she has created several works for Wonderbound in collaboration with Denver based musicians and visual artists. She has created works for Oklahoma City Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Western Arkansas Ballet, University of Northern Colorado, Kent State University and Denver School of the Arts. Sarah is guided by the humility that permeates the human spirit. She believes art and the stimulus of music and movement can awaken the senses by exploring the complexities of being human. The simple things that make Sarah smile include twinkling lights, and the color orange. She resides in Denver with her loving husband, and their pets. Read Sarah’s full bio here.
February 11th: Anneke De Jong, Ukranian folk dance
This class will be appropriate for Advanced Beginners all the way up to Advanced level dancers.
Read Anneke’s bio under her November Flamenco class above.
No March Class: Spring break!
April 14th: Ixchel Levendosky, Beyond Technique - Developing the Artistry of Dance
This class will be appropriate for Advanced Beginners all the way up to Advanced level dancers.
Read Ixchel’s bio under her December Port de Bras class above.
May 12: Anneke De Jong, Gypsy Dance
This class will be appropriate for Advanced Beginners all the way up to Advanced level dancers.
Read Anneke’s bio under her November Flamenco class above.