Rock Centre Faculty

CHRISTOPHER FLEMING - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR & RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER
Christopher Fleming has danced solo and principal roles for the New York City Ballet. He has received a fellowship from the National Choreographic Institute and has served as the Artistic Director for the Compania Colombiana de Ballet, Bay Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Theater International. Mr. Fleming has choreographed musicals and stage productions for many professional ballet companies. His original works include Gaspar, Dracula, and The Three Musketeers. Mr. Fleming has taught master classes in North and South America, Great Britain, and Europe.

KRISTIN BROWN
Kristin Brown received the majority of her training with Richard Hoskinson, Donna Muzio and Cherie Noble. She also attended summer programs at Richmond Ballet and Washington Ballet as a scholarship student. Ms. Brown performed principal and soloist roles with Bay Ballet Theater, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Berkshire Ballet, Charlotte City Ballet, Ballet Theater of Pennsylvania and The Dance Consortium. She has had the pleasure of working with choreographers Yanis Pikeris, Russell Sultzbach, Andre Prokovsky, Christopher Fleming, Dominique Gabella and performing Mobile by the late Tomm Ruud. Ms. Brown began teaching in 1993, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Medicine and was a nationally certified Athletic Trainer.

SARAH COOPER
Sarah Cooper began her training in Philadelphia with Marion Tonner and Phillip Carman. She has also trained with the Central Pennsylvania
Youth Ballet. Sarah is a graduate of the State University of New York and has completed master level course work in the departments of dance
at Temple University and American University. Before relocating back to Philadelphia, Sarah performed, taught and worked in dance administration in the Washington, D.C area. Sarah is the founder of Philadelphia Dance Access. She is a faculty member at the Rock School
for Dance Education and manages its RockReach program.

SERVY GALLARDO
Servy began his career with the National Ballet of Caracas and later, as a principal, joined the National Ballet of Venezuela. In 1991, Mr. Gallardo made his United States debut as a principal dancer with the San Jose/Cleveland Ballet, dancing many of the company's leading roles in ballets such as: Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, and Swan Lake, among many others. In 1999, Mr. Gallardo joined North Carolina Dance Theatre (NCDT) as a principal dancer. He danced leading roles under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. While at NCDT, Mr. Gallardo also served as an instructor for the official school of NCDT and as company teacher.

 

GINA (ANGELUCCI) GRACE
Gina (Angelucci) Grace began her training in Philadelphia with Carole Orlandi Barr, Marion Tonner, and later, with John White and Margarita deSaa at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. Mrs. Grace began teaching throughout the Philadelphia area in 1991 and has been a faculty member with The Rock School since 2000. Mrs. Grace has studied Vaganova pedagogy with a special focus on the first three syllabus years.

GABRIELE T. TESFA GUMA
Gabriele T. Tesfa Guma is a native of Ethiopia and was raised in Italy. Mr. Tesfa-Guma has a career in music as well as in dance. Mr. Tesfa-Guma received his dance training from teachers like David Howard, and schools like Ballet Academy East, The Rock School, The Joffrey School, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Gabriele danced with many companies, including Joffrey II: The Dancers, Alpha Omega, Takaski Watanabe (Japan), and was a lead dancer with Philadanco for seven years. Gabriele has been teaching a variety of dance techniques as a guest teacher.

CHRISTINA PASTRAS PATCHELL - Ballet Faculty
Christina Pastras Patchell was born and raised in Philadelphia. She attended such schools as The Holiday Ballet Theater, The Rock School, Joffery Ballet, Governor's School for the Arts and The Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts. Ms. Patchell performed in shows with Will Smith and also performed in Elvis Nights and Somewhere Over Time with Pembrua Productions in Japan. She received her B.F.A. in Ballet Education from the University of the Arts. Her choreography was recently featured in the opening for the Kimmel Center as well as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

MARIAELENA RUIZ
Mariaelena Ruiz has been a faculty member and rehearsal coach at The Rock School for Dance Education since 2000. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Mariaelena began her early studies at the “Academia Ballet Clasico Nina Novak." At 14, she became the youngest member of the Ballet Nacional de Caracas, under the direction of Vicente Nebrada, with whom she toured South America and Europe, dancing soloist and principal roles. At 15, she won 3rd place at The USA International Ballet Competition, junior division, in Jackson, and received a full scholarship to continue her studies at the School of American Ballet. She also won 3rd place and “Best Couple Award” at the Varna International Ballet Competition, and the Prix Volinine in Paris, France. She has danced principal roles with Bay Ballet Theater, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Carolina Ballet Theater, Ballet Hispanico, and has been a guest artist for many companies in the US and abroad. Mariaelena has been a member of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet since 2001, where she performs Balanchine repertoire and has also assisted with staging and rehearsals. She has been a judge and guest teacher for Youth America Grand Prix and is also very involved with the New York International Ballet Competition.

JON SHERMAN
A longtime instructor in the Pennsylvania Ballet School's Adult Division, Jon Sherman has over 20 years experience as a teacher, performer, and choreographer. He also teaches at; University of the Arts and Swarthmore College and formerly taught at Temple University and Wilson College.

EVA SZABO
Eva Szabo danced and toured extensively with the Gyori Ballet, a company which she co-founded in her native Hungary. She graduated from the Hungarian National Ballet Institute, receiving an international teaching certificate encompassing classical ballet, ballroom dance, folk dance, and pas de deux techniques.

JENNIFER WHEAT
Originally from Michigan, Jennifer Wheat trained with the Contemporary Civic Ballet of Michigan, and was a scholarship student with the schools of Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet, and The Royal Winnepeg Ballet School. In 1981, after a car accident ended her ballet career dancing, she switched to Jazz and trained at The University of the Arts and the Lou Conte Dance School, where she was an apprentice with The hubbard Street Dance Company. Ms. Wheat also danced professionally with Astral Theatrical Dance Company and Dance Fusion, and is the founding director of Fusion2 Dance Company. Ms. Wheat has been a faculty member since 1996 and is Ballet Mistress for West Chester Dance Theatre.

 

 

CATHY WILSON
Cathy Wilson began her training in Lubbock, Texas. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University, where she majored in Early Childhood Education. Cathy is a fully certified teacher with a special focus on the early years of childhood.

NATALYA ZEIGER
Natalya Zieger was trained at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet School as well as by teachers of the famed St. Petersburg School. Ms. Zieger was a company member of the Bolshoi Ballet and toured extensively throughout Russia and Europe. Ms. Zieger blends her Russian background with her newfound Balanchine influence.