Ann Dunn - Director
Artistic Director and Choreographer, is the recipient of The Arida Foundation's 2004 NC Artist of the Year award. She trained on a Ford Foundation scholarship at the School of American Ballet, official school of the New York City Ballet, and with Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Ted Shawn, and Margaret Craske. She performed with the The Hartford Ballet and was Sugar Plum Fairy in New York Public TV's 1964 "Nutcracker." She has received over $100,000 in grants and awards, primarily for new choreography, including funds from the Rockefeller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, NC Arts Council and Arts Exchange.
She has served as Artist-In-Schools, Dance Education Consultant, and a grant panelist in Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. She has been a member of the board of directors of arts organizations and arts councils since 1976. Her poetry and articles on dance history and appreciation have been published by such houses as Doubleday and Green River. Her two books of poems are available at amazon.com, from Urthona Press and in local bookstores.
She has performed her original solo and group work on the NC Writers and Readers circuit, on scholarship at Jacob's Pillow New Dance Workshop, Yale University, New York, around the US and in Italy. Dunn holds a BS in Shakespearian Studies, a Masters in Liberal Arts, and has completed coursework for a Ph.D. in the literature of the English and Italian Renaissance. Dunn owns Fletcher School of Dance and teaches Humanities at UNCA. She has five children and five grandchildren.
Gypsy Adams
Gypsy Adams received her early training right here, where she continues to inspire young people with a love of ballet. In her wanderings around the professional world, she trained and/or performed at Atlanta Ballet, Washington Ballet and Memphis Ballet.
Fernando Concha
Fernando Concha has performed in solo and pas de deux classical and contemporary work across the world, from such major European countries as Italy and Spain to resorts like the Azores and Bahamas. In the Americas he has appeared as guest artist from the east to the west coast of the U.S.A. and as soloist with Ballet Foklorico of Mexico - Acapulco. Mr. Concha's extensive teaching credits include International Ballet Studios at Carnegie Hall and studios in Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. His original ballet, modern and jazz choreography is in repertoires throughout the Southeast. As President of the New Orleans Dance Foundation he shepherded that city's development of its ballet company. Mr. Concha trained under Vincenzo Celli (partner of Pavlova and last student of Enrico Cecchetti), Frederic Franklin, Melissa Hayden, Vladimir Dokoudovsky of Ballet Russe, the great Wilhem Burmann and Arthur Mitchell. He was fortunate to study jazz with Al Gilbert, Peter Gennaro and Luigi. Mr. Concha currently teaches Men's Ballet and co-teaches Pas de Deux at Asheville Academy of Ballet and performs with The Asheville Ballet.
Valerie Concha
Valerie Concha trained with Vincenzo Celli, Enrico Checcetti's student and Anna Pavlova's partner. She has danced as a soloist with major companies of the 20th century (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Radio City Music Hall) and graced the world's stages - New York, London, Paris, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Canada, South and Central America. She has worked with ballet superstars Freddy Franklin, Alexandra Danilova, Leon Danelian, Robert Joffrey, Melissa Hayden, Alicia Alonzo, and Maria Tallchief. In addition to international work as a choreographer and teacher, she was Founder and Artistic Director of the New Orleans Ballet Foundation, and was awarded two keys to that city.
Allison Zachary Hertzberg
Allison Zachary Hertzberg began dancing in the very place she teaches now. She spent her high school years at North Carolina School of the Arts and Virginia School of the Arts. She went on to dance as a soloist for Allegro Dance Theatre in Chattanooga, TN. She also worked with Ballet Tennessee, Edinburgh International Festival, and Southern Ballet Theatre. Allison now dances and teaches for ADDANCE, Asheville Ballet, and Fletcher School of Dance. She is also a continuing student, mother, and wife.
