951.686.0226

   Game NIGHT 
March 27, 2010

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Glenda Carhart - Artistic Director      Jeralyn Fetter - Administrator
Office: 951-686-0226        Fax: 951-686-1240
3840 Lemon Street, Riverside, CA  92501  Click here for directions.
 
Riverside Ballet Arts - The Official School of California Riverside Ballet    Click Here 

Hours: 
Monday-Thursday
4pm-7pm
Fridays 4pm-6pm

Saturday 10am-12pm
Sunday Closed

15% OFF
 First Months Tuition
One per customer, not valid with any other offer.

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DRESS CODE (strictly enforced) 
Pink tights & pink shoes
 
Creative Movement & Pre-Ballet - White leotard
Ballet 1 - Pink leotard
Ballet 2 - Light Blue leotard
Ballet 3 - Maroon leotard
Ballet 4 - Royal Blue leotard
Ballet 5 - Navy Blue leotard
Ballet 6 - Black leotard
Advanced 5/6 girls are allowed a
free day on Saturdays, any solid color leotard
however pink tights are mandatory.
 
 
RBA Faculty
Glenda Carhart
Kathleen Riker 
Alexandra Espana
Jessica Adams
Diana Morris
Natalie Landfield
Andrew Pearson
Stephanie Adrian

Guest Teachers
David Allan
Nina Pinzarrone
Barbara Bean
Michel Gervais
Kipling Houston
Darci Kistler
Katrina Killian
Robert Gosnell
Medical Advisors
Dr. Alan Strizak, Orthopedic Surgery / Sports Medicine 949-495-8861
Dr. George J. Maraczi, Podiatrist 949-495-2506 
Dr. Jack R. Gianqiulio, Chiropractic Health 949-851-BACK (2225)
Thomas T. Haider, MD, Children's Spine Foundation
 
Congratulations to all our new Pointe Students.
 
 They are:    Kathy Chen
                    Mara Glass
                    Chandler Reed
                   

New classes!
2 year olds- Saturdays 12:00-12:30pm
3 year olds- Saturdays 12:30-1:00pm

School Accompanist Toni Spagnola

School Photography
Bob Torrez - Click Here

RBA Newsletter
Click Link on Left
Under Forms & Links

ALEXANDRA ESPANA
Alexandra España-began her teaching career at Riverside Ballet Arts in
2005. Alexandra began ballet at age 3, and trained under Toni Carrion,
Alexander Gudunov, and the legendary Irina Kosmovska (of Ballet Russe).
Alexandra studied at School of American Ballet New York, Central
Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Aspen, Lichine Academy, and Milwaukee
Ballet. At 14, she moved to Massachusetts's to live at Walnut Hill
School for the Arts where she resided for 2 years. At age 16, Alexandra
was chosen to demonstrate in a summer teaching seminar by the
distinguished, David Howard. She returned to California at 16, to
graduate from L.A. County High School for the Arts. Her professional
career began in high school as a principal dancer with Pacific American
Ballet Theater, and at 19, was offered an apprenticeship at Milwaukee
Ballet. A year later, she joined California Riverside Ballet, under the
direction of David Allan and Glenda Carhart. Later, she joined Anaheim
Ballet as a principal dancer touring the Southwest. Alexandra's
accomplishments include passing all Primary through Elementary levels of
R.A.D. (Royal Academy of Dance) and has appeared in Dance Kaleidoscope
and PBS’s T.V. production of Long Beach Ballet's, The Nutcracker. She
also performed in Swan Lake with Darci Kistler, The Nutcracker (Snow
Queen, Arabian, Waltz, Merlitons, Chinese and Spanish), Blue Bird solo,
Paquita, The Princess and the Pea, and Malagaña. Alexandra is also a
proud wife and mother of two.


