Aug 07

Back to school Back to dance!

By Ohio Contemporary Ballet News

Cleveland Dance Movement has partnered with Verb Ballets to bring the community an upbeat teaching artist from Cape Town, South Africa! Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni joined Verb Ballets in 2021 as a part of the International Cultural Exchange Program. The purpose of the program is to elevate different creative voices and exchange dance styles. He will be sharing South Africa’s dance traditions with the community. The weekend will host a meet and greet Friday evening then on Saturday an empowering intergenerational master class with live music! We welcome participants of all ages (10-adult) and skill levels. Together the two organization seek to bring the community a deeper appreciation and understanding of cultures while finding community in dance.

Friday, August 27th 6:30-8:30pm – Free (must register)
Meet and greet with mini-concert and lecture demonstration with light hors d’oeuvres.

Saturday, August 28th 1:00-2:30pm – $16 (must register)
Masterclass taught by Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni (SK)
An empowering intergenerational master class with live music! We welcome participants of all ages (10-adult) and skill levels! Join us as SK shares his experience in the styles of Pantsula, moving through Traditional African to Contemporary African. This promises to be an exhilarating time!

About Cleveland Dance Movement

Cleveland Dance Movement (CDM) is an arts coalition comprised of dancers, choreographers, educators, and community stakeholders, committed to the support and preservation of various dance forms through access, and integration of diverse world cultures! As an essential part of its commitment to dance, CDM brings to the region a series of professional development and masterclasses, beginning with hosting the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) in January of 2015! It is time we continue the legacy with “Back to school Back to Dance” Masterclass and lecture series.

Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni

Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni is from South Africa and began his training at Cape Academy of Performing Arts and then later participated in an intensive at South Africa International Ballet. He studied in the United States, training in California at Dance for All and went to Kaatsbaan International Dance Center under the guidance of Stella Abrera. Professionally, he has danced with the Joburg Ballet and Mzansi Ballet. Sikhumbuzo joined Verb Ballets in 2021 as a part of Verb’s International Cultural Exchange Program. He will be sharing South Africa’s dance traditions with Verb Ballets.

Latest Articles

2026-27 Season

Celebrating A Decade of Grace

August 1, 2026 7:00pm Celebrating a Decade of Grace Tremont's Lincoln Park Due to weather…

2026-27 Season

Summer Sunset

August 22, 2026 7:00pm Summer Sunset Lake Erie College Join OCBallet as we close out…

2026-27 Season

Chagrin Lee Fest

August 29, 2026 1:30pm Chagrin Lee Fest OCBallet Center Chagrin Lee Block Party The Chagrin-Lee…

Aug 05

Love0

Laura Alonso Returns

By Ohio Contemporary Ballet News

Cuban dance legend Laura Alonso returns to Cleveland for the week of August 23, 2021 to reunite with Verb Ballets’ dancers. The daughter of world-famous ballerina Alicia Alonso, Laura is an award-winning teacher and coach. Ms. Alonso performed for 25 years with Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and now travels the world teaching and staging the classics. She is also the director of ProDanza in Havana, Cuba, which is part of the Cleveland Havana Ballet Project, an international partnership with Verb Ballets.

The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project is made possible through past support of the Cleveland Foundation. This unique collaboration was highlighted by Pointe Magazine. Verb Ballets is honored to work on this project with Alonso bringing the best of Cuban dance and American repertory to new audiences.

Laura Alonso

Laura Alonso, daughter of world-famous ballerina Alicia Alonso and renowned teacher and coach Fernando Alonso, is herself known as a teacher, coach and an expert at staging the well-known classics. For seven years, she served as the personal coach and teacher for international prima ballerina assoluta, Alicia Alonso. Dance Theatre of Harlem artistic director, former prima ballerina and former editor of Pointe magazine, Virginia Johnson, calls her an, “international master teacher extraordinaire.”

Ms. Alonso’s 25 year performing career with Ballet National de Cuba included soloist work in all of the traditional classics. Today she travels around the world teaching and staging the classics for pre-professional as well as professional companies such as London’s Royal Ballet School and The Royal Danish Ballet.

Although born in the United States, Alonso is a resident of Havana where she has an international dance school, Centro ProDanza, which welcomes 1,500 students, and a professional performing company, ProDanza.

A teacher of world-class experience, Ms. Alonso has taught for professional ballet companies all over the world including Cuban National Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Tokyo Ballet, the Toronto Ballet, the Alberta Ballet. She was a member of the faculty at the Regional Dance America’s National Festival in 1997 as well as at the RDA/NE Festival 1998 and the RDA/SE 1999. For seven years, she served as the personal coach for international ballerina Alicia Alonso.

Ms. Alonso was honored with an award as the best coach at the Jackson International Ballet Competition in 1990. Her student, Jose Manuel Carreno, won the Grand Prix de Ville, the highest award possible. Ms. Alonso has served as coach, jury member and teacher at the Jackson IBC and as jury member of the Concours International de Dance de Paris, France, the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Competition and other competitions around the world.

Along with her expertise in working with professionals and aspiring professionals, Ms. Alonso is extremely gifted at working with young dancers of all ages and experiences. She is willing to instruct anyone who wants to learn and has transformed students in just a few classes. Alonso’s mission is to bring the highest quality dance to students everywhere.

Jul 30

Love3

KL3668

By Ohio Contemporary Ballet News

Associate Artistic Director Richard Dickinson, MFA is responsible for training and coaching the company dancers but alos is as a regular company choreographer. He is known for his eclectic style, combining ballet technique with modern angles and intricate partnering. During the COVID shut down he created a new full company contemporary ballet. Watch the interview about his inspiration and process behind this eclectically styled work.

”Verb’s 13 dancers - shone in up-tempo and lilting movement and exuded grace, beauty, and power.
Arts AirSteve Sucato

Photo: Kolman Rosenberg

Richard Dickinson, MFA

Choreographer and Associate Artistic Director

A former dancer with Ohio Ballet Dickinson’s association with that company began in 1988. He later became ballet master and director of company touring. Dickinson was also a soloist with Boston Ballet for eight years. At age fifteen, he joined the Pasadena Dance Theatre and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Emerging Choreographer Award for a work premiered by the same company. He performed in the PBS television production of “Frankie and Johnny” with the Chicago Ballet. and danced principal roles in Asian, European and American tours with Rudolf Nureyev and the Boston Ballet. In addition to his professional work, Dickinson had an extensive dance career including principal and soloist roles at Chicago Ballet, Honolulu City Ballet and various regional companies. Previously, he served as Artistic Associate for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the Artistic Director of Ballet Western Reserve, Great Lakes Festival Ballet, Chamber Dance Theatre. He has also directed Boston Ballet II and has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University.