Verb Ballets is now beginning its sixth season under the leadership of Artistic Director Hernando Cortez, Executive Director Dr. Margaret Carlson, and an energetic staff and Board of Trustees, who together have established it as Cleveland's national repertory dance company.  Verb has been named as one of 25 to Watch in 2004 by Dance Magazine, the country's leading news magazine covering dance.  Verb Ballets discovers, collects, interprets, and stages choreography that matters to the region and to the world of dance.  As a curator of expressive movement that is globally connected and nationally respected, Verb Ballets has a mandate to support and foster emerging talent, present excellence in contemporary choreographers, and revive and honor modern dance classics.  For more information about Verb, our Moving Connections program for seniors, or to schedule a performance, please call our office at 216-397-3757. Verb Ballets outreach programs include school assembly performances, master classes, workshops, and residencies.  Our school programs in the greater Cleveland area are presented through Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland.  Please call 216-561-5005 or visit www.yagc.org

Hernando Cortez
Artistic Director

Hernando Cortez was born in Manila, Philippines, and spent his early years in British Columbia, where he began his dance training at Vancouver's Pacific Ballet Theatre. He graduated with Honors from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance in 1985, receiving the President's Award for Achievement. Soon after, he was invited to join Feld Ballets/NY. In 1987, he joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company, performing leading roles in such renowned Taylor repertory as Arden Court, Cloven Kingdom and Company B through 1996. He was featured in two PBS/WNET Dance in America specials (Speaking in Tongues and The Wrecker's Ball), and his own choreography is showcased in the Taylor Company's critically acclaimed smash hit Funny Papers. He performed with Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project in their 1998 national tour. Also a popular freelance choreographer, Cortez recently created dances for: American Ballet Theatre (the Studio Company), the Williamstown Theater Festival (Camino Real, 1999, starring Ethan Hawke; Where's Charley?, directed by Nicholas Martin), the Sands Hotel in Atlantic City (Latin Sol, a theatrical revue co-created with actor Taylor Negron and director David Schweizer). He also continues to be commissioned for new works by regional dance companies and universities nationwide. He has served on numerous panels, most recently as an advisor for the National Endowment for the Arts. He has been on the faculties of Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, The Boston Conservatory, the Joffrey School, and the school of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Cortez is Founding Director of Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA), a fundraising program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The funds that DRA raises are distributed to over 400 AIDS Service organizations across the United States. Funds are also distributed to seven programs of The Actors' Fund of America, which offers assistance to all professionals working in the dance community who may be facing a health crisis. Since its founding, BC/EFA and DRA have distributed over $45 million to support these programs. Cortez was awarded a 1997 Dance Magazine Award and a 1996 New York Dance and Performance Award (aka Bessie) for his work with DRA. Mr. Cortez is a proud recipient of a 2004 Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement, and was named one of Cleveland's Most Interesting People 2005 by Cleveland Magazine. Through nomination and the generous support of The Cleveland Foundation, Cortez attended the Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders, a joint program of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Center for Social Innovation and National Arts Strategies. He has served on numerous panels, most recently as an advisor for the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dr. Margaret Carlson
Executive Director

Dr. Margaret Carlson has international expertise in performing, teaching, choreographing, and working in a variety of settings. Dr. Carlson was an original member of the Cleveland Ballet, serving as a Principal dancer from 1972-1983. Also a member of Actors Equity, she performed in numerous musical theatre tours throughout the 1970's including Sweet Charity, Ballroom, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Brigadoon, Mame, Hello Dolly! and The Merry Widow. Ms. Carlson served as Director of the School of Dance at the University of Akron from 1985-1993. In 1993, she became Dean of the School of Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, until she returned to Cleveland in 1999. She then served as the Development and Education Director for the Cleveland San Jose Ballet. She consults both nationally and locally through her company Carlson Consulting Group, Inc. with groups that include The American Dance Guild, Chinese Performing Artists of America, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Ohio Ballet, Dancing Wheels, Ohio Youth Ballet, Ohio Conservatory of Dance, Tom and Susana Evert Dance Theatre, and White Cloud Studios. Dr. Carlson founded the American Alliance of Dance Artists and served as its first President. She has served as a board member and officer for Kids on Broadway, DANCECLEVELAND, the Cleveland Ballet Council, the American Dance Guild, the Council of Dance Administrators, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Dance Company and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund. She is currently secretary of the International Organization for Transition for Professional Dancers, a sub-committee of UNESCO, based in Switzerland, and a member of the International Dance Council CID-UNESCO, based in Athens, Greece.

PERFORMERS

Danielle Brickman was born and raised in Euclid, Ohio. She began her ballet training at the age of four at the School of Cleveland San Jose Ballet, under the direction of Dennis Nahat, performing in Cleveland San Jose Ballet's performances of Toreador, Coppelia, and The Nutcracker. She continued her studies with the Chautauqua Institution of New York and the Cleveland School of Dance. She performed with the Cleveland Youth Ballet dance company for four years and was asked to perform with Cleveland Dancing Wheels. She danced as an apprentice for three seasons for Pointe of Departure under the direction of Raymond Rodriguez and Karen Gabay. Danielle joined Verb in the summer of 2004.

Ashley Cohen is originally from South Florida where she started dancing at a young age. She continued her training in Cincinnati, Ohio, and recently graduated from The University of Akron with a BFA in dance. While at the university, Ashley was trained by members of The Martha Graham Company, the Pennsylvania Ballet, and the Jennifer Muller Company. She was in The University of Akron Dance Company for four years as well as performing in student-choreographed concerts. Currently, Ashley teaches throughout the area. Ashley debuted with Verb Ballets in the summer of 2006.

