Masterpiece Dance Theatre (MDT)

In January 2006 Westwood Dance Center embarked on a mission to establish a resident dance company in Los Angeles. The new name for the official school is the Vaganova Training System, Ltd.

The organization was originally established in Culver City, California in 1992. In the same year, and in honor of its grand opening, the City of Culver City proclaimed the company a "city treasure". In addition, the city proclaimed March 17th "Rudolf Nureyev Celebration Day". The late legendary ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who was a personal and professional friend of Nadya Kalmanovskaya became the centers Founding Honorary Patron.

Additional professional support and endorsement has been given by Russian ballet legend and Principal Kirov Ballet coach Madame Ninel Kurgapkina, and also from the European Choreographer, Pieter van der Sloot. Both artists are members of the guest faculty.

Mission & Goals

Although many facets of MDT's program are still in development, the company and school will define itself by representing a broad range of classical and modern dance repertoire, for both professionals and students alike.

MDT's program is not just about technique training, the program is about experiencing the learning of dance in a much more realistic theatrical setting, which will allow students and professionals to become more wholly involved in the process of bringing dance to the stage.

We hope to accomplish this by offering and presenting a variety of company and student based dance repertoire throughout the year which takes into consideration a broad range of subject matter including but not limited to musical, literary, and cultural arts influences.

Owing to the company's classical ballet roots, MDT will undoubtedly present original interpretations of traditional 18th and 19th century genre ballet's.

Dancers at all ages and levels will have the opportunity of refining and expanding their knowledge of the many areas associated with dance and theatre stagecraft, all in a realistic working environment, thereby gaining invaluable experience to the world of professional performing arts.

Additional elective Classes and programs are to be offered throughout the course of the year including: Acting, Jazz Dance, Modern Dance styles, Music Appreciation, Dance History and Film, Dance Make-up, Costume Creation, etc.

Dance company positions will normally be available at the following levels: Apprentice, Corps de ballet, Soloist, Principal, Company Student Trainee.

Student Participation

In the event a student takes an interest in technical production type work such as financial planning, and marketing, then we will encourage their involvement. Also, there will be learning opportunities made available to those interested in knowing more about production staging, choreography, and costume and set creation.

During each company production, student members work alongside professional peers and or guest artists, and at the end of each calendar year members may be eligible for signed certificates of completion.

All participants interested in being included in repertoire study and related dancing opportunities must take into consideration the necessary time commitment to both training and rehearsing.

Participants between the ages of roughly 9-19 must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.5 each academic semester/quarter in order to continue to be eligible for performing opportunities. In addition, the administration of the school may request for the latest copy of school transcripts to be submitted.

Apprentice Company Members

Participant Performing Benefits

All company participants regardless of age/level are to receive one or more of the following:

• a select number of "complimentary" performance tickets to each performance
• opportunity to join in field trips to performing arts centers, museums and the like
• opportunity of training with celebrity and guest performing artists
• one monogrammed company jersey
• one or more years subscription to the newsletter publication
• opportunity to invite guests to open house works in progress rehearsals
• tuition rate discounts on private ballet classes
• annual certificate of attendance/completion (if eligible)
• and other benefits to be announced

Class Dress Code

Students attending Open Program classes between the ages of 6-18 are limited to strict ballet attire at all times, including, but not limited to:

• Black Leotard, Pink Tights, Pink Ballet Shoes /Point Shoes
• Hair must be kept up in a bun (girls only)
• Only a limited amount of jewelry is to be worn at any time.
• Ballet, jazz shoes, and/or thick socks must be worn at all times while in the facility
• Pointe shoes must be kept in good working order or not to be worn at all

History Of Community Outreach

"LA Opera 12th Season, The Opera "Fedora, Music Center Plaza; Orange County's Imagination Celebrations; Culver City Unified School District; Big Bear Lake, Puccini Festival; Los Angeles Home Show; Summer Ballet Workshops in 1993-2002; Los Angeles St. Petersburg Sister City Committee; General Hospital, TV. Show; PBS-TV., "Book of Virtues"; Los Angeles County, Annual Arts Open House, Torrance Cultural Arts Center/James Armstrong Theatre; Alliance for the Arts, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center; American Youth Symphony; University of Southern California; Grace Lutheran Church, Culver City", etc.

Student Repertoire

"Annual Nutcracker; Peter and the Wolf; Cinderella; Paquita; La Vivandiere; Swan Lake; Spectre de la Rose; Les Sylphides; Romeo and Juliet; Madame Butterfly; Carmen; La Traviata, Pas de Quatre, and Beauty and the Beast".

Additional Program Information

Students interested in scholarship information are requested to pick up an application at the office. Only reduced tuition scholarships are presently available. Students interested in information which may lead to Vaganova certification are recommended to meet with the directors to discuss options which may be available.

The Development Of Ballet

The Art of Dance has been a cherished form of expression enjoyed by mankind since the dawn of human civilization. Over the last two centuries, dance and especially Ballet has flourished and evolved, however, not without change, but adding to the quality of life. Today, hundreds of thousands of people the world over have come to recognize a variety of rewarding experiences which may be gained from dance training including, but by no means limited to; a deeper appreciation and respect for ourselves- our bodies, minds and our overall well-being, and the sharing of cultural differences which go to shape our lives. Although not usually associated with dance in this light, dance can be seen as an exercise in ethical awareness as well, by way of its disciplinary virtue; much the same way several Eastern disciplinary arts have professed for thousands of years.

Russian Ballet, which has its roots in the Petipa-Vaganova Method has steadily developed over the past 270 years. Since 1917 (the beginning of the Russian Revolution) the "Vaganova Method" (the foundation and training system by which the Kirov Ballet, and to a lesser degree, the Bolshoi Ballet depend upon today) has safeguarded and evolved well beyond its well respected oral handing down of traditions.

In fact, our own "American style" of ballet has been greatly influenced by such dance luminaries as Mikhail Mordkin, Anna Pavlova's partner, and founder of the American Ballet Theatre, and George Balanchine, founder of the New York City Ballet. Both Mordkin and Balanchine were formerly from the Maryinsky-Kirov Ballet.

Let us not forget that even the great theatrical dance stars such as, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, were both classically trained ballet dancers.

Legendary Russian trained ballet stars such as Alonso, Balanchine, Baryshnikov, Nijinsky, Makarova, Mukamedov, and Nureyev have greatly added to the popularization of ballet as we know it today. Many well known dancers of today have also greatly benefited from Vaganova training.

Over the years beginning in 1992, thousands of dance students have benefited from our careful teaching approach of the Vaganova method, however now, the aspiring dance student can look beyond the purely recreational opportunity, to a more comprehensive performing arts curriculum.

It gives us great pleasure as the founders of Masterpiece Dance Theatre to have the opportunity of guiding these historic dance activities here in Los Angeles, which we feel confident will foster a new era in traditional ballet and performance art.