Observing his first anniversary as director of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, James Robey is not only teaching, choreographing, and performing in his own company, Bare Bones Dance Project, he is guiding the newly formed Jazz Collective. This dedication to dance education, and the artistic energy Mr. Robey brings to it, are being recognized and praised statewide.
The Jazz Collective is a Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance student company devoted to preserving and promoting the uniquely American art form of jazz dance. The Bare Bones Dance Project is James Robey’s professional company, which he started in New York City and which has been in residency at the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance since September, 2002.
A feather in the young director/choreographer’s cap is having both dance groups selected to participate in an April 12 Statewide Dance Festival Gala sponsored by the Connecticut Dance Alliance, at the Belding Theater at the Bushnell Center in Hartford. Eight choreographers, James Robey among them, were selected from Connecticut to choreographer works for the world premiere of Geographic Preludes by Neely Bruce. Artistic Director for the event is Murial Topaz, former director of the Juilliard Dance Program and writer for Dance Magazine.
Twenty of the top dance companies and schools in Connecticut were chosen to be showcased in this performance. Bare Bones Dance Project will perform “Bread and Wine” and The Jazz Collective will perform “Turn Around Norman.” The Jazz Collective has also performed Not Another Nutcracker to music by Duke Ellignton at the Ridgefield Playhouse for the past two holiday seasons.
The pre-professional Ridgefield Civic Ballet, founded in 1976 by Patricia Schuster to promote the art of ballet through community service, education and professional caliber performance, is also in residence at the Conservatory. The company has performed Nutcracker Fantasy at the Ridgefield Playhouse for the past two years and a full-length ballet or repertory concert for its spring performance. Dancers also entertain for civic organizations, art museums, public schools and senior citizens.
These are busy times for the dancers. In addition to the April performances by Bare Bones Dance Project and the Jazz Collective, on March 29, the Ridgefield Civic Ballet, under the artistic direction of Stacey Forsyth, will appear in a performance for the American Ballet Theatre as part of a Make-A-Wish ballet program. That’s an outreach program in which students are introduced to the art of ballet by ABT instructors. The program culminates in a shared performance of the students with a professional company performance. The ABT Studio company that usually performs in these concerts invited the Ridgefield Civic Ballet to perform in its place. Dancers in the Ridgefield Civic Ballet will perform Stacey Forsythe’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. The Company’s dancers are from age 13 to adult and it features area professionals as guest artists.
On April 22, Mr. Robey will host a lecture, discussion and viewing focusing on the work and life of Alvin Ailey at 7 p.,. at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art on Main Street in Ridgefield. Sponsored by the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, the Ridgefield Playhouse and the Aldrich Museum, the event is open to the public and admission is free.
Preceding an April 27 performance by the Alvin Ailey II dance company at the Ridgefield Playhouse, there will be master classes for area dance students led by company members from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance studio at 444 Main Street. (For information, call 203-438-5597.)
James Robey was also among four choreographers in the state awarded a commission by the Connecticut Choreographer’s Forum; the program will culminate with performances at Naugatuck Valley Community College on April 25 and 26. He was a finalist in the 2000 Jazz Dance World Congress choreographic event and has choreographed for the Ohio Dance Theatre and Wellesley University. He continues to teach master classes and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.
Founded in 1965 by Patricia Schuster, and then known as the Ridgefield Studio of Classical Ballet, the school, now privately owned and maintained by a board of directors, is known as the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance. After her death, Patricia Schuster was the largest single donor to the enhancement of the Ridgefield Playhouse.
James Robey was originally a faculty member who was asked to interview for the position of director, and his accumulated dance performance and dance education credits resulted in his being appointed in January, 2002.
In addition to working with his own company, the Bare Bones Dance Project, his credits, following graduating magna cum laude in 1993 from the University of Akron with a BFA degree in dance, read like a Who’s Who in the world of dance. He has performed professionally with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, Ground Works Dance Theatre, Ohio Dance Theatre, Connecticut Ballet, New York Dance Theatre, Cleveland Opera Company, Covenant Dance Theatre, Off Center Dance Theater. Norwegian Cruise Lines, Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Busch Gardens, and on the television show Star Search. He has been director and choreographer for the Danbury Music Centre’s Nutcracker for three years; director of the Dance Program at Western Reserve Academy in Ohio; and production coordinator and assistant to the director at Eastern Connecticut Ballet.
During an interview, Mr. Robey said “It has been a busy and exciting first year because everything is starting to take off in every direction, and for Conservatory students performing in the state and elsewhere, it is a great eye opener for them.”
Summer Programs
We will also be expanding summer programs at the Conservatory,” said the director, who is assisted in teaching by his wife, Melissa Gerth. She is in charge of the young children’s program, in addition to jazz. The couple met when James Robey was teaching at the University of Akron, and Melissa Gerth was one of his students. They recently moved to Ridgefield, and are within a short walking distance to the Conservatory.
Melissa Gerth trained in early childhood music and dance education under Karen Davidson and Chris Patella. Her teaching experience includes dance, voice, and young children’s music and movement classes for the Neighborhood Music School and Bethwood Suzuki School. She has been the associate choreographer for the Danbury Music Centre’s Nutcracker production since 2000. She has performed professionally at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Caroline’s on Broadway, and at varios cabarets and dinner theaters.
The Conservatory faculty also includes Stacey Forsyth (ballet), a principal dancer with Ballet Repertory and Ballet Ambassadors, and on the faculty of American Ballet Theatre; Gabriella Lequerique, who teaches Flamenco and Spanish Dance. She was a protégé of internationally renowned dancer Luis Montero with whom she performed extensively in various companies, operas, and dance festivals throughout the United States.
Identifying himself as a “professional dance educator,” James Robey said when he was given the opportunity to become director of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, he resigned from the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company. “I was teaching at the dance school then and I accepted, because a lot of what I was doing as a teacher and performer was always fulfilling someone else’s vision, and now I would get to fulfill my own vision. I’m also ecstatic that there has been so much growth in the Conservatory in the past year, and that we have also been so warmly embraced by not only the community, but statewide and beyond,” said Mr. Robey who said he also has a book on choreography “stirring around in the back of my head.”
Recent faculty activities at the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance:
Stacey Forsyth performed at Lincoln Center in New York City as the lead in Peter and the Wolf. Melissa Gerth created the choreography for the Ridgefield Theater Barn production of Sylvia.
Mr. Robey choreographed a production of Flapper at Scotts Ridge Middle School and performed as a guest artist with the Brass City Ballet in Waterbury. This summer he will tour Hawaii for three weeks as a guest artist with the Covenant Dance Theater production of Nisei.
Student acceptances to dance programs:
Caitlin Quigley has been accepted into the Goucher College dance program. Lauren Jaeger has been accepted into the following summer programs: American Ballet Theatre (Alabama program), Washington Ballet, and American Academy of Ballet Vassar program.
Kristin Kirkley has also been accepted into the Vassar College ballet program.
Members of James Robey’s Bare Bones Dance Project in addition to the choreographer are Amy Barnard of Ridgefield, Stacey Forsyth, Melissa Gerth, Lauren Jaeger, Michelle Mobbs, and Caitlin Nolan.
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