AIE Directory

Residency Artist - Dance

Verb Ballets

Dr. Margaret Carlson, Director Richard Dickinson, Rehearsal, Education & Outreach
3445 Warrensville Center Rd
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
Phone: (216) 397-3757
Website: www.verbballets.org

The Residency Experience:
Education is integral to the mission of Verb Ballets. Verb Ballets offers outreach residencies and lecture demonstrations in a variety of settings, including schools, community centers, arts institutions, and healthcare facilities. It is the goal of our community outreach programs to connect the experience of dance to people in exciting and vibrant ways. Our integrated curriculum residences offer students and teachers the opportunity to learn how movement relates to subjects such as science, social studies, language arts, and math. Through improvisation and dance composition exercises, students create dances to explore and reinforce themes they are learning in other subjects. Integrated curriculum lessons are created in collaboration with classroom teachers, follow Content Standards, and can be tailored to the specific needs of each class.
Our Artistic Work:
Verb Ballets ignites audience passion and participation in contemporary dance. Under the leadership of Director, Dr. Margaret Carlson, Verb strives to support and foster emerging talent, to present excellence in contemporary choreographers, and to revive and honor modern dance classics. The company strives to be a thought leader in cultivating dance appreciation and support through education and outreach programs.
My Training and Professional Experience:
Verb Ballets--formerly The Cleveland Repertory Project--was formed in 1987 incorporated in 1989 and received non-profit status in 1991. During this time, the company gained a reputation for artistic excellence and exemplary outreach programs. In 2002 the Board of Directors re-organized the company and named Hernando Cortez the new Artistic Director and Dr. Margaret Carlson Executive Director. In January 2009, Mr. Cortez left the company to pursue other artistic aims and Dr. Carlson took on the role of Chief Executive and Artistic Officer. Since then, corps cohesion has generated new choreography performed with strong artistic precision, garnering support from audiences and media alike. Beginning in 2002, the organization moved away from post modern dance to focus on classic and emerging contemporary dance such as: Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, Heinz Poll and George Balanchine. Touring and other means to bring Cleveland and Verb Ballets national recognition have become important. When Dance Magazine designated us one of the "25 dance companies in America to watch" in 2003, our growing national reputation called for a change of name. As Verb Ballets, the company has grown steadily. There are 3 programs by which we accomplish our missions: performances (mini & full concerts), educational outreach in schools and community settings and nurturing wellness through our work with senior citizens and hospitalized patients. Dr. Margaret Carlson (Director) has international expertise in performing, teaching, choreographing, and working in a variety of settings. Dr. Carlson was an original member of the Cleveland Ballet, serving as a Principal dancer from 1972-1983. Also a member of Actors Equity, she performed in numerous musical theatre tours throughout the 1970's, including Sweet Charity, Ballroom, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Brigadoon, Mame, Hello Dolly! And The Merry Widow. For many years, she choreographed for the Cleveland Opera. Dr. Carlson served as Director of the School of Dance at the University of Akron from 1985-1993. In 1993, she became Dean of the School of Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, until she returned to Cleveland in 1999. She then served as the Development and Education Director for the Cleveland San Jose Ballet. She consulted both nationally and locally through her company, Carlson Consulting Group, Inc., with groups that have included The American Dance Guild, Chinese Performing Artists of America, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Ohio Ballet, Dancing Wheels, Ohio Youth Ballet, Ohio Conservatory of Dance, Tom and Susana Evert Dance Theatre, and White Cloud Studios. Dr. Carlson founded the American Alliance of Dance Artists and served as its first President. She has served as a Board member and officer for Kids on Broadway, DANCECleveland, the Cleveland Ballet Council, the American Dance Guild, the Council of Dance Administrators, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Dance Company and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund. She served as the secretary of the International Organization for Transition for Professional Dancers, a sub-committee of UNESCO, based in Switzerland from 1998-2006, and was Treasurer and Board member of the American Dance Guild in NYC and was its vice-president for 10 years. She is known for her work as the regisseur for the works of Ian (Ernie) Horvath. She received her doctorate from Durham University in the United Kingdom.