INTRODUCING PVB’S FLUX DANCERS
Performing TENsogs
choreographed by Co-Artistic Director Thomas Vacanti
Adan A. Alarcon was born in San Antonio, Texas, where he began to dance Folklorico, Flamenco, and urban styles at the age of ten.. In 2012, Alarcon began technical training at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas, where he received an AA in Dance, under the instruction of Erica Wilson-Perkins. Additional Training: apprenticed with the Guadalupe Dance Company,under Jeanette Chaves. Credits: Asociacion Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos; PACdance Company at Palo Alto College; Erison Modern Dance Company in San Antonio; Spare-Works Dance Company in San Antonio, Texas, under the instruction of Amber Ortega-Perez; Blue Star Works-in-Progress; Waco Dance Festival; and Texas Dance Improv. Festival. Alarcon is a BFA student at UMass, Amherst.
Jessica Batten trained with New Jersey Dance Theater Ensemble under Nancy Turano and graduated cum Laude from SUNY Purchase, with a BFA in Dance. Performance Credits: NJDTE; Cedar Lake II; Connecticut Ballet; Bradley Shelver Contemporary Dance Theater; Ballet Hispanico of NY; Nimbus Dance Works; Aspen Santa Fe Ballet; and currently at the Metropolitan Opera. Ms. Batten was invited to perform in Cali, Colombia in the Fifth Annual International Dance Festival 2011, representing the USA with Earl Mosely’s Diversity of Dance and has traveled the world performing and teaching. She has also performed with the Kirov Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC. And in 2008, she appeared on the AMICI Television show in Rome, Italy as a Guest Profesionista. TV Credits: Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Teaching, Coaching, and Choreography: The Joffrey Ballet School; NJ Dance Theater Ensemble; Columbus Pre-School; and The School of Nimbus Dance Works. Additionally, Ms. Batten has been the Guest Artist in Residence for the last 3 years at The Putney School in Vermont, and also for the Putney Pre-College World Dance summer program at Amherst College.
Emma Buckley just graduated with honors from Northampton High school. She studied with PVB for 12 years. She will be attending the Pell Honor’s Program at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island this fall with a planned major in social work where she plans to continue to dance while she studies. This summer, she is the assistant stage manager at the Academy of Music Summer Musical Theatre Workshop. Credits with PVB: The Nutcracker; Aladdin; Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid.
Lauren Kennedy studied with PVB for 8 years where she also assisted with the pre-ballet I class. A recent graudate of Northampton High School (with Honors), she will be attending Dickinson College where she plans to major in International Relations with a concentration in Environmental Studies. Additional Training: Boston Ballet Summer Intensive, Carolina Ballet Summer Intensive, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, and Ballet Austin Summer Intensive. Credits with PVB: The Nutcracker; Aladdin; Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid.
Mackenzie McClung began dancing at the age of two. Training: Academy of Dance Arts. Mackenzie choreographed for several Nutcrackers and holiday shows, along with setting choreography for The Bromfield School Drama Society’s presentation of 3 Ghosts. Credits: Shadows Dance Art Experience; Endearment Dance Company; the Nines Festival in Devens; the Three Rivers Costume Ball; UMass Dance Team; Emerging Choreographer Series (UMass), Alive with Dance (UMass), and The Informal (UMass). Mackenzie is a Dance and Hospitality major and Arts Extension Service Student at UMass, Amherst, and is putting together a collaborative production with musicians from UMass Amherst and a jazz band from UMass Lowell.
Melanie Ostiguy began studying dance at the age of three at the Betty Gundersen Studio of Dance. She continued her studies at Dean College, performing with their annual Dance Company. Melanie performed as a soloist in Pointe Company under direction of Laura Young, former Boston Ballet Principal. Melanie has also been a part of the cast Grease through Dean College and Star Players of Bristol County during the summer of 2014. Melanie is continuing her dance studies at UMass, Amherst.
PVB APPRENTICES
Isabel Darmon-Weiss is a senior at Northampton High School. She has studied with PVB for 14 years. Isabel is an AP and honors student and plans to continue her dance training in college. Credits: Dance Ensemble at Williston Northampton School. Additional Training: intensive under dancer and choreographer, Teddy Forance. Credits with PVB: The Nutcracker; Aladdin; Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid.
Luci Calvi began dancing at 5 years old at Holmes Studio and has studied at PVB for 3 years. She will be a junior at West Springfield High School. Credits with PVB: The Nutcracker; Aladdin; Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid.
Savannah Scammon is a Junior majoring in dance at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts School. She started her ballet training at 2.5 years, joining PVB’s training program at 11 yers old, after beginning her experience at PVB as a reindeer when she was six. Additional Training: Tap and Jazz at Carol’s Dance studio; STEPS on Broadway in NYC; The Drama Studio (winner of full scholarship). Credits: George M! with Exit 7 Players in 2009. Credits with PVB: The Nutcracker; Aladdin; Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid.
