Faculty

2019 summer faculty

Edward Ellison
Edward Ellison is the founder and artistic director of the Ellison Ballet - Professional Training Program in New York City. As a dancer, teacher, ballet master, and coach, Mr. Ellison has traveled the world. He has served as ballet master for Boston Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, Alberta Ballet, and has taught for such companies as American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and Houston Ballet. Mr. Ellison has also taught for the schools of San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, several universities and colleges throughout the U.S., as wells as Steps on Broadway. Through his detailed technical and artistic influence, Mr. Ellison's students have been awarded numerous top prizes in international ballet competitions: Moscow IBC; USA (Jackson) IBC; Youth America Grand Prix; World Ballet Competition; and Tanzolymp-Berlin. Graduates of EB-PTP can be seen dancing for some of the most prestigious companies across the globe, and his school has received the YAGP Outstanding School and Outstanding Teacher Awards. Mr. Ellison has also been featured in articles in Dance Magazine, Pointe, and Dance Spirit.

Jolanta Valeikaite
Born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania, Ms. Valeikaite graduated with honors from the National Ballet Academy Vilnius (Vaganova-based). As a student, she received her first major break at the age of 18, debuting in the title role of “Giselle,” whereupon she was promoted to soloist in the Lithuanian National Ballet Company. In 1981, she received a full scholarship to study at the Bolshoi Theater with teachers M. Semionova, T. Vetrova, and B. Akimov. A principal dancer for 10 years with the company, her roles include “Giselle,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake,” “Raymonda,” “Nutcracker,” "La Sylphide,” and “Coppelia”. Additionally, she appeared as a guest artist with V. Vasiliev—E. Maximova Company in the U.S.A., France, and at the celebration of the 50th Anniversary Gala of V. Vasiliev at the Bolshoi Theater and R. Page’s “The Nutcracker” in Chicago. In 1988, Ms. Valeikaite received prizes in the International Ballet Competitions in Moscow, Varna, and Paris. Upon moving to Germany in 1992, she became a principal dancer and Bonn Ballet and Essen Ballet. Her roles include: “Romeo and Juliet,” “Three Sisters,” “Cinderella,” “Hamlet”, choreographed by V. Panov & “Before Night Falls”, choreographed by Nils Christy, “Adagio Hammerklavier” by Hans van Manen, “The Four Last Songs” by Rudi van Dantzig, “7 Symphony” by Toer van Schayk. In 2000 and 2001, Ms. Valeikaite worked as an assistant choreographer in the new production of S. Prokofiev’s “Classical Symphony” and “The Rite of Spring”, choreographed by X.Peng-Wang at the National Ballet Company Vilnius, Lithuania and Central Ballet Company in Beijing, China. In 2001, Ms. Valeikaite moved to the U.S.A. In 2003-2014, she taught at Ballet Arts in Worcester, MA and from 2007-2014, she was a ballet mistress and faculty member at the Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island. Since 2014, Ms. Valeikaite has been a faculty member at the Ellison Ballet.

