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Heidi Winton-Stahle
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All dance instructors for ADC are highly trained, experienced teachers and former professional dancers who excel at instructing adults. See website for more details. Full-time faculty include: Danile Giesy, Chris Hird, Randall Marks, Tristi McMasters, Kathy Sawyer and Pedro Szalay.
Christopher Hird is the Artistic Manager of Boston Ballet School. Mr. Hird joined the school in 2003 and was appointed Assistant Principal, 2004, Artistic Coordinator, 2007, Artistic Manager, 2009. Mr. Hird teaches students in the Pre-Professional and Classical Ballet Programs at all levels. He has staged Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, La Bayadere, Giselle, Sir Frederick Ashton's Birthday Offering and Les Patineurs for Boston Ballet School's Ensemble and Boston Ballet's Summer Dance Program. Mr. Hird is also a Children's Ballet Master for Boston Ballet's productions of La Sylphide and The Nutcracker. Mr. Hird is the coordinator of the Summer Dance Program audition tour. Mr. Hird is originally from London, England and trained at The Royal Ballet School. He danced professionally as part of a company headlined by the international ballerina Sylvie Guillem, touring Europe. He gained a BA (Hons) degree in Dance from University of Surrey (Roehampton Institute) and the Diploma in Classical Ballet Teaching from Canada's National Ballet School. Mr. Hird has worked as Assistant to the Director for the British Ballet Organization and Assistant to the Development Manager for The Royal Ballet School. He has been a guest teacher at the Cecchetti Council of America's East Coast Conference, Harvard University (where he also staged the Pas d'action from La Bayadere for Harvard Ballet Company), Ballet Arts Worcester (where he also staged LA Sylphide) Middlesex University (UK), Boston Dance Alliance, Philips Academy, Andover, British Ballet Organization's Scholarship classes, Canada's National Ballet School, and Sun King Adult Dance Camps in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Hird was a member of the international jury for the Japan Grand Prix 2008. He has also been the Senior Ballet Adjudicator for the Surrey Festival of Dance in 2007 and 2008 and was also asked to create the Set Solos for the Festival for 2008-2012. Mr. Hird was on the Gala committee for Dame Beryl Grey's 75th birthday Gala in London, and also wrote the tribute which appeared in the souvenir program. Mr. Hird has written articles for Dance Teacher magazine, Boston Ballet's Sightlines publication, and for Boston Dance Alliance. Mr. Hird has recently begun writing entries for Boston Ballet's Footnotes.
Danile Giesy is from Virginia where she trained in ballet and character with Gene Hammet, Patricia Sorrell, Heidi Robitshek, and Gennadi Vostrikov. She danced professionally for Richmond Ballet and the Chamber Ballet of Williamsburg and later toured with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. At Evansville Dance Theater, she taught summer workshops in ballet and character. Also, she has taught for the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk and Tidewater Ballet. Currently, she teaches ballet and character for Chamber Ballet, and master classes for Sierra Ballet in Reno.
Kathy Sawyer is retired from the Louisville Ballet Company, where she was a principal dancer. During this time she worked with Frederick Franklin, Peter Anastos, Sallie Wilson, David Parsons and several others, dancing in their ballets as well as the classics. As principal dancer, her lead performance roles included Princess Aurora in 3Sleeping Beauty, 2 Odette in 3Swan Lake, 2 Giselle, Cinderella, Juliet, and the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker Suite. She has also danced professionally with the Joffrey Concert Group and the San Antonio Ballet Company. She joined the Louisville Ballet Company in 1986.
Kathy is recognized nationally as a fine teacher and coach. She has been a guest teacher for the Louisville Ballet School, Corpus Christi Ballet Company, Northwest Florida Ballet, Santa Barbara Festival Ballet and the Evansville Dance Theatre. She is a frequent master teacher and judge at dance conventions, most recently at Dance Masters of America.
Judith Steele holds a degree in Dance from the University of Colorado, and is a practicing Certified Movement Analyst through the Laban Institute of Movement Studies in New York City. She is a choreographer, dancer, and currently a full-time faculty member of the Deparment of Dance at Virginia Commonwealth University. Judith has studied dance with Daniel Nagrin, Hanya Holm, Murray Louis, and Lynn Simonson. She danced for three years with Pittsburgh Dance Alloy. She has been on the faculty of Ohio State University, SUNY at Brockport, and the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance in London, England.