DIANA MORRIS
     Diana Kavilis Morris began her dancing career at the age of five at Ballet Petit in La Canada, California. After moving to Orange County at the age of eight, she continued her training under Anthony Sellars. She joined Sellars’ Orange County Civic Ballet Company when she was twelve, returning to La Canada for their six-week summer intensives. At 14, Diana accepted a scholarship at Le Petit, and lived with host families during her freshman year of high school. Upon her return, she performed in Christmas parades at The Disneyland resort. After some time, her interests shifted from ballet to theatre.
     Diana joined a song and dance group, The Young Americans, at sixteen. After a move to New York at 21 to pursue her Broadway dream, Diana was cast in her first national touring company of Cats performing the role of Demeter, and understudying Grizabella. Having established herself as a dancer and singer, she began to a true career. Her national tours include: A Chorus Line (Cassie, Val, Maggie), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Claire), Evita (Eva), Miss Saigon (Ellen), and Martin Guerre (dancer). In Los Angeles, she performed Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close- American Premiere/ Cast Recording (Understudy Betty). Diana has also performed regionally in: Joseph…Dreamcoat (narrator), A Chorus Line (Cassie), My Fair Lady/Mame/Camelot/The Sound of Music (dancer, Hollywood Bowl).  Diana’s proudest moment of her career was being a part of the closing cast of the original Broadway run of A Chorus Line, in which she played the role of Val.

ALAN M. STRIZAK, M.D.

Dr. Alan Strizak is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, fellowship trained in sports medicine, and with special interest in dance. Dr. Strizak’s professional sports medicine experience includes stints as a team physician or consultant for the New York Rangers (ice hockey), New York Knicks (basketball), New York Jets (football), New York Cosmos (soccer), and New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox (baseball). His extremely diverse experience in amateur sports includes assignments with United States Olympic athletes in Cycling, Boxing, Gymnastics, Athletics (“Track and Field”), Wrestling, Basketball, Field Hockey, and Softball, at events the range from the World University Games to the Goodwill Games to the Olympic Games themselves. During his training in New York, Dr, Strizak worked with world-renowned New York City Ballet “house” orthopedist Dr, William Hamilton and has even taught the dance medicine course at California State University, Long Beach. However, Dr. Strizak says his favorite ongoing “dance role” is his “supportive” role with the artists, performers, and instructors of Riverside Ballet.


GLENDA CARHART
Ms. Carhart is a native Californian who received her beginning training in Riverside and was one of the six original CRB dancers. Ms. Carhart left Riverside at the age of 15 to continue her training on a full scholar ship at the school of the Harkness Ballet in New York City.  The following year took her to Toronto, Canada on scholarship with the National Ballet School.  She joined the National Ballet of Canada the following year, performing her first professional roles in Rudolf Nureyev's Sleeping Beauty at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.  While at the National Ballet she performed in Edward Villella's Harlequin for a nationwide CBS Television special presentation and in full-length productions of Swan Lake, Coppelia, and the Nutcracker.  She was featured in Serenade and Offenbach in the Underworld, and gained experience working with top professionals Mikhail Baryshnikov, Peter Martins, Fernando Bujones, Erik Bruhn, Rudolf Nureyev, and Celia Franca.
Returning to Riverside in 1977, Ms. Carhart was guest artist for numerous companies and schools in California, and danced as principal soloist with CRB.
In 1984 she was appointed Artistic Director of the California Riverside Ballet. Ms. Carhart brought Mr. David Allan, internationally known choreographer to help professionalize CRB.  1991-92 marked the first season as professional status for California Riverside Ballet.
As owner of Riverside Ballet Arts, the official school of California Riverside Ballet,  Ms. Carhart directs a faculty and staff of approximately 12.  The school has an enrollment of approximately 200 students. Ms. Carhart's commitment to providing excellent training over the years has resulted in her students receiving scholarships to the most prestigious company schools in North America.  She has continued her own training as a teacher through workshops with National Ballet of Canada and is a certified trainer utilizing Pilates based techniques and apparatus. Ms. Carhart has brought to her school for Master classes such major talents as:  Veronica Tennant, Maya Plisetskaya, and Darci Kistler.
On March 20, 1993, Ms. Carhart was honored by the University of Redlands for her service and work in the arts with a special "A Woman's Place is Every Place" award.  She was honored with the Arts Angel award on September 28, 1995.  Citing her outstanding Artistic Achievements, Ms. Carhart was presented with this prestigious award by the Riverside Arts Foundation.
In Addition, Ms. Carhart has taught  at the University of California, Irvine for six years as a dance instructor and lecturer.  Her classes included ballet, pointe, and the teaching of dance.
In 2004, Glenda was honored at a 20th anniversary celebration receiving a proclamation from Mayor Ron Loveridge, as well as a letter of appreciation from Congressman Ken Calvert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