Akop Akopian
Mr. Akopian is on faculty at the Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive, Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program, Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive, and Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in NYC. He is a choreographer for Figure Skaters and the Viennese Opera Ball/VB NY. He is former faculty and choreographer at Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet NY, where in March 2016 he choregraphed the world-premiere full-length ballet “Stealing Time; with Michael Chernov.
Mr. Akopian has choreographed a variety of original pieces for schools and companies and prepares dancers for companions, working at Ellison Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Trainee, Michigan Ballet Academy, aFull-length Nutcracker, and his original full-length ballet “The Jungle Book- Mowgli,” as well as staged numerous ballet performances. He is a graduate from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia and the Yerevan State Choreographic College, where he had the privilege to study under two of A. Vaganova’s former students: the ballet legends F. Balabina, and N. Dudinskaya. Mr. Akopian also had the privilege to study under K. Sergeyev, W. Zimin, N. Serebryanikov and N. Mehrabyan. Upon graduation from the Vaganova Academy, he became a leading dancer in the Armenian National Theater Opera and Ballet in Yerevan. In 1991, he danced with Classic Ballet de Montreal. In 1993, he was invited to Germany to join the Thuringian State Ballet. For the following seven years he became one of the most acclaimed principal dancers of the company. Mr. Akopian received the best dancer of the year award in 1997 and 1999, was praised in many European magazines and in a book entitled Musis-Sacrum published in Germany. In 2000, Mr. Akopian danced with Ballet New York. In 2001, he was invited to join GRBC and for his work there he was recognized in many ballet magazines and other media sources. As a guest artist, Mr. Akopian has danced in numerous international galas around the world. He has had the opportunity to work with numerous ballet masters and choreographers including Dietmar Seyffert, Ludmilla Sakharova, Anahit Grigorian, Vilen Galstyan, Martin Wennde, Peter Martins, Judith Fugate and Nina Strogonova. The leading roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, The Nutcracker, Eugene Onegin, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, La Fille Mal Gardee, Fierbird, Scherheresade, Paquita, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Enigma, Antuny, Wolfe, Ara Beautiful, Cinderella, various Balanchine pieces were among the roles Mr.Akopian danced throughout his career. Mr. Akopian worked as a Founder Artistic Director and Board of Directors member of Michigan Ballet Academy. He is very committed to excellence, likes to share his rich stage experience and feels very proud of his students who perform professionally in various ballet companies after studying under his guidance.

Gaiane Akopian
Gaiane Akopian graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St,Petersburg, Russia and the Yerevan State Choreographic College, where she had the privilege to study under the two ballet legends, A. Vaganova’s former students F. Balabina, and N. Dudinskaya. Ms.Akopian is on faculty at the Ellison Ballet Summer Intensive, Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program, Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive, and Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers in NYC. She has choreographed and prepared students for competitions as well as staged numerous ballet performances. Gaiane performed around the world and has been recognized by critics worldwide. She danced in numerous classical and contemporary ballets and performed as principal dancer with the Armenian National Ballet Theater, Thuringian State Ballet, Germany and GR Ballet Company. Some of her leading roles include Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle, Carmen, The Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee, Cinderella, Firebird, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Wolfe, Ara Beautiful, Scheherazade, Eugene Onegin, Enigma, CanCan, Les Liasons Dangereuses, and various Balanchine pieces. She was acknowledged by the critics of the Ballet International Tanz Aktuell European magazine as one of Germany’s best dancers, in 1995, and won the Grand-Prix as the dancer of the year in 1997. In 2002, Ms. Akopian was praised in the Musis Sacrum book titled “100 Years Theaterhaus Gera”, (Germany). In 2006, she appeared in “Amazing Women of West Michigan” book among the most influential women of the West Michigan community. She worked with figure skaters in Patterson Ice Center, Greater Grand Rapids Figure Skating Club, MI - registered with the United Skates Figure Association. Ms. Akopian worked as a Founder Artistic Director, and Board Of Directors member of Michigan Ballet Academy. Ms. Akopian is very committed to excellence, likes to share her rich stage experience and feels very proud of her students who perform professionally in various ballet companies after studying under her guidance.

Olga Bazilevskaya
A graduate of Moscow Conservatory College (Russia), Ms. Bazilevskaya brings with her 30 years of experience in music. Between 1974 and 1990, she taught piano at The Music School in Moscow and the Moscow Military Music College. Ms. Bazilevskaya moved to New York in 1990 where she was the musical director of Ballet Hispanico for seven years as well as Gelsey Kirkland Ballet for six years. For over twenty years she has worked with professional dance companies and schools as an accompanist, such as Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, American Ballet Theater, School of American Ballet, Juilliard School, Ballet Trockadero, Ellison Ballet, Steps on Broadway and Ballet Academy East. Olga, also, is an accomplished piano teacher and has developed a unique music workshop for dancers.

