Master class WEEk
August 19-23, 2024
About the Program
This one-week intensive (August 19-23 for 2024) provides the serious student with insight and inspiration from former and current professional dancers. Master classes are an excellent way to make breakthroughs in your understanding of the art form, to grow both technically and artistically, and to approach fall ballet with confidence.
Three enrollment options are available: Morning Program, Full-Day Program, and Master Class Trio (flexible three morning program for advanced students aged 14+).
Click here to register now!
For questions, email us at Master Class Week.
Schedule
Morning Program:
8:45 am Check-in
9:00-9:30 am Yoga or Stretch
9:30-11:00 am Ballet Technique
11:15 am-12:15 pm Pointe/Mens Class/Workshops
Afternoon (Full Day Students):
12:15-12:45 Lunch Break
12:45-2:00 pm Repertoire
2:00-3:00 pm Coaching (Pirouette Class, Arabesque, Battu Class, Proper Use of Turnout, Port de Bras, etc.)
3:15-4:30 pm Student Choreography
Placement will be determined by the faculty on the first day of classes. Specific schedules will be determined by level placement.
Eligibility
We accept students aged 11* to 18 with at least three years of ballet training.
*Age 11 with the Director’s permission.
Tuition - In Person
Morning Program $425
Full Day $675 Master Class Trio $260. Choose any three mornings. Open to students age 14+.
Note: $50 Non-refundable deposit required to hold spot.
Sibling discount: $25 off the tuition of the second child
Dress Code
Girls: Black leotard (any style), pink tights, pink ballet slippers and skirt (any color) for Pointe. Ladies who are on pointe should bring pointe shoes each day.
Boys: White close fitting tee-shirt or leotard, black tights with dance belt, and white or black shoes with white or black socks.
ALL: Warm ups may be worn for morning yoga/stretch, but must be removed before technique class unless a student has an injury.
Guest and Resident Faculty
Cheryl Madeux, a Connecticut native, received her training at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera. She has enjoyed a long professional career, dancing with such venerable companies as the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and principal dancer with the Hartford Ballet under the direction of Kirk Peterson. Madeux performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe and has been coached by such ballet luminaries as Igor Youskevitch and Eleanor D’Antuono. Among her early accomplishments, Madeux was awarded first place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition at the age of 15, as well as a finalist at the III International Ballet Competition in Paris and the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland. She was later recognized by the White House Commissions Program for excellence in academics and dance and was awarded a Level One Presidential Scholar in the Arts.
As an educator, Madeux has been a guest teacher and coach for many ballet institutions across New England. In 2005, she became ballet director at Franklin School for the Performing Arts and assisted in developing their conservatory ballet program, as well as choreographing and directing many of their full-length ballet productions. In 2009, she successfully completed her certification in the ABT National Training Curriculum for Primary through Level 7 & Partnering and was later appointed to the prestigious Board of Examiners for the curriculum. In addition, she became a summer faculty member for the ABT Young Dancer Program and ABT summer intensives, as well as an assistant instructor for the NTC teacher certifications. Madeux currently continues her work with FSPA and ABT, and resides in Wrentham, MA with her husband and two children.
Cheryl Madeux
Lorraine Chapman danced professionally with Eliot Feld Ballets/NY and Ballet British Columbia as well as for several Boston-based choreographers including Amy Spencer, Richard Colton, Diane Arvanites, José Mateo, and Marcus Schulkind. As a choreographer she has received several grants and has created works for numerous venues. She officially formed LCTC in 2002 (www.lorrainechapman.org) and her awards include three NEST grants from NEFA, a Live Arts Boston Grant and a Brother Thomas Fellowship from The Boston Foundation as well as being featured in Dance Magazine as one of "25 To Watch". She received her training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and L'Ecole Superieure De Danse Du Quebec as well as from Boston veterans Frances Kotelly and Samuel Kurkjian. She teaches at the Northeast School of Ballet, Urbanity Dance, and Ballet Arts Centre of Winchester where she is the co-director of their Emersion program.
Lorraine Chapman
Christiana Marie Cecere is a native of Massachusetts where she trained for fifteen years at The Conservatory at Northeast School of Ballet under the tutelage of her mother, Denise Cecere (director), and grandmother, Sandra McNaught (founder), Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux (coach), and other renowned faculty. In addition, Christiana trained at The School of American Ballet, The Paris Opera Ballet School, and The Chautauqua Dance Institute during the summer months.
Upon graduation, Christiana received a contract with The Arles Youth Ballet Company in France and performed with them during the 2022/2023 season. She relocated to London in 2024 when she received an invitation to English National Ballets Professional Programme.
Christiana had the privilege to perform in English National Ballet’s Swan Lake and mixed bill at Sadler Wells Theater in London. Principal and soloist roles in classical ballets include Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella. She has performed ballets by George Balanchine as well Neoclassical and contemporary ballets choreographed by several renowned choreographers. Christiana loves sharing her joy of dance with her students and is happy to return to Acton School of Ballet’s Summer Program!
Christiana MARIE Cecere
Margaret Kuefler grew up in Massachusetts and began her early ballet instruction at the Acton School of Ballet, continuing her training at Koltun Ballet Boston through high school. As a student, she attended summer intensives at Briansky Ballet, Walnut Hill School, Chautauqua Ballet, ABT, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Margaret competed in many competitions and was a finalist at YAGP NY 2018/2019 and NYC Dance Prix 2019.
After graduation, Margaret spent two seasons dancing with Atlanta Ballet II where she performed in the company’s productions of Giselle and The Nutcracker along with the second company’s productions of Snow White, Napoli, and various contemporary programs. Margaret then attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program for two years where she performed in The Nutcracker, Paquita, and Serenade. Margaret will be joining Koltun Ballet’s faculty this fall and his will be her 4th year teaching for ASB’s Master Class Week. Margaret loves being a part of training the next generation of dancers.
Margaret Kuefler
Genevieve was born in Montréal, Canada and started her professional ballet training at age 11 at l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, one of the most prestigious dance conservatories in Canada. As a student, she twice won the first prize at the “Festival International de dance Encore” in the ballet category. Before she graduated at age 19, she already secured a Corps de Ballet contract with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and danced several seasons with this prestigious company.
After leaving the company, she started teaching ballet in various ballets school in Montréal, while studying Fine Art and Music in universities. She is now settled in the Boston area where she is teaching ballet and giving private piano lessons to beginners. She is also involved with the Tufts University dance department where she continues to train, teach, and get inspired.
GENEVIEVE DUPAUL
BALLET
Director
Kathryn came to Acton School of Ballet from Walnut Hill School where she served as Director of the Community Dance Academy for 14 years. She was also the Founder and Director of Walnut Hill’s popular Youth Summer Dance Program. She was a member of the faculties of Pittsburgh Youth Ballet and the American Academy of Ballet in Buffalo, NY, and spent five summers on the faculty of Chautauqua Institution. Ms. Stark received her dance training at North Carolina School of the Arts, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, and as a child in Pittsburgh with Jean Gedeon and Eduard Caton. She danced professionally with Ballet Met in Columbus, OH and was a principal dancer of Southern Ballet Theatre (now Orlando Ballet) where she performed roles including “Lisette” in La Fille Mal Gardee and lead roles in Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie and Allegro Brilliante.