Megan Jones
Megan Jones is a 2009 graduate from UNC - Charlotte where she received her bachelor's of science in Dance Education. She has just returned from San Francisco, CA where she studied with Alonzo King's LINES Ballet and has returned to her home town of Asheville where she plans to pursue her dancing career. As an intern she hopes to promote and educate the public on the art form of dance!
Amy Orfield Kohler
Amy Orfield Kohler has danced with Asheville Ballet and ADDance since 2001. Her previous professional experience includes Boitsov Classical Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Ballet Theatre Chicago, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ballet Iowa and the Lexington Ballet. Amy is Co-Director of Wings Dance Company and teaches at Fletcher School of Dance and Western Carolina University. She has an MA in dance-movement therapy from Columbia College and a BA from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Lyle Laney
Lyle Laney earned his bachelor's degree in acting from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He has been with Asheville ballet since 2000 dancing principal roles in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Porgy and Bess and genuinely having a wonderful time exploring dance. He is also a filmmaker and writer.
Leslie Myers
Leslie Myers a native of New York has performed in the companies of Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre, Pearl Lang Dance Theatre, Martha Graham Ensemble, Battery Dance Company, and with Richard Move's "Martha At . . ." series both in the US and abroad. She has appeared on television in the 1999 VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards, choreography by Mark Morris, as well as independent film. Teaching credits include The Neighborhood Playhouse for the Theatre, Actor's Studio, The Martha Graham School and The Alvin Ailey School.
Amy Strickland
Amy Strickland currently teaches sixth grade at ArtSpace Charter School and teaches jazz and modern at The Asheville Academy of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. She began her training at the age of five at the The Montgomery School of Ballet in Montgomery, Alabama. She has studied under such tutors as Don Steffy, Mary-Lou Hume, David Anderson, Gary Moore, Emily Caruso, Kitty Seal, Haynes Owens, and Pricilla Cromellin-Ball. She has danced and/or taught with The Montgomery Ballet, The Alabama Dance Theater, The Auburn Ballet, Ballet Hispanico of New York, The Asheville Ballet, The New Studio of Dance, and The Southern Ballet in Christchurch, New Zealand. She has enjoyed dancing with ADDance since 2004.
Lea Malchionne (Jazz, Tap, Broadway, Modern, Ballet for Gymnasts)
Lea Malchionne began dance under the tutelage of her mother and at Mobile Ballet on the gulf coast in Alabama. At age 18 she studied on scholarship in Chicago under Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Joseph Holmes Dance Theater. Lea performed in 42nd Street and Chicago. Moving to Hollywood on a scholarship at Debbie Reynolds Studio F, she pursued her training under the direction of Serge Rodunsky at Moro Landis Studios. Lea danced in many industrials and commercials for Coty perfume. She performed as a principal dancer in Of Light and Temptation with Jimmy Locust, principal dancer in all of Janet Jackson's music videos. After suffering an injury Lea moved home to take the helm as Artistic Director of her family's Dance and Theatre Company. Lea produced and directed many ballets and theatrical productions over the past ten years. In addition, she worked in the inner city schools in after school programs; Culture in Black & White and The Futures Program. Lea's students have won scholarships to Universities, The Boston Ballet & have danced professionally on Broadway in Fosse, Meet Me in St Louis and Cats. Lea also trained gymnasts with 5 time Russian gold medalist Vladimir Novikov. Lea is thrilled to be in Asheville now and closer to her younger sister who currently dances and teaches in the Charlotte area.
Alan Malpass (ZUMBA!)
Alan Malpass has been performing since age 7, when he started playing piano and landed the role of Rumpelstiltskin in his first grade class. He graduated from Western Carolina University's first Bachelor of Music in Musical Theater Performance. It was during this training that he discovered dance and his love for physical expression through the arts. Alan has performed with The Asheville Ballet for several seasons in such ballets as Billy the Kid, An American in Paris and, most famously, as the Ninja Doll and Lead Russian in The Nutcracker. Alan received his certification in Zumba and is pleased to share this exciting new dance/fitness craze with Asheville.