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Robert Gardner named new Artistic Director
 The Minnesota Ballet Board of Directors has named Robert Gardner the new Artistic Director. Having served as Associate Artistic Director since 1992, Gardner on July 1 officially stepped into the Artistic Director role he had filled last year while longtime Director Allen Fields was on sabbatical.
“The Ballet and the community are so fortunate that Robert Gardner brings 15 years of experience at the Minnesota Ballet as performer, choreographer, ballet master, and master teacher to his new position, as well as his impressive professional background,” said Carole Turner, board president.
A native Virginian, he began his studies with Mavis Ray of the Royal Ballet. After subsequent scholarships to the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of American Ballet in New York, he was asked to join the Joffrey II dancers. With Joffrey II, he toured throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Orient, performing ballets by Antony Tudor, Sir Frederick Ashton, Robert Joffrey, and Choo-San Goh.
Mr. Gardner then danced with the Joffrey Ballet, touring both the east and west coasts. He then joined the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, where he danced soloist and principal roles in the works of George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Lar Lubovitch, David Lichine, José Limón, Léonide Massine, Dennis Nahat, and many others.
For the Minnesota Ballet, Mr. Gardner has danced such principal roles as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake Act II and the embodiment of Love in Allen Fields’ The Passions, plus creating such memorable roles as a “playful, magical” Herr Drosselmeyer.
In addition to staging the major classical ballets and pas de deux, he has choreographed such acclaimed pieces as Suite Italienne, to Stravinsky music, which the Duluth News Tribune praised for a “signature style of satisfyingly developing movement themes so that audiences could see a journey in the choreography from start to finish”; and the steamy jazz piece One Night, pronounced “vintage Gardner—theatrical, accessible, and fun.”
For his original choreography of Sleeping Beauty, the News Tribune declared that the new story ballet “further entrenches the Minnesota Ballet as a national source for repertory that is faithful to tradition.”
He has also taught master classes at the University of Minnesota, UMD, Ball State University, and at Yale University for A Different Drum Dance Company. He has choreographed for the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet; for the Columbus Youth Ballet, who presented his works three times at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York City; and for Ball State Dance Theatre, who presented his work at the American College Dance Festival, among other venues.
Mr. Gardner received a 1998 Artist Fellowship and a 1999 Career Opportunity Grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, in addition to a 1999 Video Documentation Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and served on the State Arts Board Panel for the Arts in Education Roster of Artists.
Amanda Abrahamson
Amanda, a Superior native, began studying at the Minnesota Ballet at age ten and studied two summers at DanceAspen. An apprentice dancer the 1997–98 season, she was promoted to company member in 1998–99. Memorable roles include Dream Marie and Sugar Plum Fairy in The
Nutcracker, Myrtha and Giselle in Giselle, Swanilda in
Coppélia, the Goddess in Cinderella, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, and Columbine in Harlequinade Pas de Deux. The News Tribune
pronounced her Dew Drop Fairy “spectacular” and her Mirliton “marvelous.” For her role as the Fanatical Virgin in Three Virgins and a Devil she was praised for having “pushed the whole puritanical attitude that read so clearly.” Amanda also coordinates the Creative Dance class for children with physical challenges.
Kevin Belanger
Kevin grew up in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and trained at the Virginia School of the Arts in Lynchburg. He went on to dance professionally with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Ballet San Jose, and American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, New Jersey. For his role as Apollo in the George Balanchine work, he won the praise: “Belanger embodied the role of a young and lonely Apollo” and “displayed the kind of youthful virility that marks boys becoming men.” His role as Nutcracker Prince won praise for its “youthful innocence and vibrancy” and for capturing “the emotional attachment of young love.” As Mr. Mistoffelees, Kevin delighted audiences in the 2007 Duluth Playhouse production of Cats, and he directed and produced his one-man show, Jaded, Bitter…and Proud of It, at the Play Ground in fall 2007.
