Professional Dance Experience Summer Faculty, Part I
Every year we are excited to bring in at last one guest teacher per week during our 4-week Professional Dance Experience. We are excited to announce that Flavia Garcia will be returning to teach for week 1 — it’s been several years since Ms. Garcia has taught at BBTCD and we are lucky to have her this year! Ms. Garcia is no stranger to BBTCD or BBT — She was a guest performer for many years with BBTCD Owner, Director Nathan Bland as well as teaching multiple times over the last 7 years. Week 1 will focus on classical variations and refining every little detail.
Week 2 will be someone brand new to everyone — Genene McGrath of METdance in Houston, Tx. — Ms. McGrath is a native of Philadelphia and holds her BA in dance from Point Park University. Week 2 will focus on ballet in the mornings and jazz technique and contemporary choreography in the afternoons.
Read more about both teachers below.
Originally from Brazil, Flavia Garcia trained with The National Ballet of Cuba. From 2006 she’s was a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem where she danced principle roles in such ballets as Raymonda, Balanchine’s Four Temperaments & Glinka Pas de Trois, Giselle and Le Corsaire. She’s participated in various competitions, such as Brazil’s most acclaimed Joinville Dance Festival, where she won Gold.
Since moving to New York City she’s also danced with Joffrey Ballet 2 and Lazar Ballet NYC. As well as being invited to guest in such galas as, Gala of the Stars in the Dominican Republic performing Diana & Acteon with a member of ABT and NYIBC’s Gala 2011. Other ballets in her repertoire include Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Gamazatti of La Bayadere, The River by Alvin Ailey and various original contemporary works.
In 2015 she guested at Ballet Ness Ziona ( Israel) where she performed Diana and Acteon and Elie Lazars coreography.
Flavia is currently on faculty at Breaking Ground Dance Center –She’s looking forward to returning to BBTCD this summer!
Genene McGrath is originally from Philadelphia, PA. She graduated with a BA in dance from Point Park University under the direction of Susan Stowe. While at Point Park, she worked with various choreographers such as Robert Battle, Melissa Barak, Whitney Moncrief, and Jason McDole. Genene worked professionally for three seasons with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Karen Mareck Grundy. While with the company, Genene worked with distinguished choreographers, including Kiesha Lalama, Autumn Eckman, Jennifer Medina, Shannon Lee West, and Lisa Belrose. Before joining METdance she performed with Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, in New York, where she performed pieces by Igal Perry, Bryan Arias, and Dwight Rhoden. She is currently in her fourth season with METdance. While with METdance Genene has had the great pleasure of performing works by Rosie Herrera, Mario Zambrano, Andrea Dawn Shelley, Camille A. Brown, Kiki Lucas, Joe Celej, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Joshua L. Peugh, Caleb Mitchell, Sydney Skybetter, and Jessica Hendricks. As well as performing for the first time on the Inside/Out Stage at Jacob’s Pillow in 2017! She has also had the pleasure of touring with METdance to the Green Box Arts Festival, Dallas Dance Fest, Austin Dance Festival, and Spring to Dance.
Photos by Katie Ging Photography
Headshot: Courtesy of METdance, Photo by Ben Doyle
