David Howard Guest Faculty
David Howard was invited to New York, from England, in 1966, by the Rebekah Harkness Foundation to teach, then direct the Harkness School. He was trained at the Cone Ripman (now, Arts Educational) School and the Royal Academy of Dancing, winning the prestigious Adeline Genee Award at age 16. Howard was a soloist with the Royal Ballet for 7 years before joining the National Ballet of Canada. He was honored by appearing in a Royal Command Performance before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Mr. Howard was President of the National Association for Regional Ballet from 1976-1979. He has coached the world's foremost dancers (including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gelsey Kirkland, Cynthia Harvey, Rudolph Nureyev, and Natalia Makarova to mention a few), and has guest teacher for the Royal Ballet, ABT, Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and National Ballet of Canada. Mr. Howard is well known for his work with International Ballet Competitions, adjudicating the 1979 Jackson Competition, and coaching Gold Medal winners Katherine Healy (Varna 1983) and Jennifer Gelfand (Jackson 1986). The David Howard Dance Center was opened in New York City in 1986. Committed to teacher education, Mr. Howard has created several instructional recordings and videos. He has hosted teacher training programs in New York, Florida, Texas, Stuggart Germany, and Zurich Switzerland. David Howard is the Artistic Advisor of the First International Ballet Competition held in Mexico City.
Robert Weiss Artistic Director
Robert Weiss began his career as a professional dancer at the age of 17, when he joined the New York City Ballet at the request of George Balanchine. He remained with the company for 16 years, rising to the rank of Principal Dancer. During this time he performed principal roles in over 40 ballets, some of which were created for him by both Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. His career took him next to the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia, where he served as Artistic Director for eight years. As a choreographer, Mr. Weiss has created over 20 ballets, including commissions by American Ballet Theatre, the New York City Ballet, Bejart’s Ballet of the 20th Century, The Caramoor Festival, the Palm Beach Festival, Stars of American Ballet, and Philadanco Dance Company, among others. He is also the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships for choreography. His other achievements include choreography and staging for the New York City Opera as well as choreographing and acting for a feature film starring Anthony Quinn. Mr. Weiss has received great critical and audience response for his Carolina Ballet world premieres including Romeo & Juliet, Messiah, Stravinsky’s Clowns, Carmen and The Kreutzer Sonata, and in 2001 the brand new Nutcracker and Firebird were added to that impressive list. In 2002 he premiered Stravinsky’s Clowns and Grosse Fuge; and in the 2003-2004 season he premiered Des Images, based on the paintings and sculpture of Edgar Degas, and Reflection, an homage to his mentor George Balanchine. During the 2004-2005 season Weiss premiered Symposium to rave reviews and critical acclaim. In May 2005, Robert Weiss premiered a new full-evening Swan Lake created on Carolina Ballet and he received the Medal of the Arts from the City of Raleigh Arts Commission. During Carolina Ballet's eighth season Robert Weiss created Petit Ballet Romantique to selections from Leo Delibes' ballet scores in October 2005; he choreographed Tempest Fantasy in February 2006 to the Pulitzer Prize winning score of Paul Moravec; and he created a brand new Cinderella in May 2006 to a commissioned score by Karl Moraski. The company was invited to tour China in fall of 2006 (September 28-October 15 including the cities of Beijing and Shanghai) and a summer residency was established on the campus of UNC Wilmington for Carolina Ballet to start in July 2007.
Tyler Walters Program Director
Tyler Walters was selected by Robert Joffrey to join the Joffrey Ballet in 1984. As a leading dancer with the company for many years he was featured in performances around the world. He was also Principal Dancer with the Atlanta Ballet and principal guest artist with numerous companies including Pennsylvania Ballet and the National Ballet of Iceland. Mr. Walters is currently Assistant Professor of the Practice of Ballet at Duke University and co-director of Duke University Ballet Repertory Ensemble. He has been a guest teacher for such professional companies and training programs as the Joffrey Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet School, The Julliard School, North Carolina Dance Theatre School, Princeton Ballet School, and Regional Dance America. As a choreographer, Mr. has been honored with awards from the Choo-San Goh and Richard H. McGee Foundation, and the New York Choreographic Institute. His choreography has been commissioned by ABT Studio Company, the Joffrey Concert Dancers, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. He has also created seven commissioned ballets for Carolina Ballet and works with the company on a regular basis as Teaching Associate.
