Verb Ballets

Artistic and Executive Directors

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.

Trad Burns, Resident Lighting Designer

Suzy Campbell, Resident Costume Designer

Maura Haas, Production Stage Manager

Richard Dickinson, Guest Teacher
Troy McCarty, Guest Teacher

Katie Gnagy, Outreach and Education

Michelle Gregorczyk, Finance

Maura Haas, Executive Assistant

Dan Kilbane, Marketing and PR

Emily Koritz, Grant Development



Verb Ballets Artistic and Executive Directors 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. Trad Burns, Resident Lighting Designer Suzy Campbell, Resident Costume Designer Maura Haas, Production Stage Manager Richard Dickinson, Guest Teacher Troy McCarty, Guest Teacher Katie Gnagy, Outreach and Education Michelle Gregorczyk, Finance Maura Haas, Executive Assistant Dan Kilbane, Marketing and PR Emily Koritz, Grant Development	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.
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