Directors

Director

A woman in a black dress is smiling in a black and white photo . Her name is Juanita Wilson and she is the director of the Wilson School of Dance.

Juanita Wilson (Director/Instructor)

For over 40 years, as a dedicated full-time instructor, director, and choreographer, Juanita has held a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance from the prestigious Butler University—Jordan College of Fine Arts. She has trained at the country’s finest schools: the American Ballet Theater, the North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Broadway Dance Center, to name a few. Juanita has attended the World Jazz Dance Congress and studied with world-renowned instructors: Finus Jung, Savion Glover, Luigi, Frank Hatchett, Phil Black, George Verdak (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo), Peggy Dorsey (Royal Ballet), Melissa Hayden, and many others.


Juanita’s greatest rewards as a teacher and choreographer come from seeing “eyes that light up like magic when the step is correct and the feel of it is just right. Helping others experience this joy of dance makes all the work worthwhile.”


The Piedmont Council of the Arts 2005 Arts Award recognizes Juanita for her exceptional service to our community in the field of education.

Teaching Credits:

 

  • New York City: Phil Black’s Times Square Studio: taught adults and professional children working in Broadway shows; lecture/demonstrations and master classes in the New York City Public School System; New York Dance Theater: company classes; Frank Ohman (Soloist with New York City Ballet) School of Ballet, New York; co-founder with Frank Ohman of the New York Children’s Dance Theater.

 

  • Virginia: developed and taught the entire comprehensive dance program for The University of Virginia Continuing Education Department, including technique classes and dance history lectures; was the founder and faculty advisor for The Virginia Dance Company (formerly The University of Virginia Dance Club); was a dance instructor for daytime credit dance courses at The University of Virginia for 27 years; and spent 2 years in the Dance Department at James Madison University. Children’s Rehearsal Ballet Mistress for the Moscow Ballet Company and the Moscow State Ballet Company—The Great Russian Nutcracker for 6 years.

 

Performance Credits:

 

  • National Butler Ballet Company (The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Raymonda, classics)
  • New York City: New York Dance Theater and many other productions
  • Virginia: Dance Spectrum Company (founder, dancer, and choreographer); First Night Virginia; University of Virginia Music Ensemble; National Jazz Hall of Fame; and many other productions


Choreography Credits:


  • New York City: New York Dance Theater (The Nutcracker)
  • Television: Choreographed “Ralph’s World: Time Machine Guitar” television pilot, commissioned pieces for The Jerry Lewis Telethon, National Jazz Hall of Fame
  • Virginia Heritage Theatre, an award-winning Duran Duran music video that toured on their World Premier, cast and rehearsed twelve local children to act, sing, and dance as "The Munchkins" in the Broadway National Tour of "The Wizard of Oz," First Night Virginia, Act I, Charlottesville Light Opera Company, The Very Special Arts Festival for the handicapped, Sound Stage, Live Arts and numerous regional productions, lectures and demonstrations for public and private organizations and schools. Founder of the Dance Spectrum Company, Wilson School of Dance Over 1000 performance pieces in more than 40 years
  • Charlottesville Opera/Ashlawn Opera Company: choreographer—Amahl and the Night Visitors; Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma; The Music Man—choreographer and lead dancer.


Moderator:


  • The University of Virginia Film Festival moderated the panel discussion after the premiere of the Robert Altman film “The Company.” Panelists included the producer and two dancers from the Joffrey Ballet who appeared in the film with other members of the Joffrey Ballet Company.
Share by: