Posted on October 23, 2013
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Lauren Bettencourt, born in Endwell, NY, is currently the ballet director at Progressions Performing Arts dance studio. She began her dance training at age five under the instruction of Tina Cristina Price. At age thirteen, she started training the Vaganova technique under Rafael Grigorian. With him, Miss Bettencourt performed leading roles in The Nutcracker, and Baba Yaga. Lauren went to Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in 2003. There she performed in many works by George Balanchine, Alan Hineline, Richard Cook, and Marcia Dale Weary. Some of her favorites include Serenade, Divertimento #15, and Raymonda Variations by George Balanchine, and Alan Hineline's Twist, Sleepy Hallow, Coppelia, and Concerto in D. In 2006, she became an apprentice with Ballet Austin where she had the chance to work with many new choreographers and techniques. Miss Bettencourt was part of many original works such as The Monologue Project by Thaddeus Davis, and Ven Pronto by Gina Patterson as well as company works by Stephen Mills, Thang Dao, and Dwight Rhoden. After Ballet Austin, Lauren joined Dominic Walsh Dance Theater in Houston, TX. She has had the opportunity to perform the leading roles in some of Dominic's world premiers such as The Trilogy: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and The Nutcracker. Other pieces she has performed include Walsh's For the Two of You, Romeo and Juliet, Le Spectre de la Rose, Bello, Sleeping Beauty, Titus Andronicus, and I Napoletani. 
We are back in Houston and still catching our breath from the exhilarating experience of our debut at the Joyce Theater in New York City. We are so grateful to everyone who supported this trip, to our wonderful artists who were magnificent and to the Joyce Theater for inviting DWDT to be a part of this program.
Mark Kappel, Editor of Newsnotes Dance Blog said, "The style of choreography is modern dance that is both uniform and symmetrical -- and also dramatically compelling. The tensions between the principal characters are not hidden below the surface but are amplified in the choreography itself." Read the full review HERE.
He continued to surpass my expectations when I created some heavy acting and darker roles for him like, Titus Andronicus, Mozart, Victor Frankenstein, and my favorite role in Romeo & Juliet, Tybalt. What he has done in Camille Claudel as Camille's Mother, Rodin and The Waltzers, is equally powerful, and his portrayal of The Swan in Swan Lake is- for me- transcendent.
We are thrilled to share that this season he will continue to dance in most of our productions, while dancing as a Soloist with the Colorado Ballet, a company with wonderful dancers and a strong artistic team. We look forward to his ever developing growth and are so looking forward all he will bring to our NYC performances." ~ Dominic Walsh
Domenico Luciano from Naples, Italy joined Dominic Walsh Dance Theater in 2005. Having made his American debut with Tulsa Ballet in 2004, Mr. Luciano studied at the Teatro di San Carlo Ballet School in Naples Italy, and danced with various companies in Europe as a Principal Dancer including Europadance in France, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Germany, Teatro Comunale in Florence, Teatro Dell’Opera in Rome and Teatro di San Carlo in Naples.
His repertoire includes many of the classical principal leads such as Romeo, Paris, and Benvolio in both Sir Kenneth MacMillan and John Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet; Paris in Amedeo Amodio’s Romeo & Juliet with Eleonora Abbagnato, Principal Dancer with Paris Opera Ballet; Solor in La Bayadere, The Prince in The Nutcracker, and Albrecht in Giselle, all by Derek Dean; In the Night by Jerome Robbins; Onegin in John Cranko’s Onegin; Roland Petit’s Ma Pavlova with international ballerina Lucia Lacarra; and Don Jose with the National Ballet of China in Carmen.
Mr. Luciano also excels in his contemporary repertoire which includes George Balanchine’s La Valse; Nacho Duato’s Jardi Tancat and Without Words; Orfeo in Carole Armitage’sOrfeo ed Euridice; and Mauro Bigonzetti’s Mediterranea. Also with Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, he performed the American premiere of Bigonzetti’s Pression, Michele Merola’s With Painted Lips, Enrico Morelli’s Funabula, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano’s Dicese, Jirí Kylián’s Double You and 27’52″ (gala version), and Mats Ek’s Pas de Dans. Dominic Walsh has created many roles especially for Mr. Luciano including Clair de Lune, Le Spectre de la Rose, Desire in Sleeping Beauty, Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet, I Napoletani, Terminus and the title roles in Titus Andronicusand The Trilogy: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for which he also designed the costumes.
Since 2005, Mr. Luciano has danced in all of the company’s tours to Mexico, Italy, Spain, Greece, Romania, Florida, New York, Iowa, and Kansas. In 2003, he received the Leonide Massine award in Positano, Italy as Best Male Dancer of the Year and in October 2008, he was named “Best Dancer” by the Houston Press. He also made his choreographic debut in 2008, co-creating The Nutcracker with Mr. Walsh for Ballet Quad Cities. More recently, he performed Mr. Walsh’s tour de force The Firebird with Paris Opera Étoile Marie-Agnès Gillot, Victor Frankenstein, and Time out of Line. Mr. Luciano was named one of 12 Standout performers in 2009 by Pointe Magazine for his portrayal of the White Swan in the White Swan pas de deux from Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, and he also received the “Young Italian Talent Award” in Florence, Italy in 2010.
"Lachezar has contributed such elegance and yearning to the Camille Claudel production. His presence is strong and stoic as the biographer in the the opening scene, then he becomes our impassioned narrator as he serenades our enlivened sculptures. The scores created by Kinley Lange, are suggestions at times where the Cellist must interpret and color the score. I have always loved how Lachezar has delivered these wonderful solos and am really thrilled he will join us in New York." ~ Dominic Walsh
"Max has just started training with us this May and he has been a joy to work with. He is diligent and serious about the work and his quest for information and improvement. This is a great gift as a teacher such as myself. His positive attitude and charming smile brings out my love of coaching and the exchange is so satisfying. Ben Stevenson used to say rehearsal is like a game of tennis, it's no fun if the person on the other side of the net doesn't hit the ball back to you. He would say I was always there to hit the ball back to him, and I think Max is one of these dancers. He will be making his debut as Orefaun in "Afternoon of a Faun" and I'm looking forward to his development in the role." ~ Dominic Walsh
I first met Danielle in 2007, during her first month with the Sarasota Ballet. I was instantly taken her natural movement quality, and although now we may think of Danielle as the refined and elegant Principal Dancer, it was her comedic charm in the 3rd movement of "Wolfgang for Webb" that really got my attention. Danielle has danced the featured and leading roles in many of my works, including "The Trilogy, I Napoletani, Bello, Time Out of Line, The Dying Swan, For the Two of You, Duo", and in September 2012 made her powerful debut in the title role of "Camille Claudel." Dani is dedicated, thoughtful, humble and determined, a versatile artist and actor, forever growing and improving in each work she takes on. I'm thrilled to have Dani make her NYC debut in our "Camille Claudel." ~ Dominic Walsh
Nancy created the role "Soprano" in our Camille Claudel production for our debut in May of 2012, also considered the aged Camille. When storyboarding the production I wanted to show a Camille expressing her story through the Purcell's aria, Dido's Lament, from Dido and Aeneas. I new I needed a Soprano who could deliver the aria with technique, passion, and poignant phrasing. I found just this jewel in Nancy and I'm so honored to have her as a vital part of this production. When we rehearse this scene in the studio we are mesmerized by Nancy's divine consistency and treated to the goosebumps she undoubtedly provides us each and every time. I'm so pleased she will be joining us once again for our Joyce Theater debut. ~ Dominic Walsh