Artistic Staff

Artistic Director: Jesse Rand Powers

Jesse joined the artistic staff of CBT on January 1, 2019 as our new Artistic Director.  Jesse graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in dance. While at school, Jesse choreographed and lead a non-profit dance organization called Momentum for two years. Before GVSU, Jesse danced for eight years with Children’s Ballet Theatre of Michigan (CBT) performing in many classical and some non-classical ballets. After graduation, Jesse danced two seasons with Inaside Chicago Dance as a Performing Apprentice. As well, he danced the Nutcracker with Schaumburg Dance Ensemble for two seasons, danced in Thodos’ New Dances Series, and performed with Alliance Dance Company. In New York Jesse worked with Shawn Bible Dance Co, Arch Contemporary Ballet, Jonathan Lassiter Co, and Judi Jaekel & Dancers. Jesse taught and trained with students both in Chicago at several different studios and in New York at Art’s House School of Dance & Fine Arts. He also choreographed several pieces in Brooklyn for BomDiggs’ Shifting Movement Series and in Chicago for Inaside’s Choreographic Sponsorship Event. Jesse would like to thank his family and friends for their unlimited amount of support.

 

Ballet Mistress: Elzbieta (Ela) Alabuszew-Kutek

Ms. Ela began her pursuit of dance in Warsaw, then Gdansk, Poland at the National Ballet School, where she graduated as a professional dancer and was awarded a scholarship to attend the International Institute of Theatre Arts in Moscow to attain a Masters of Fine Arts in pedagogy and choreography.  Ms. Ela has been a professor, department head, soloist, choreographer, dancer, director and award winner in Poland, Russia, England, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway and the U.S.  Ela has presented dancers at the Youth American Grand Prix, Michigan Youth Arts Festival, taught master classes and been a local instructor at Danceworks, Mark Taylor School of Dance, and Capital Ballet Theatre. Ela is also a 20 year master teacher, choreographer and director at Lansing Community College. CBT is proud and lucky to have Ms. Ela as Ballet Mistress!

 

 

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