Faces - Individual Dancers

	James Sewell (Founder, Artistic Director, and Choreographer) A Minneapolis native, James studied the violin for nine years, and received his early dance training at the Children’s Theatre Company School. At age 17, he moved to New York and began dancing with ABT II. He studied at the School of American Ballet, and with David Howard for 15 years. He was a lead dancer with Feld Ballets/NY for six years. He also has performed as a guest artist with the New York City Ballet, Zvi Gottheiner and Dancers, and Denishawn. Since 1982, James has choreographed more than 50 ballets, including nine for which he composed the music. More than a dozen companies in the United States and Taiwan have performed his ballets. Projects and commissions include the New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Institute; a New York State Council on the Arts grant to create a work for Feld Ballets/NY; Aida, choreographed for the Minnesota Opera and 11 other opera companies; a new work with composer Augusta Read Thomas for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; JAMES SEWELL BALLET’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors; Musical Toys for the Minnesota Orchestra; Nutcracker: The Untold Story, a Minnesota Orchestra NotesAlive!TM video; Metamorphosis, commissioned by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus; and Awedville, commissioned by the Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing, Michigan. More recently, he has worked with Chris Aiken and Kirstie Simson, masters of the Improvisation dance form. James received a 2002 Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship to explore the application of Improvisation and Contact techniques in ballet and to broaden his knowledge of the world dance community. James serves on the board of trustees of Dance/USA and as a director of the American Composer’s Forum.
	Penelope Freeh (Dancer, 11th season) Originally from Ohio, Penny relocated to Minneapolis from New York City in 1994 to join the JAMES SEWELL BALLET. In 1998, she received a Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship to study the Paul Taylor technique and repertory, and a McKnight Fellowship for Dancers. She began choreographing in 1999, and has received numerous commissions from JAMES SEWELL BALLET, the Minnesota Orchestra, 3-Legged Race’s Blizzard, and the Momentum series of the Walker Art Center/Southern Theater. Her work has been presented by JAMES SEWELL BALLET, the Walker Art Center’s Choreographer’s Evening, Danny Buraczeski’s Second Sight, and New York City’s Ballet Builders. Her next venture will be a full evening of her work at the Southern Theater in the fall of 2005.
	Brittany Fridenstine (Dancer, 2nd season) has danced professionally with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Memphis, Burklyn Ballet, and Minnesota Dance Theatre, and has performed often as a guest artist throughout the United States. She has performed work by George Balanchine, Lila York, Trey McIntyre, Mark Godden, Danny Buraczeski, Dwight Rhoden, Elise Monte, Lise Houlton, Wynn Fricke, James Sewell, and Sally Rousse. Brittany also teaches ballet and repertoire, and has created a dance therapy program for children with special needs.
	Benjamin Johnson (Dancer, 7th season) joined JAMES SEWELL BALLET in 1998. Since then, he has danced, juggled, slipped, fallen, and worn some amazing costumes with the company both in the Twin Cities and across the nation. He danced previously with Milwaukee Ballet, BalletMet Columbus, Dayton Ballet, and Ohio Ballet. He is originally from Dallas, Texas, where he was trained by Tanju and Patricia Tuzer. Benjamin and his wife, Kirsten, have a daughter, Zoe, who might be sitting in your row right now. Or maybe behind you. Click here for Benjamin's Minnesota Artist Site
	Matthew Keefe (Dancer, 4th season) holds an MFA degree in Dance Performance from the University of Iowa. He began his dance training while a student at the University of New Mexico. Matthew has danced with The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Boston Ballet II, Lynda Martha Dance Company, Fort Wayne Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theater, Louisville Ballet, Ohio Ballet, and BalletMet Columbus. An award-winning choreographer of more than 30 ballets, Matthew regularly dances, teaches, and choreographs at schools and studios throughout the United States. His ballet, “Facet,” was showcased by New York’s Ballet Builders in 2002. He recently produced the Studio 2a Project, an evening of music and choreography. In June 2004, Matthew chaired the Dancers’ Council at Dance/USA’s Roundtable in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Click here for Matthew's Minnesota Artist Site
	Justin Leaf (Dancer, 4th season) was introduced to dance by Lauran Clowser in Hagerstown, Maryland. He continued his training at Goucher College, the Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and the Juilliard School, where he received his BFA in 2001. He also studied privately with Andra and Ernesta Corvino. His performance credits include the Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Justin won the Zaraspe Award for his choreography at Juilliard and, in 2003, he created a dance on the JAMES SEWELL BALLET as part of the Ballet Works Project.