DAVID ALLAN

David was born in Boston. He is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Ballet at the University of California, Irvine. Mr. Allan was trained at the National Ballet School of Canada. He entered the National Ballet of Canada in 1974, where he was a Soloist from 1977-88, performing all over the world in ballets by Rudolf Nureyev, Erik Bruhn, George Balanchine, Sir Frederic Ashton, John Cranko, Roland Petit, Sir Kenneth MacMillian, Anthony Tudor, and many others. He has choreographed over fifty ballets since 1983, eight of which were commissioned by the late Erik Bruhn for the repertoire of the National Ballet of Canada. He has many works in the repertoire's of such ballet companies as New York City Ballet, Ohkura Ballet of Tokyo, Italy's Rome Opera House, Ballet British Columbia, Ballet Pacifica, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Nashville, and Hartford Ballets as well as for opera, film, musicals, and television. He is the recipient of the 1989 Jean A. Chalmers Choreographic Award in Canada and the 1997 Choo-San Goh Award. He was he Associate Artistic Director of the California Riverside Ballet from 1991-1996.  Mr. Allan has been a Guest Teacher/Ballet Master for San Francisco Ballet, London Rambert Dance Co., Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, Basel Ballet of Switzerland, National Ballet de Lorraine in France, among others.
Mr. Allan's two works for the New York City Ballet have prompted such journalists as Anna Kisselgoff, of the New York Times to write, in 1992, for his ballet Reunions, that he is a "major talent". She added in 1994, "The least that can be said of Mr. Allan, as he shows in Pastoral Dances, is that he knows how to make a beautiful ballet". Pastoral Dances entered the repertoire of The Atlantic Ballet in the 1995/95 season and was performed in that year with the Seoul Ballet Theatre of Korea. Reunions entered the repertoire of Nashville Ballet in the Fall of 1999 and the ballet returned into the active repertoire in 200l.
In the summer of 1995, Mr. Allan was engaged by Director/Producer Paul Blake, of DFI Productions in Los Angeles, to choreograph a national U.S. tour of Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. It starred Phyliss Diller, Georgia Engel and featured the dancers of the Joffrey Ballet.
In November 1998, the University of California, Irvine, presented Mr. Allan's full length ballet Cinderella, the Gala event hosted by Prima Ballerina, Veronica Tennant performed by Guest Artists, Evelyn Cisneros and Stephen Legate of San Francisco Ballet.
Mr. Allan's 15 years as a Choreographer, as well as being the first evening length ballet produced in the Dance Department's histo¬ry. Mr. Allan has begun directing an International Exchange program between the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris and the University of California, Irvine, Dance Department.
Mr. Allan choreographed a new solo in March of 2000 for American Ballet Theatre's Ethan Stiefel, commissioned by William Gillespie; its world premiere was on March 12, 2000 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center accompanied by the Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Alexander. Recently in March 21 of 2001, Mr. Allan premiered a new ballet Palladio for the Junior Ballet Classique of the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris. A Paris magazine - Danse, Danse, Danse, states: Palladio is a light and lively piece to the 'Diamond Music' by composer Karl Jenkins. The second section, an adage with ample and free movement, revealed, through a rigorous construction, focused dancers who perfectly mastered all the subtlety of the choreography in complete osmosis with the musical score."
Stealing Time premiered with Ballet Pacifica on June 15, 2001 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Southern California. The headline in the Orange County Register was "Stealing Time, Steals the Show."
In the season 2002 Mr. Allan premiered a new work Dreams of Tenderness & Solitude for the Hong Kong Ballet. He remounted his 1992 production of Reunions for a new cast of dancers at New York City Ballet for the company's 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Diamond Project. The NY Times states; "Reunion is one of the best of the Diamond Project ballets."

