DANCING DOWNTOWN

Chita Rivera is one of the greatest dancers of all time.  But you don’t have to be as talented as Chita to dance downtown at Playhouse Square!  Our Arts Education Department offers four different adult dance classes for a variety of skill levels.  Here’s a look at some of the classes and the instructors who teach them:

Ballroom Blitz – March 24

Have a wedding to attend?  Want your significant other to learn how to dance?  Looking to try something new?  Join us for a day of ballroom dancing instruction!  Learn the basics of four different styles – waltz/fox trot, Argentine tango, mambo/cha cha and swing – from the lovely Rebecca Sweet of Viva dance!.

Rebecca Sweet, owner of Viva dance!, is a Cleveland native. After graduating from Smith College with a degree in dance, Rebecca moved to NYC where she spent 10 years performing, competing and teaching Latin and Ballroom dance. Two years ago, Rebecca returned to her hometown to open the New York Style partner dance studio, Viva dance!.

Louis VanAmstel, "Dancing with the Stars" professional partner to Lisa Rinna, has been Rebecca’s dance coach since 1995. Tony Dovolani, "Dancing with the Stars" professional partner to Stacy Keibler, was her first dance partner in New York before she switched over to the International Latin style of dance. In addition, Rebecca has worked with Robert DeNiro, Daman Wayans, Winton Marsalis, Chayanne and Vanessa Williams, Method Man, RZA and other well-known artists.

While in New York, Rebecca was a member of the world-famous Eddie Torres Latin Dance Company. She performed and taught in many prestigious Salsa Congresses in Los Angeles, New York, Puerto Rico, Holland and England. As a competitive Latin dancer she has competed, performed and taught all over the globe in such places as Greece, Turkey, Italy and Holland.

Rebecca is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) and the World Dance and Dance Sport Council (WDDSC).

Rebecca and Jean-Paul, her current dance partner, have been working together since August and are looking forward to representing Viva Dance! and their corporate sponsor, Destiny Financial Advisors, in both national and international Latin dance competitions.

Ballet – through Mar. 14

This intermediate level class is led by VERB Ballets dancer Mark Tomasic.

Mark has worked with a variety of internationally renowned dance companies and choreographers throughout his career, including Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Tom Evert Dance Company, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Ballet Contemporaneo de Buenos Aires and Dancing Wheels. With VERB Ballets, Mark has performed principal roles in the works of Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, David Parsons, Antony Tudor, Sean Curran, Heinz Poll and VERB Artistic Director, Hernando Cortez. In Cleveland, Mark studied under Dana Snyder at Cuyahoga Community College and graduated cum laude from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music where he studied under the late, legendary James Truitte. Theatrical credits include work with the Great Lakes Theater Festival and Cleveland Opera. On national television, Mark has been seen as Big Boss Man in Blue Suede Shoes (PBS), on the Drew Carey show (ABC) and as a featured performer on Christopher Reeve: A Celebration of Hope (ABC). Mark has been honored to create three works for VERB Ballets: The Memory Room, Before the Time After, and Luis (commissioned by Hiram College), as well as works for Dancing Wheels first and second companies. Now in his fifth season with VERB Ballets, Mark also serves as the companies Outreach and Education Coordinator.

Hip Hop – through Feb. 20

Join the hip-hop revolution! Learn to bust a move and dance at a pace we can all appreciate. This beginning level class is led by actor/dancer/choreographer Leilani Barrett.

An actor/dancer/choreographer and teacher, Mr. Barrett, a native of Cleveland, OH, graduated from the Cleveland School of the Arts where he majored in theater with a strong dance emphasis. Under scholarship, he continued his education at the Ohio State University.
   
His formal dance training began as one of the original members of the award-winning program The YARD.  His movement training began with West African dance, Hip Hop/ Breakdance, martial arts, ballet and various modern techniques (Hawkens, Graham and Horton) including Capoeira, the Brazilian dance-martial art.  Mr. Barrett has participated in several workshops led by Alison Chase of Pilobolus Dance Theater and its company members, Bill T. Jones and Art Bridgeman & Myrna Packer. He left the Ohio State University to join the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in 1995.
   
In addition to his regional stage, television and film work Mr.
Barrett is the former Artistic Director of The YARD at Cleveland School of Arts, a member of In•Let Dance Theatre and a part-time instructor with Cuyahoga Community College. As an Educational Coordinator for the Ohio Ballet, he helped develop and direct the outreach program, the JoyDance Project, in Akron. He has been an Artist in Residence at Laurel School, Hathaway Brown School, Hawken Upper School, Cleveland School of the Arts, Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater, Purdue University, University of Akron, Lake Erie College, Cleveland State University, Beck Center for the Arts and numerous Cleveland area private studios. Mr. Barrett has choreographed for the Near West Theater, The YARD, Cuyahoga Community College, Hathaway Brown School,
Lake Erie College, Great Lakes Theater Festival at Playhouse Square, Karamu House, In•Let Dance Theatre, Purdue University and acted as assistant choreographer to Bill Wade for the “Intensity Games” for two years at the former Sea World of Ohio. He lives with his twin sons in Cleveland.

Just Jazz – through Feb. 15

It’s a little bit urban, it’s a little bit Fosse, it’s all that jazz! Performer/dancer/choreographer Kyle Primous leads this one-of-a-kind jazz dance class for beginners.

Kyle Primous, a graduate of Kenyon College, has danced and/or taught with The University of Akron, Ohio Dance Theatre (ODT), Pittsburgh’s Dance Alloy, Footpath Dance Co., at Jacob’s Pillow, on the Drew Carey Show and is presently on faculty at Oberlin College, Lorain County Community College, Cleveland School of Dance and ODT.  He’s directed and/or choreographed:  The Wiz, The Sound of Music, Trees of Hope, Once on this Island, LCCC’s Serendipity III, Centerfest’s Sneak Peak, the world premiere of Full Moon, Steelbound, The Odyssey, The Little Tommy Parker Celebrated Colored Minstrel Show, Treemonisha and Famous Orpheus.  A member of Actors’ Equity Association, Mr. Primous’ stage credits include:  Ragtime (Coalhouse), Five Guys Named Moe (No Max), ODT’s Journey, Parade (Jim Conley), Full Moon (Mercer), The Hostage (Princess Grace), truth (Dance), I Could Stop on a Dime and get Ten Cents Change and Mule Bone (Dave Carter).  Kyle’s three-octave range has been heard at Jacobs’ Field, Cleveland Opera, Tri-C Jazz Fest, throughout the Caribbean and, currently, Mr. Primous fronts the band Redline.  He thanks his wife, Corrie, and his late parents for their continual influence.