Cody D. Berkeley
Cody Berkeley is from Plano, TX, began his dance training at age six under the direction of Katie Miller and Michelle Stafford. At 19, Cody was awarded a full tuition scholarship to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia courtesy of the NYCDA College Scholarship Foundation. He has performed the works of Doug Varone, L-E-V, Aszure Barton, William Forsythe, MADBOOTS DANCE, Joshua L. Peugh, Gregory Dolbashian and others. Berkeley graduated in 2015 with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and received the Expressivity Award, in recognition of his outstanding performance and leadership excellence. He's attended workshops with BODYTRAFFIC, NW Dance Project, Springboard Dance Montreal and Joffrey Ballet. In 2015 Cody joined Clairobscur Dance Company in Los Angeles under the direction of Laurie Sefton. Berkeley then returned home to Dallas to join Dark Circles Contemporary Dance USA for their 4th season. His award winning choreography has been shown at Young Arts Foundation high school finalists and Youth America Grand Prix in 2016 and 2017.

Vladimir Dvorovenko
Vladimir Dvorovenko graduated from the Kiev State Ballet School and State University of Art, where he went on to perform as Principal dancer and traveled extensively with Virsky Ukrainian State Dance Company, as well is Veriovka Ukrainian National Dance Company and Yatran Ukrainiant National Dance Company. Vladimir Dvorovenko was Director and Choreographer of Ukraine’s Shumka Ballet Academy for Children as well as Ballet Master for Star of the Ukrainian Circus. He has taught at the ABT Summer Intensive and teaches now at the Alvin Ailey School.

Maina Gielgud
Trained by the great Russians including Tamara Karsavina and Lubov Egorova, and later Rosella Hightower, Maina Gielgud has had an incredibly diverse career as a principal with London Festival Ballet and SWRB, an international guest artist, and partnering Rudolf Nureyev, as well as creating works with Maurice Bejart’s XXth Century Ballet. She then directed The Australian Ballet (1983-1997) and the Royal Danish Ballet (1997-1999). Free-lancing since 1999, she guest teaches and coaches around the world, stages her own highly acclaimed classical productions and serves on the jury of International Competitions such as YAGP, Prix de Lausanne. Companies and Schools she works with include: the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, La Scala Milan. Maina also gives regular master classes, specialising in classical repertoire, mime and stagecraft at the Royal Ballet School, National Ballet School Toronto, Ellison Ballet and Ballet Academy East. In 2018, Maina choreographed a full length Cinderella for the Goh Academy in Vancouver. This year, she staged her own production of the full length The Sleeping Beauty, for Jo’burg Ballet. Future projects, after staging Aurora’s Wedding for BAE and extracts from La Sylphide for Ellison Ballet in New York in Spring 2019, will be guest teaching for Dutch National Ballet, NBS Toronto, and Queensland Ballet.

Olga Pavlova
Olga Pavlova, Russian prima ballerina, was born in Moscow, Russia, graduated from the famed Bolshoi Ballet Academy and The Academy of the Professional Arts (Russia) and holds a Master degree in Classical Ballet Teaching and Choreography. Olga Pavlova is The Gold Medal and 1st Prize winner at the 2nd Maya Plisetskaya International Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg and Diploma Award recipient at the 2nd Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Competition in Budapest. Olga Pavlova is a former principal dancer of Imperial Russian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet (Grigorovich Company), Moscow Classical Ballet, Metropolitan Classical Ballet and Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company as well as an international guest principal. Olga Pavlova has an impressive 30 years of professional career on stage. She danced principal roles in over 50 ballets including iconic Swan Lake (Odette/Odille), Giselle (Giselle), Don Quixote (Kitry), La Bayadere (Nikia), Raymonda (Raymonda), Sleeping Beauty (Aurora) Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Paquita, La Sylphide, Egine (Spartacus) and many more. Her repertoire includes choreography by Petipa, Balanchine, Fokine, Bournonville, Perot, Vaganova, Gorsky, Grigorovich, Alonso, Vainonen, Wheeldon, Ratmansky, Lavrovsky and many others. She toured in over 30 countries with the famous Bolshoi Ballet (Grigorovich Company) and had a privilege to be chosen and mentored by the World Ballet Legend Maya Plisetskaya. Ms. Pavlova performed in Maya Celebration Galas as a guest principle at Bolshoi and Kremlin (Moscow), at Mariinsky Theater (St.Petersburg), at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, at l'Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris and other world renowned venues. One of the Ballet critics wrote about Olga: "... everything her feet touch turns to Gold". Featured articles were published in Dance Magazine, which called her "The New Pavlova". The book about her professional career "A Ballerina For Our Time" is available on Amazon and multiple bookstores. Ms. Pavlova is also a successful teacher and coach. The students under her direction received multiple awards in International Ballet Competitions, and Scholarships from the largest, most prominent Ballet schools. Ms. Pavlova was awarded "Best teacher" at WBAC Grand Prix and "Outstanding coach" at ADC IBC Youth International Ballet Competition.

