APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM
SUMMER 2022

DATES
July 18th - 31st, 2022

Application has closed

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

FACULTY of NICKERSON-ROSSI

Michael Nickerson-Rossi

Artistic Director
of Nickerson-Rossi Dance

Chad Allen Ortiz

Executive Director of
Nickerson-Rossi Dance

GUEST INSTRUCTORS

Alvin Rangel

For over 25 years, Alvin Rangel has enjoyed an international career as a performer, choreographer and educator. He began his professional career performing ballet and jazz in his native Puerto Rico. 

For nearly a decade, he performed with DCDC, where he originated roles and worked with Bill T. Jones, Bebe Miller, Dwight Rhoden, Donald McKayle, Eleo Pomare, Ronald K. Brown, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Doug Varone, Debbie Blunden-Diggs and Kevin Ward. He also performed pieces by Donald Byrd, José Limón, Diane McIntyre, Sir Warren Spears, Tally Beatty, Shapiro and Smith and David Reuille. He participated in the PBS documentary titled Free to Dance and the American Dance Festival’s film Dancing in the Light. In 2001, while dancing with DCDC, he received the Josie Award for Best Male Concert Dancer. Rangel has performed classical and contemporary ballet repertoire with Ballet Señorial, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Ballet New England, New England Ballet, Owensboro Ballet Theatre, Woodlands Ballet Theatre, University of Cincinnati, University of Texas at Austin, among others. 

Rangel taught, danced and choreographed for Andanza: Compañia Puertoriqueña de Danza Contemporánea and performed as guest artist with Ad Deum Dance Company, and Dance Theatre X, an Afro-contemporary dance company. Alvin has also worked and performed the works of choreographers: Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Alejandro Cervera, Charles O. Anderson, David Justin, Andrea Beckham, Carlos Ivan Santos, Rodney Rivera, Lolita Villanúa, Randal Flinn, William Pizzuto and Lorn McDougal. 

Hai Cohen

A native of Beer-Sheva Israel, Hai found his passion for dance through dancing with noted Israeli folk dance company Aylot Anegov, traveling around the globe presenting this rich cultural heritage at festivals for five years. He then went on to study ballet at the Bat Dor Professional Dance School. During that time, Hai was awarded the American-Israel Cultural Scholarship, given only to the top dance students in the country. Upon graduation, his achievements in dance were honored by the Israeli government which allowed him to continue his professional career while simultaneously fulfilling his mandatory 3-year national service commitment in the IDF. After leaving Bat Dor, Hai’s training continued with Bat-Sheva Dance Company. 

For five years he toured internationally as a soloist with Aylot Anegov Israeli Folk Dance Company. He was a member of Kamea Contemporary Dance Company and joined Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (under the direction of Rami Be-er) in 2007 with whom he traveled the globe touring their acclaimed dances at major venues. Because of demand for Kibbutz technique, Hai currently teaches Kibbutz repertoire throughout the world. After emigrating to the US, Hai was a member of acclaimed Los Angeles-based dance company BODYTRAFFIC from 2010-2013. Mr. Cohen shares his passion for dance with the next generation of dancers as a faculty member of the Idyllwild Arts Academy, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where he teaches both modern dance and ballet and choreographs multiple student pieces. Hai’s dance courses are unique in their combination of multiple dance techniques, giving his students a thorough foundation from which they can develop their individual voices as dancers and share their passions as fully-developed artists. In addition to teaching at Idyllwild and LACHSA  Hai is featured regularly as guest faculty, choreographer at schools across America.

Yuka Fukuda

Yuka Fukuda ,originally from Tokyo, Japan, trained at George Mason University in VA and The Ailey School in New York City. On graduating in 1999 she was invited to join Ailey's second company 'Ailey II', performing with them from 1999-2002. Yuka went on to be a company member of Dallas Black Dance Theatre for two years. She performed in six productions of The King and I, including the venue Papermill Playhouse, as well as several national tours. She played the role of Victoria in Cats at West Virginia Public Theater. She served as an assistant choreographer for the production of Gospel Gospel Gospel directed and choreographed by Otis Sallid.  She has worked with renown choreographers such as Robert Battle, Jessica Lang, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Donald Byrd, and Ronald K Brown.  

As a teacher, she has taught at the Nang Young Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore, Dallas Black Dance Academy, Lula Washington Dance Theater, and headed up the Modern department at Champs Charter High School for the Performing Arts. 

She is a faculty member at LACHSA (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts), Colburn School, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Debbie Allen Dance Academy and City Ballet of Los Angeles.  