Randall Marks was originally trained at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He was offered full scholarship with the Tidewater Ballet, and privileged to study with Susan Boree, Irtha Kitt, Edward Villela, Gene Hammet, Pat Sorell and Robert Steele. His talent was quickly realized and he was given featured roles in Graduation Ball, Concerto Borrocco, Spanish Rhythms, Don Q Pas De Deux, and Copellia. Mr. Marks was awarded full scholarship to study with Joffrey Ballet and, then was offered an apprenticeship with the Pennsylvania Ballet where he continued his training under Lupe Serano and Benjamin Harkave. He went on to dance as a soloist with Ballets Elan and was quickly hired by Atlantic City Ballet where he was named principal dancer after his first season. His distinctive grace was acclaimed in a notable performance of the Green Boy in Les Patineuers and as the Prince in Swan Lake and other pieces including George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie, August Bournonville’s Flower Festival Pas de Deux, and Stuart Hodes’ Abyss. During this time, he was invited to dance at the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival. As principal dancer with Ballet Austin, Dance Magazine described him as “a cocky young Gene Kelly, hoofing his heart out.” His featured roles included Allegro Brillante, The Fairy’s Kiss, Rhythmetron, Triangles, House of Bernarda Alba and Promises. Joining New York City’s Dennis Wayne’s Dance Company he toured across the US, and overseas. Mr. Marks accepted a position with the New York City Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company performing in Aida, La Traviata, Faust and Giaconde, and guest starred with Connecticut Ballet Theater in Giselle, Die Fledermaus and Vienna Life. But several personal invitations from Ballet Austin’s artistic director finally brought Mr. Marks back in ballets including Other Tangos, and Elektra. Eager to expand his versatility in dance styles and looking for a choreographic outlet, Mr. Marks accepted the position of resident choreographer/principal dancer with Tapestry Dance Company working with Deirdre Strand and Acia Gray. His Stepping Over the Line and A Tango Perhaps were received with high praise. A joint performance with Austin Contemporary Ballet brought an invitation to choreograph a piece on the company. With high reviews for Toward the Within he was invited to step in as guest director for the last half of Austin Contemporary Ballet’s final season, expanding on his first piece and creating a new lively piece, Mr. Jones and Friends. During this time, Mr. Marks joined forces with his wife, Jeanne Marie, and began a partnership that has taken him across the country and on board some of the finest six-star cruise ships performing many of the classic pas de deux. Stepping away from the forefront of dancing to focus on teaching and coaching, Mr. Marks has taught throughout Texas. Based in Austin, he teaches at many of the leading academies, including Tapestry Dance Company Academy, Austin, Dance Arts, Joyce Willet School of Dance, Kim Willet School of Dance and Tarytown Dance Center.
Pedro Szalay was born to Hungarian parents and is a native of La Guaira, Venezuela where he started dancing in a local school. He received a scholarship for the National Ballet of Caracas School, trained by Vladimir Issaev and was later promoted to a company dancer. There he danced many of Nebrada’s choreographed pieces. Later he traveled to New York City to be coached by Madame Darvash and performed with New York Dance Theater. Szalay was a company dancer with the Richmond Ballet from 1996 to 2006 where he danced pieces from Stevenson, Orff, Canaporoli, Wainrot, Lang, Burn, Balanchine, Soleau, Winslett and many others. Szalay is an experienced teacher and choreographer, too. He has been a guest performer with Latin Ballet of Virginia. He served as a coach and choreographer for the School of Richmond Ballet and other local ballet schools. Szalay has also served as artistic advisor for Chesterfield,VA Ballet School. He has been a guest teacher throughout South Carolina as well as in Philadelphia, PA and Lynchburg, VA’s Virginia School of the Arts. He was a coach for the Wheel Chair Miss Richmond and he choreographed the Miss Richmond pageant in 2002-2003. He has been Guest Professor at Washington and Lee University. Szalay has been with the Minds in Motion program of Richmond Ballet since 2003. He is the Minds In Motion Instructor of Southwest area; he teaches in Martinsville City & County and Roanoke City Public Schools. Szalay is now the artistic director of Southwest Virginia Ballet in the Roanoke Valley.
Tristi Ann McMaster is a native of Carson City, Nevada, where she began her early training at Pinkerton Dance Academy, under the direction of Fern Pinkerton. Later she went on to train with Maria Vegh, Ruth Petrinovic, Jocelyn Volmar and Margaret Swarthout, among others, at the Marin Ballet School and Company in California. Through the years she trained in many styles of dance including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Character and Gymnastics. Her career has spanned over 22 years as a professional dancer and teacher. She was formerly a Principal dancer with the Washington Ballet and Richmond Ballet, as well as a soloist with the Atlanta Ballet and a member of the Milwaukee Ballet Company. She still performs across the nation as a guest artist. She has worked with choreographers and coaches such as Kirk Peterson, Maria Youskevitch, Baayork Lee, Val Caniparoli, Vincente Nebrada, Kevin McKenzie, Christian Holder, Suzanne Farrell, William Soleau, Victoria Simon, Philip Jerry, Dennis Nahat, Maurico Wainrot and Simon Dow. Her Principal roles included Kirk Peterson’s Vortex, Choo San Goh’s Birds of Paradise, Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table, John Butler’s Carmina Burana, Lambros Lambrou’s Shostakovich Piano Concerto #2, and The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, as well as Balanchine’s Apollo, Allegro Brilliante, Serenade, Valse Fantasie, and Scotch Symphony. In 1997, she was awarded OYA, Outstanding Young Women of America. As a teacher she has been on the faculty of the School of the Richmond Ballet, as well as a national guest artist for many schools including The Atlanta Ballet, Northwest Florida Ballet, West End Academy of Dance, Bush Gardens, Sunking Dance and Pinkerton Dance Academy. She has taught many different levels and styles of dance including Ballet, Pointe, Variations, Tap, Jazz, Creative Movement, and Stretch and Tone. Tristi is the Assistant Director of Pilates, Dance and More. She is married to Norvell Robinson Jr. They have three beautiful children who are a constant reminder of love, joy and happiness.
