Artistic Director
Ms. Lucia Kuimova
STATEMENT OF TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
I believe it is my mission as a teacher to provide an educational environment that can foster the intellectual and personal growth of young performing artists so that they may achieve their fullest potential as professional dancers, leaders, and citizens of the world. I look for the best in every one of my students, and teach them to recognize their own progress as artists.
I see the arts as a cross-cultural bridge for communication across the world. The opportunity to work amid diverse cultures promotes the growth of friendships that transcend potential ethnic barriers. Diversity of styles and personalities in countries where I have toured have enriched my teaching pallet, and extended the scope of my choreography.
Those teachers who encouraged me to express myself were my most valuable mentors, sharing with me their mission to bring art to life as a potent communication, full of inspiration, imagination, creativity, and joy. Recalling when I was a young dancer myself, my favorite memories remain from those teachers who encouraged me to always dance and work and treat others with personal authenticity. Those wonderful teachers became my most valuable mentors, sharing with me their mission to bring art to life as a potent communication, full of inspiration, imagination, creativity, and joy.
Prior to coming to New Orleans, Ms. Lucia was a full-time faculty member for the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the United States. Lucia received her Vaganova Ballet training in Russia. After graduating Perm State University of Fine Arts with Masters Degrees in Choreography and Ballet Pedagogy, she immediately joined the University faculty, and later graduated with a PhD in Ballet Pedagogy.
She has toured internationally as a Principal Dancer with The Russian Ballet in many countries including France, Japan, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, Romania, and the United States. Lucia is a guest teacher and choreographer for the top ballet schools and universities of the United States. Her credits as Guest Teacher and Choreographer include SAB, the official school of New York City Ballet, the American Academy of Ballet in New York, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle Pacific University, the University of Washington in Seattle, Olympic Ballet Theater, Tacoma Contemporary Ballet, and the Florida Dance Masters Convention.
Lucia serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra and has served as a coach for Greater New Orleans and Northshore ballet students for the annual Moscow State Great Russian Nutcracker International Tour in the Saenger Theater.