We are pleased to have with us once again as a guest artist, Alan Obuzor! Alan danced the lead role of John Rolfe in our 2009 ballet, "Pocahontas". Originally from Pittsburgh, Alan began dancing at the age of nine. Two years later he went to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, where he trained until he joined their professional company at the age of seventeen. While in the school Alan was a recipient of the very prestigious 1998 Princess Grace Foundation Dance Honorarium. Since joining PBT company Alan has danced Principal and soloist role in ballets such as "The Nutcracker," "Swan Lake," Symphony in C," "Carmina Burana," and "Divertimento 15". He has also worked with many prominent choreographers, such as Ben Stevenson, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, and Kevin O'day. At PBT Alan has been selected to originate roles in ballets choreographed by Dwight Rhoden, Derek Deane, Matjash Mrozewski and Jiabin Pan. Alan has also choreographed ballets for PBT, PBTS, The Dancer Trust, Point Park, as well as Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Alan has been teaching for the past six years and is currently on the teaching faculty at PBTS.

Our choreographer, Dale Brannon, originally trained in Indianapolis and then studied and danced with the Stuttgart Ballet in Germany where he was influenced by many famous teachers, choreographers and dancers. Upon returning to America, he danced as a principal dancer with Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio and Louisville Ballet in Kentucky.  Many of Brannon's story ballets have been originally set on Young People’s Ballet, including: Snow White, Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates, Aladdin and Tales from the Arabian Nights, The Secret Garden, The Little Match Girl, Bottom of the Ninth, The Little Princess, Little Orphan Annie, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (a revision), The Tale of the Little Mermaid, Little Women and, in 2009, Pocahontas.