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Preparatory Dance Instructors

Instructors

Eileen Hebron

Ballet Mistress
Dance Program Coordinator, Preparatory Department

About:

In her formative years Eileen trained with Marcia Lasser. However, she began her intense classical ballet training under the direction of Mme. Valia Seiskaya, a featured soloist of the Greek National Opera. Ms. Houghton set herself apart by winning numerous awards. At the age of thirteen she won a ballet competition sponsored by The National Society of Arts and Letters; she represented the New York Chapter and George Balanchine presented her award. Her talent was soon discovered by other professionals and it was suggested she audition for the School of American Ballet, which was founded by the legendary George Balanchine.
In 1982, Eileen was accepted at the advanced level on a full scholarship to SAB, studied with the internationally acclaimed staff, participated in the N.Y.C.B.’s educational outreach lecture demonstration program, and performed principal roles in the schools workshop performances. Additionally, during her three years at SAB she was featured in a “Nestle” commercial and a Walt Disney film. In 1985, she was hand picked by Mikhail Baryshnikov to join one of the world’s most prestigious ballet companies, The American Ballet Theatre. Trained in ABT’s extensive repertoire and touring internationally for eight years, she won numerous plaudits for her versatility, poise and technical merit.
Additionally, she has danced in the great works of many renowned choreographers:George Balanchine’s: Agon, Concerto Barocco, Symphony Concertante, Western Symphony, The Nutcracker, Theme and Variations, and the Sleeping Beauty. Mikhail Baryshnikov’s: Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker. Agnes DeMille’s: Fall River Legend, Rodeo, The Informer, and The Other. Peter Martin’s: Scarlatti Natalia Makarova’s: La Bayadere. Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s: Sleeping Beauty and Romeo and Juliet. Twyla Tharp’s: Push Comes to Shove. Clark Tippet’s: Bruch Violin Concerto.
She has also performed in ABT’s: Ballet Imperial, Coppellia, Don Quixote, Etudes, Gaite Parisienne, Gala Performances, Giselle, La Sylphide, Les Sylphides, and Raymonda. 
Recently, it is with great honor that she received recognition from The American Ballet Theatre as a certified teacher of the ABT Training Curriculum. It is an eight-level program that combines formal artistic training with the fundamentals of dancers’ health and child development from primary to professional.  Teaching at Palm Beach Atlantic for 16 years, she passes on the incomparable experience she has gained from her professional life in addition to the blessings she has received from her spiritual life.

Douglas Gawriljuk

Ballet

About:

Born in Brazil Mr. Gawriljuk was trained by his father Ruslan Gawriljuk, The Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) where he graduated in September 1986. Later that year he received the Gold Medal at the “Conselho Brasileiro de Danca” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a Silver Medalist at the “ Seventh Concurso Internacional de Ballet” in Trujillo, Peru, and won the first prize in 1994 at the, XII Festival de Danca in Joinville, Brazil. From 1988 through 1990 attended the School of American Ballet, New York, with a full scholarship.
As professional dancer Mr. Gawriljuk danced for 20 years, starting his career with Ballet Du Nord in France. He also danced for Basel Ballet in Switzerland as a soloist. As a principal dancer Mr. Gawriljuk joined Miami City Ballet. His special performances with MCB include tours to The Spoleto Festival, The Edinburgh Festival, The 1996 Olympics in Atlanta – Georgia, The Kennedy Center, The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Wolftrap’s 25th anniversary and appeared at the gala The Next Step (Career Transition for Dancer in New York 1997). He also danced with The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater as a principal dancer, where he excelled at interpreting many of the big classical ballets. Maximum Dance Company in South Florida where he also worked as a Ballet Master, where he had the chance working with many international choreographers such as Daniel Rosseel, Jean Christophe Blavier, KT Nelson among others.
In 2003-2004 he was nominated the best male dancer in South Florida by the Sun Post, and danced with Ballet Florida where he retired from his dancing career in 2009. During his dancing career, Mr. Gawriljuk has been part of international dance projects such as Dolomytica in Europe and Casablanca The Dance in China, capturing the attention of the international press. He has also engaged in the field of
choreography where he created pieces for Maximum Dance Company and New Orleans Ballet Theater (Berimbau, Lacrimosa, Thick as Thieves, Entre Dos) and later choreographed for various Dance Schools and Institutes (Solo Ellos Saben, Shadows and others), and has set many classical works and variations.
As Ballet Teacher he was part of the faculty at Palm Beach Ballet Center and is frequently invited as a guest teacher in different schools around the country such as Douglas Andersen School of Arts in Jacksonville FL, Ballet Pacifica in California, The School of Dulce Anaya in Jacksonville FL, Southern Dance Theater in Boynton Beach FL, Gulfshore Ballet in Fort Myers FL, as well as Ballet Ruslan in Sao Paulo Brazil, and most recently, Virginia School of the Arts.
In the fall of 2009 Mr. Gawriljuk worked as a guest ballet teacher at the UNCSA where he was invited back to be part of their summer program in 2010.
From 2010 to 2012 he joined the dance faculty at UNCSA. During his time Mr. Gawriljuk taught Ballet to all levels, ballet partnering, character, and variations. He also served as Ballet  Master for The Nutcracker and also performed the role of “Herr Drosselmeyer” in 2010, serving as the Artistic Supervisor over this production for 4 years. He also was part of co-directing Swan Lake Act II production for the final UNCSA School of Dance spring concert and co-directed the UNCSA summer program in 2011 for the School of Dance and for the 2012 UNCSA Comprehensive Dance Intensive.
Since the end of Summer 2012 he moved back with his family to Florida, where he is currently Assistant of the Director of the School of Ballet Arts and Arts Dance Generation as well as teacher and choreographer for other various schools and companies around South Florida.
In 2013 he started a Summer Program in New Orleans for the New Orleans Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, and in 2014 he was invited to teach company class at The Royal New Zealand Ballet under the Artistic Direction of Ethan Stiefel.
Most recently, I joined the dance faculty of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and in August 2018, I joined The Arts Conservatory at The Kings Academy as a ballet teacher.
Douglas is currently available as a ballet teacher, master classes, private classes/coaching, and setting or creating choreography.