 

 

 

 

KATHLEEN RIKER
Kathleen began her dance training in 1979 at Riverside Ballet Arts.  She has also studied at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts in Alberta, Canada, Ballet West, and Stanley Holden's Dance Center in Los Angeles. She appeared as a guest artist at UCR's faculty dance Concert in Pas De Quartre, and was a member of the Modern Dance Ensemble headed by the late Frank Aguirre.  Kathleen has also performed at dance Kaleidoscope in Los Angeles.  Other roles performed with the California Riverside Ballet include R. Clinton Rothwell's premier of Concerto in G Minor, the Silver Fairy and Crystal Fairy variations from Sleeping Beauty, Tarantella, Chopin, Classical Symphony, Raymonda, as well as Spanish Dancer, Arabian Dancer, Snow Fairy, and the Dew Drop Fairy in the The Nutcracker.  She has also performed works by David Allan, ETC! and Pastel.  She has been a faculty member at Riverside Ballet Arts since 1987, acted as Administrator from 1996-2001 and has been Ballet Mistress to California Riverside Ballet since


DAMIEN DIAZ
Damien is a native of Los Angeles, California. He was a scholarship student at the School of American Ballet New York, North Carolina School of the Arts, Miami Ballet, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Houston Ballet and the Atlanta Ballet School. Damien started his career at Ballet South in Birmingham, Alabama under the direction of Dame Sonia Arova and as an apprentice of the Atlanta Ballet. He then proceeded in the Corps de Ballet of the Zurich Ballet under the direction of Professor Uwe Scholz. After the fall of the Berlin Wall he accepted a principal dancer contract at the Leipzig Ballet in the ex  German Democratic Republic also under the Photography by: Eric Antoniou ' direction of Prof. Scholz from 1990 97. From 1997 2001 Damien danced all principal, classical and neo classical roles with the Dance Theater of Vienna, Tokyo Ballet, Warsaw Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Tuzex Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, Ruth Page Foundation in Chicago as well as chief choreographer, dancer and make up artist for Viktorion Eckstein Productions in Berlin.  Damien is currently performing with the world's foremost all male classical ballet company, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, and Choreographing "Urban Revolution" for it's world debut on May 12th, 2007 at the California Riverside Ballet's, Spring Gala and Production of Puttin' on The Ritz!

DARCI KISTLER
Darci Kistler was born in Riverside, California, the youngest of five children and the only girl. Always athletic, Ms. Kistler enjoyed many sports, including skiing, waterskiing, swimming, tennis, football, and dirt biking, before she began studying ballet. At the age of 12 she began studying with Irina Kosmouska in Los Angeles, and that same year she attended a summer session at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. Two years later, she received a full scholarship to SAB.
Ms. Kistler participated in two SAB Workshops. In the first, in 1979, she danced a principal role in Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux's HAYDN CONCERTO, choreographed especially for the Workshop, and danced the pas de deux by August Bournonville from the opera WILLIAM TELL, staged by Stanley Williams. In 1980, Ms. Kistler danced the principal role in George Balanchine's one-act SWAN LAKE. She prepared for the role by studying extensively with Alexandra Danilova.
Ms. Kistler joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in April 1980, was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1981, and became a Principal Dancer in 1982. She has danced leading roles in many Balanchine ballets, including AGON, APOLLO, BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG QUARTET, BUGAKU, CONCERTO BAROCCO, EPISODES, GEORGE BALANCHINE'S THE NUTCRACKER™ (Dewdrop and Sugar Plum Fairy), "Diamonds" from JEWELS, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, MONUMENTUM PRO GESUALDO, MOVEMENTS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA, MOZARTIANA, ORPHEUS, PRODIGAL SON, ROBERT SCHUMANN'S "DAVIDSBÜNDLERTÄNZE," LA SONNAMBULA, SYLVIA PAS DE DEUX, SYMPHONY IN C (second movement), TZIGANE, UNION JACK, VARIATIONS POUR UNE PORTE ET UN SOUPIR, VIENNA WALTZES, WALPURGISNACHT BALLET, and WESTERN SYMPHONY. In addition, Ms. Kistler has danced leading roles in Jerome Robbins' IN G MAJOR and IN THE NIGHT, and Mr. Robbins created leading roles for her in ANDANTINO, GERSHWIN CONCERTO, and PICCOLO BALLETTO. Peter Martins created leading roles for her in ADAMS VIOLIN CONCERTO, BACH CONCERTO V, BURLESKE, THE CHAIRMAN DANCES, DELIGHT OF THE MUSES, GUIDE TO STRANGE PLACES, HARMONIELEHRE, MORGEN, the New York City Ballet premiere of OCTET, PIANO-RAG-MUSIC, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, STABAT MATER, SUITE FROM HISTOIRE DU SOLDAT, SYMPHONIC DANCES, SYMPHONY NO. 1, TĀLĀ GAISMA, THOU SWELL, TODO BUENOS AIRES, and VIVA VERDI. She has also danced a lead role in Mr. Martins' VALSE TRISTE. Additional principal roles created for Ms. Kistler include Ulysses Dove's RED ANGELS and Robert La Fosse's DANSES DE COUR.
Ms. Kistler has been seen on national television in PBS's "Dance In America" series in both the "WILLIAM TELL pas de deux" from BOURNONVILLE DANCES and in SERENADE, and the pas de deux from SWAN LAKE on the "Kennedy Center Honors" program as part of a tribute to Alexandra Danilova. She was also seen in PBS's "Dance In America" program of "The Balanchine Celebration." Ms. Kistler starred as the Sugarplum Fairy in the 1993 film version of New York City Ballet's production of GEORGE BALANCHINE'S THE NUTCRACKER™. In May of 2002, Ms. Kistler appeared in the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of "New York City Ballet's Diamond Project: Ten Years of New Choreography," dancing in THEM TWOS, and in May of 2004 she appeared in the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of "Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100," dancing in LIEBESLIEDER WALZER.
In addition to her performing career, Ms. Kistler has been a member of SAB's faculty since 1994. During the Winter Term, she teaches Intermediate and Advanced Girls technique and variations classes. She is also a member of the Summer Course faculty.