Julie Janus Walters Program Assistant Director
Julie Janus Walters was chosen by Robert Joffrey to join the Joffrey Ballet in 1982 where she was a leading dancer for more than a decade. She has been featured in performances around the world as well as on national and international television. She was also Principal Dancer with Atlanta Ballet and principal guest artist with the National Ballet of Iceland. She currently teaches ballet at UNC-Chapel Hill and is a partner and teacher at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill. She has taught for such professional companies and training organizations as the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Joffrey Ballet School, Princeton Ballet School, North Carolina Dance Theatre School, and Regional Dance America.
Melissa Podcasy Company Ballet Master
Melissa Podcasy is a founding member of Carolina Ballet. She has danced as a principal dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet under the direction of Robert Weiss and with the Basel Ballet in Switzerland under the direction of Heinz Spoerli. Ms. Podcasy has been a guest artist with New York City Ballet and has toured nationally and internationally with Stars of American Ballet. Due to her versatility, Ms. Podcasy has worked with and created roles for Christopher Wheeldon, Damian Woetzel, William Forsythe, Richard Tanner and has collaborated with Lynne Taylor-Corbett and Robert Weiss throughout her career. At Carolina Ballet, Ms. Podcasy has originated countless roles: Juliet in Romeo & Juliet; Carmen in Weiss’ full evening Carmen; the Wife in The Kreutzer Sonata; Death in The Nightingale; the Woman Who Yearns in Carmina Burana; Poetry in The Shadow; the pas de deux couple in The American among others. On television she has been seen in La Sylphide for PBS Dance in America; Giselle for Romanian National TV; Homage to Switzerland for Swiss TV and several Carolina Ballet productions on UNC-TV.
Marin Boieru Company Ballet Master
Marin Boieru began his ballet training in Romania and later trained at the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad. He has performed as a principal for such companies as the Pennsylvania Ballet, Maurice Bejart’s Ballet of the 20th Century, Roland Petit’s Ballet Company of Marseilles, France and Opera of Bucharest. He is the winner of the gold medal at the prestigious Varna and Moscow Ballet competitions. He came to Carolina Ballet after seven years as principal dancer for the Miami City Ballet under the direction of Edward Villella. Mr. Boieru has been Ballet Master for Carolina Ballet since its founding in 1998. He has also been a guest master teacher for the North Carolina School of the Arts and the South Carolina Governor’s School.
Debra Austin Company Ballet Master
Debra Austin received a scholarship to the School of American Ballet when she was 12, and at 16 was hand picked by George Balanchine to join the New York City Ballet. While at New York City Ballet, Debra danced many principal roles by both Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. She has also been a principal dancer with Zurich Ballet in Switzerland, and Pennsylvania Ballet and has danced principal roles in works by all of the major choreographers. She went on to assist Lynne Taylor-Corbett in Ms. Taylor-Corbett’s ballet The Dancing Princesses, and in Florida was a preliminary judge for the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. Ms. Austin has been Ballet Master for Carolina Ballet since its founding in 1998. She has also been a guest master teacher for the North Carolina School of the Arts and the South Carolina Governor’s School.
Nancy Podrasky Carson Modern Dance Instructor
Nancy Podrasky Carson teaches the dance technique classes, dance history, and choreography classes at The University of North Carolina Wilmington. She began her dance training in the Chicago area, studying the Graham technique with Randall Newsom. Nancy received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance in Theatre from Northern Illinois University and went on to perform and choreograph with many regional companies before moving to Syracuse, New York. While in Syracuse, Nancy taught technique classes at various performing arts schools while performing and choreographing for The Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company. She designed and implemented an after-school dance program in conjunction with the Syracuse City School System. Nancy went on to teach Modern and Jazz classes at Syracuse University in both the Theatre Department and the Department of Health and Physical Education and taught master classes throughout New York, Connecticut, and Indiana. Along with teaching at UNCW, Nancy is a founding member, teacher, dancer, and choreographer for The Dance Cooperative; a non-profit dedicated to providing professional classes, performance opportunities, and affordable rehearsal space to the Wilmington community and she currently serves as Board Vice President. The Dance Cooperative annually produces the Wilmington leg of the North Carolina Dance Festival Concert tour, Dance-alorus, (an innovative performance presenting dance and film together in conjunction with the Cucalorus International Film Festival), The Emerging Choreographers Showcase, and other concerts throughout the year. Nancy frequently teaches master classes in the North Carolina Public Schools and other venues throughout the state.
