
NCE Musicians
Present and Past
Ballet Nova (dance)
Since 1981,
the BalletNova Center for Dance (previously Arlington Center for
Dance/Center Dance Company) has been recognized as one of Northern
Virginia's and Metro DC's premier dance education centers.The
BalletNova Artistic Director Nancie
Woods is originally from England, where she trained at
Elmhurst Ballet School with Bridget Espinoza and the
Rambert Academy in London with Mary Munro and Patricia
Norman. Ms. Woods studied the Royal Academy of Dance
syllabus and gained the Advanced Certificate
before beginning her professional life as a dancer. Her
performing career began in Strasbourg, France with the
Ballet du Rhin, where she toured extensively throughout
Europe dancing soloist roles at an early age. Upon her
arrival in the USA, Ms. Woods joined
Delta Festival Ballet
in New Orleans where she received excellent training and
mentoring from Director Joseph Giacobbe, former Rambert
teacher Mary Munro, and the company's Artistic Advisor
Ivan Nagy. She worked with several renowned choreographers
and appeared (as Lilac Fairy) with Karen Kain and Patrick
Bissell in Delta's production of The Sleeping Beauty.
Woods then joined the Dallas Ballet under the direction of
Flemming Flindt and was soon promoted to soloist. During
her tenure with the company she performed a diverse
repertoire of works of the famed August Bournonville,
George Balanchine, Jose Limon, Alvin Ailey, Susan
Marshall, Bryan Pitts and Flemming Flindt. She was one of
three dancers chosen to represent Dallas Ballet at the
American Guild of Musical Artists' 50th
Anniversary Gala performance at Lincoln Center.
Ms. Woods is dedicated to educating and mentoring dancers in a positive, nurturing environment and preserving the traditions of classical ballet through quality dance productions.