 

ALEXANDRA ESPANA
Alexandra España-began her teaching career at Riverside Ballet Arts in 2005. Alexandra began ballet at age 3, and trained under Toni Carrion, Alexander Gudunov, and the legendary Irina Kosmovska (of Ballet Russe).

Alexandra studied at School of American Ballet New York, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Aspen, Lichine Academy, and Milwaukee Ballet. At 14, she moved to Massachusetts's to live at Walnut Hill School for the Arts where she resided for 2 years. At age 16, Alexandra was chosen to demonstrate in a summer teaching seminar by the distinguished, David Howard. She returned to California at 16, to graduate from L.A. County High School for the Arts. Her professional career began in high school as a principal dancer with Pacific American Ballet Theater, and at 19, was offered an apprenticeship at Milwaukee Ballet. A year later, she joined California Riverside Ballet, under the  direction of David Allan and Glenda Carhart. Later, she joined Anaheim Ballet as a principal dancer touring the Southwest. Alexandra's accomplishments include passing all Primary through Elementary levels of R.A.D. (Royal Academy of Dance) and has appeared in Dance Kaleidoscope and PBS’s T.V. production of Long Beach Ballet's, The Nutcracker. She also performed in Swan Lake with Darci Kistler, The Nutcracker (Snow Queen, Arabian, Waltz, Merlitons, Chinese and Spanish), Blue Bird solo, Paquita, The Princess and the Pea, and Malagaña. Alexandra is also a proud wife and mother of two.
 
DIANA MORRIS
Diana Kavilis Morris began her dancing career at the age of five at Ballet Petit in La Canada, California. After moving to Orange County at the age of eight, she continued her training under Anthony Sellars. She joined Sellars’ Orange County Civic Ballet Company when she was twelve, returning to La Canada for their six-week summer intensives. At 14, Diana accepted a scholarship at Le Petit, and lived with host families during her freshman year of high school. Upon her return, she performed in Christmas parades at The Disneyland resort. After some time, her interests shifted from ballet to theatre.
 
Diana joined a song and dance group, The Young Americans, at sixteen. After a move to New York at 21 to pursue her Broadway dream, Diana was cast in her first national touring company of Cats performing the role of Demeter, and understudying Grizabella. Having established herself as a dancer and singer, she began to a true career. Her national tours include: A Chorus Line (Cassie, Val, Maggie), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Claire), Evita (Eva), Miss Saigon (Ellen), and Martin Guerre (dancer). In Los Angeles, she performed Sunset Boulevard with Glenn Close- American Premiere/ Cast Recording (Understudy Betty). Diana has also performed regionally in: Joseph…Dreamcoat (narrator), A Chorus Line (Cassie), My Fair Lady/Mame/Camelot/The Sound of Music (dancer, Hollywood Bowl).  Diana’s proudest moment of her career was being a part of the closing cast of the original Broadway run of A Chorus Line, in which she played the role of Val.  
 