	Sally Rousse (Artistic Associate and Dancer, 15th season) A native of Vermont, Sally performed as a leading dancer with the Royal Ballet of Flanders and Ballet Chicago before helping to establish James Sewell Dance in 1990. Her work in classical and contemporary ballet, and with Improvisation and Contact, earned her a McKnight Fellowship for Dancers in 2001. She has since co-created the aerial/dance/theater pieces trickpony with Chelsea Bacon and Floor Show with Homer Avila. In 2004, Sally collaborated with James Sewell on the creation of Awedville.
	Peggy Seipp-Roy (Dancer, 4th season), a native of Minnesota, trained and performed for 24 years with the Minnesota Dance Theatre where she was featured in principal roles in its ballet and contemporary repertory. She studied with the School of American Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She has performed for two years with Uri Sands and Toni Pierce-Sand’s “Space T.U. Embrace.” Peggy also has worked with Stephane André’s Moving In Company. She holds a BA degree in Communication/Theatre Arts/Secondary Education from the University of St. Thomas, and began her Stott Pilates certification in 2003. Peggy received a 2004 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers, administered by the Southern Theater and funded by the McKnight Foundation. Peggy was married in September 2004 to Jared Roy.
	Christian Burns (2004-2005 Guest Choreographer, “Zenas,” commissioned by JAMES SEWELL BALLET with a 2003 Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography from the Choo-San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation) divides his time between teaching and choreographing throughout the world and co-directing The Foundry. He was born in Denmark and grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he started teaching and choreographing at 16 at the Pioneer Valley Ballet. He completed his formal training at the School of American Ballet in New York between 1990 and 1993. In the past 11 years, he has taught and performed a wide range of modern and classical work in companies and schools throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. As a dancer and choreographer, Christian was a member of the JAMES SEWELL BALLET, 1993-1998, and of Alonzo King’s LINES Contemporary Ballet, 1999-2002. Since 1995, he also has practiced various forms of Improvisation, working with Kirstie Simson, Chris Aiken, Patrick Scully, Andrew Harwood, William Forsythe, and others. Christian received a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers in 1997; a 2001 Paula Citron Award for Choreography, Moving Pictures Festival, Toronto; and a 2003 Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography. In 1998, he moved to San Francisco to co-found The Foundry with Alex Ketley. The Foundry has presented its live and video-based interdisciplinary work in the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Christian and Alex have been artists-in-residence at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Headlands Center for the Arts, The Yard, and the Santa Fe Art Institute. They will be in-residence in 2005 at the Taipei Artist Village in Taiwan.
	Kevin A. Jones (Lighting Designer and Production Manager, 12th season) has worked behind the scenes of dance and theater for more than 25 years. His designs for JAMES SEWELL BALLET since 1993 include Moving Works, Barrage, The High Rock Project, Good Mourning, The Goldbergs, Made In America, Nirvana Dharma, Billy’s Bed: A Terpsitoon, Loves Remembered, Swan Pond, Tryst, Klezmer Dances, Appalachia Waltz, Mendelssohn Trio, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Previously, Kevin worked with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Ballet Arts Minnesota, Zenon Dance Company, JAZZDANCE by Danny Buraczeski, and many others.
	Gary Peterson (Executive Director, 10th season) Before working with James Sewell, Gary managed Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre and Zenon Dance Company. He is a member of Dance/USA’s Manager’s Council and has served on grant review panels for the Minnesota State Arts Board, Metropolitan and Arrowhead Regional Arts Councils, and Jerome Foundation. A University of Minnesota graduate, he has hosted a public affairs radio program, published a community newspaper, worked as a legal assistant, and served on Hubert H. Humphrey’s Washington Senate staff (1971-72).
	Mary Hansmeyer (Costume Designer, 11th season) is resident designer for JAZZDANCE by Danny Buraczeski. She also has designed for Memphis Ballet, Shapiro & Smith Dance, Ragamala Music and Dance Theatre, Robin Stiehm’s Dancing People Company, Zenon Dance Company, Mathew Janczewski’s ARENA Dances, and Paula Mann Dance. Mary is a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Theatre Arts Program.
	Bonnie Mathis (Ballet Instructor, 12th season) As its artistic director and co-founder, Bonnie brings to Ballet Arts Minnesota the benefit of an international performance career, numerous credits as a choreographer, exceptional expertise as a classical ballet instructor, and a large network of connections with dancers, choreographers, and directors. Bonnie’s 17-year performing career included the position of principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. She also danced with the Nederlands Dans Theatre, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Harkness Ballet.