Erin Conway was a competitive gymnast for eleven years before studying dance exclusively under the direction of Shelagh Dubsky. After receiving a scholarship to Ohio University, Erin earned a BFA in dance in 2002. Upon graduating, she performed with Dancing Wheels and Tom and Susana Evert Dance Theatre. Erin has had the honor of performing the works of many choreographers including Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, David Parsons and Heinz Poll. Currently, Erin enjoys her outreach work teaching dance in the community and schools. Erin debuted with Verb Ballets in 2003.

Katie Gnagy is originally from North Carolina, where she received her training at the North Carolina School of the Arts. While there, she trained and performed under the direction of Nina Danilova, Warren Conover, and Melissa Hayden. After graduating from high school, Ms. Gnagy moved to New York and in 2005 received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. Ms. Gnagy also trained and performed with Ballet Contemporaneo de Burgos, Spain, for two summers under the leadership of Kazuko Hirabayashi. Katie debuted with Verb Ballets in the summer of 2005.

Sydney Ignacio was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. He studied dance at Steps Dance Studio and earned an Honours pass in the Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) examinations. He has performed for the RAD Festival held in Manila as the Prince in Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and also performed internationally with Earth Savers Dream Ensemble. As a Principal Dancer with the Philippine Ballet Theatre, he has performed as the Principal in La Bayadere, Raymonda, Paquita, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, and many others. Sydney acted for three years at the Gantimpala Foundation of The Philippines. This is Sydney's debut season with Verb Ballets.

Catherine Meredith began her training under the direction of Kenneth Lipitz and Shelley Ziebel, at the New England Dance Conservatory. She went on to study on scholarship at SUNY Purchase, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Richmond Ballet, and the London Contemporary Dance School. In 1997, Ms. Meredith joined Cortez & Co. As well as performing principal roles in the company, she also served as rehearsal associate. Other performing credits include: Latin Sol – Sands Hotel Copa Room, Where’s Charley? – Williamstown Theatre Festival, Arabian in Albano Ballet’s Nutcracker, and as a featured dancer in the film, Kate and Leopold. She has danced in works by David Parsons, George Balanchine, Alfredo Corvino, Alvin Ailey, Shapiro & Smith, and Talley Beatty. Catherine first performed with Verb Ballets in the summer of 2003, and joined Verb as a full time company member in 2005.

Brian Murphy has been dancing professionally for 15 years with a number of dance companies including: Nashville Ballet, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Richmond Ballet, BalletMet, New Orleans Delta Ensemble, Groundworks and Ohio Ballet. He has danced leading roles in: Nutcracker, Coppelia, Hamlet, Swan Lake, Dracula, Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty. He has also enjoyed performing in works by Heinz Poll, Leslie Cook, Jennifer Muller (Muller & Co.), and Diavalo. He also co-owns a Pilates Studio (Pilates by Murphys) in Akron, OH, with his wife Suzy. Brian is a part-time faculty member at The University of Akron and is on the faculty and performs with Dance Caravan in the summer months. He is very grateful to be given the opportunity to dance with Hernando Cortez and Verb Ballets. This is his first season as a full time dancer with Verb Ballets.

Anna Roberts began her training in Ashtabula, Ohio, under the direction of Shelagh Dubsky. In 1999, she graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in dance from the University of Akron. Since then she has danced with Marronprater Dance and Music Co., Dancing Wheels, and has appeared in Cleveland Opera's production of Faust. In Verb Ballets, she has had the privilege of performing works by Hernando Cortez, Heinz Poll, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, David Parsons and Sean Curran. Anna is a certified Pilates instructor and teaches dance throughout northeast Ohio. In her spare time she can be found hanging out with her chocolate lab, Coco. Anna joined Verb Ballets in July of 2003.

Robert Wesner, a native of Ohio, he trained at Opus II Dance Studio, School of Cleveland Ballet, School of Ballet Arizona, and the School of Milwaukee Ballet. Robert is the founder/artistic director of Neos Dance Theatre, a classically trained touring company. Robert enjoyed a six year stay with Ballet Arizona under the direction of both Michael Uthoff and Ib Anderson. During that time Robert danced many masterpieces of our time. Some of that work includes the 'Profiteer' in Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table; 'Tico' in Paul Taylor's Company B; 'Iago' in Jose Limon's The Moore's Pavane; 'Tybalt' in Romeo and Juliet; the 'Jester' in Earnst Uthoff's Carmina Burana, and company work in pieces by George Balanchine and Antony Tudor. Contemporary choreography that he has danced, includes works by Dwight Rhoden, Kevin O'Day, Pilobolus, Danny Ezralow, Moses Pendleton, and David Parsons. Robert has choreographed works commissioned by the Ashland University Theatre Department, Belhaven College, Ballet Arizona, Verb Ballets, Dancing Wheels, Richland Performing Arts, and Ashland Regional Ballet. Robert assisted Moses Pendleton in the choreography of MOMIX’s Opus Cactus and Discman. He choreographed for Phoenix Symphony Orchestra’s Pops Concerts for eight years and now choreographs Pops Concerts for symphonies all over the country. These include Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Winston Salem Symphony, Cleveland Pops, and Ashland Symphony Orchestra. Robert and his wife Brooke are the parents of three children, Genevieve, Ella, and Mekah. Robert joined Verb in August, 2003.