Eglevsky Ballet to Put Studio in Bethpage

The Eglevsky Ballet will open a studio teaching ballet and modern dance on the old Grumman property in Bethpage, the company announced Saturday.

The Eglevsky Ballet Training Program will be the official training program for the ballet company.  As the company’s official program, EBTP will serve as a feeder for The Eglevsky Ballet Company and will offer performing opportunities for students at various levels of training. 

At the same time, the company announced David Wes Sadowsky has been appointed executive director of the ballet company.

EBTP is accepting its first students in September. Under the supervision of artistic director Laszlo Berdo, classes will be held for all ages and skill levels, from young children to adults, beginners to pre-professionals.

Admission to the pre-professional program is by audition only.

EBTP’s spaces— 4,500 square feet of new studios with 20-foot ceilings on Hicksville Road, Bethpage — make it one of the largest expanses of dedicated dance space on Long Island, the company said.

Classes will be offered during daytime hours, after school and on the weekend.
 
  Berdo, the company’s artistic director, brings more than 25 years of professional experience in the world of classical ballet. He has worked with such artists as Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Eliot Feld, Paul Taylor and others. Berdo danced with the Boston Ballet where he rose to the rank of principal dancer.

He has danced with Ballet Austin, Louisville Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet. Berdo created dances for the Boston Ballet, the Norwegian National Ballet, the Finnish National Ballet and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

He also teaches at CPYB and was the 2011-12 director of Choreoplan, a professional choreographic workshop offered by CPYB.

In 2010, his first year as artistic director, Berdo created a reimagined performance of The Nutcracker. The Eglevsky has presented this traditional holiday treat for more than 30 years at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

The Eglevsky Ballet was founded in 1961 by André Eglevsky, the late New York City Ballet principal dancer often considered the leading male dancer of his generation. After Eglevsky’s death in 1977, the company went on to be led by noted directors including Edward Villella, Michael Vernon and Ali Pourfarrokh.

More recently, Marina Eglevsky, André’s daughter, served as acting artistic director before Laszlo Berdo’s appointment. She is artistic director of The Eglevsky Ballet’s Summer Intensive workshop, held each year at Hofstra University for serious ballet students.  

Sadowsky, who grew up in Bayside and now resides in Manhattan, has been active in the dance world as a teacher, choreographer and as an arts administrator. He was artistic director of his own company, David Wes Dance, which was named a “Must See” by the Boston Metro and a “Dance Pick of the Week” by the Boston Globe.

Sadowsky’s administrative posts in dance have included being director of educational programming for American Repertory Ballet and director of administration for Elisa Monte Dance. He also served on the Youth Advisory Council of Dance/NYC and the Emerging Leader Task Force of Dance/USA. Sadowsky has consulted with arts organizations through his company, Consulting Cat.

Log onto eglevskyballet.com to learn more about classes being offered by EBTP, to download registration forms, or to inquire about June 23 auditions for the children’s cast of the 2012 production of The Nutcracker.