Greenville Ballet School’s Relation To The Joffrey Ballet School
Greenville Ballet School’s founders Andrew and Merry Kuharsky both studied at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. The renowned Greenville dance studio for students aged 3 through adult has roots and expertise derived from the masterful teaching methodology of The Joffrey Ballet School in New York. In this brief profile, Greenville Ballet pays tribute to their educators and mentors as they look to the past in preparation for their upcoming performance of The Nutcracker on Saturday Dec. 19 at The McAlister Auditorium on the campus of Furman University.
WHO
The Joffrey Ballet School was founded by Robert Joffrey, for which the school is named, along with Gerald Arpino. Joffrey was born in 1930 in Seattle and died in 1988 in New York after founding his ballet company (which he founded in 1956) and school. Joffrey is noted as the first person to sanction the use of rock music with a ballet company, especially with his original production of “Billboards,” set to the music of Prince.
Gerald Alpino was a dancer and choreographer born in 1923 on Staten Island and died in 2008. He first met Joffrey in Seattle while stationed with the U.S. Coast Guard, and co-founded the Joffrey Ballet School in 1953 in Greenwich Village. He succeeded Joffrey as the school’s artistic director in 1988. In 1995, he moved the school to a Chicago location.
WHAT
The Joffrey Ballet School has developed a teaching and dance technique that is original and unique among ballet schools. Students are trained in modern and contemporary dance, along with jazz, hip hop and other less traditional dance techniques and styles.
Many of The Joffrey Ballet School’s graduates have gone on to dance for major classical ballet companies in the U.S. (the Joffrey Ballet, the American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet, among others) and abroad. The Joffrey School is the only ballet school in New York City that offers serious training in both classical and contemporary ballet. Other areas of training and classes include choreography, dance history, music, pilates, and yoga.
All dance classes at The Joffrey Ballet School have live piano accompaniment, and some even feature live cello and percussion.
The Joffrey School is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance.
MISSION 
The Joffrey Ballet School transforms passionate dance students into versatile, individualistic artists able to collaborate and evolve fluidly in a fast-changing society.
Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino founded the Joffrey Ballet School in 1953. The school continues to strive for its founders’ vision by deconstructing dance to allow dancers the ability to perfect their technique and form so it flows naturally and passionately from within. We cultivate the individual artist within you.
–taken from Joffrey Ballet School’s website
WHEN
The Joffrey Ballet School was founded in 1953. Greenville Ballet School founders and directors Andrew and Merry Kuharsky attended the school in the 1970s.
WHERE
The Joffrey Ballet School is located in Greenwich Village in New York (see full address and contact information below). Visiting the school is encouraged, offering one free class to children. Serious potential young dancers and trainees are also invited to attend and participate in two or three classes to decide if The Joffrey Ballet School is a good fit.
CONTACT
The Joffrey Ballet School, New York, Greenwich Village
434 Avenue of the Americas
5th Floor
New York, NY 10011
phone: (888) 468-9115
email: joffrey@joffreyballetschool.com
URL: https://joffreyballetschool31-px.rtrk.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoffreySchool
twitter: @gvilleballetsch
Don’t miss The Greenville Ballet School’s performance of The Nutcracker on Saturday December 19 at 3 pm and experience the wisdom of The Joffrey Ballet School passed down through the years.
Related Resources:
Performances of The Nutcracker in Greenville: This holiday season, there are many opportunities to see performances of The Nutcracker. Don’t miss Greenville Ballet’s performance on Saturday December 19 at McAlister Auditorium at 3 pm.
Informa: Informa magazine is an online dance and ballet magazine that is a standard in the art. Learn more on a Greenville Ballet School favorite.