Faculty-Corkery Ballet School

HISTORY

The Gayle Corkery School of Ballet opened in 1970 and in 1972 Violette Verdy selected the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet to participate in the Ford Foundation National Program of Services to Ballet Students and Teachers operated by the School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. The program was designed to further the development of professional ballet instruction in the U.S. Since that time students have auditioned for and been accepted to professional ballet schools and many students have joined professional ballet companies, opened their own schools and become directors of their own dance companies.

The Gayle Corkery School of Ballet invites all students in the metroplex to participate in its outstanding ballet training program. The school provides quality ballet instruction for all levels of advancement. From the youngest pre-ballet student to the aspiring professional, each student is guided through a curriculum designed to enhance both physical skill and appreciation for the artistry of dance. The goal of the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet is to provide a firm foundation for each dancer to attain his or her full potential through a combination of the highest quality training and exciting performance opportunities.

FACULTY

GAYLE CORKERY studied at American Ballet Theater in NYC and then performed with the Fort Worth Ballet and the Dallas State Fair Musicals. Ms. Corkery received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Texas Christian University where she studied ballet, theater, voice and literature. She opened the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet in 1970 and in 1972 she was invited to participate in the School of American Ballet’s National Program sponsored by the Ford Foundation. This program was designed to further the development of professional ballet instruction in the United States. By special invitation Ms. Corkery attended the last teaching seminar of George Balanchine, the director of the New York City Ballet. She also attended seminars in Paris at the Paris Opera Ballet and in Russia at the Kirov and Bolshoi Academies. Ms. Corkery began the FWCD Ballet Department in 1983 and served as the director of the program for 27 years. Ms. Corkery is known nationally and internationally through her instructional ballet DVD’s. Working with such renown ballet pianists as Steven Mitchell, Whit Kellogg, Tim Grundman, and Craig Baldwin, she has directed eight ballet DVD’s for young children. gcorkery@fwcds.org

OLGA PAVLOVA, born in Moscow, graduated from the Moscow Academic School, the official school of the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet. She holds a Master Degree in Teaching and Choreography from the Moscow Academy of Professional Arts. Olga won the Gold Medal and First Prize at the Maya Plisetskaya Second International Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg, and the diploma at the Rudolf Nureyev Second International Ballet Competition in Budapest. During her career, Olga toured to over thirty countries. Her extensive repertoire includes principal roles in over fifty-four ballets. Ms. Pavlova has been described as a dancer with “enormous versatility, beautiful technique and incredible taste. She is a real artist.” Ms. Pavlova teaches the most advanced level of the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet.

BRUCE WOOD began his training with the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet and at the age of 16 attended the School of American Ballet under the tutelage of the legendary George Balanchine. After a brief engagement with the NYCB, Mr. Wood refined his Balanchine training by dancing for four years as a soloist with the San Francisco Ballet. At the age of 21, Mr. Wood joined Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal as a principal dancer. Returning to NY, he danced with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and the Twyla Tharp Dance Company. He assisted in setting Lar Lubovitch pieces for the NYCB and worked with Mr. Lubovitch in setting the movement of the Broadway hit Into the Woods for Stephen Sondheim. Mr. Wood was Artistic Director of the Bruce Wood Dance Company in Fort Worth from 1997-2006. Mr. Wood created over fifty critically acclaimed works to music by renowned masters such as Brahms, Ravel and Mozart to 20th century composers. Mr. Wood also created works for Orlando Ballet, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Texas Ballet Theater. He is currently a guest teacher and choreographer at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Mr. Wood is the 2010 recipient of the McLarry Bywaters Award for Lifetime Contribution to Dance. Mr. Wood teaches and choreographs for the advanced levels of the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet.

LETITIA GRAY studied with Adolph Bolm, Anton Dolin and Mia Slavenska. She was principal dancer with ballet and opera companies in Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Fort Worth. Known for her perfectionism and attention to detail, Ms. Gray is sought after by advanced dancers for special coaching. Ms. Gray has been Ballet Mistress and instructor in the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet since 1972.

NATALIE BRACKEN began her training with the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet and Fort Worth Country Day Ballet Department. She has studied ballet, flamenco, modern dance and jazz. She attended summer programs at American Ballet Theater, New York City Dance Alliance and Broadway Theatre Project. She has choreographed for FWCD ballet, theater and choir departments and was nominated for a Betty Buckley Award for her choreography. Ms. Bracken graduated from Texas Christian University with a BFA degree in dance and is now on the staff of FWCD Theater and Dance. Ms. Bracken teaches intermediate ballet for the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet.

RACHEL WESTFIELD began her dance training at Fort Bend Academy of Dance as a company member of Ballet Forte. She continued her training through college and graduated with her BFA in ballet from TCU. At TCU she was recognized for her talent as a choreographer. She performed in such works as the romantic ballet Pas de Quatre and George Balanchine’s Episodes as well as original works by choreographers Susan Douglas Roberts and Susan Jaffe. Mrs. Westfield will be specializing in creative movement and elementary ballet.

SUSAN AUSTIN began her ballet training with the Gayle Corkery School of Ballet performing in many productions and also working as an assistant ballet instructor. After receiving her B.A. degree from Texas Lutheran College, Mrs. Austin taught creative movement to elementary students and now teaches and choreographs for intermediate students. She has worked extensively with CATS in Arlington teaching ballet and choreographing musical theater. Mrs. Austin has designed and constructed costumes for Festival Ballet of North Texas, Amphibian Productions, Fort Worth Opera, Midland Ballet and Hip Pocket Theater. She is employed by the American Association of Community Theatre and continues to work backstage as a stage manager and wardrobe supervisor.

FRIEDA AUSTIN began her training with Gayle Corkery School of Ballet and Fort Worth Country Day Ballet. She attended summer programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theater, Hartford Ballet and Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio. Frieda performed with the Bruce Wood Dance Company and Denton Festival Ballet. Frieda works for Texas Nonprofit Theaters.

GUEST TEACHERS

CARRIE CHENG received a full scholarship at the University of Utah where she earned a BFA degree in ballet. She danced professionally with Utah Ballet, Eugene Ballet and Ballet Theater of Boston. Mrs. Cheng is the Director of Ballet at FWCD

LI CHOU CHENG began his training at the Beijing Ballet Academy and was soloist with the Central Ballet of China from 1961-1980. Mr. Cheng was Professor of Ballet at the University of Utah and is now Professor of Ballet at Texas Christian University. Mr. Cheng is in demand nationwide as a guest instructor.

MICHELE GIFFORD attended the School of American Ballet in NYC on full scholarship and was then invited to join the New York City Ballet. In 2000 Michele joined Texas Ballet Theater. Ms. Gifford is a certified Gyrotonic instructor and is working towards her certification at the Physical/Mind Institute for Pilates.

MARGO MCCANN began her ballet training in Beaumont and continued on full scholarship to School of American Ballet in NY. Ms. McCann joined the Fort Worth Ballet in 1986 and danced many principal roles. Ms. McCann is currently the Managing Director of Texas Ballet Theater.