Susan Brooker is new director of Preparatory Dance program

Dean of Dance Susan Jaffe has announced the appointment of Susan Brooker as director of the Preparatory Dance Program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, effective Aug. 1. Brooker is an artistic advisor, teacher and examiner for American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum.

UNCSA’s Preparatory Dance Program offers after-school pre-professional training to aspiring dancers in grades three through nine, taught by expert faculty from the School of Dance.

“Susan Brooker brings a wealth of experience training young dancers,” Jaffe said. “I watched her teach two classes in our Prep School in May. Her teaching is exemplary and inspiring -- some of the highest quality teaching that I have ever seen.”

Brooker will preside over UNCSA Preparatory Dance’s summer auditions on Saturday, Aug. 4, with registration beginning at 9 a.m. Prospective students will be auditioned by grade level beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 12:30 p.m. Students in the second and third grades do not need to have any previous experience dancing. Older students need to exhibit an understanding of the basics of dance. For more information, visit the Preparatory Dance webpage.

Her teaching is exemplary and inspiring -- some of the highest quality teaching that I have ever seen.

Dean of Dance Susan Jaffe

In addition to her work with ABT, Brooker is a Cecchetti Major Syllabus teacher and coach. She formerly served as the academy director of Ballet Met for six years and was chair of the Dance Department in the Hartt School in the University of Hartford for five years.

Brooker was educated at the London College of Dance and Drama with a diploma in Cecchetti Ballet, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (I.S.T.D.) Modern Theater Dance, and National Dance. She is a fellow and examiner of I.S.T.D., fellow and examiner Ceccheti U.S.A., and honorary president of Ateneo Danza in Forli, Italy.

She succeeds UNCSA alumnus Matthew Donnell, who accepted a position with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

by Lauren Whitaker