Daniel Blake
Daniel began dancing at age eleven with the Grand Rapids Ballet in
Michigan. After graduating from the Houston Ballet Academy, he danced soloist and lead roles with the Hartford Ballet and Kansas City Ballet, including James in La Sylphide, and in Merce Cunningham’s Totem Ancestor. A Minnesota Ballet company member since the 2003–04 season, he has been praised as an “amazing” technician.” For his role as Prince in The Nutcracker, the News Tribune pronounced him a “powerful dancer” and praised his “explosive leaps and turns.” He has also performed as the Prince in Cinderella and as Prince Charmant and Jay in Sleeping Beauty. For his role as the Devil in Three Virgins and a Devil, he was praised for a “nicely evil” performance, while for his role in force seen he was praised for his “precise footwork and commanding presence.” Daniel is married to company member Julie Blake.
 Julie Blake
A native of Washington, D.C., Julie studied with the Maryland Youth Ballet under the direction of Hortensia Fonseca and Michelle Lees, then with the Houston Ballet Academy on full scholarship and stipend. She spent summers at the Kirov Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, and the Houston Ballet. She began her professional career with the Hartford Ballet, then danced with the Montgomery Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theatre before joining the Minnesota Ballet in January 2004. She has appeared in works by Val Caniparoli, Choo-San Goh, James Jeon, Peter Anastos, Jean
Grand-Maitre, Bruce Steivel, Ben Stevenson, and George Balanchine.
Since joining the Minnesota Ballet she has danced such memorable
roles as the Dew Drop Fairy and Sugar Plum Fairy. She was praised for her “royal grace in her clean lines and long form” in Valse Fantaisie, for her “magnificent” and “effervescent” solo as the Muse of Mime in Apollo, and for dancing “wonderfully” as Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. Julie is married to company
member Daniel Blake.
Igor Burlak
A native of Moldavia, Igor studied at the School of American Ballet with
such teachers as Olga Kostritzky, Peter Boal, and Jock Soto and as a child performed with the New York City Ballet in Sleeping Beauty, The Firebird, The Nutcracker, and Coppélia. He danced as guest artist on tour with the Miami City Ballet, then danced with the Kansas City Ballet, performing in such ballets as Allegro Brillante, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. For the Atlantic Southeast Ballet he danced such principal roles as in Flower Festival at Genzano. He has also appeared in the films Center Stage; George Balanchine’s Nutcracker; and the documentary The Waiting, by Tomaso Digital. Since he joined the Minnesota Ballet in 2004, his principal roles have won praise. The Duluth News Tribune commended his role as Prince in Cinderella for its “nuanced approach to the character as well as a lush technique to the demanding combination of leaps and turns during his solos.” For his role in Valse Fantaisie, he was praised: “Burlak almost floated at the peak of his leaps and turns” and for Cavalier he was noted for creating “breathtaking moments” in the Grand Pas. In addition to dancing, Igor has choreographed pieces for the Minnesota Ballet’s Celebrity Dance Challenge, the School of the Minnesota Ballet’s Student Performance, the School American Ballet’s Choreography Workshop, and his “Concerto de Arangus” for the Kansas City Ballet. Igor has also had the pleasure of choreographing for and working with Daniel Ulbricht, principal of the New York City Ballet, and dancers from the Miami City Ballet.
Elsie Franczyk
A Superior-area native, Elsie began study at the School of the Minnesota Ballet in 1994 and has also studied in the summer programs at Ballet Magnificat, in Jackson, Mississippi; and at the Milwaukee Ballet. Memorable roles include the Lady in “The Lady and the Unicorn” variation in Sleeping Beauty and Dream Marie in The Nutcracker. She has also danced as the Greedy One in Three Virgins and a Devil and as Chinese dancer and Mirliton in The Nutcracker. For her role in Continuo, she and the two other female dancers were prased for bringing “the ribbon lift to life with such ease that belied the difficulty of that move.” She was praised for her solo of force unseen: “Despite all the pyrotechnics, nothing—incuding the heated red lighting, wild metallic costume or ramped-up music—overtook Franczyk. She nailed it.” She would like to thank her parents, Robert, and Lila for encouraging her to continue dancing.
