Focus On Excellence:

Shawn Stevens, Repetiteur For The George Balanchine Trust

Shawn Stevens is a member of Maple Conservatory's faculty and is a former member of New York City Ballet and Twyla Tharp's Company. During her time with both companies, she performed principal roles in Balanchine's ballets including Symphony in Three Movements, The Four Temperments and Symphony In C, as well as various original works by Twyla, including Twyla's hit Broadway musical Movin' Out.

View Ms. Stevens' biography

Aside from her impressive talent as a former professional dancer, and now, ballet teacher, Ms. Stevens is also an authorized repetiteur for The George Balanchine Trust. (Ms. Stevens is also authorized by Twyla Tharp to stage her original works.)

The Balanchine Trust was formed in 1987, four years after Balanchine's death, to facilitate the licensing of George Balanchine's works and preserve the artistic integrity of his works by providing Balanchine-trained repetiteurs to stage his ballets for qualified companies throughout the world. Since his death, interest by dance companies throughout the world to perform Balanchine's works have increased.

Though there are other trusts, such as those for Frederick Ashton and Antony Tudor, none have the scope of Balanchine's, numbering 400 dance works of which about 75 are currently active. The Balanchine Trust provides about 40 repetiteurs with firsthand knowledge of the Balanchine repertory, including Ms. Stevens.

Because the Balanchine Trust requires all licensed Balanchine ballets to have an approved repetiteur to stage the work and see it through to the premiere, Ms. Stevens travels the country to work with professional ballet companies and universities to stage various Balanchine ballets, as well as Twyla Tharp's works. Ms. Stevens is also working with our Maple Youth Ballet students as a repetiteur from the Balanchine Trust to stage Balanchine's Valse Fantaisie.

Said Ms. Stevens:

"What Charles Maple has started in Orange County is truly unique. He has assembled a team of instructors with professional backgrounds and years of exprerience. As a result, the teachers are able to pass on their knowledge to the new generation of up and coming dancers. I'm very proud to be part of the Maple Conservatory, and of course, very excited to stage the first Balanchine ballet with this exciting new program. Charles has raised the bar for dance education in Southern California."

The Maple Conservatory is grateful to have Ms. Stevens on its faculty and the Maple Youth Ballet looks forward to continuiing to work with Ms. Stevens on Valse Fantaisie for their upcoming 2008 spring performances!

Learn more about The George Balanchine Trust