GLENDA CARHART
Ms. Carhart is a native Californian who received her beginning training in Riverside and was one of the six original CRB dancers. Ms. Carhart left Riverside at the age of 15 to continue her training on a full scholar ship at the school of the Harkness Ballet in New York City.  The following year took her to Toronto, Canada on scholarship with the National Ballet School.  She joined the National Ballet of Canada the following year, performing her first professional roles in Rudolf Nureyev's Sleeping Beauty at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.  While at the National Ballet she performed in Edward Villella's Harlequin for a nationwide CBS Television special presentation and in full-length productions of Swan Lake, Coppelia, and the Nutcracker.  She was featured in Serenade and Offenbach in the Underworld, and gained experience working with top professionals Mikhail Baryshnikov, Peter Martins, Fernando Bujones, Erik Bruhn, Rudolf Nureyev, and Celia Franca.

Returning to Riverside in 1977, Ms. Carhart was guest artist for numerous companies and schools in California, and danced as principal soloist with CRB.


In 1984 she was appointed Artistic Director of the California Riverside Ballet. Ms. Carhart brought Mr. David Allan, internationally known choreographer to help professionalize CRB.  1991-92 marked the first season as professional status for California Riverside Ballet.

As owner of Riverside Ballet Arts, the official school of California Riverside Ballet,  Ms. Carhart directs a faculty and staff of approximately 12.  The school has an enrollment of approximately 200 students. Ms. Carhart's commitment to providing excellent training over the years has resulted in her students receiving scholarships to the most prestigious company schools in North America.  She has continued her own training as a teacher through workshops with National Ballet of Canada and is a certified trainer utilizing Pilates based techniques and apparatus. Ms. Carhart has brought to her school for Master classes such major talents as:  Veronica Tennant, Maya Plisetskaya, and Darci Kistler.

On March 20, 1993, Ms. Carhart was honored by the University of Redlands for her service and work in the arts with a special "A Woman's Place is Every Place" award.  She was honored with the Arts Angel award on September 28, 1995.  Citing her outstanding Artistic Achievements, Ms. Carhart was presented with this prestigious award by the Riverside Arts Foundation.


In Addition, Ms. Carhart has taught  at the University of California, Irvine for six years as a dance instructor and lecturer.  Her classes included ballet, pointe, and the teaching of dance.

In 2004, Glenda was honored at a 20th anniversary celebration receiving a proclamation from Mayor Ron Loveridge, as well as a letter of appreciation from Congressman Ken Calvert.
 
KATHLEEN RIKER
Kathleen began her dance training in 1979 at Riverside Ballet Arts.  She has also studied at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts in Alberta, Canada, Ballet West, and Stanley Holden's Dance Center in Los Angeles. She appeared as a guest artist at UCR's faculty dance Concert in Pas De Quartre, and was a member of the Modern Dance Ensemble headed by the late Frank Aguirre.  Kathleen has also performed at dance Kaleidoscope in Los Angeles.  Other roles performed with the California Riverside Ballet include R. Clinton Rothwell's premier of Concerto in G Minor, the Silver Fairy and Crystal Fairy variations from Sleeping Beauty, Tarantella, Chopin, Classical Symphony, Raymonda, as well as Spanish Dancer, Arabian Dancer, Snow Fairy, and the Dew Drop Fairy in the The Nutcracker.  She has also performed works by David Allan, ETC! and Pastel.  She has been a faculty member at Riverside Ballet Arts since 1987, acted as Administrator from 1996-2001 and has been Ballet Mistress to California Riverside Ballet since
 
 
Jessica Adams
Born in Riverside, Jessica trained with Riverside Ballet Arts from the age of 10 to 17, when she then moved to Miami, FL to study with the Miami City Ballet School. While attending the school Jessica had the opportunity to work and tour with the company until 2006 when she became a member of the Colorado Ballet. Jessica has performed in ballets such as “Cinderella” and “The Nutcracker” by David Allan, “Symphony In C”, “Who Cares” and “Concerto Barroco” by George Balanchine, “Dracula” by Micheal Pink and “Where The Wild Things Are” by Septime Webre.
Jessica joined the staff of Riverside Ballet Arts in the spring of 2008 and is thrilled to be home and pursuing her dream of teaching children the art of ballet.

