RUSSIAN BALLET THEATRE SCHOOL, LLC
The Riverside Arts Center - 76 N. Huron Street, 2nd Floor, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734.262.5093
Classical Vaganova Ballet Instruction for Children, Teens and Adults, Beginning through Intermediate/Advanced. Technique, Pointe, Bolshoi/Kirov Exercises
Russian Ballet Theatre School was formed with the intention of bringing the richness, artistry and exquisite beauty of Vaganova Ballet to students, their families and friends and arts supporters in Ypsilanti and surrounding communities. The ample studio space at the Riverside Arts Center provides a perfect backdrop to a vision long held by RBTS founder, Kathy Scharp.
"Art is so important - crucial even, not only for our cultural development, but for our shared experience of transcendence toward things far greater than ourselves. It is a universal language that creates meaningful bonds and keeps us connected with each other, and to what really matters in life."
Kathy Scharp has had the great fortune and priviledge to serve for many years as Assistant Artistic Director and Ballet Mistress with Ann Arbor Ballet Theatre under the direction of Carol A. Radovic. Ms Scharp is a co-founder of AABT, and serves on AABT's Board of Directors. Ms. Scharp has received Russian method teacher training since 1985 with the late Jurgen Schneider (former ballet master with American Ballet Theatre and coach to M. Baryshnikov and N. Makarova) and also with Janina Cunova (former ballet mistress with Australian Ballet Company) Further training has been with Genrikh Mayorov, L. Snelnikova, M. Lavrovsky and N. Kurgapkina, and C. Radovic. Ms. Scharp has danced many roles with AABT since 1980, including the lead in "Carmen"; Arabian and Snow Queen in "The Nutcracker"; Dying Swan in "Carnival of the Animals" and lead and character roles in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Cinderella", "The Nightingale" and others. She has choreographed several works for AABT including "Medieva", Undead from "Dracula", "Hylas and the Naiads", and most recently, the Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet".
"It is my intention and ultimate goal to create an artistic learning experience that enhances a child's or an adult's life, in a fulfilling and rewarding way. I believe in the accessibility of classical ballet, not the exclusivity often associated with it, and I will continue to work toward providing the loving discipline, professional instruction and passion for ballet as an art form to my students, their families, and the community at large."
Ms. Scharp lives in Ypsilanti with her husband Jake Grimes, and their two dogs, Floyd and Violet.