When I was a professional dancer, there were not many choices for men's dance wear. There was a black, white, or navy leotard, with short-sleeves or tanktop and black or white tights. SO....I would buy dancewear and immediately get my scissors and start cutting, altering, and dyeing dancewear to help make my day unique to me! I always wanted my sleeves longer, different styles, necklines lower, better fabrics, and more zippers!
After having designed and made dancewear for myself and other dancers, "Ballo" grew from a desire to offer others the same exceptional, unique, and sublime products my friends and I have been working in for years. Colors that pop and strategically placed seamlines that contour the body are part of the elegance of my "Ballo" pieces, elevating basic and traditional dancewear into a personal and unique statement for each dancer. Comfort and ease of movement are what I need from dancewear...and of course a little something to give each piece its unique "pop."
"Ballo" works...for you.
I began my dance training on scholarship with Kirov-trained William Martin-Viscount at Southwest Ballet Center, continued on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, then on scholarship in New York City with Joffrey Ballet dancer Marjorie Mussman. While training at The Atlanta Ballet School with Tom Pazik, I became a member of The Atlanta Ballet under the direction of Robert Barnett.
After four seasons with The Atlanta Ballet and dancing their full range of repertory, I joined the Augusta Ballet as Principle Dancer for five years, under the direction of Ron Colton and Zanne Beaufort.
I then rejoined The Atlanta Ballet under the direction of John McFall where I remained six years until joining Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and touring the world which was the most unique and exhilarating experience of my life.
I have worked in nearly every aspect of the entertainment industry to include featured roles in U.S. tours, Summer Stock, Industrials, Busch Gardens, Costume Design/Construction, teacher, choreographer, and have several commercial and film credits to my name, in front of and behind the camera.
I hold a BFA in sculpture from Massachusetts College of Art, am currently Boston Ballet’s Head Draper/Workroom Supervisor/Tutu-Master, and am a freelance costume designer having just completed a full-length Nutcracker for Lone Star Ballet, and a full-length Coppelia for Boston Ballet.