Joni Petre-Scholz is a former member of the Berkshire Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet and Manhattan Ballet, and a former principal dancer with Dances Patrelle. Joni toured internationally and performed in over 12 countries dancing works by Vincente Nebrada, Robert North, Gary Pierce, Billy Wilson and others. She began working with Dances Patrelle in 1988 appearing in many Patrelle ballets including The Yorkville Nutcracker, Adieu with a Handshake, Madame X, Rhapsody in Blue, American Dreamer, Romeo and Juliet, the world premiere of Notturno for Strings and Harp and as Lady Macbeth in the 2001 revival of Macbeth. In addition, Ms. Petre-Scholz was rehearsal director as well as assistant to the managing director. She has also re-staged many Patrelle ballets for Dances Patrelle as well as other companies. In 2002 Joni was a featured performing artist at The Lyric Recovery Festival at Carnegie Hall appearing in excerpts of Beauty and the Beast with original choreography by Ginger Thatcher and original score by Paul Winston. Ms. Petre-Scholz was a principal dancer in the world premiere of “POP” as well as Glad to be Unhappy choreography by Francis Patrelle. Joni has also appeared as a guest artist with Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater in New York. A former member of the faculty of Ballet Academy East in New York City, Joni has been on the teaching faculty of the Old Dominion Dance Department and The Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia for the past five years. She also teaches at the TRDance Center in Norfolk. Her choreography has been presented at the University Dance Theatre of Old Dominion University as well as at The Governor’s School for the Arts bi-annual concerts. Joni has been a guest teacher for Complexions and Kibbutz dance companies
Heidi Winton-Stahle began her training in Saratoga Springs, NY with world-class teachers Melissa Hayden, Elizabeth Carroll, Felix Smith, Tomislav Vuchovich, and Michael Steele. At age 17 she was accepted into The Boston Ballet School where she trained for 6 months. At 18 she joined The Louisville Ballet and performed in many classical works including Serenade, La Sylphide, Billy The Kid, and Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker. After two years of performing with them she set of for college at The University at Buffalo to pursue a degree in dance. After school, she joined Ontario Ballet Theater in Toronto for one season before retiring. Heidi loves teaching and has continued to pursue teaching opportunities since then. In 2000 she started Sun King Dance, which focuses on providing learning opportunities for adult students. Currently she lives in Richmond, VA.
Scott Putman, an Associate Professor at VCU Dance and Choreography, is Founder and Artistic Director of Amaranth Contemporary Dance and the creator and master teacher of the Elemental Body Alignment System© (EBAS). His work has been presented regionally, nationally and internationally in showcases, concerts and dance festivals with Amaranth as well as numerous ballet and modern companies. He currently directs and teaches the Summer I Program at the Accademia dell' Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Scott has taught internationally in Bangkok, Thailand, Paris, France, Arezzo, Italy and San Jose, Costa Rica. He teaches extensively throughout the United States through master classes and residencies and is also a part time faculty member of the acclaimed Richmond Ballet. Scott was awarded the 2005 National Choreography Plan Award for exceptional choreography from RDA, Pacific as well as Distinguished Achievement in Research in 2007 from VCU Arts and the 2008 Theresa Pollack Award for Excellence in the Arts in Dance for his work in the community through his company Amaranth Contemporary Dance. In 2009 Scott was chosen by the CenterStage Foundation to create an evening length work honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Thalhimer sit in which catapulted the civil rights movements in Richmond into the national spotlight encouraging social change and equality for all people. Sit In/Stand Out is scheduled to premier at the Carpenter Theatre on February 22, 2010 in collaboration with Amaranth Contemporary Dance and VCU Dance. He has danced for Mordine and Company Dance Theatre, Dimetrius Klein Dance Company, Minnesota Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Chicago, Donald McKayle, David Alan and Douglass Becker. Scott received his BA from Columbia College, Chicago and MFA from University of California, Irvine where he was a Chancellors Fellow and a William Gillespie Scholar.
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