by Jenifer Dobbins
Margarita and Leoanna Socci from the Youth Dance Ensemble Program attended a Ballet Conference with the East Coast Committee of the Cecchetti Council of America on October 5 at the University of College Park. The dancers attended classes by world-renowned faculty, including Raymond Lukens and Franco De Vita, co-authors of the American Ballet Theater’s National Training Curriculum; Melissa Bowman, Academy Director for the Houston Ballet, and Mark Ellis Holland, a Broadway veteran and choreographer. Over 100 dancers and 30 teachers from DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania attend this conference twice a year. Elsie Best and Pamela Egnew, dancers in JOMDC’s Adult program, attended teacher courses on Sunday of the conference in preparation for their upcoming Ballet teacher exams. Congrats to all of the participants!