Marlowe Inglis - Director
Julio Montano - Artistic Director
Gissell Durand - Assistant Director
Julio Montano - Artistic Director
Gissell Durand - Assistant Director
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Julio Montano: Artistic Director, Ballet Instructor, and Choreographer. Julio is a native of Pinar del Rio-Cuba. His career started at the age of 17 at Ballet de Camaguey under the direction of Fernando Alonso. In 1993, Julio was chosen by the director of the cuban ballet company to perform in Lima-Peru at the official ballet company of the country, Ballet Nacional del Peru, under the direction of Olga Shimazaki as principal dancer. In 1995 Julio won the Circe Prize top award for artists in Peru. In 2002 after 9 years of performing in South America, he moved to the United States to perform with Tulsa Ballet under the direction of Marcello Angellini for two seasons. As a dancer, he participated in festivals and tours throughout the world performing in Chile, Paraguay, Panama, Bolivia, Mexico, USA, Portugal, etc. He has danced and performed a number of important leading roles in such classical productions as Cinderella, Paquita, Don Quixote, Coppelia, Raymonda, Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Le Corsaire, The Nutcracker, Sherezade, Majissimo and others. His neoclassical and contemporary repertoire include Duende, The Leaves are Fading, Lady of the Camelias, Nine Lives, Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, Revoltango, Romeo & Juliet, El Alma de las Cosas, among others. During 2005-2006 season, Julio was working at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Patel Conservatory as Interim Co- Director of the Classical Ballet Training Program together with Sandra Robinson. He participated as judge for the National Society of Arts and Letters 2006 Dance Competition. In 2010,2012 and 2015 he was awarded the Outstanding Coach Award at the American Dance Competition (Daytona Beach,FL). In 2018 he received the Outstanding Teacher Award at YAGP (Tampa) and the Outstanding Coach Award at Universal Ballet Competition (Atlanta). In 2019, he was given the Outstanding Coach Award at Universal Ballet Competition. As a ballet master, Julio has given ballet instruction at the University of South Florida, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Orlando Ballet School, School Of Classical Ballet and Dance, etc. and has been invited to join the faculty for summer programs in different ballet schools in USA and South America. Julio has trained and continues training students for The American Dance Competition, The American Ballet Competition, Youth America Grand Prix, Universal Ballet Competition and World Ballet Competition on a regional and national level, his students win top awards and receive scholarships to prestigious ballet schools and universities in the country. Julio has trained students for Prix de Lausanne and won the Outstanding Teacher Award at YAGP Tampa 2021. Julio is part of the faculty of The Next Generation Ballet at Patel Conservatory and he has been the Artistic Director of All American Classical Ballet School since its inception in 2006.
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Gissell Durand: Assistant Director, Ballet Instructor and Choreographer. Gissell is a native of Lima-Peru, her professional career started at the age of 16 at the official ballet company of her country Ballet Nacional del Peru under the direction of Olga Shimazaki as soloist I and after 3 years she was promoted to principal soloist. As a dancer, she participated in festivals and tours performing in Bolivia, Chile, USA, etc. She has performed a number of important leading roles in classical productions as Paquita, Raymonda, Don Quixote, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Sherezade, The Nutcracker, Giselle, among others. Gissell studied Flamenco and Peruvian Folklore as a complement to her artistic development and she has also participated in publicity events as choreographer and dancer. She has given ballet instruction at the University of South Florida and at local ballet schools. She has trained and continues training students for The American Dance Competition, The American Ballet Competition, Youth America Grand Prix, Universal Ballet Competition and World Ballet Competition on a regional and national level. She was awarded the Outstanding Choreographer Award at YAGP 2010 (Orlando,FL) YAGP 2012 and 2014 (Tampa,FL) and YAGP 2015 and 2016 (Atlanta,GA) and at ADC/IBC 2012 and 2014 (Daytona Beach, FL). In 2010 she was awarded the Outstanding Coach Award and in 2015 she received The Avant Garde Award at ADC/IBC (Daytona Beach,FL). She also received the Outstanding Teacher Award at YAGP 2018 (Tampa,FL) and the Outstanding Coach Award at Universal Ballet Competition 2018 (Atlanta,GA). Her pieces were chosen to perform at the YAGP "Stars Of Today Meet The Stars Of Tomorrow” 2012, 2014 and 2018, at the WBC Gala "All Stars Of Dance" 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018, at "ADC/IBC Gala" 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018 and at "Florida Youth Dance Gala" 2015. Gissell participated as judge and ballet master for the National Society of Arts and Letters 2017 Dance Competition. In 2019, she received an Outstanding Choreographer Award at YAGP and Outstanding Coach Award at UBC. She has trained students for Prix de Lausanne and won the Outstanding Teacher Award at YAGP Tampa 2021. She recently won Best choreographer Award at National Ballet Competition (Delaware) 2021.
