July 27, 2007
MELISSA ALLEN BOWMAN NAMED
NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
OF SUMMER INTENSIVES
FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
Melissa Allen Bowman, a former dancer with American Ballet Theatre, has been named Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensives. Her appointment, effective September 1, 2007, was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.
As Artistic Director, Bowman will oversee ABT’s acclaimed New York Summer Intensive, as well as its five satellite programs in Detroit, Alabama, Texas, California and Bermuda. Bowman will also oversee the cross-country national audition tour beginning in January 2008, sponsored by Freed of London, Ltd. Scunci is the Official Hair Accessory of the 2008 Summer Intensive. Last season’s Summer Intensives included over 1,000 participants out of about 3,000 students that auditioned.
“It’s an exciting prospect to welcome Melissa back to the ABT family in this capacity,” said McKenzie of Bowman’s appointment. “Her dedication to quality training and her organizational skills will be well-suited to the task.”
Born in Orange County, California, Bowman received her early training with Lois Ellyn, formerly of New York City Ballet. At age fifteen, she was invited to join the corps de ballet of American Ballet Theatre, where she danced for the next seven years. During that time, Bowman launched her own ballet company, the Emerson Dance Theatre, which featured up-and-coming ABT dancers. From 1981 to 1988, Bowman also appeared in several of ABT’s Great Performances in America. After dancing with the Bern Ballet of Switzerland and the Zurich Ballet, Bowman returned to the United States in 1999 to join the staff of the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, where she became resident choreographer and associate director. Since 2001, Bowman has served on the faculty of ABT’s Detroit Summer Intensive. For the past two years, she has served as an adjudicator for the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts and is currently founder and artistic director of the Danse Conservatory in southern California and its Youth Ballet Company, California Danse Theatre.
On returning to American Ballet Theatre, Bowman said, “It’s nice to be back home at ABT. I am deeply honored and am excited to be carrying on the tradition of ABT excellence through its educational programs.”