Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

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Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Background information
Origin	Aspen, CO
Genre(s)	Dance
Years active	1996 – present
Website	Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Website

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has established itself as one of America's leading contemporary dance companies. Its eleven classically trained dancers, perform an eclectic repertoire by some of the world’s foremost choreographers.

In addition to its domestic and international performances, the company presents the Aspen Dance Festival, a five-week summer festival that brings world-class dance companies to Aspen. The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has two official schools, one in Aspen, one in Santa Fe, and a year-round Mexican Folk Dance outreach program in Colorado.

[edit] Aspen Santa Fe Ballet History

In 1995, at the invitation of Aspen Ballet Company and School founder Bebe Schweppe, dancers Jean-Philippe Malaty and Tom Mossbrucker moved from New York City to embark on a vision of creating a professional dance company based in Aspen.
At the beginning of the new millennium the company began a co-venture with a presenting organization in Santa Fe and now perform under the name Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet made its New York City debut at The Joyce Theater and has performed at the legendary Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

In 2004 ASFB made its international debut in Canada and France.

[edit] Who's who in the company

Bebe Schweppe, Founder, grew up in Augusta, Georgia, and started dancing at the age of 7 at Georgia Dance Theatre under Frankie Levy. At the age of eleven she was invited by Robert Joffrey to study in New York on a full scholarship. She moved to Aspen in 1975 and founded Aspen Ballet School in 1990, and Aspen Ballet Company in 1996.

Jean-Philippe Malaty, Executive Director, grew up in the Basque region of France. After receiving his degree in dance, he accepted scholarships to study in some of Europe’s most prestigious schools: MUDRA, Maurice Bejart’s school in Brussels, and John Cranko’s school in Stuttgart. At the invitation of David Howard, Jean-Philippe came to America to study at the David Howard Dance Center in New York City. Since then, Jean-Philippe has performed soloist roles with various companies throughout the country including Joffrey II, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Hispanico of New York, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He has been recognized by the U.S. government as an artist of extraordinary abilities and was granted a permanent resident status.

Tom Mossbrucker, Artistic Director, started tap dancing at age four in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. At age 14 he began his ballet studies with Jo Emery, and performed with her company, the Tacoma Performing Dance Company. His studies continued in New York at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. He danced with Joffrey II before joining the Joffrey Ballet, where he performed principal roles in over 70 ballets, and toured throughout the world. His favorite roles include those performed in Billy the Kid, Rodeo, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker. He has appeared in numerous television specials, and was featured in the Joffrey’s Billboards, a full-length rock ballet set to music by Prince, which was released on videocassette. He also danced with the Atlanta Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.