Isaac Spencer
Hochschule fĂĽr Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt
Isaac Spencer is interim professor for ballet techniques in the BA dance department of the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts since September 2021. He worked as a professional dancer with Cullberg Ballet, Gothenburg Opera Dance Company, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Since 2011, he has been active in the free scene throughout Germany and Sweden as dancer, choreographer, rehearsal director, and mentor. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Juilliard School in 2004 and was recipient of the Princess Grace Award. Since 2013 he serves on the board of directors for Milvus Artistic Research Center (MARC) in Sweden.
Ballet Techniques
Students will learn tools and practice skills in order to change habitual movement patterns, opening up the potential for other coordinations, musicality, and flow. Areas of particular focus include placement, anatomical function, identification of directions in space and movement pathways in the body. Emphasis on musicality throughout the class serves to promote varying rhythmical activity, pumping blood throughout the body to ensure flexibility and strength, and also to invite interpretation and expression while moving.
Rita BarĂŁo Soares
Ballet Academy, HMTM / Ballett des Staatstheaters am Gärtnerplatz
Rita Barão Soares trained at the Dance Academy in Setubal (Portugal) and joined the contemporary dance company there in 1997. This was followed by engagements with the Portuguese Contemporary Dance Company, the Karlsruhe Ballet and from 2003-2019 with the ballet company of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz. As a dancer, she has worked with choreographers such as Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Christian Spuck, Jiřà Kylián, Itzik Galili, Jo Strømgren, Marco Goecke and Christopher Roman. After various freelance engagements as a choreographic assistant, she has been working as a choreographic assistant and rehearsal director at the Gärtnerplatztheater since 2019 and has been a teacher for modern dance at the HMTM Ballet Academy since 2021.
Classical Training for Contemporary Dancers
I developed this ballet class expressly to address the needs of the everyday routine of professional contemporary dancers. It centers on musicality, coordination, and the simple pleasure of movement found in ballet. The class is informed by the various experiences, methods, and teachers I have encountered during many years active in the dance field, integrating elements of modern dance and release techniques. Participants are encouraged to cultivate confidence while emphasizing suspensions and focusing on gaining momentum through conscious breath and musical phrasing.
Natalia Hoffmann Sitnikova
Ballet Academy, HMTM
Born in Russia, Natalia Hoffmann-Sitnikova studied at Perm Ballet Academy. She graduated in 1985 and joined Perm Ballet Theater (Russia). There she was promoted to soloist in 1987. In 1992 she moved to Germany and joined Bonn Opera and Ballet Theater. Between 1997 and 2012 she was a soloist with Dutch National Ballet. She performed leading roles in several productions and collaborated with renowned choreographers. While still working as a dancer Natalia Hoffmann-Sitnikova was also teaching, coaching and assisting in diverse new choreographic works at Het National Ballet and abroad. Since 2012 Hoffmann is teacher at Ballet Academy at University of Music and Performing Art Munich.
Classical Training
This training begins by introducing a vocabulary of steps and sequences during the barre work, which is subsequently integrated into center exercises. There is a strong emphasis on creating step combinations and musical phrasing to train dancers in fast coordination and flawless technique, all while providing space for their artistic development.
Alexander Hille
Ballett des Staatstheaters am Gärtnerplatz
The US-American, graduated from the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing artists in his home state of Minnesota, and continued his education receiving his BFA from the Juilliard School in New York City. He has performed off Broadway with Austin McCormick’s Company XIV, was a Principal artist with Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Benjamin Millepied’s Los Angeles Dance Project, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Les 7 Doigts de la main, and Cirque du Soleil (“Vitori”). He has worked with choreographers Anabelle Lopez Ochoa, Itzik Galili, Cayetano Soto, Mauro Bigonzetti, Alexander Ekman, Marco Goecke, Ina Christel Johannesen, Aszure Barton, Ioannis Mandafounis, Roy Assaf, Rui Horta, Thomas Hauert, Roy Assaf, and Benjamin Millepied. During his career he has had the desire and privilege to develop his own choreographic work, most notably with a commission from Minnesota Dance Theater with the cooperation of the Leonard Bernstein trust, fashion week in Montreal for Charlie Le Mindu, and most recently touring his work in Spain, as a result of his success in the prestigious competition “El Certamen Burgos & Nueva York”. He is also assistant, and rehearsal director for his friend and mentor Andonis Foniadakis, having set works and assisted creations for him around the world. He has been a member of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz since September 2020.
Contemporary Training
Physical freedom: a study on anatomical principles and serious fun. This class will aim to liberate the artist psychologically through understanding physical limitations we place on ourselves. Through this contemporary workshop, with an anatomical approach, we will focus on our bodies in relation to gravity, and identifying the most effective ways to move with efficiency. This training aims to aid each dancer in injury prevention, resulting in greater freedom and confidence to perform their best. Additionally, we aim to identify which barriers we place on our personal growth, how we might start to identify them, and make a plan to move forward with a new sense of self awareness, and confidence.Â
Paolo Amerio
Paolo Amerio is a Professor of Contemporary Dance and Improvisation at the Akademie des Tanzes, Staatliche Hochschule fĂĽr Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim. Graduated at the MTD – AHK in Amsterdam, he later joined the Dance Company Nanine Linning / Theater und Orchester Heidelberg as dancer and choreographic assistant and took part as dancer at two productions of Costa Compagnie touring in Germany and USA. To this day, he has choreographed several pieces for the ADT which have been featured at the 7. BIENNALE TANZAUSBILDUNG 2020 HAMBURG and at the DUBAI WORLD EXPO 2020.
