Director & Founder - Jeana Klevene
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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 tenth season with Allegro Dance Project, and his ninth 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 tenth season with Allegro Dance Project, and his ninth year serving as music director.
Instructor - Anna Benton
Anna grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, training in ballet, modern, and jazz within the pre-professional division of the Louisville Ballet School. She obtained a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky, where she was one of 12 in her class to be awarded a two-year research fellowship at the UK Gaines Center for the Humanities. Anna’s collegiate performance highlights include performing work by Theresa Bautista for Bill T. Jones, performing work by Susie Thiel for the DUMBO Dance Festival at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn and at the Detroit City Dance Festival, and choreographing a work shown at the American College Dance Association in Virginia. Having interned for Allegro Dance Project in the spring of 2023, Anna is incredibly grateful to return as an Inclusive Outreach Instructor.
Anna grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, training in ballet, modern, and jazz within the pre-professional division of the Louisville Ballet School. She obtained a B.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Arts Administration from the University of Kentucky, where she was one of 12 in her class to be awarded a two-year research fellowship at the UK Gaines Center for the Humanities. Anna’s collegiate performance highlights include performing work by Theresa Bautista for Bill T. Jones, performing work by Susie Thiel for the DUMBO Dance Festival at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn and at the Detroit City Dance Festival, and choreographing a work shown at the American College Dance Association in Virginia. Having interned for Allegro Dance Project in the spring of 2023, Anna is incredibly grateful to return as an Inclusive Outreach Instructor.
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 sixth season performing with Allegro Dance Project and his third 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 sixth season performing with Allegro Dance Project and his third year as an instructor.
Instructor/Musician - Tess Fowler
Tess is a sophomore at Western Kentucky University double majoring in Communication Sciences & Disorders- Speech Language Pathology and Dance. At WKU they are a member of the Mahurin Honors College and the National Dance Education Organization. They graduated from Lafayette High School and the School for the Creative And Performing Arts in 2024. They danced at Bluegrass Youth Ballet for eleven years, and were also heavily involved in theatre and orchestra. Tess is an adaptive outreach instructor & musician and volunteer with Allegro, as well as a dancer and choreographer for performances. This is their eighth season with Allegro Dance Project.
Tess is a sophomore at Western Kentucky University double majoring in Communication Sciences & Disorders- Speech Language Pathology and Dance. At WKU they are a member of the Mahurin Honors College and the National Dance Education Organization. They graduated from Lafayette High School and the School for the Creative And Performing Arts in 2024. They danced at Bluegrass Youth Ballet for eleven years, and were also heavily involved in theatre and orchestra. Tess is an adaptive outreach instructor & musician and volunteer with Allegro, as well as a dancer and choreographer for performances. This is their eighth season with Allegro Dance Project.
Instructor/Musician - Sophia Keefe
OUTREACH MUSICIANS
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Claire Baumann
Cara Coppola Christian Hayden |
Jameka Redden
Eli Taylor DeBraun Thomas |
