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| Photo by Dan Johnson |
Wil McKnight, Founder
and Artistic Director of Texas Dance Theatre, began his dance training with The Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre under the direction
of Molly Buchmann and Sharon Mathews. At the age of 14 he received a full scholarship to attend a summer course at the
School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. At the age of 15 he moved to New York
City to study at SAB year round, where he studied with Stanley Williams, Andrei Kramarevsky, and Richard Rapp. He also received scholarships and trained with Kirov Academy of Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet,
Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, and North Carolina School of the Arts. Mr. McKnight has performed professionally with
Colorado Ballet, New York City's Ballet for Young Audiences, Ballet Long Island, and the former Ballet Dallas. He was
a member of The Carlisle Project in Aspen, Colorado, where he performed original works by choreographer Toni Pimble.
“Each program during the 2010-11 season will feature world premieres each night, including
in November a new ballet by Fort Worth-based choreographer Bruce Wood. Rather than full-length story ballets, my inspiration
comes from shorter pieces; newer, more contemporary stuff. At a Texas Dance Theatre performance you will see new works by
established choreographers such as Wood and former New York City Ballet soloist Mel Tomlinson, as well as works by emerging
talented choreographers, both local and national. Although we perform a wide range of repertoire, each dancer has a solid
classical foundation--then we take that and push it in a different direction.
Bringing dance to our community
is a process of discovery. Texas Dance Theatre began in December of 2008, and has reached out into the community attracting
children, youth, adults and seniors across all cultures and socio-economic levels by participating in free public performances
as well as presenting ticketed performances. Texas Dance Theatre continues to present high-caliber public performances, as
well as free community performances, lecture demonstrations, and school performances during its 2010-11 Season."
Wil McKnight, Artistic Director
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