RBA Staff
RBA's Guest Artist's
DAVID ALLAN
David was born in Boston. He is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Ballet at the University of California, Irvine. Mr. Allan was trained at the National Ballet School of Canada. He entered the National Ballet of Canada in 1974, where he was a Soloist from 1977-88, performing all over the world in ballets by Rudolf Nureyev, Erik Bruhn, George Balanchine, Sir Frederic Ashton, John Cranko, Roland Petit, Sir Kenneth MacMillian, Anthony Tudor, and many others. He has choreographed over fifty ballets since 1983, eight of which were commissioned by the late Erik Bruhn for the repertoire of the National Ballet of Canada. He has many works in the repertoire's of such ballet companies as New York City Ballet, Ohkura Ballet of Tokyo, Italy's Rome Opera House, Ballet British Columbia, Ballet Pacifica, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Nashville, and Hartford Ballets as well as for opera, film, musicals, and television. He is the recipient of the 1989 Jean A. Chalmers Choreographic Award in Canada and the 1997 Choo-San Goh Award. He was he Associate Artistic Director of the California Riverside Ballet from 1991-1996.  Mr. Allan has been a Guest Teacher/Ballet Master for San Francisco Ballet, London Rambert Dance Co., Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, Basel Ballet of Switzerland, National Ballet de Lorraine in France, among others.

Mr. Allan's two works for the New York City Ballet have prompted such journalists as Anna Kisselgoff, of the New York Times to write, in 1992, for his ballet Reunions, that he is a "major talent". She added in 1994, "The least that can be said of Mr. Allan, as he shows in Pastoral Dances, is that he knows how to make a beautiful ballet". Pastoral Dances entered the repertoire of The Atlantic Ballet in the 1995/95 season and was performed in that year with the Seoul Ballet Theatre of Korea. Reunions entered the repertoire of Nashville Ballet in the Fall of 1999 and the ballet returned into the active repertoire in 200l.


In the summer of 1995, Mr. Allan was engaged by Director/Producer Paul Blake, of DFI Productions in Los Angeles, to choreograph a national U.S. tour of Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. It starred Phyliss Diller, Georgia Engel and featured the dancers of the Joffrey Ballet.


In November 1998, the University of California, Irvine, presented Mr. Allan's full length ballet Cinderella, the Gala event hosted by Prima Ballerina, Veronica Tennant performed by Guest Artists, Evelyn Cisneros and Stephen Legate of San Francisco Ballet.


Mr. Allan's 15 years as a Choreographer, as well as being the first evening length ballet produced in the Dance Department's histo¬ry. Mr. Allan has begun directing an International Exchange program between the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris and the University of California, Irvine, Dance Department.


Mr. Allan choreographed a new solo in March of 2000 for American Ballet Theatre's Ethan Stiefel, commissioned by William Gillespie; its world premiere was on March 12, 2000 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center accompanied by the Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Alexander. Recently in March 21 of 2001, Mr. Allan premiered a new ballet Palladio for the Junior Ballet Classique of the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris. A Paris magazine - Danse, Danse, Danse, states: Palladio is a light and lively piece to the 'Diamond Music' by composer Karl Jenkins. The second section, an adage with ample and free movement, revealed, through a rigorous construction, focused dancers who perfectly mastered all the subtlety of the choreography in complete osmosis with the musical score."


Stealing Time premiered with Ballet Pacifica on June 15, 2001 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Southern California. The headline in the Orange County Register was "Stealing Time, Steals the Show."


In the season 2002 Mr. Allan premiered a new work Dreams of Tenderness & Solitude for the Hong Kong Ballet. He remounted his 1992 production of Reunions for a new cast of dancers at New York City Ballet for the company's 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Diamond Project. The NY Times states; "Reunion is one of the best of the Diamond Project ballets."

 
DARCI KISTLER
Darci Kistler was born in Riverside, California, the youngest of five children and the only girl. Always athletic, Ms. Kistler enjoyed many sports, including skiing, waterskiing, swimming, tennis, football, and dirt biking, before she began studying ballet. At the age of 12 she began studying with Irina Kosmouska in Los Angeles, and that same year she attended a summer session at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. Two years later, she received a full scholarship to SAB.

