Director & Founder - Jeana Klevene
Jeana began her dance training at the age of 3 with Marlene Turbin-Weldon. She has attended the Joffrey Midwest Workshop and spent 3 summers training with the American Ballet Theatre, studying under such teachers as John Magnus, Cynthia Harvey, Charles Maple and Rebecca Wright. Her repertoire includes Jardin, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, An American in Paris and Carmen, as well as various contemporary pieces by Mia Michaels, Leslie Browne and Frank Galvez.
Jeana danced professionally with the Lexington Ballet Company for the 2001-2002 season and later returned to join their faculty from 2007-2012. At the Lexington Ballet she served as an instructor, stage manager, outreach coordinator and helped found the summer arts program MAD Camp, which she later directed. She also choreographed several contemporary pieces, as well as the full-length ballet of “Peter and the Wolf”, performed with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. She has since continued to teach and choreograph at numerous dance studios in the state of Kentucky, and is currently on the faculty of Bluegrass Youth Ballet. In the summer of 2015 Miss Klevene had the honor of training at the prestigious Boston Ballet, completing their Adaptive Dance Training program. Jeana resides in Lexington, KY with her husband Robert and beloved dog Wednesday (aka Baby Bat).
Jeana danced professionally with the Lexington Ballet Company for the 2001-2002 season and later returned to join their faculty from 2007-2012. At the Lexington Ballet she served as an instructor, stage manager, outreach coordinator and helped found the summer arts program MAD Camp, which she later directed. She also choreographed several contemporary pieces, as well as the full-length ballet of “Peter and the Wolf”, performed with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. She has since continued to teach and choreograph at numerous dance studios in the state of Kentucky, and is currently on the faculty of Bluegrass Youth Ballet. In the summer of 2015 Miss Klevene had the honor of training at the prestigious Boston Ballet, completing their Adaptive Dance Training program. Jeana resides in Lexington, KY with her husband Robert and beloved dog Wednesday (aka Baby Bat).
Director of Development - Sarah Wilson
Sarah was born and raised in Paris, Kentucky and currently lives in Midway with her husband, Steve, and their daughter, Emily. Sarah attended Morehead State University and graduated in 1999 with a BA in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations. She has been a supporter of Allegro Dance Project since Emily started her first class in 2017 and has been so excited with Emily’s progress. Her previous positions in public relations and development in higher education have given her skills to utilize in her work with Allegro Dance Project. In addition to her role of Director of Development, Sarah is also the pastor of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Lexington, home schools her daughter, and enjoys photography and the arts.
Sarah was born and raised in Paris, Kentucky and currently lives in Midway with her husband, Steve, and their daughter, Emily. Sarah attended Morehead State University and graduated in 1999 with a BA in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Advertising and Public Relations. She has been a supporter of Allegro Dance Project since Emily started her first class in 2017 and has been so excited with Emily’s progress. Her previous positions in public relations and development in higher education have given her skills to utilize in her work with Allegro Dance Project. In addition to her role of Director of Development, Sarah is also the pastor of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Lexington, home schools her daughter, and enjoys photography and the arts.
Music Director - Thomas Usher
Thomas is a musician from Hoover, Alabama. He graduated from Berea College where he studied percussion with Tripp Britton. He has performed with The Studio Players and in Kentucky Conservatory Theatre's Winterfest and Summerfest, with numerous bands. Thomas provides live music accompaniment for Allegro Dance Project's Inclusive Dance Outreach programming, writes and performs original music for our shows and hires, rehearses and directs a talented team of musicians for our performance events. This is his eighth season with Allegro Dance Project, and his seventh year serving as music director.
Thomas is a musician from Hoover, Alabama. He graduated from Berea College where he studied percussion with Tripp Britton. He has performed with The Studio Players and in Kentucky Conservatory Theatre's Winterfest and Summerfest, with numerous bands. Thomas provides live music accompaniment for Allegro Dance Project's Inclusive Dance Outreach programming, writes and performs original music for our shows and hires, rehearses and directs a talented team of musicians for our performance events. This is his eighth season with Allegro Dance Project, and his seventh year serving as music director.
Instructor - Caroline Price
Caroline grew up in Independence, KY and has been dancing since she was 3 years old, training in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and lyrical. She has competed in many regional competitions and won numerous awards and accolades. She has been assisting and teaching classes for years, and first found Allegro as a volunteer for our Inclusive Dance Outreach Program. Now she is not only a company dancer but also an instructor. She absolutely loves teaching and helping others experience the joy of dance and the freedom of expression. She is a Senior in the nursing program at University of Kentucky.
This is her third season teaching and second season dancing with Allegro Dance Project.
Caroline grew up in Independence, KY and has been dancing since she was 3 years old, training in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and lyrical. She has competed in many regional competitions and won numerous awards and accolades. She has been assisting and teaching classes for years, and first found Allegro as a volunteer for our Inclusive Dance Outreach Program. Now she is not only a company dancer but also an instructor. She absolutely loves teaching and helping others experience the joy of dance and the freedom of expression. She is a Senior in the nursing program at University of Kentucky.
This is her third season teaching and second season dancing with Allegro Dance Project.
Instructor- Desean Elliott
Desean was Mr. Dance of the Bluegrass in 2016 and was a convention instructing assistant for Bellamoxie from 2017-2019. He has taught for many competition studios throughout Kentucky and is an award and national winning choreographer for competitions such as Platinum dance, Showbiz, KAR Dance competition, and Jump dance convention. Specializing in contemporary turns and leaps, Desean has trained all over the country in all styles ranging from ballet, jazz ,hip hop, and acrobatics. This is his third season performing with Allegro Dance Project and his first year as an instructor.
Desean was Mr. Dance of the Bluegrass in 2016 and was a convention instructing assistant for Bellamoxie from 2017-2019. He has taught for many competition studios throughout Kentucky and is an award and national winning choreographer for competitions such as Platinum dance, Showbiz, KAR Dance competition, and Jump dance convention. Specializing in contemporary turns and leaps, Desean has trained all over the country in all styles ranging from ballet, jazz ,hip hop, and acrobatics. This is his third season performing with Allegro Dance Project and his first year as an instructor.
Instructor - Tess Fower
Tess has been dancing with Bluegrass Youth Ballet for eleven years and has attended summer intensives at Alma Dance School and Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance. They are a rising senior in the SCAPA ballet program at Lafayette High School where they are also a violist in the Lafayette Orchestra and a new member of Lafayette Theatre. Tess assisted in their middle school special education class for three years, has been assisting with our weekly Adaptive Dance Classes for five years and is now an instructor. This is their fifth season with Allegro Dance Project.
Tess has been dancing with Bluegrass Youth Ballet for eleven years and has attended summer intensives at Alma Dance School and Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance. They are a rising senior in the SCAPA ballet program at Lafayette High School where they are also a violist in the Lafayette Orchestra and a new member of Lafayette Theatre. Tess assisted in their middle school special education class for three years, has been assisting with our weekly Adaptive Dance Classes for five years and is now an instructor. This is their fifth season with Allegro Dance Project.
OUTREACH MUSICIANS
Claire Baumann
Cara Coppola Christian Hayden Emma Naberhaus |
Kevin Sparks
Eli Taylor DeBraun Thomas Thomas Usher |