A Note From the Managing Director of School |
Hello, TWSB Families & Friends,
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We are excited to welcome Trinidad Vives as School Director this June. Trinidad will join us beginning June 3rd and will be working with myself and our Principals at the NW & SE Campuses to prepare for the start of our Summer programs. In the meantime, we’ll be reaching out to faculty and accompanists over the next couple of weeks to finalize our 2024.25 School Year teaching and accompanist schedules.
Trinidad looks forward to teaching and observing classes at our NW and SE Campuses this summer as well as getting to know our faculty and students in each level of the School for both our youth and adult programs. She will work closely with the NW & SE Principals and our Adult Program Head to evaluate and update the curriculum, teacher training sessions, and ensure that programs continue to thrive.
In addition to Trinidad, we are excited to welcome a few new faces to our faculty line-up. Parren Ballard and Zoica Tovar will join TWSB as full-time faculty starting this Summer for the NW Campus Summer Intensive teaching across our Lower Division, Upper Division and Trainee levels. Newly appointed Rehearsal Director, Andres Estevez, will also join our faculty line-up for the TWB Repertory Experience. We are thrilled to have these talented professionals join our rich
roster of faculty.
On the administrative side, we have a couple of familiar faces moving into new positions!
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Pamela Bjerknes has accepted a promotion from Pre-Ballet and Lower Division Head to Principal of our NW Campus. Pamela will work in concert with the School Director, Trinidad Vives, to oversee faculty and students for the NW Campus.
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Valentina Palladino will shift from Assistant to the Pre-Ballet and Lower Division Head, to Assistant to the Principal, NW Campus. Valentina will continue to assist Pamela in oversight of Creative Dance and Pre-Ballet logistics.
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Kayla DeShields has accepted a promotion to School Manager for our NW Campus starting June 3. Formerly our School Manager for the SE Campus, she will bring her warmth and stellar organizational skills to this larger managerial role handling registration and parent communications for the NW Campus and oversight of the NW Campus receptionists at the Main and Van Ness locations. She looks forward to working closely with our Assistant Manager of the Cathedral Commons Studios, Aliya Siegel, who oversees receptionists and operations for our Cathedral Commons locations.
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Madeline Garland, who has worked with the School as a receptionist, in Community Engagement as a teaching artist, and in Development as an intern, has accepted the position of Artistic Administrator for the NW Campus beginning June 12. Madeline will oversee administration of the School shows at the NW Campus and student involvement in Company shows. She will join long-time Children’s Coordinator
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Donna Glover for our 2024 Nutcracker season. This position works closely with the School Manager and provides support for NW Campus Studio Schedules and student support for our Trainee Program.
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Maggie Williamson's role as Artistic Administrator for our SE Campus now extends to overseeing the position of Assistant Manager for the SE Campus, acknowledging her strong management skills
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The Washington School of Ballet looks forward to a vibrant Summer and a dynamic 80th anniversary of the School. We are and continue to be a strong center of dance education because of the
talent we retain in our faculty, accompanists, and dedicated staff across TWB. Thank you all for continuing to be a part of our legacy of dance.
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Respectfully,
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Katie Sopoci Drake
Managing Director of School
The Washington Ballet
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