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A ballet major and graduate of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle from which he holds a B.F.A. degree, Mr. Speer has pursued training in Cannes, Paris, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Canada, among others, in addition to studying in the Seattle area. He has performed with Repertory Dancers Northwest, A.T.M.A. Dance Company, and the Seattle Ballet Ensemble of which he was a founding member, plus numerous guest appearances.
Mr. Speer originated, directed, and produced the dance series SPOTLIGHT: Seattle Dance!
for three seasons. He also coordinated all nine of Chehalis Ballet Center's highly-regarded
annual regional workshops for dance teachers. He has taught extensively for both
children and adults and has created and written his own graded syllabus of classical ballet
study and teaching guide, Notebook II Dance Teachers. He has been a guest master
teacher throughout the NW including Dance Masters of America, Cranbrook & Victoria,
British Columbia.
As a choreographer his work has been filmed for national television, and he has created
many ballets for the concert stage using a diverse selection of composers as well as for
the opera -- plus dances for students, many recital programs, and lecture/demonstrations.
Guest Teacher & Artistic Consultant to Chehalis Ballet Center (now SW WA Dance Ctr) in
Lewis County, Washington (of which he is the Founding Director), and Artistic Director of
Chattanooga Ballet (Tennessee), he has taught all levels of graded children's ballet
studies; Company Class; Creative Dance; Modern Dance Technique (Graham-based);
Pointe; Variations; Character; and Mechanics of Partnering (fundamentals).
Former students of his have studied with or are currently at Pacific NW Ballet, San
Francisco Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, University of Utah, the Harid Conservatory, and
Dance Lab (Walla Walla, Washington).
He has served as an adjudicator for several arts and scholarship programs and contests
and as a consultant for several organizations and has been on the board of directors of
many dance-related organizations. He most recently was the volunteer president of the
Cornish College of the Arts Alumni Association Board of Directors for 3 years.
Mr. Speer was a pre-registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dancing in London,
England, qualifying him to teach the Pre-Primary through Grade VII Children's Syllabus.
Dean has written for criticaldance.com including a review of the Paris Opera Ballet,
http://www.criticaldance.com/reviews/pob-010504.html.
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