Cristina McKeever

Cristina McKeever is a performer, choreographer and teacher born and raised in Palm Springs, CA. From an early age, Cristina fell in love with rhythm and movement and at the age of 16 she knew that a profession in dance is what she was called to pursue. Cristina graduated Summa Cum Laude from Chapman University in Orange, CA, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance and a minor in Italian Studies in 2017. Upon the completion of her collegiate education, Cristina moved to Los Angeles to start her professional dance career. Known for her versatility and intelligence, Cristina is a well-rounded performer and a life-long learner, still always making time to learn and grow within her craft. Cristina has performed with Chloe Arnold's Syncopated Ladies, at the Capezio ACE Awards in NYC, in music videos by J.ournal Poems and Steady Holiday, and in venues like the Staples Center and the historic Montalban Theatre in Hollywood. Her passion for arts education has also allowed her to perform on behalf of the The Music Center of L.A. with Channing Cook-Holmes’ show, “Got Rhythm” and Oasis Center International alongside Jason Rodgers, for their arts education program entitled, “Making Music”, bringing Tap Dance and live music to public schools. Most recently, she had the incredible opportunity to perform over international waters with Christopher Erk's "Tap in the Night '' aboard the Hapag Lloyd Cruiseline. 

Joshua D. Estrada-Romero

Born and raised in Southern California, Joshua D. Estrada-Romero began his dance training at California State University, Fullerton. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance in fall of 2008 and his MFA in Dance from the University of California Irvine in 2017. His extensive experience in dance, music, and art evolved through his dance memberships and training with Palindrome Dance Company, RhetOracle Dance Company, BARE Dance Company, Nickerson- Rossi Dance, and Kelly Alvarez & Artists. Joshua also worked with very well-known artists of the Limón Dance Company and Erick Hawkins Dance Company, and choreographer Victor Kabaniev. Joshua is the founder and artistic director of FUSE Dance Company based in Orange, CA, whose mission is to support and foster the growth and development of the performing arts in Southern California through performances, dance education, and dance community collaboration programs. FUSE has participated in many Southern California Dance Festivals including Santa Barbaras’s HHII Dance Festival, Los Angeles Dance Festival, Lineage Dance Festival, BlakTina Dance Festival, Temecula DanceXchange, RAW Artists, and has also had privilege of showcasing his work in Boston MA, Austin TX, New York NY, and Seattle WA, and Ketchikan, AK. Joshua has held master classes and workshops at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet in Alaska, Round Rock Repertory in Austin Tx, Cypress College, San Pedro Ballet, Long Beach City Ballet, and numerous high schools across L.A., Orange County and the Inland Empire. He currently shares his passion as an instructor/choreographer to all dance students of California State University Fullerton, Mt. San Antonio College, Santa Ana College and Anaheim High School. 

INHALE THE BEAUTY,
EXHALE THE UGLY

James Gregg

JAMES GREGG, was raised in Oklahoma and started dancing at the age of nine. He trained with Ballet Oklahoma, Houston Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, The Edge Performing Arts Center (LA), and Lou Conte Dance Studio. James moved to Chicago to dance with River North Chicago Dance Company in 1999. He was with RNCDC for several years before moving to Montréal, where he is currently dancing with Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal. He has performed the works of many renowned choreographers including Aszure Barton, Mauro Bigonzetti, Frank Chaves, Danny Ezralow, Harrison McEldowney, Mia Michaels, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Rodrigo Pedernieras, Crystal Pite, and Edgar Zendajas. James started choreographing as a youngster in school but really found his passion when he arrived in Chicago, where he dove into working with different dancers and companies. He has set works on River North Chicago Dance Company, Northwest Dance Project’s Pretty Creatives Competition, Les Ballet Jazz Workshop, and for Springboard Danse Project.

The Apprenticeship Program is back and is seeking to work with dancers between the ages of 18 - 24 for a two-week experience filled with masterclasses, repertoire, and the closing performance.  Dancers will work with the internationally renowned Artistic Director, Michael Nickerson-Rossi, and his company dancers to learn and perform three pieces from the company repertoire.

The venue includes Nickerson-Rossi's Dance House in Downtown Palm Springs, California.

Classes offered in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Composition, Partnering, and Improv.

Additionally, six guest masterclasses from Artistic Directors of other companies will teach during our Apprenticeship Program.

Lastly, dancers will have the opportunity to audition for a paid company position with Nickerson-Rossi Dance.

This Program is Accepting 15 dancers.

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Program Days

July 18th - July 31st, 2022

Venue

Nickerson-Rossi's Dance House

Downtown Palm Springs, California

​

Technique

Modern

Ballet

Contemporary

Contemporary Partnering

Choreography/Composition

Structured Improve

​

Classes and Rep Rehearsals with

Michael Nickerson-Rossi

and Company

​

Master Classes with

6 additional Artistic Directors and Producers

​

Performance

Saturday, July 30th, 2022

​

Company Audition

Sunday, July 31st, 2022 

Application is closed

"My journey with NRD started through the apprenticeship program in 2013. I never knew it would lead me to tour internationally with the company, owning a dance studio, managing a dance theater, and working with other incredible artists in the dance industry. The first step is what leads you to your desired future. It's right in front of you."

​

Chad Ortiz

Executive Director

of Nickerson-Rossi Dance