Janet L. Springer

Janet L. Springer is an American ballet dancer, artistic director, choreographer, and specialist in classical ballet. She was a professional dancer in the early 1970s with the Oklahoma City Ballet. She is a ballet pedagogue, specializing in the method of teaching classical dance; the six and eight year program of ballet training developed by Agrippina Vaganova, and Vaganova's assistant, Vera Kostrovitskaya.

Janet L. Springer
Born
Amarillo, Texas, U.S.
Occupationballet dancer, artistic director, choreographer, and specialist in classical ballet

Early life
Janet L. Springer as a teenager at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Photo courtesy of the Interlochen Special Collections and Archives; photographer Dugald Munro
Janet L. Springer

Janet L. Springer was born in Amarillo, Texas. Her mother was Emily (Wentzel) Springer, a math teacher.[1] Her father was Berl M. Springer, a chief executive officer for the South Western Public Service Company.[2] She graduated from Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas.

She started her early dance training with Neil Hess in Amarillo, and continued her ballet studies with Mieczyslaw "Maestro" Pianowski, who was Anna Pavlova's ballet master for 13 years.[3] [4] Springer also studied ballet at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan.[5][6]

In her early 20s, Springer danced in the musical drama "Texas."[7][8] She also danced in several ballet productions while studying at the University of Oklahoma.[9] [10] [11]

Career

Springer received her BFA in Ballet at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, and her MA in ballet from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.[12] She studied the Russian ballet schools choreographic teaching method with John Barker, who was a leading American authority on Russian classical ballet in the West.[13] [14][15] Barker studied under Agrippina Vaganova's assistant, Vera Kostrovitskaya at the Vaganova Academy.[14]

Springer furthered her ballet pedagogical studies at the White Nights teachers courses at the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Springer was the artistic and executive director of the Ballet Center, Community Music School of Buffalo, New York for eight years. She was the Artistic Director of the Colorado Ballet Company and School in Pueblo, Colorado, and the founder of the Colorado Outdoor Performing Arts Association.[16] She also taught at the Boston Ballet School for two years. Springer was the founding artistic director of the New York School of Classical Dance in New York City.[17] She was also the director of the International Youth Ballet festival in the U.S. and St. Petersburg, Russia in association with Oleg Vinogradov[18][19] She is currently the executive director of the non profit organization, Classical Dance Alliance, based in New York City.[20] The organization hosts ballet teachers courses, featuring guest teachers such as Vladimir Kolesnekov[21] who danced with the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg,Russia and Irina Kolpakova. She also teaches ballet teacher’s courses in classical dance at the Ana Köhler School of Dance in Lisbon, Portugal in conjunction with CID UNESCO International Dance Council.

Springer also produced and directed, Musical Compositions for Historical Dance Lessons, arranged and performed by pianist, Marina Gendel.

References
  1. "Obituary: Emily W Springer". The Marshall News Messenger. August 31, 2014. p. A5. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Obituary: Berl Springer". The Desert Sun. March 30, 2000. p. 14. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Dancers from the Neil Hess School of Dance set to dance at Spring Dance Festival". The Amarillo Globe Times. May 31, 1962. p. 7. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Janet Springer". Amarillo Daily News. March 20, 1968. p. 3. Retrieved January 21, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  5. "Amarillo Girls in Concert at Interlochen". The Amarillo Globe Times. August 24, 1966. p. 36. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "7 Young People of Amarillo Busy at National Music Camp". Amarillo Sunday News Globe. Amarillo, Texas. August 8, 1965. p. 27.
  7. "Texas Dance Members". The Canyon News. August 9, 1970. p. 6. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "'Texas'". The Canyon News. May 31, 1970. p. 9. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "In Romeo and Juliet". The Amarillo Globe Times. April 24, 1968. p. 6. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Dancers Stage Rarity in ballet". The Daily Oklahoman. April 27, 1969. p. 174. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Talent Experience Abounds in Ballet Performance of Giselle". The Daily Oklahoman. November 1, 1968. p. 6. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Peter Piper Players Slate Production of 'Peter Pan'". Amarillo Sunday News Globe. Amarillo, Texas. July 26, 1970. p. 27.
  13. "Dancers Experience Friendshp". Clovis News-Journal. August 15, 1977. p. 11. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. Willis-Aarnio, Peggy (2003). Agrippina Vaganova (1879-1951) : her place in the history of ballet and her impact on the future of classical dance. Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen. pp. 497 & 564. ISBN 9780773470743.
  15. "Centre Sets New Classes for Ballet". Tonawanda News. Tonawanda, New York. January 21, 1976. p. 4.
  16. {{cite news|title=Dance Teacher hopes to build a Company|newspaper=Pueblo Chieftain|location=Pueblo, Colorado|date=October 12, 1986}}
  17. "New York School of Classical Dance". Archived New York School of Classical Dance website. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  18. "Youth ballet to perform Friday". The St. Augustine Record. St. Augustine, Florida. June 25, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  19. "Russian Ballet Master Finds New Home in Daytona Beach Area". The Daytona Beach News-Journal Online. August 20, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Classical Dance Alliance". Guidestar. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  21. "Instructors Attend Conference". The Daily Tribune. October 12, 2007. p. 9. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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