Robert "Bobby" Clarke
Nina Novak (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo)
Gillian Quin (R.A.D. Exams England)
Christalia Volatis
Stephen Woodham
Profiles of the Teachers
Robert "Bobby" Clarke
A graduate of the Jamaica School of Drama, Bobby has performed as a dancer, actor and singer in various productions. He has taught drama and acting at many theatrical groups and schools. He has also done films and commercials for radio and television. He is currently a producer and presenter with The Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.
Bobby has won bronze, silver and gold medals in The Jamaica Cultural Development's Festival of Performing Arts. He played the role of Drosselmeyer in the 1995 and 1996 productions of The Ballet Centre's Nutcracker Suite.
Nina Novak
Nina Novak, renowned internationally for her extensive artistic career, is the founder of the Venezuelan Classical Ballet Company. Born in Warsaw, Poland, she began her study of Ballet at the age of eight at the Warsaw Opera Ballet School, under the guidance of prestigious teachers like Leon Woscikowski and Bronislawa Nijinska. After a period o intensive work in her own country, as a classical ballet student, during which she performed in numerous events, she went to New York in 1948 and joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, directed by S. J. Demham. Climbing the ranks at a fast speed, she became the first soloist and shortly after being acclaimed by the critics she reached the rank of "Prima Ballerina".
In addition to being the Prima Ballerina and the Ballet Mistress of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, she was also profoundly interested in choreography. Her first choreographic work "Variations Classique" was so successful at its premiere that it occupied a prominent place in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlos' repertoire.
Nina settled in Caracas, Venezuela and in 1964 began training classical dancers there. She created her own Company, the Venezuelan Classical Ballet Company, with young dancers from that country. Her main purpose was to develop great dancers and project them around the world. Her company performed throughout Venezuela, the USA, Columbia, Costa Rica, Panama, EL Salvador, Trinidad, Aruba and Haiti. Nina appeared in the Great Scene of the Warsaw Opera by special invitation.
In 1982 Nina prepared the young Venezuelan dancer Alexis Zubiria for the Jackson International Dance Competition, where he won the silver medal. On the commemoration of their 20th year in Venezuela, she officially said goodbye in a gala performance of her Company at the Municipal Theatre of Caracas.
Nina Novak then joined the Teresa Carreno Complex as Director for the Classical Repertoire in 1985, with her dancers playing major roles. During that year, she received the Conac Award for Classical Dance and The Municipal Award for Dance.
In 1986 she again prepared dancers for the International Dance Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, in which her students stood out among participants from all over the world. Cristina Gallardo took second place and Maria Elena Ruiz was the third finalist. She continues to train young people from different countries including Jamaica where she has held Classical Ballet Workshops.
In 1987 the President of the Republic bestowed upon Nina Novak the Order of Andres Bello of the First Order.
Gillian Quinn
As well as running her school Gillian Quinn founded the North of England College of Dance of which she is the Principal. She is also the artistic director of Ballet Nomad as well as Dance Kaleidoscope Youth Dance Theatre.
An advisor to North Tyneside College Theatre's Performing Arts courses, Gillian became an international children's examiner for the R. A. D. In 1969.
A great friend of The Ballet Centre, Gillian has over the years conducted workshops and choreographed dances for Ballet Dimensions. Gillian trained with Nellie Pots, Audrey DeVos and also with Madam Preobrayenska in Paris.
Christalia Volatis
In January 1997 Christalia Volaitis joined The Ballet Centre's Mandeville Studio. She teaches the pre-primary classes. Along with other young mothers she also runs her own pre-school.
Christalia has a Master of Arts in Dance and has taught modern dance, creative movement and yoga. She is married with two young sons.
Stephen Woodham
(information on Stephen Woodham to be provided in the future)