come dance
with us
APR 12-14 2024 \\ MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS
joffrey ballet school, new york
ARE COMING TO VDF2023!
contemporary and ballet MASTERCLASSes AUDITION taught by michael waldrop
The Joffrey Ballet School is thrilled to return to the VDF Dance Festival! This year, Associate Artistic Director and Summer Artistic Director, Michael Waldrop, will be coming direct from the School in New York City to teach classes in Ballet and Contemporary. Participating students will be considered for placement and potential merit-based scholarship to our worldwide summer intensives in Ballet, Jazz & Contemporary, and Musical Theater. Some dancers will even be invited to join our year-round Trainee Program in New York City or our Pre-Professional Programs in Texas and Los Angeles!
Michael Waldrop’s classes apply a contemporary methodology as an approach to the classical ballet syllabus. Exercises are designed to encourage breath and joy of movement, while also emphasizing coordination, clarity, musicality, and alignment. Ballet center work and contemporary phrase work expands movement through dynamic, extension, and flow, traveling through space and highlighting qualities that can be applied throughout all styles of dance. Enjoy this combination between ballet and contemporary movement, bridging the worlds of concert and commercial dance.
To participate in these classes, it is necessary to pre-register online before 13 April and to visit the Joffrey Ballet School Booth at VDF to pick up your participant number. Without this number you will not be able to participate in the class.
Saturday 15 April 2pm - SENIORS 14 + Contemporary
Saturday 15 April 3pm - JUNIORS 13 and under Contemporary
Sunday 16 April 9am - JUNIORS 13 and under Ballet
Sunday 16 April 12pm - SENIORS 14 + Ballet
The masterclasses are part of the VDF Weekend lineup, and only available to VDF ticket holders.
Teachers are welcome to come and watch to gleam some inspiration from Michael and witness a class. Teachers attending Vitality Teacher Day are also welcome and their Teacher Day pass grants access to all the weekend classes to join in or watch.
michael waldrop
Michael Waldrop was born in Los Angeles, California. He has toured the world, performing with Ballett des Theater Koblenz, State Street Ballet, and Pasadena Dance Theatre, as well as guest performances with Odyssey Dance Theatre, Seamless Dance Theater and the Covent Garden Dance Company’s international gala, Ballet in the Park. During this time, he performed in the classical and contemporary works of Peter Chu, Andreas Heise, Daniel Ezralow, Steffen Fuchs, Bella Lewitzky, Cathy Marston, Ihsan Rustem, Tom Ruud, William Soleau, Uwe Scholz, and Josie Walsh.
From the world of concert dance to the commercial industry, Michael has also appeared in the feature film Underground Comedy, ABC’s Bunheads, Nickelodeon’s Fresh Beat Band, and the Emmy Award winning opening routine of the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Other credits include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, industrials for Disney and MAC Cosmetics, performances at Los Angeles’ Music Center and the Getty Museum for the Dance Camera West Film Festival and American Choreography Awards.
Michael has choreographed original works for Theater Koblenz, Marymount Manhattan College, and the Joffrey Ballet School, as well as commissioned presentations for the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensives, and the School of State Street Ballet. Michael is currently Associate Artistic Director of the Jazz & Contemporary Trainee Program at the Joffrey Ballet School and on faculty at Peridance Capezio Center in New York City.