Ms. Kistler participated in two SAB Workshops. In the first, in 1979, she danced a principal role in Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux's HAYDN CONCERTO, choreographed especially for the Workshop, and danced the pas de deux by August Bournonville from the opera WILLIAM TELL, staged by Stanley Williams. In 1980, Ms. Kistler danced the principal role in George Balanchine's one-act SWAN LAKE. She prepared for the role by studying extensively with Alexandra Danilova.


Ms. Kistler joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in April 1980, was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1981, and became a Principal Dancer in 1982. She has danced leading roles in many Balanchine ballets, including AGON, APOLLO, BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG QUARTET, BUGAKU, CONCERTO BAROCCO, EPISODES, GEORGE BALANCHINE'S THE NUTCRACKER™ (Dewdrop and Sugar Plum Fairy), "Diamonds" from JEWELS, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, MONUMENTUM PRO GESUALDO, MOVEMENTS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA, MOZARTIANA, ORPHEUS, PRODIGAL SON, ROBERT SCHUMANN'S "DAVIDSBÜNDLERTÄNZE," LA SONNAMBULA, SYLVIA PAS DE DEUX, SYMPHONY IN C (second movement), TZIGANE, UNION JACK, VARIATIONS POUR UNE PORTE ET UN SOUPIR, VIENNA WALTZES, WALPURGISNACHT BALLET, and WESTERN SYMPHONY. In addition, Ms. Kistler has danced leading roles in Jerome Robbins' IN G MAJOR and IN THE NIGHT, and Mr. Robbins created leading roles for her in ANDANTINO, GERSHWIN CONCERTO, and PICCOLO BALLETTO. Peter Martins created leading roles for her in ADAMS VIOLIN CONCERTO, BACH CONCERTO V, BURLESKE, THE CHAIRMAN DANCES, DELIGHT OF THE MUSES, GUIDE TO STRANGE PLACES, HARMONIELEHRE, MORGEN, the New York City Ballet premiere of OCTET, PIANO-RAG-MUSIC, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, STABAT MATER, SUITE FROM HISTOIRE DU SOLDAT, SYMPHONIC DANCES, SYMPHONY NO. 1, TĀLĀ GAISMA, THOU SWELL, TODO BUENOS AIRES, and VIVA VERDI. She has also danced a lead role in Mr. Martins' VALSE TRISTE. Additional principal roles created for Ms. Kistler include Ulysses Dove's RED ANGELS and Robert La Fosse's DANSES DE COUR.


Ms. Kistler has been seen on national television in PBS's "Dance In America" series in both the "WILLIAM TELL pas de deux" from BOURNONVILLE DANCES and in SERENADE, and the pas de deux from SWAN LAKE on the "Kennedy Center Honors" program as part of a tribute to Alexandra Danilova. She was also seen in PBS's "Dance In America" program of "The Balanchine Celebration." Ms. Kistler starred as the Sugarplum Fairy in the 1993 film version of New York City Ballet's production of GEORGE BALANCHINE'S THE NUTCRACKER™. In May of 2002, Ms. Kistler appeared in the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of "New York City Ballet's Diamond Project: Ten Years of New Choreography," dancing in THEM TWOS, and in May of 2004 she appeared in the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of "Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100," dancing in LIEBESLIEDER WALZER.


In addition to her performing career, Ms. Kistler has been a member of SAB's faculty since 1994. During the Winter Term, she teaches Intermediate and Advanced Girls technique and variations classes. She is also a member of the Summer Course faculty.
Medical Doctors
ALAN M. STRIZAK, M.D.
Dr. Alan Strizak is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, fellowship trained in sports medicine, and with special interest in dance. Dr. Strizak’s professional sports medicine experience includes stints as a team physician or consultant for the New York Rangers (ice hockey), New York Knicks (basketball), New York Jets (football), New York Cosmos (soccer), and New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox (baseball). His extremely diverse experience in amateur sports includes assignments with United States Olympic athletes in Cycling, Boxing, Gymnastics, Athletics (“Track and Field”), Wrestling, Basketball, Field Hockey, and Softball, at events the range from the World University Games to the Goodwill Games to the Olympic Games themselves. During his training in New York, Dr, Strizak worked with world-renowned New York City Ballet “house” orthopedist Dr, William Hamilton and has even taught the dance medicine course at California State University, Long Beach. However, Dr. Strizak says his favorite ongoing “dance role” is his “supportive” role with the artists, performers, and instructors of Riverside Ballet.

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