Home"The AZ Insider" with Kathy Shayna Shocket › AZ Insider: School of Ballet Arizona Welcomes New Director
 
 
 

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As the acclaimed Ballet Arizona approaches its 32nd season, its school welcomes a new director. After a search that included both national and international candidates. Anthony Jones will take be taking responsibility for The School of Ballet Arizona's full range of classical ballet training. 

He'll be joining the school from his most recent position as the School Director for the highly-regarded Oregon Ballet Theatre School.

 “We are enthusiastic that Anthony will nurture and grow the level of excellence the School of Ballet Arizona has come to represent,” said Ballet Arizona’s Artistic Director Ib Andersen. “He will continue the school’s mission to provide dancers with comprehensive training that prepares them as artists that meet expectations of a professional dance company.”

Jones responsibilities will  include its School Year program, Summer Intensive, and Studio Company, attracting students from around the nation and the world.

He  brings an accomplished background as a school director and former dancer. Before taking on that role, he served on the classical ballet faculty for Palucca University for Dance, in Dresden, Germany and Ridgefield Conservatory for Dance in Connecticut.

He began his ballet training at the Minnesota Dance Theatre, progressing to professional training at the National Ballet School in Toronto and ultimately the School of American Ballet, in New York, studying under Stanley Williams, Andrei Kramarevsky and Richard Rapp. Jones danced professionally with Pacific Northwest Ballet, promoted to soloist during his tenure. After his performing career, he earned a bachelor's degree from New York University, and served as an acquisitions associate for the Frick Collection in New York City.

At the Ballet’s school, students  train and rehearse in the same facility as the professional dancers, students enjoy a new state-of-the-art 50,000 square foot dance center with seven studios, a black box theatre, costume shop, scene shop and administrative facilities. In 2016, the school was given approval by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program to except international students.

The School of Ballet Arizona, promotes access to the art form of ballet through dance education, with a focus on excellence in the form, directing each student to a life-long love of dance. Following this vision, Ballet Arizona connects to more than 35,000 children and families every year through its free and low cost outreach programs.

kathy shayna shocket copy   Kathy Shayna Shocket is a freelance Writer, and TV- Field Producer based in Phoenix, AZ. The former TV-Reporter has written for publications such as TIME Magazine, MONEY Magazine, PEOPLE Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter and The NEW YORK TIMES. You can reach her at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it