Marife Gimenez

Ballet

About:

Born in Venezuela Ms. Gimenez started her ballet studies in 1982 at the Fanny Montiel School of Ballet in Caracas. Ms. Gimenez repertoire includes the classics, Balanchine, and contemporary works by today’s leading choreographers.
Her professional career began at the age of fourteen with The National Ballet of Caracas under the Artistic Direction of Vicente Nebrada, where she was awarded by the Venezuelan Government with the “Jose Felix Rivas Medal” for her outstanding artistic achievements.
In 1995 she moved to Miami Florida to join the Miami City Ballet as a principal dancer directed by Edward Villella. She has also worked for Maximum Dance Company under the direction of Yanis Pikieris and David Palmer and from 2006-2009 she danced for Ballet Florida under the artistic direction Marie Hale. In 2001–2002–2003 she was nominated the best female dancer in South Florida by the Sun Post. Ms. Gimenez has worked as a guest artist in different dance projects in Europe, China, and various countries in South America as well as the US.
In the past few years, Marife has given Master Classes around the Nation being invited by several ballet schools such as Gulfsore Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, School of Dulce Anaya, Cary Conservatory, and the UNCSA School of Dance where she teach each year for they Dance Summer Intensive.  Since the summer 2012 Ms. Gimenez became a member of the School of Ballet Arts faculty in West Palm Beach, and also works as a teacher and guest choreographer for other schools in South Florida.  Ms Gimenez has choreographed many pieces for different summer intensive and schools workshop performances. (Handell Suites, Dream Scene from Don Quixote Act II, among others).

Galina Alvarez

About:

Galina Alvarez, born in Havan Cuba, began her ballet training at the Provincial School Alejo Carpertier. Then, continued her studies at the School of Arts, where she was awarded the golden diploma for being the most distinguished student of her generation. She then earned the title of principal dancer of The National Ballet of Cuba. Celebrities such as Alicia Alonzo, Loipa Araujo, Mirta Pla, Aurora Bosch, Josefina Mendez, Martha Garcia, Maria Elena Llorente, Joaquin Banegas, Migdalia Montero and Magaly Suarez. She toured Europe, Asia, The USA, Australia, Central and South America. Throughout her career she has interpreted the classics such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, the Nutcracker, Coppelia and others. Galina has worked with acclaimed choreographers who created pieces for her. Additionally, she participated at the Stars Gala, in Budapest, Hungary as well as in international ballet festivals. She was awarded the Medal for National Culture of Cuba. She acted as the ballet mistress for Ballet de Monterrey, Mexico, where she choreographed the ensemble pieces for classical works such as, Swan Lake, Giselle, Coppelia, Don Quixote, La Bayadere and the pas de deux from The Flames of Paris. In Monterrey, she worked under the direction of Robert Hill. The College of Music and Dance, at Monterrey, has invited her to adjudicate the instructors and their school several times. She worked at Studio The Danza Maries in Monterrey, Mexico. Quenedit Ballet School and Macallen Ballet invited her to guest teach at the Summer Intensive. Locally, she has worked at Ballet Arts, Florida Dance Conservatory and Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Ava Jensen is a dedicated college student pursuing a BFA in Dance, with 18 years of training in a variety of dance styles, specializing in ballet and jazz. Throughout her training, she has performed principal and soloist roles in numerous ballet and contemporary productions and competed multiple times at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). She is also a member of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. During her college years, Ava has participated in dance outreach projects across South Korea, Northern Ireland, France, and Spain, experiences that have deepened her passion for building international connections through the language of dance.
Ava has several years of experience teaching dancers from early childhood through high school and is passionate about creating a supportive environment where students can discover the joy of dance while being challenged to grow in both technique and artistry.
As both a performer and educator, she is committed to inspiring the next generation of dancers to develop a lifelong love for the art of dance while also pushing themselves to new boundaries.

Ella Myers is currently pursuing her B.F.A. in Dance with a minor in Organizational Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University. She is a member of the PBA Dance Ensemble and has recently had the joy of performing in the Asan International Dance Festival in South Korea and across Northern Ireland as an intern with Green Light Dance Company. Her love for movement took root in Oklahoma City where she trained with INTENT Conservatory as a Full Time Artist, took part in Teddy Tedholm’s ChoreoLab, and belonged as a member of Meraki Movement Company. She has since grown through the TOOLBOX Choreographic Program by Stacy FloodPopp in Nashville and the Banyan Dance Festival in West Palm Beach. She also finds joy in choreographing her own work and passing that passion on through teaching.