about

Arts Ballet Academy:
 Meaningful Movement

Arts Ballet Academy, LLC was formed in 2009 with the vision of bringing excellent ballet training, youth performing arts opportunities, and artistic enrichment to the Virginia Peninsula through classes in Newport News. We began with two classes, and now offer a range of classes and opportunities to ages 3 to adult.

Arts Ballet Academy is an organization committed to:

  • Inspiring and encouraging students of all ages and abilities to attain their highest potential in the art of classical ballet, as well as other genres of dance and performing arts;
  • Training and performing ballet at the highest artistic standards;
  • Instruction of ballet and other genres of art, music, and dance as a component of student education and development;
  • Enriching the Peninsula communities through the instruction and performance of ballet and other performing arts.
 

director/instructor: emily hill, ballet, pointe, and choreography

Emily's early training in her hometown of Steamboat Springs, CO was at Ballet Northwest, a ballet school that focused on pre-professional ballet training and the education and enrichment of dancers. She spent eleven years as a member of the school and company learning classical ballet based primarily on Vaganova technique with exposure to contemporary ballet, modern, jazz, Pilates, stretching, flamenco, and others. She has performed in classical ballets such as "The Nutcracker," "The Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "The Wizard of Oz," "Alice in Wonderland," and "Rodeo," and also was privledged to perform numerous contemporary ballet pieces and full-lengh performances.  Mrs. Hill holds a BAAS in Digital Imaging and Publishing and Computer Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology. After an absence from ballet, she joined the Hampton Roads Civic Ballet from 2004-2007 where she continued dancing, performing, and began assisting with rehearsals and choreography. She attended the 2007 Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's Teacher Training Workshop where she used the information and inspiration to begin plans for her own company. In 2008, she began studying the Leap N' Learn early childhood dance syllabus created by Beverly Spell. Mrs. Hill founded Arts Ballet Academy in the fall of 2009 with two classes. She created and taught three summer dance camps in 2010 and four summer dance camps in 2011 for children ages 3-12. She attended the Leap N' Learn Teacher Workshop in July 2010 and is a Level 1 Certified Leap 'N Learn Instructor. Emily intends to continue her enrichment and pedagogical studies and is excited to extend her passion for the art of ballet to many young dancers.

guest instructor: Ron Boucher, musical theater and voice

Ron Boucher formed the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts in September of 1996; incorporating Ms. Balestracci's existing ballet studio which quickly became a forerunner in performing arts education under the standards established by Goal 2000.

Mr. Boucher serves as EVSPA's overall administrative director, oversees the schools theater/voice divisions, and teaches voice. He is a member of the NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing). He also is an active lecturer and an advocate for “What your child should know in the Performing Arts Ages 3-18."

Mr. Boucher’s students have won major professional competitions, have placed in prestigious university and college vocal programs and have performed in Broadway and national touring shows.

In 2000, Mr. Boucher founded the Community Alliance for the Performing Arts, Fund and serves as its founding artistic and executive director.

In 1983, Mr. Boucher appeared in the Connecticut Grand Opera's production of DON PASQUALE, directed by Christopher Renshaw from Covent Gardens.

Among his credits are operas such as ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO, AIDA, CARMEN, LA BOHEME and LA GIOCONDA. Mr. Boucher also made his Broadway debut in the Prince Street Production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, which also included a national tour performing with major symphony orchestras through a grant received by the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Boucher vocal mentors have been Clarice Carson (Metropolitan Opera), David Leighton, (Metropolitan and New York City Opera), and William Hicks (Metropolitan and New York City Opera). Most of all, he attributes attained vocal wisdom to friend and colleague Maria Alsatti, soprano, Vienna State Opera.