Today we’d like to introduce you to Leigh Brockman Horowitz
Hi Leigh, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My grandmother put me in Ballet/Tap classes when I was 2 or 3 at a small local studio in a suburb of New Orleans, LA, where I grew up. Around 5, I moved to the preeminent Classical Ballet studio in the area at the time, Lelia Haller School of Classical Ballet. Through my years there, I studied Ballet, Pointe, Character Dance, Flamenco, Folk Dance, and even dabbled in choreography. We performed in small and large venues – think Mardi Gras Balls – so I was introduced to performance early.
Other childhood and collegiate endeavors included theater, stage production, chorales, swimming, swing dance, judicial boards, and more – all of which taught me different sides of production skills, but also about community, teamwork and commitment.
After college, I spent three years as a JV (Jesuit Volunteer) on a reservation in WA State – the Colville Reservation – where I was introduced to Indigenous Art, Dance and Music, while also teaching at the school, K-8th. While in WA, I began dancing, teaching, choreographing, stage managing and performing with a local studio and theater there (Lorrie Fraley Wilson School of Dance and Okanogan Valley Orchestra & Chorus). These years cemented my drive and passion for the entire spectrum of what it is to dance and perform.
Upon arriving back in New Orleans, I began intensive study of the Vaganova Ballet syllabus through Loyola University New Orleans’ Ballet Program (now closed). Under the direction and mentorship of Laura Zambrano and Gayle Parmelee, my love for this particular curriculum grew. They invested in my technical side, while simultaneously encouraging me to study pedagogy.
I began TA-ing in the Loyola Ballet program as a possible teacher, while dancing and performing. I joined the Komenka Ethnic Dance & Music Ensemble, a local character/folk dance company, for whom I danced for 13 years, performing all over the world, while keeping up my ballet pedagogy studies.
I was very lucky during my pedagogy study years to study under Maestro Vladimir Issaev in his teacher’s program (Vaganova Years 1-5) through the Arts Ballet Theater of Florida. I also studied Character Dance pedagogy (Year 1) under Inna Stabrova of the Ohio Conservatory. These certification programs changed my teaching practices in very real ways.
Working, teaching and dancing out of New Orleans for 16 years completely defined my life and changed the trajectory of my focus in teaching.
After moving to St. Louis in 2016, and having my kiddo, I began teaching Character Dance, Classical Ballet and Pointe at COCA. Through their program, I went through ABT’s (American Ballet Theater) National Training Curriculum (Levels Pre-Primary through Year 5). I worked with their youth Pre-Professional Division and Company, as well as teaching in their Early Years Ballet Program. I founded their Ballet for Musical Theater Classes and this is where I began teaching Adult Ballet.
Having not taught Adult Ballet before, I was nervous that I’d be too intense or too critical for Adults, but what I found instead was a community HUNGRY to learn and be taught. That was intoxicating and inspiring.
When COVID hit, my adults wanted to dance a lot – to keep up community and activity in a difficult time – and so, I switched my focus from working with pre-professional youth to solely teaching adults, and haven’t looked back.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Life is never a fully smooth road, is it? Here are some of my personal struggles along the way that directly affect my teaching today:
•Undiagnosed ADHD & Dyscalculia (until I was 48);
•Being a “late bloomer” and not finding my path until my 20’s; and
•Always being the “bigger” dancer in any school, company, production I was in.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about SSBM Adult Ballet Program?
I specialize in training Adult Ballet Dancers within the Vaganova syllabus, a syllabus mostly regarded as a for-youth-only syllabus. By adjusting the syllabus for Adult Dancers, my dancers begin training as Absolute Beginners. They go through conditioning, strength training and slow, scaffolded beginner classes that ensure fundamental understanding and progressive technique, which lessens overwhelm while also reducing and preventing injury.
We are NOT a recreational ballet class for adults, which is what sets us apart. We have fun, but this program is for the serious adult ballet student who desires to learn ballet as their youthful counterparts do in the best programs around the world.
I’m most proud of the community we have built that truly takes care of one another. I’m also very proud and grateful that part of this care are students who put forth a little financial aid every semester which helps me be able to scholarship students. Part of our mission is that financial hardship should not stop a dancer from achieving their dreams.
Last, but not least, I am super proud to be responsive to my dancers’ desires and dreams. It’s this open communication and responsiveness that’s brought about longer class-times, pointe classes, yearly intensives and even yearly performance opportunities for my adult dancers!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Favorite Childhood Memory in Dance?
Choreographing and performing “Flight of the Bumblebees” with my best friend during our studio’s Summer Intensive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sassysouthernballetmama.com
- Instagram: @sassysouthernballetmama
