Carrie Beth Wick - Director Through
her leadership, Ballet Nevada continues to execute its mission of
caring about our community and its future by educating and nurturing our
children, teens and adults through outreach programs, professional
performances and workshops, with a special emphasis on assisting those
who experience socio or economic disadvantage.
She is currently the President of the Board of Inner
Star Performing Arts of Nevada, Inc., a nonprofit, 501c3 organization. Recent accomplishments
include the creation & direction of a program to increase awareness
of and to prevent Sexual Assault; this program "No Means No" was recently nominated for an award by the Alliance for Victims Rights of Northern Nevada. She is Founder & Director of
Ballet Nevada (2000); the school
has a student enrollment of 150 and a staff of professional instructors
from all over the United States and world. For the
past 12 years, Carrie has successfully brought the possibility of the
arts to hundreds of homeless and poverty stricken elementary school
children with her Outreach Program for At-risk and Homeless Youth: The
Wizard Within. This program has been honored with the Truckee Meadows
Tomorrow Silver Star Award. Carrie has also been awarded the Nevada
Womens Fund Woman of Achievement Award in 2003. She holds the
distinguished honor of passing two Royal Academy of Dancing Majors
Examinations and has completed extensive studies of the Royal Academy
Childrens Syllabus in Toronto, Canada. As an artist, Carrie has
performed principal roles in productions of Christmas Carol, The King and I, The Nutcracker, and University Spring Dance Concerts, as well as the opera Amahl and the Night Visitors. Miss Carrie's first dance instructor was one of the infamous Mouseketeers, Nancy Abbate.
Sylvia Wick - Wardrobe Director Sylvia
Wick has an extensive background in the management and program
coordination of the performing arts. She has been an executive
assistant of a nonprofit organization in Nevada for numerous years, and
has been Wardrobe and Props Director for Ballet Nevada since its
inception. Her expertise is in managing and administrating casts,
wardrobe crew and overseeing technical operations. She single-handedly
created the costumes for the production Oliver! in August 2000, for all 4 presentations of Christmas Carol (2001-2004), for Frankenstein in October 2003 and for the performance of excerpts from our original ballet The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in
May 2004. She also designs and creates costuming for Ballet
Nevada's Youth Company and Rape Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness
Program. She has been in charge of the Outreach Program costumes,
props and sets since the program began in 1997. Ms. Wick has
specialized training and vast experience with youth who are
disadvantaged and/or in challenging circumstances.
Marty Lewis - Instructor/ Choreographer/ Director
Mr. Lewis is one of the most sought-after dancers and choreographers in the country. His career began in Las Vegas at the Aladdin with a major role in Guys and Dolls as a dancer. From there he went to The Lido Cabaret in Paris, France, Television Broadcast Limited in Hong Kong, and then touring as a star in productions in Italy, Korea and Japan. After his extensive world tours, he accepted an important role in Hello Hollywood, Hello! at the MGM Grand, thereby bringing Mr. Lewis to Reno, NV.He starred in a production with Charo, and then danced in Jubilee in Las Vegas, a show that is still very popular today.In 1992 Marty choreographed Twist and Shout: The Ultimate Beatle Review at Harveys Lake Tahoe, a show that received many rave reviews for its choreography.In 1994 he choreographed Jesus Christ Superstar for Arts-for-the-Schools in Northern Nevada, a tremendously important arts program for educating youth about the performing arts. He has been guest-choreographer at numerous regional schools over the last few decades.From 1997-2005, Marty became the Director and Dance Captain of the Outreach Program, a performing arts program that helped thousands of at-risk youth in the Reno/Sparks area.Additionally, Marty appeared as a Soloist, the Mouse King, in Nevada Festival Ballets The Nutcracker in 1999. His other credits include working at NBC, City Kids, Miss Teen USA, La Toya Jackson in Concert, Smokey Robinson in Concert and the Suzanne Sommers TV Special. Mr. Lewis is also a part of the Karen Burns Production Company. He is currently the head of ICDA High School Dance Department and teaches at many Reno/Sparks dance studios, including Sportswest.
Le Nguyen-Instructor
Ms. Nguyen began her
training at the State College of Ballet and Choreography in Hanoi, Vietnam. In
1984, after winning a national ballet competition, she received a scholarship
to the Russian Classical Ballet Academy in Kiev, Ukraine. Her professional
career began with the Danyesk Ukraine Dance Company in 1992 and since has
included the Nataly Dance Company of Moscow, the Bolshoi Ballet and the Long
Island Ballet Company. She has also toured as a principal and soloist in the International
Arts Group in Brazil. Le has taught classical ballet in Brazil at Nova Danca
Ballet for Advanced Students, the Garina Ballet School and Elisa Ballet. She
has also taught advanced students at the Long Island Ballet Company. Le has
performed principal and soloist roles in classics such as Don Quixote, Cinderella,
Coppelia, Swan Lake, Giselle, Paquita and Nutcracker.
In addition to her wonderful accomplishments in dance, Le speaks Vietnamese,
Russian, Portuguese, French, Spanish and English.
Shell Stachowicz- Instructor Shell Stachowicz is originally from Houston, TX, where she studied at Houston Ballet Academy. Shell attended West Texas A&M University on a ballet scholarship under director Neil Hess. After graduation, she went on to dance professionally with Ohio Dance Theatre, Alaska Dance Theatre, Indiana Ballet Theatre, and Ballethnic Dance Company. She has danced such roles as Aurora in 'The Sleeping Beauty,' Green Snake in 'The Leopard Tale,' and Arabian in 'The Nutcracker.' After a fulfilling career as a ballerina, Shell transitioned to aerialist. She has performed for Maya Angelou, International Auto Show's charity gala, American Cancer Foundation, as well as many private events. She has toured both nationally and abroad.
