Summer Intensive
August 15-19
Join us for an exciting week of classes with T.U.P.A.C. faculty, Artistic Director Julie Tobiason and guest artists. Students will train in ballet technique, pointe, variations, African dance, and conditioning.
We are offering two levels of classes for dancers with four or more years of experience, intermediate (ages 12-14) and advanced (ages 15+) and will finish our week with an optional audition for Nutcracker.
Sample Schedule
10:00 -11:30 Ballet Technique class
11:30 -12:30 Pointe/Variations
12:30 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 Contemporary
2:00 - 3:30 West African Dance
3:30 - 4:00 Pilates
Tuition
$366 + registration fee
*scholarships available
For questions about the Summer Intensive, please contact Julie@julietobiason.com.
Faculty - Summer Intensive
Julie Tobiason
A master dancer, instructor, and choreographer, Julie Tobiason is the Artistic Director at Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center. She is a former principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet (directed by Francia Russell and Kent Stowell), Chicago City Ballet (directed by Maria Tallchief), and Founder and former Director of Seattle Dance Project.
Ms. Tobiason studied at The School of American Ballet and has performed principal roles in works by Stowell, Balanchine, Ashton, Caniparoli, Duato, Forsythe, Tetley, and many others. She excelled performing in story ballets as Juliet, Swanhilda, Clara and Cinderella, and repertory works such as Ballet Imperial, Jardi Tancat, and In The Middle Somewhat Elevated.
Ms. Tobiason teaches, coaches, and choreographs nationally for independent films, Regional Dance America, various ballet companies and schools, and most recently Seattle International Dance Festival. She is also on faculty at Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Awal Alhassan
Awal Alhassan (born 1980 in Tamale, Ghana), is a master dancer and drummer from the West African nation of Ghana. Born and raised by a traditional drumming and dancing family, Awal has worked throughout Africa both independently and with some of Ghana's performance groups such as the Ghana Dance Ensemble, the National Theatre of Ghana, and the Center for National Culture Dance Troupe.
In addition to acting as the artistic director and lead dancer of the performance group Sohoyini, Awal teaches ongoing classes, workshops, and residencies regularly throughout the world. He also teaches West African Dance at T.U.P.A.C. on Sundays at 1:30 PM.
Robbi Moore
@robbi_a_moore.dance
From Hamden, Connecticut, Robert Moore began dancing at New England Ballet and continued at Dee Dee’s Dance Center and New Haven Ballet. He is an alumnus of Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, the Ailey Summer Intensive, Cunningham Trust Workshop, Jacob’s Pillow’s Commercial Dance Program, and the Complexions Intensive.
Robert graduated magna cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program and has danced with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre, The Steps Repertory Ensemble, AATMA Performing Arts, Whidbey Island Dance Theatre, Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center, Karin Stevens Dance, the Guild Dance Company, Kinesis Project Dance Theater, The Gray, PRICEarts, Coriolis Dance, Khambatta Dance Company, and Spectrum Dance Theater.
Deshawn Morton
Deshawn began dancing at the age of 16 at the Tacoma School of The Arts, where he studied modern dance technique. Outside of his school setting, he trained and performed with the Tacoma City Ballet Company and studied for a summer in NYC with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Deshawn continued his dance training at the University of Arizona, where he received his BFA in dance in their triple emphasis program based in Ballet, Modern, and Jazz dance techniques.
Deshawn’s professional experience spans from the concert stage, to the commercial world. He has had the opportunity to work with notable choreographers such as Kabby Mitchell, Donald Byrd, Tammy Dyke-Compton, Robert Garland, Rodni Williams, Amy Earnst, and more. He has danced in commercials for Hughes Federal Credit Union and performed in The Moore Theater in Seattle’s Musical Production of Black Nativity. Deshawn is currently a freelance dancer and choreographer working in the Tacoma WA area. He is also currently serving as
the Development Director of Tacoma Urban Performing Arts
Center.
Alease Frieson
Alease is a certified Pilates and Gyrotronic instructor and the owner of A Street Pilates from University Place, WA. @TacomaPilates