Suzanne Kritzberg
A Chicago native, Suzanne has danced with the Minnesota
Ballet since 1990. She began her dance training at age eleven, studying mainly at Ruth Page, in Chicago, also at the Houston Ballet Academy and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Before joining the Minnesota Ballet she danced in the Chicago Tribune Charities production of The Nutcracker, and with the State Ballet of Missouri and the Wisconsin Ballet Theatre.
For the Minnesota Ballet she has received much praise, such as for her “virtuosic talent” evident in her Cinderella, her “magnificent” solo as the Muse of Dance in Apollo, and for “breathtaking moments” in The Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux. For her role as Princess Rose in Sleeping Beauty: “Kritzberg steals the show with her two astounding solos and two partnering sections…” and for Swanilda in Coppélia: “She hit each feat with the grace and beauty that belied the grit needed to perform her solos…” The Minneapolis Star Tribune praised her “strong technique” and “beginnings of a signature style.”
In 1999 Suzanne was awarded a McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers with funds administered by the Minnesota Dance Alliance, and in 2001 she was awarded a Fellowship grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature and the McKnight Foundation. In 2007 she also received an inaugural Twenty under Forty Award from the Duluth News Tribune.
Ryan Stokes
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Ryan first studied to be a vaudeville performer in neo-mime and physical comedy. While studying method acting and musical theater at the Youth Performing Arts School, he turned to ballet after taking his first ballet class. He was invited to study and perform with the Louisville Ballet School and Youth Ensemble, where he trained with Patrick Hinson, Helen Starr, Liz Hartwell, Elena Fillmore, and Anna Sapozhnikov. In 2005 he joined the American National Ballet, where he performed in such works as Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Paquita, and Fernando Bujones’ Jazz Swing. As guest artist he performed in The Nutcracker at the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and at the Main Street Conservatory of Dance in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
Reinhard von Rabenau
A Duluth native, Reinhard began as a Ballet I student at the School of the Minnesota Ballet in 1997. He has also studied in summer programs at Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. Memorable roles he has danced for the Minnesota Ballet include Scottish Doll and Franz’s friend in Coppélia; courtier in Cinderella; the Feckless Youth in Three Virgins and a Devil; Lion in “The Lion and the Lamb” variation and courtier in Sleeping Beauty. His Nutcracker roles began as a student with young party guest, later graduating to the principal roles of Fritz, Russian dancer, Chinese dancer, Doll, Mouse King, and Prince.
Stephanie Wolf
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Stephanie began her dance training there. As a student at regional schools and companies such as the Georgia Ballet, she performed principal roles in major ballets. She continued her training on full scholarship at the Houston Ballet Academy and later at the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education, where she was coached by Balanchine legend Violette Verdy for Concerto Barocco. She has spent summers studying at the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre in New York City, Houston Ballet, Chautauqua Festival, and Martine van Hamel’s Kaatsbaan. Since joining the Minnesota Ballet in 2001, she has danced such memorable roles as the Peacock in the “Peacock and Jay” variation in Sleeping Beauty, and one of The Graces in Cinderella. For her performance as the Muse of Poetry in George Balanchine’s Apollo she has won praise for being “well-suited to the role of Calliope, communicating her love of verse through captivating, emotionally charged movement” and praise for elevating her Dream Marie in The Nutcracker “above the technically demanding choreography into a true dreamy performance.”
Jennifer Whitehead, Sr. Apprentice
A native of West Texas, Jennifer studied ballet in San Angelo. In 2002 she moved to Duluth to study at the School of the Minnesota Ballet, beginning at Ballet V level; she has also studied in the summer program at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. Promoted to apprentice in the 2004–05 season, she has danced in the corps and as Arabian dancer in The Nutcracker—winning praise that she “personified sultriness with her nicely released torso, flexible limbs and half-cocked smile”—as the Lustful One in Three Virgins and a Devil, and the Dragon “The Dragon and the Knight” variation in Sleeping Beauty.
