 THE FACULTY
Phyllis Papa, Artistic Director
Phyllis Papa, International Ballet Star and the founding Director of the Atlantic City Ballet ( formally the Atllantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre, toured extensively throughout the world as a member of American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Danish Ballet and Stars of American Ballet. She performed at the White House for President Johnson during an Official Dinner as well as Royal Command Performances in Europe for King Frederick, Queen Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, the Shar of Iran and many dignitaries.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts has awarded her two fellowship grants for choreography. The first award was for her ballet Concerto Vivaldi, the second she received in 1982 for her work, Clear Water.
In 1982 Miss Papa founded the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre, a professional ballet company, which tours in its surrounding tri-state area. This year marks their 24th anniversary. Miss Papa has choreographed over thirty ballets for the company as well as directing and producting three Shakespearean plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest and Hamlet.
She has been on faculty of the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Development in Philadelphia where Miss Papa works and teaches students both well and brain injured.
In June 1998 Miss Papa received the Brazilian Gold Medal of Honor. Diplomats from Brazil, England, Italy, China, Japan and the United States awarded her with this gold medal.
Miss Papa has been justly acclaimed as "One of the finest dancers and teachers on the American scene today."
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 Robert Hill, Dance
Robert Hill began his dance training at the age of seventeen at the Dussich Dance Studio in Florida. After studying at the School of American Ballet on scholarship, he attended the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts for a year. Prior to joining the American Ballet Theatre in 1982, he danced with Phyllis Papa at the ACBT in Atlantic City for three years. As a charter member of the ACBT Miss Papa trained and coached him everyday preparing him for a major company as a principal dancer. Mr. Hill's roles with American Ballet Theatre include High Brahmin in La Bayadere, the Prince in Cinderella, Her Pastor in Fall River Legend, the Baron in Caite Parisienne, Albrecht in Giselle and many more. Mr. Hill also created leading roles in Americans We, States of Grace and Cruel World. He was appointed a solist with American Ballet Theatre in 1986 until 1988 when he joined New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet, Ballet Teatro all Scala, the Scottish Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. Mr. Hill has also choreographed including Baroque Game for American Ballet Theatre.Mr. Hill is a guest teacher at our Summer Intensive Performing Arts Camp. |
 Marius Iorgulescu : Marius was born in Romania where he began his training. He joined the Romanian Opera House in Bucharest, Romania in 1996 and toured between 1997 and 2001. He danced major roles in Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and others throughout Europe. He joined Atlantic City Ballet in January of 2002 & has danced principle roles in Dracula, Swan Lake, A Midsummer Night’s Dream & The Nutcracker. Mr. Iorgulesvu teaches both ballet and modern dance for the ACBT Performing Arts Academy & International Performing Arts Camp. |
Tamara de Ment : Tamara began her training under Phyllis Papa at ACBT. She has performed as Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sugar Plum in The Nutcracker & Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty to name a few. Tamara, also an accomplished professional songwriter & musician, plays the Violin & Harp . She is a full time Ballet instructor & violin teacher at the ACBT Performing Arts Academy.
Tim Chester:Tim began dancing at Jersey Cape Dance& Gymnastic Academy. He continued with Phyllis Papa at ACBT & became a member of the ACB in 2004. Tim has danced with Monarch Dance Company & the Figments Dance Ensemble. He holds a BA in Theater Performance from the Richard Stockton College of NJ. His roles include; Rodolpho in A View From a Bridge, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, & Chinese& Soldier Doll in The Nutcracker. Tim also serves as a judge for the Touching the Stars talent competition. He teaches jazz, lyrical & strect class at the Academy.
Chenee' de Ment : Born and raised in NJ. Chenee trained with Phyllis Papa at ACBT. In 2005 she moved to NYC to continue her training with the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre where she danced in Cinderella, Sylvia & Les Corsaire at the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC. Chenee has danced principle roles in Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream ,Visions, & The Nutcracker with AC Ballet. Chanee' is ACBT's biokinetic instructor.
Eduard Constantinescu: “Eddie” graduated from the Ballet High School of Bucharest, Romania. He has performed in numerous ballets including the Flower’s Festival & Papillion as well as selected pieces from Coppelia & La Fille Mal Gardee. Eddie also danced with the National Opera in Bucharest. He is making his debut this fall at ACB with dracula. Eddie teaches Ballet At ACBT.
Ionut Zaharia: ”Johnny” comes to the ACB from Bucharest, Romania where he studied with the Ballet High School in Bucharest, Gilbert Mayer of the Paris Opera & Sergiu Stenfansky from the Canada Ballet. He has received top prizes in international competitions including the Oleg Danovsky International Dance Festival & the National Competition in Romania. He has danced in Giselle, la Fille Mal Gardee, La Sylphide & Coppelia to name a few. Johnny teaches Ballet at ACBT.
DaVon Doane:DaVon is a full time academic student & apprentice at Acbt. He has danced roles in La Familia, Come Join the Dance & Eclipse. In Nutcracker he performed the roles of Soldier Doll, Snow Prince, Spanish, Trepak, Flowers, & the Nutcracker. DeVon teaches Hip Hop with ACBT. His Choreography has been performed by the ACBT International Performing Arts Camp at Kennedy Plaza in Atlantic City.
Suzanne Silver: Suzanne began training with ACBT in 1994 & has been dancing with the company since 2001. She has performed numerous roles including Dew Drop & Trepak in The Nutcracker & Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Suzanne teaches ballet for the ACBT Academic Intensive program.
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Dr. Stephen Huber,Company Pianist
After receiving a degree in music with concentration in piano from Earlham College, Stephen Huber started his career as a ballet pianist in 1973. Prior to joining the staff at the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre, he accompanied master classes and school classes for some of the finest ballet companies, dancers and teachers including Phyllis Papa (Royal Danish Ballet), Peter Martins (New York City Ballet), Michele Renault (Paris Opera Ballet), Oleg and Mirelle Briansky (Leningrad Kirov Ballet), and Paul Wagner (Pennsylvania Ballet and Le Grande Ballet Canadien). He has recorded for both film and television. In addition to piano accompanyment for ballet classes his duties at ACBT include training pianists to be ballet accompanists and recording/edit/arrangement of music for performances. In addition, Dr. Huber teaches piano at Arcadia University.
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 Edda Harper, Theater, Voice, Youth Camp
Edda, an acting and voice coach, has over twenty years of professional singing and acting experience both on stage and in television. She developed an acting curriculum for her own company, Young Actors Studio. This curriculum has been implemented in a Charter High School and Private Elementary School in South Jersey. Her classes are designed for the young impressionable performing artist with emphasis on inner knowledge and strength. Areas of study include cold readings, rehearsal and audition technique, improvisation, character development, stage presence and general stage knowledge. Edda is a favorite with our young campers. She has been with the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre for twelve years.
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Ben Werner, Swimming
Ben is currently a student at Rutgers University majoring in Sports Medicine. A certified American Red Cross swim instructor, Ben has been a lifeguard at the Marriott Seaview Golf Resort and Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa for five years. His experiences and interests include working with youth in a variety of environments. He worked with children of all ages when he did mission work in local communities in West Virginia and Mexico. A black belt in Tae Kwan Doe, he has enjoyed teaching children the benefits of martial arts for several years. Ben has been a staff member of the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre for four years.
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