Upper School dancers in Ms. Zanon's class had a special guest teacher, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company member Courtney Celeste Spears. Ms. Spears, who is an alumna of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, has attended summer intensives at The Juilliard School, Cedar Lake, and American Ballet Theatre, where she was named the National Training Scholar for two consecutive years. Her presentation drew from the Lester Horton technique upon which the Ailey company is based. During the masterclass, she emphasized technique, placement, and muscular engagement, as well as the importance of free spiritedness in conveying emotion through movement and dance.
Below is a short clip of her masterclass: