Irina Vakhromeeva
Cheryl Madeux
Andre Reyes
Cynthia Drayer
EAST STREET DANCE CENTER
DIRECTORS AND FACULTY
DIRECTORS AND FACULTY
Barbara Lazarus Kauff
Irina Vakhromeeva
Cheryl Madeux
Andre Reyes Karen Michaels
Barbara Lazarus Kauff Director
received her early dance training at the High School of Performing Arts, New York, Juilliard and NYU where she studied with Robert Joffrey, Lucas Hoving, Pauline Koner, May O’Donnell and many of the luminaries of early modern dance. She went on to teach at Adelphi University Dance Department, Dana Hall, Boston Ballet, Boston Conservatory, and at Walnut Hill, where she initiated and helped establish the Walnut Hill Dance Department, Extension Division and Summer Programs. She has received numerous grants from the NEA, MCC and NEFA; served on the review panels of these funding organizations, received outstanding reviews of her work with Concert Dance Company of Boston in Dance Magazine, Boston Globe and the New York Times, and was one of three finalists in the Vestris Competition in Choreography with the Boston Ballet. Her work with CDC is archived at the Harvard Theater Collection, Harvard University. Most recently she was Producer and Director of the East Street Contemporary Dance Series and brought to the Valley Sankai Juku, Liz Lerman, and the Limon Company, to name but a few, and went on to become Director of Press and Public Relations at Jacob’s Pillow.
Irina Vakhromeeva Associate Director and Principal Instructor
Ms. Vakhromeeva's ballet career began in the world famous Vaganova Ballet Academy, where she received her MFA Master's Degree of Ballet Artist. She toured throughout the world as a Soloist and Principal Artist with the Moscow Festival Ballet, International Ballet, Moscow Ballet Company. Ms. Vakhromeeva danced roles in many ballets including the Nutcracker, Giselle, Don Quixote, Corsaire, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Flame of Paris, La Fille Mal Gardee, Snow Maiden, and many others. As a Principal Guest Artist, Choreographer, and Teacher, Ms. Vakhromeeva worked with many ballet companies, including: Metropolitan Ballet Company in Houston, Texas, Hamilton Ballet in Canada, Galveston Ballet, International Ballet in Taiwan, and many universities in the United States. Her knowledge of the most current teaching methods and styles has produced many young dancers who have been accepted into some of the world's greatest schools, including: Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Moscow, Julliard School, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. This is Ms. Vakhromeeva's 5th year as Associate Director of East Street School of Ballet.
Cheryl Madeux
(Guest Ballet Instructor) received her training at Nutmeg Ballet under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera. Her professional career began with the Joffrey Ballet in NY at the age of 18. During her four years with the company she performed numerous works by Gerald Arpino and traveled throughout Europe. Later she joined Hartford Ballet as principal dancer and American Ballet Theater in NY. Among her accomplishments, Ms. Madeux was awarded first place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition at the age of 15, a finalist in the III Paris International Ballet Competition in France, a Presidential Scholar in Dance im 1990 and the only American finalist in the Prix de Lausanne Ballet Competition in Switzerland in 1990. Ms. Madeux continues to perform as a guest artist and has been asked to judge scholarship auditions for Dance Masters of America. She has privately coached and rehearsed many dancers and has recently received her certification in the new American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum Program for Primary level thru level 3. She will continue her certification in all the levels of the ABT curriculum and hopes to become an ABT affiliate teacher.
Andre Reyes
(Ballet Instructor) Andre Reyes is a San Francisco Bay Area native. He received his early dance training from his parents Benjamin Reyes and Josefa Villanueva at the Santa Clara Ballet School and continued his ballet training as a scholarship student at San Francisco Ballet School, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and the American Ballet School. Andre has been Principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet and has worked with numerous world renowned choreographers. He has made Major Guest Appearances with the San Francisco Symphony and Opera, Smuin Ballet/SF, International Gala Performances and Kennedy Center and Major Television Appearances on Dance In America (WNET). He has served on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle and has over thirteen years of experience in teaching/coaching and assisting advanced level dancers in refining their skill. He and his wife Cynthia are currently Directors of the Boston Ballet School.
Karen Michaels
Karen Michaels received her BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music. With a primarily modern dance background,
Karen has trained extensively in the techniques of Graham and Limon, and has performed with dance companies including Tslila and Dancers, Choreo, and Lightning Dance, and in works by choreographers including Deborah Wolf, Krisen Day, Terese Freedman, and Jim Coleman. Karen has studied ballet with teachers including Joanna Duncan, Irina Vakhromeeva, Marcus Schuhlkind, Margo Parsons, and Jose Matteo, and modern with teachers including David Hatch Walker, Takako Asakawa, Laura Glenn, Carla Mazwell, Diane Arvanitis, Marcus Schulkind, and Paul Dennis. A certified Embodyoga teacher, licensed Massage Therapist, and certified Zero Balancer, Karen also teaches yoga, meditation, and workshops in Dynamic Wellness, as well as Stress Management and Reduction.
