— Kanji Segawa, New York-based Dancer / Teacher / Choreographer
About The Metropolitan Ballet Company
Metropolitan Ballet Academy (MBA), named by Pointe Magazine (October/November 2011) as “one of the seven studios nationally producing major talent which has translated into a career in dance,” is a classical ballet school founded in 1996 in Jenkintown (Abington Township), Pennsylvania. Founder and Artistic Director Lisa Collins Vidnovic danced for 10 years with the renowned Pennsylvania Ballet, where she later served as Ballet Mistress. Throughout her professional career of more than 30 years, Vidnovic performed many leading roles in the classical repertory and worked with some of the world’s pre-eminent choreographers. MBA students benefit from her wealth of teaching and performance experience, as well as the school’s access to choreographers, master teachers, costume and lighting specialists, and guest teachers from the international dance community.
Serving children ages 3-18 and many adult students, the MBA curriculum combines professional expertise with a genuine sensitivity to children and an appreciation of the special needs of the young dancer. Lessons in Classical Ballet technique are combined with exercises designed to foster musical awareness. Within a positive and encouraging atmosphere, children are taught to develop their unique artistic qualities.
Metropolitan offers all students high-quality, professional training with an outstanding faculty. Aspects of many schools (Vaganova, Bournonville, Balanchine) are incorporated into the more advanced lessons and supported by the teaching of actual repertoire. Serious students and advanced dancers are supported with additional opportunities, including work with nationally-recognized choreographers, performances with Metropolitan Ballet Company and other regional arts companies, participation in Youth America Grand Prix, and more.
In year-round classes, the studio’s summer intensive program, and master classes, MBA dancers are exposed to technique and teaching by some the dance world’s most illustrious artists, including Pennsylvania Ballet’s Martha Chamberlain, William DeGregory, Jeffrey Gribler, Alexander Iziliaev, Riolama Lorenzo, and Arantxa Ochoa; The Ailey School’s Carlos dos Santos; Parsons Dance Company’s Steven Vaughn; American Ballet Theater/Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Principal Franco De Vita, former principal of Ballet Hispanico; Pedro Ruiz; and Nacional Ballet de Cuba’s Maria Eugenia Lorenzo.
Since 2005, the nonprofit Metropolitan Ballet Company (MBC), comprised of MBA dancers, has earned significant recognition for its performances at the prestigious Regional Dance America Festival. MBA students also excel at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest international student ballet scholarship competition, where at the 2011 Regional Semi-Finals in Philadelphia, PA and Torrington, CT, MBA students captured the top honor of Senior Grand Prix, as well as Second and Third Place awards. 18 MBA students went on to perform in the YAGP Finals in New York City, where one dancer advanced to the prestigious final round, and the MBA Children’s Ensemble placed in the Top 12. Artistic Director Lisa Collins Vidnovic also received the 2011 Outstanding Teacher Award in Philadelphia.
For the past 12 years, MBA students have danced many roles in Pennsylvania Ballet’s performances of George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker.” Of the six schools whose students are invited to participate in this traditional, seasonal event, Metropolitan Ballet continues to provide the majority of young dancers, including boys from Metropolitan’s Boys’ Scholarship Program. Last year, 62 MBA students performed, featuring four boys in the leading roles of the Little Prince and Fritz, and 50 girls, including one in the leading role of Marie and three in the company roles of Snow, Flowers, Marzipan, Tea and Hot Chocolate. In 2011, 61 dancers are scheduled to perform, and Pennsylvania Ballet has invited three students from the Boys’ Scholarship Program to tour with the Company for its December performances of The Nutcracker in Ottawa, Canada, where the students will perform the lead children’s roles of Prince and Fritz.
MBA dancers are regularly accepted for study at numerous professional programs including American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Ailey School, Boston Ballet, Juilliard, Kirov Academy, Harid Conservatory, Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Additionally, MBA alumnae have been accepted into company, apprentice, and trainee programs at Pennsylvania Ballet, Orlando Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Ballet Austin, Richmond Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, First State Ballet and State Street Ballet.