Contemporary Training
The aim of the class is to reach a sensitive, honest, organic and free way of moving while triggering a new sense of awareness and listening towards the individual, the others and the space within and around. Through various technical exercises based on floor work, release, flying low and soft acrobatic technique, the participants will be asked to channel their concentration into the movement’s path, from its origin to its extreme end, exploring and mobilising the pelvic area while acquiring a renewed physical & mental availability and generosity.
Emmanuelle Rizzo
Emmanuelle Rizzo, an Italian dancer, achieved semi-finalist status at the Gdanski Festival Tanca ‘Solo Dance Contest’ in 2020. She has collaborated with Sebastan Eilers’ SEtanztheater and currently works with DieTanzKompanie and Susanna Curtis & Co, with whom she was selected for the Kaija Festival in Korea in August 2024. Emmanuelle portrayed the role of Gazelle in the opera “Die Frau ohne Schatten” at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. She also continues her collaboration with Dustin Klein at the Munich State Opera and the Nuremberg State Theatre. Additionally, Emmanuelle has been engaged for a new production of ‘Elektra’ at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden.
Matteo Carvone
Matteo Carvone is a choreographer and dancer based in Munich since 2012. His work blends physical, stenographic, and technological elements and they have been showcased at the Venice Biennale twice among Munich’s renowned venues like Gasteig, Bavarian State Opera, Schwere Reiter and more.
Matteo danced at the Gärtnerplatz Theatre, but also at the Jo Strømgren Company in Oslo, and in Alexander Ekman production “KUCKEL” in Stockholm.
He crafted five full-length performances and various shorter pieces. Notable collaborations include with Karl Alfred Schreiner in two R.Wagner operas, directed by Keith Warner: “Die Meistersinger von NĂĽrnberg” at Vienna State Opera and “Tannhäuser” at Nikkai Opera in Tokyo.
Anne do Paço
Anne do Paço is a dramaturg working in the fields of dance, music theatre and concert. Her activities focus on production dramaturgy, curating, promotion, education and outreach. After studying musicology, history of art and German literature at the Freie Universität Berlin, her first engagement took her to the Staatstheater Mainz. From 2009 to 2020, she was a member of Martin Schläpfer’s team at the Ballett am Rhein, since 2020 she has been Chief Dramaturg of the Vienna State Ballet. She is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and on the advisory board of the Deutsches Tanzarchiv Köln.
Osiel Gouneo
Born in Matanzas (Cuba) in 1990, Osiel Gouneo began his training in 2005 at the National Ballet School Cuba in Havana. He joined the Cuban National Ballet in 2008 and was appointed Principal just three years later. Osiel Gouneo was then engaged by the Norwegian National Ballet for three years and has been dancing as Principal with the Bayerisches Staatsballett since 2016/2017. While his career he has already been a guest at major international houses, including the London Coliseum, Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, Lincoln Center in New York, Paris Opera and the National Theatre Japan in Tokyo. In June 2021, he danced Romeo in Romeo and Juliet by Rudolf Nureyev at the Paris Opera Ballet. He has mastered a large repertoire of classical pieces and has made his debut with the Bayerisches Staatsballett in numerous roles, such as the soloist in Symphony in C or in the title role of Spartacus. Osiel Gouneo is also the winner of various awards, such as the gold medal at the international ballet competition in Beijing, a silver medal at the international ballet competition in Varna or as the winner of the Cuban Dance Grand Prix. In addition, the dancer was honoured as a newcomer to the international dance scene at the annual Positano Prize. On 14 March, Osiel Gouneo’s biography Black Romeo. My path in the white world of ballet.
Lucia Lacarra
Prima ballerina Lucia Lacarra was born in San Sebastián (Spain). She received her ballet training with VĂctor Ullate in Madrid, in whose company she also received her first engagement. In 1994 she became a dancer with the Ballet National de Marseille, in 1997 first soloist with the San Francisco Ballet and finally prima ballerina with the Bavarian State Ballet. In the course of her career, she has been honoured with numerous international awards, including the Nijinsky Award 2002, Prix Benois 2003, MĂĽnchner Merkur-Theaterpreis 2004 and 2005, Premio Nacional de Danza 2005. Lucia Lacarra is an honorary citizen of her home town of San Sebastián. In 2008, she was awarded the title of “Bavarian Chamber Dancer”. She has been a permanent guest soloist at Ballett Dortmund since 2016. Together with Matthew Golding she founded GOLDENLAC Productions. In September 2020 they premiered their first show called FORDLANDIA. In October 2021 they premiered together their second show IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT. She Won the Max Award as best female dancer for it. In October 2023 Lucia Lacarra premiered the first production of her new Company “Lucia Lacarra Ballet” called LOST LETTERS.