Andre Reyes Karen Michaels
Barbara Lazarus Kauff Director
received her early dance training at the High School of Performing Arts, New York, Juilliard and NYU where she studied with Robert Joffrey, Lucas Hoving, Pauline Koner, May O’Donnell and many of the luminaries of early modern dance. She went on to teach at Adelphi University Dance Department, Dana Hall, Boston Ballet, Boston Conservatory, and at Walnut Hill, where she initiated and helped establish the Walnut Hill Dance Department, Extension Division and Summer Programs. She has received numerous grants from the NEA, MCC and NEFA; served on the review panels of these funding organizations, received outstanding reviews of her work with Concert Dance Company of Boston in Dance Magazine, Boston Globe and the New York Times, and was one of three finalists in the Vestris Competition in Choreography with the Boston Ballet. Her work with CDC is archived at the Harvard Theater Collection, Harvard University. Most recently she was Producer and Director of the East Street Contemporary Dance Series and brought to the Valley Sankai Juku, Liz Lerman, and the Limon Company, to name but a few, and went on to become Director of Press and Public Relations at Jacob’s Pillow.
Irina Vakhromeeva Associate Director and Principal Instructor
Ms. Vakhromeeva's ballet career began in the world famous Vaganova Ballet Academy, where she received her MFA Master's Degree of Ballet Artist. She toured throughout the world as a Soloist and Principal Artist with the Moscow Festival Ballet, International Ballet, Moscow Ballet Company. Ms. Vakhromeeva danced roles in many ballets including the Nutcracker, Giselle, Don Quixote, Corsaire, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Flame of Paris, La Fille Mal Gardee, Snow Maiden, and many others. As a Principal Guest Artist, Choreographer, and Teacher, Ms. Vakhromeeva worked with many ballet companies, including: Metropolitan Ballet Company in Houston, Texas, Hamilton Ballet in Canada, Galveston Ballet, International Ballet in Taiwan, and many universities in the United States. Her knowledge of the most current teaching methods and styles has produced many young dancers who have been accepted into some of the world's greatest schools, including: Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Moscow, Julliard School, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. This is Ms. Vakhromeeva's 5th year as Associate Director of East Street School of Ballet.Cheryl Madeux
(Guest Ballet Instructor) received her training at Nutmeg Ballet under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera. Her professional career began with the Joffrey Ballet in NY at the age of 18. During her four years with the company she performed numerous works by Gerald Arpino and traveled throughout Europe. Later she joined Hartford Ballet as principal dancer and American Ballet Theater in NY. Among her accomplishments, Ms. Madeux was awarded first place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition at the age of 15, a finalist in the III Paris International Ballet Competition in France, a Presidential Scholar in Dance im 1990 and the only American finalist in the Prix de Lausanne Ballet Competition in Switzerland in 1990. Ms. Madeux continues to perform as a guest artist and has been asked to judge scholarship auditions for Dance Masters of America. She has privately coached and rehearsed many dancers and has recently received her certification in the new American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum Program for Primary level thru level 3. She will continue her certification in all the levels of the ABT curriculum and hopes to become an ABT affiliate teacher.
Andre Reyes
(Ballet Instructor) Andre Reyes is a San Francisco Bay Area native. He received his early dance training from his parents Benjamin Reyes and Josefa Villanueva at the Santa Clara Ballet School and continued his ballet training as a scholarship student at San Francisco Ballet School, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and the American Ballet School. Andre has been Principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet and has worked with numerous world renowned choreographers. He has made Major Guest Appearances with the San Francisco Symphony and Opera, Smuin Ballet/SF, International Gala Performances and Kennedy Center and Major Television Appearances on Dance In America (WNET). He has served on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle and has over thirteen years of experience in teaching/coaching and assisting advanced level dancers in refining their skill. He and his wife Cynthia are currently Directors of the Boston Ballet School.
Karen Michaels
Karen Michaels received her BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music. With a primarily modern dance background,
Karen has trained extensively in the techniques of Graham and Limon, and has performed with dance companies including Tslila and Dancers, Choreo, and Lightning Dance, and in works by choreographers including Deborah Wolf, Krisen Day, Terese Freedman, and Jim Coleman. Karen has studied ballet with teachers including Joanna Duncan, Irina Vakhromeeva, Marcus Schuhlkind, Margo Parsons, and Jose Matteo, and modern with teachers including David Hatch Walker, Takako Asakawa, Laura Glenn, Carla Mazwell, Diane Arvanitis, Marcus Schulkind, and Paul Dennis. A certified Embodyoga teacher, licensed Massage Therapist, and certified Zero Balancer, Karen also teaches yoga, meditation, and workshops in Dynamic Wellness, as well as Stress Management and Reduction.