| Karrie Benedict Exploring Dance Karrie Benedict has 30 years of dance experience as a performer, choreographer and teacher. Karrie began her early training in Ballet in Kalamazoo, Michigan studying the syllabus of The Royal Academy of Dance with teacher Therese Bullard, an advanced member of the Academy and former member of The Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She was a founding member and soloist with The Kalamazoo Ballet under the direction of Ms. Bullard. Karrie graduated in 1982 with a BFA in Dance from York University, Toronto, Ontario. While at York she studied Ballet with Yves Cousineau and Karen Bowes Sewell, both of The National Ballet of Canada; Graham Technique with David Woods of the Toronto Dance Theatre; composition with Robert Desrosiers founder of Desrosiers Dance Theatre, and Jazz with members of La Ballet Jazz de Montreal. In the mid 1980s, Karrie studied Hawkins Technique with Kalamazoo’s Wellspring Dance Collaborative, where she performed in several of their Dance Forums. In the early 1990’s, Ms. Benedict moved to Urbana, Illinois where she studied and performed Limon Technique under the direction of Limon Company dancer Chester Wolenski of The White Street Arts Centre. In 1999 Karrie accepted the position of Elementary and Middle School Dance teacher at Concord Academy in Petoskey, Michigan. While at Concord she choreographed numerous pieces for both Dance and Theater and founded Concord’s Middle School Dance Company. Karrie joined the Dance Department this year, instructing Dance On Stage and Composition classes at Crooked Tree Arts Center and Harbor Springs Community Schools. In addition to teaching at Crooked Tree Arts Center, and Harbor Springs Community Schools, Karrie taught dance classes through the 21st Century Artist Grant, and recently choreographed Beauty And The Beast for The Little Traverse Civic Theatre, and The Association For Harbor Arts. |
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Photo by: Randy Goss