Hennah Khan- Instructor Hennah Khan started her dance training when she was a toddler. She is a classically trained Cecchetti ballet dancer, having received high marks in the Cecchetti Grades1-7 Examinations.In addition to ballet, she studied tap, jazz and modern. Her first soloist role was the Spanish Variation from The Nutcracker. Since then, she has danced soloist roles in The Secret Garden, Christmas Carol, Don Quixote, as well as other variations from The Nutcracker.Hennah participated in intensive workshops at Joffrey Ballet, Contra Costa Ballet with Nikolai Kabaniev, and Mills and Hope Colleges (both with Cecchitti Council of America). She also had the honor of dancing with Gregory Hines in Chicago, IL when she was 19 years old. She was a member of INSYNCH Tap Theatre in Michigan and Wing and a Prayer modern dance company. Hennah holds the prestigious title of an accredited dance teacher with the Cecchetti Council of America.she also teaches at the Caughlin Club Sports Center.
Tony Johnson- Instructor/ Choreographer Tony Johnson began his dancing studies in Decatur, Illinois, where he focused on ballet, tap and jazz. He has studied under such teachers as Tony Gibson, Brent Holland, Dwight Jordan, David Polonski and Sara Bogard. Millikin University in Decatur was his college choice. Tony attended advanced dance workshops with Showchoir Camps of America with prestigious win at Nationals in Tennessee and Florida. He has had many starring roles in such diverse musicals as “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Annie”, “Grease”’ “Hello Dolly”, “Hair”, and “Rent”. We are so happy to him Tony on staff!
Marla Richardson- Instructor/ Choreographer Marla Richardson dance studies focused on jazz and ballet; she attended competitions throughout the country, winning many awards. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno, with a BA in International Affairs and Minor in Dance. Marla was a member of the UNR Dance Team for two seasons. In her busy career, she has gone to India, China and danced with Elvis Costello; dancing with many local dance companies; and even was head instructor for “Thrill the World” in Reno, teaching hundreds of locals “Thriller” for an international record for the most people simultaneously dancing together! Marla has also been a dance instructor/judge for the Universal Dance Association headquartered in Tennessee. She currently works for Karen Burns Productions as a dancer. We welcome her and are excited to have her at Ballet Nevada!
Raysel Long – Instructor/ Choreographer
Mr. Raysel started dancing in 1981 at the age of 16 while attending the Dillard High School of Performing Arts with a strong emphasis on classical ballet. Soon after leaving the performing arts school he performed with local companies such as southern Florida’s, Youth Symphony Dancers, one of the state’s premier young adult ballet companies. In the late 80’s Raysel went to New York City to train with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center continuing to focus on classical ballet. The early 90’s saw him dancing for the likes of Princess Cruise and Norwegian Cruise Lines for the next 4 years. In addition to his talents as a dancer Raysel has had a short career appearing in television commercials and as an actor/stuntman appearing in episodes of the 80’s T.V. series “Miami Vice” and “Garwood” a made for T.V. movie. As a part of Ballet Nevada’s instructor family Raysel looks forward to teaching and choreographing some of the school’s up and coming performances to expose the next generation to the world of dance.
Laurel was born in N. Hampton Mass, where the woods, forests and streams became her playground-- giving her the joy of physical exercise from the earliest age. She began dance lessons at age 3 and never stopped! She is a former professional dancer whose life-long love of health and well-being led her into the fitness realm. Ballet, jazz and modern trained, she performed on the concert stage as well as shows at Caesar’s Lake Tahoe, Harrah’s in Reno and Lake Tahoe and the Reno Hilton. Not to mention, she performed in various locales all over the United States as a member of touring companies. She originally began her teaching career as a ballet, jazz, modern and tap teacher in various studios as well as the University of Nevada, Reno, TMCC and her own studio. She directed and choreographed an adult dance company that performed at various local venues. Additionally, she choreographed musicals for a high school performing group along with her husband, Raysel Long. She expanded her expertise by training and certifying in Pilates—both reformer and mat, yoga and also is a Balletone MBA! Also, she is a 200 hour RYT with Yoga Alliance. Known for her anatomical expertise, she taught Pilates and Yoga at the highly renowned Aventura Ballet Theatre in Florida under the direction of Vladimir Isaaev during their summer intensive program. “Physical, mental and spiritual fitness is the joyful expression of my gratitude for the life that has been given to me. It is the centering magnet upon which I am drawn.” Training Style: “Take it home with you!” Laurel believes in bringing the concepts of your training out of the studio in to everyday life with you. Proper muscle and bone alignment will enhance not only any workout you do but give you an optimum quality of life! Laurel’s wide range of knowledge is applied to each session so it becomes balanced and effective. You will feel muscles you’ve never felt before—and that’s a good thing!
Gabriela Simich- Guest Instructor
Miss Simich has been dancing from an early age and has
attended summer programs such as Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ballet West, Ballet
Austin and The Kirov Academy in Washington D.C.She received her B.A. in both Dance and Russian from the University of
Alabama in 2007.Since then she has
danced professionally with the Nevada Ballet Theatre and collaborated with
Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas.She
teaches, choreographs and performs around Reno, her hometown.She has been accepted to UC Irvine MFA program
in dance and will be attending graduate school this fall in hopes to become a
Professor of Dance.
