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Mrs. Barbara Banasikowski Smith, upon invitation, was privileged to teach at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in June of 2007 during a Teachers’ Seminar and the Vaganova Prix. She was honored with a certificate verifying her teaching at the Academy and received a teacher’s certificate in the Vaganova Ballet Method. She was the only non-Russian to participate in the teachers’ seminar.

Her international net-working began in 1995 with designing an exchange between Greater Lansing Ballet and the Gdansk Polish State Ballet School. In 1996 after having traveled to St. Petersburg she began collaborating with the Dean of Faculty at the Vaganova Ballet Academy. This relationship has continued for the past 11 years benefiting students at the Academy of Dance Arts. Ms. Smith, a master teacher with 36 years teaching experience, founded Academy of Dance Arts in 1984. She performed professionally with the Milwaukee Ballet Company under the artistic direction of Jury Gottshalks, Myron H. Nadel and Lupe Serrano, the Operetta Carnival Ballet under the artistic direction of Zachary Solov, and the Limon Dance Company in which she was soloist in “Concerto Grosso”. She received a BFA degree in dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her MA degree in dance from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana. She studied ballet at the Warsaw Ballet/Opera and Polish ethnic dances at the University of Maria Curie Sklodowski in Lublin, Poland. Her teaching positions have included the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Illinois, Michigan State University, Olivet College, Albion College and a year as artist in residence in Oslo, Norway. During her eight year tenure at Michigan State University she directed and choreographed for the MSU Repertory Dance Company, directed the Lecture Demonstration Team in Schools program, Dance Coordinator 1980-81 and 1982-83, and collaborator in developing the curriculum for the dance major program. Ms. Smith was invited by Regional Dance America to teach a master class during its 2nd National Festival in 2007 in Pittsburgh, PA. As a renowned international ballet mistress, she taught and choreographed at Alexandra Ballet in St. Louis, MO. during the summer of 2008. In 1990 she was the recipient of the Michigan Dance Teacher of the Year Award. In 1990 as Artistic Director of Academy Ballet Theatre, she was presented a Certificate of Merit from Governor Engler for her outstanding effort and commitment to artistic excellence saluting her creativity and originality in producing “An Evening With Petipa”. In 1997 she was presented a plaque honoring the “Sister City” exchange project between Lansing and St. Petersburg, Russia. She has established international relationships with dance artists by designing one of the first cross cultural exchange programs. She is the recipient of the Governor’s as well as the City of Lansing merit awards for outstanding commitment to culture and fine arts in the Lansing community. She is listed in Who’s Who of Polonia, published in 1993 in Paris, France, Who’s Who of Polish Americans published in 1996 in the USA and in Who’s Who of Polonia published in 2000 in Warsaw, Poland. In April 2000 she was awarded the prestigious Glen Taggart Award for Community Contribution to International Understanding by the MSU International Studies and Programs. Ms. Smith was nominated for this award by Lansing Mayor David Hollister. Ms. Smith is the first Lansing artist to be awarded the Creative Artist grant during the FY2002 from ArtServe in Michigan in conjunction with the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs to choreograph her full length ballet, Earth’s Lament. On May 6, 2002 the Lansing City council honored her achievements by presenting her with a proclamation.

Mrs. Smith is the founding Artistic Director of the Greater Lansing Ballet Company. The company, formerly Academy Ballet Theatre was founded in 1990 and evolved into a semi professional company in 1997. The company, comprised of youth, pre-professional and professional dancers provides a vehicle for performance opportunities in a professional environment as well as an educational experience in the art of dance. Academy of Dance Arts is the official school of the Greater Lansing Ballet Company.

Kailen Berry began her serious training at the Academy of Dance Arts. At the age of twelve she was accepted in the pre-professional division at the Academy and advanced to Greater Lansing Ballet’s senior company. Kailen has performed in several of GLBC’s productions including Les Sylphides, Nutcracker, Cinderella, Dracula, Earth’s Lament (original choreography by Barbara B. Smith) and has participated with GLBC in many Regional Dance America Mid-States festivals. At fifteen Kailen was given the opportunity to teach Pre and Beginning ballet. She enjoyed teaching and dancing at the Academy before attending Hope College for three terms as a Dance Major. Kailen looks forward to teaching again and appreciates the opportunities she has been given by the Academy of Dance Arts. Kailen’s specialty is teaching young students the art of ballet.

Kristy Clement began dancing at an early age at Rockford School of Dance in Rockford, MI. She studied tap, jazz, and ballet until graduating from high school in 2003. She then attended Albion College working toward a minor in dance under the direction of Melissa Wyss. At Albion College she studied ballet with Barbara Banasikowski Smith. As a student and teacher’s assistant, Kristy became increasingly interested in modern dance and choreography. She choreographed five pieces over four years for the Albion Dancers Spring Performance, utilizing poetry, photography, history, art, and original music. She also choreographed three musicals for the Albion College Theatre, Quick Change Room, Cabaret, and Fiddler on the Roof. Kristy performed in several pieces by guest choreographers including three solo parts. In the Fall of 2005, she attended the New York Arts Program in New York City holding two internships at Merce Cunningham Dance Studio and a small publishing company, Granary Books. During here senior year, she completed an honors thesis titled: Why Merce?: Merce Cunningham’s Influence on Choreography and Modern Dance. Kristy graduated in 2007 with a BA in English and a minor in Dance. For the next year, she taught tap, jazz, and ballet in Indianapolis, IN before returning to Michigan. Kristy will be teaching Modern Dance at the Academy.