Evgenia Singur
Evgenia Singur graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia. After the graduation, she joined the Russian State Ballet in Moscow. Ms Singur was a Soloist with Russian State Ballet where she performed Principal and Soloist roles in the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Don Q, Spartacus, Scheherazade, Les Sylphides, and many others. With the Russian Ballet she toured internationally to 30 countries. She has performed for the Queen of England, Kings of Oman and Dubai, and for many presidents. She has appeared several times in European and Russian dance magazines representing Grishko in ad campaigns. Her specialties are teaching ballet and character dance. She has taught at the Baltimore School for the Arts and the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC.

Bat Udval
Born in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, Mr. Udval graduated from the Perm Ballet College in Perm, Russia. As a Principal dancer with Russian State Ballet, he danced almost all major roles and toured over 40 countries. Mr. Udval was the silver medalist at the Moscow International Ballet competition in 1993. He has been invited to dance at Galas for Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maximova, Olga Lepeshinskaya, and others. His teaching experience includes the Baltimore School for the Arts and Kirov Academy of Ballet. He has been a judge of the Korea International Ballet Competition, Asian Ballet Competition, World Ballet Art Grand Prix Competition, and World Ballet Grand Prix, as well as a Master teacher at the Korea International Ballet Competition and Asian Grand Prix.

Elizabeth Sullivan
Elizabeth A. Sullivan was a professional ballerina with the Cleveland/San Jose and Boston Ballet companies. After earning a BA at Dartmouth College and an MA at Columbia University, Elizabeth returned to dance in her current capacity as a wellness coach, consultant, and teacher. Since 2011, she has taught workshops and seminars in the School of American Ballet, The Juilliard School, Ellison Ballet, the Boston Ballet School, Greenwich Ballet Academy, and the Kansas City Ballet School, among others. Elizabeth coaches young dancers and their parents in her private practice, helping them navigate the ins and outs of the dance world. Her dancers have trained at elite schools like the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet Schools in London and the JKO School at American Ballet Theatre, won medals at Youth America Grand Prix, been invited to compete at IBC Jackson and Varna, and received job offers from major world companies like American Ballet Theatre and the English National Ballet. She is a certified Wellness Coach through the American College of Sports Medicine and Wellcoaches School of Coaching, as well as the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Elizabeth participated in the "Ask the Expert" educational series with YAGP in October 2018 and a video of that conversation can be viewed here: https://yagp.org/ask-the-expert/

Accompanists
Irina Fedorova
Olga Bazilevskaya
Alexander Izbitser
Erika Podoprigora
Marina Ossipova

Faculty and Guest Faculty have included
Jason Ambrose (contemporary)
Pascal Autrand (classical, contemporary)
Tatiana Berenova (classical)
Larisa Calero (character)
Vladimir Dvorovenko (character)
Lyubov Fominih (classical)
Dionisia Garcia (flamenco)
Gabriel Garcia (theater dance)
Maina Gielgud (classical, mime/acting)
Gelsey Kirkland (classical)
Nadia Pavlenko (classical)
Yulia Rakova (classical)
Anne-Sophie Rodriguez (classical)
Dmitri Roudnev (classical)
Elisabeth Sullivan (wellness)