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Dennis Nahat |
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Interviews & News: Dennis Nahat began his training
in Detroit, Michigan at the age of eight under the direction
of Enid and Jeff Ricardeau and Kay Bliss at the Ricardeau Studios.
At 17 he was awarded a full scholarship in dance and minored
in music at the Juilliard
School of Music, while continuing his training under the
guidance of Martha
Hill, Martha
Graham, José Limón,
Anna Sokalow, Antony
Tudor, and Louis
Horst. In 1965 Nahat joined the newly formed City Center Joffrey Ballet and from 1966 to 1968 performed in the original Broadway Musical SWEET CHARITY with Gwen Verdon. He joined American Ballet Theater in 1968 - 1979 where he performed as a principal. Nahat co-founded the School of Cleveland Ballet in 1972 and Cleveland Ballet in 1976 with the late Ian (Ernie) Horvath. In 1983 Nahat became sole Artistic Director and in 1985 created the co-venture between San Jose, California and Cleveland, Ohio. Known as San Jose Cleveland Ballet, it performed full seasons in both communities for 15 years and was reborn as Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley in October 2000, now Ballet San Jose. His choreographic credits extend from ballet to Broadway, television and film where he has created over 104 works. He has choreographed major pieces for American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, and the Royal Swedish Ballet, and staged many of his ballets for Hartford Ballet, The London Festival Ballet, Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas, St. Louis Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and many others. Nahat’s ground-breaking ballet Blue Suede Shoes, set to 36 songs of Elvis Presley, has been seen nationwide on PBS and received two Emmy nominations for that broadcast series. His choreography for the Company, referred to by Nahat as “a dancer’s company”, emphasizes theatricality. It highlights the technical achievements of the artists and is visually exciting fare for the audience. He also served in Japan’s Nagoya International Competition, teaching the competitors and student classes as well as directing working. In July of 2000 he was invited for the fourth time to return to Denmark, Copenhagen to teach the art of choreography, pas de deux, and repertory classes at the prestigious Bartholin International Ballet Seminar. |
 Photo by John Gerbetz |
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In 2001 Nahat accepted the Artistic Directorship
for the Usdan
Center for the Creative and Performing Arts’ new ballet program in Wheatley
Heights, New York. He continues as Artistic/Executive Director of the Ballet
San Jose Silicon Valley School. In addition to leading Ballet San Jose and its professional School, Nahat serves as choreographer, judge and teacher for competitions, seminars and companies throughout the world. He is also Artistic Director of New York’s Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts’ ballet program and he received the Dance Master of America Award for Lifetime Achievement in Orlando, Florida on July 19, 2008. He worked closely with Sylvia Young, Overseas Tour Director, created and coordinated the entire CHINA GOODWILL TOUR 2008 with performances in 8 major cities. Mr. Nahat is an acclaimed artist of international stature and is dedicated to creating ballets which distinguish Ballet San Jose as a company of international renown. |
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