Artistic Faculty & Staff
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Jenifer Ringer, Artistic Director, was born in New Bern, North Carolina, and was raised in Summerville, South Carolina, where she began her dance training at age 10 with local teachers. At age 12 she entered the Washington School of Ballet, where she studied for two years. After attending a summer session at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, Ms. Ringer was invited to enter the winter session at the School on a full scholarship. She became an apprentice with New York City Ballet in October 1989 and a member of the corps de ballet in January 1990. She was promoted to soloist in January 1995 and to principal dancer in spring 2000.In May of 2002, Ms. Ringer appeared in the Live from Lincoln Center broadcast of "New York City Ballet's Diamond Project: Ten Years of New Choreography," dancing in Mercurial Manoeuvres, and in May of 2004 she appeared in the Live from Lincoln Center broadcast of "Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100," dancing in Liebeslieder Walzer. Ms. Ringer received her B.A. in English from Fordham University in December 1997.
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Damian Woetzel, Artistic Advisor,
is a principal for the NYCB and former School of Ballet Artistic Director. -
Daniel Ulbricht, Associate Director, NYCB Liaison and Faculty Coordinator, has been with NYCB since 2000. He trained at Chautauqua Institution with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride before entering the School of American Ballet in 1999.
Madame Olga Kostritzky, a well-known dance educator and choreographer, is on the faculty of the School of American Ballet. She danced in Russia before coming to the United States in 1975. She has taught at SUNY Buffalo, Houston Ballet, and Ballet Oklahoma, and was ballet mistress and coach with the Pennsylvania Ballet.
Katie Keller, Physical Therapy faculty, is the Physical Therapy Coordinator for the New York City Ballet.
David Nichols, Music Director, is an improvisational pianist and producer who has provided accompaniment for American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Feld Ballets NY, and Twyla Tharp. His ambient music CD recordings have been featured on nationally syndicated NPR and PRI radio programs Hearts of Space and Echoes.
Ellen Madson, Accompanist, has been a ballet accompanist for over 30 years, working with ballet companies and arts schools. She is currently Resident Principal Accompanist for the University of Oklahoma in Norman.
Judy Atchinson, Accompanist, has worked as artist-in-residence and part-time faculty at many colleges, including Skidmore, Barnard, Russell Sage, Union, Temple and University College Dublin, Ireland.
Igor Burlak, Program Coordinator and Faculty member is a NYSSSA School of Ballet alumnus. He trained at the School of American Ballet and is currently a dancer with the Minnesota Ballet.
Erin Fogarty, Assistant Director for Administration and Residential Life, is a NYSSSA School of Ballet alumnus and is a member of the Carolina Ballet.