Suzie Baer, Sr. Apprentice
A Stillwater native, Suzie began ballet training at the St. Croix Academy for the Arts. Suzie began study at the School of the Minnesota Ballet in the Summer Intensive 2003 at the Ballet VII level and has also studied at the Joffrey Midwest Workshop in Flint, Michigan, and on scholarship at Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet in San Francisco. For the Minnesota Ballet she has danced in the corps and has danced Nutcracker roles of Arabian dancer and maid.
Katie Nagan, Jr. Apprentice
A Duluth native, Katie began ballet training at the School of the Minnesota Ballet in summer 2001 at the Ballet IV level and has also studied at the American Ballet Theatre summer program in Austin, Texas. After serving as Trainee for the Minnesota Ballet in 2006–07, Katie was promoted to Junior Apprentice for the 2007–08 season. She has danced in the corps for The Nutcracker, Coppélia, and in the corps and as a Little Swan for Swan Lake Act II. For The Nutcracker she has danced the principal roles of Marie, Doll, and Chinese dancer.
Kenneth Pogin
Production Manager/Tour Manager
Ken is pleased to be in his eleventh year with the
Minnesota Ballet in his role of Production Manager and Lighting Designer. The Duluth News Tribune applauded him for his
“blue velvet lighting” and most recently for his lighting in Madame Butterfly: “The lights even have their big number at the end of Act Two...The sun sets, the moon rises, the stars come out and slowly start to fade -- a veritable dance of lights.” Ken’s set construction blueprints for the 2001 production of Three Virgins and a
Devil are on permanent record with the Agnes de Mille Estate in New
York. Ken’s pyrotechnic career has
allowed him to work with David Copperfield, Carrot Top, Toby Keith,
Godsmack, Poison, and Quiet Riot among others. He holds two
degrees in technical performance for theatre and television. Other
companies he has worked with are the New York City Opera, The Acting
Company, and Ballet Oklahoma. Ken’s favorite accomplishments are lighting for the Duluth Festival Opera’s Madame Butterfly, the Minnesota Ballet’s Rhapsody in Blue, Route 66, The Nutcracker, plus the pyrotechnic show for the NCAA Frozen Four.
When not on tour, Ken enjoys his role as daddy to two little girls.
Sandra Ehle
Wardrobe Mistress/Designer
An accomplished seamstress and tailor, Sandra has served as Wardrobe Mistress since 1998, traveling with the company on tour. She specializes in historic costumes, preparing the lighthouse keeper’s uniforms, 1912-vintage, for the lighthouses at Split Rock and the Apostle Islands. She worked under Walt Disney Productions costume designer Betty Madden for Iron Will and Twentieth Century Fox costume designer Juliet Jones for Good Son. Sandra created long tutus for the Baltimore Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus and all the new short tutus worn by the Minnesota Ballet corps de ballet in Swan Lake Act II.
Cheryl Vander Heyden, Stage Manager
Cheryl is thrilled to be in her fourth year as Stage Manager for the Minnesota Ballet. She holds technical theater degrees from Cottey College in Missouri and from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Before coming to the Minnesota Ballet, Cheryl toured with the Italian American Festival’s production of Guys and Dolls in Italy. Other groups she has worked with are Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, The Spencers Theatre of Illusion, Riders in the Sky, and the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America.
Ann Gumpper, Scenic Designer
Ann has created theatrical scenery for over twenty years. In addition to the Minnesota Ballet’s Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle Act II, and Swan Lake Act II, she has designed sets for Minnesota Repertory Theatre, University of Minnesota Duluth, College of St. Scholastica, Dark Horse Theatre, Duluth Playhouse, and Rochester Civic Theatre. Her Art Window celebrating Duluth’s gardeners was installed in the Holiday Center, and she “performed” as painter with the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra. Ann’s designs and paint work have also been featured in theatres on the East and West Coasts and as far away as Exeter, England. She has taught at the College of St. Scholastica and University of Minnesota Duluth and is a muralist and decorative painter.
Elena Knezevich has served as Company Pianist since 1998.
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