Richard d'Alton

Richard d'Alton, born Babil Richard Gandara, is a former dancer, and currently a dance teacher and choreographer. Born in Cork, Ireland, Richard d’Alton received his initial dance training at South Texas Dance and Gymnastics. After three consecutive Summer Sessions at Houston Ballet Academy under the guidance of Ben Stevenson, he moved permanently to Houston to study in the Academy and performed with Houston Ballet. In 1997, Mr. d’Alton joined the Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba, where he later received his diploma in dance and a teacher's diploma in the Cuban Syllabus. A bronze medal and later a silver medal were awarded to Mr. d’Alton for his participation in the 1997 and 1998 Concurso Internacional de Ballet de La Habana. He has danced numerous Pas de Deux’s including "Le Corsaire", "Flames of Paris", "Talisman", "Merchant and the Slave", "White Swan", Ben Stevenson's "Harlequinade", and George Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, among others.

In 1999, Mr. d’Alton received a special invitation from Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Alicia Alonso, to join the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. There he danced, in addition to Corps de Ballet roles in all the major full length ballets, Soloist roles such as Pas de Quatre (4 Majos, Act III ~ Don Quixote), 2nd Insect in Dionaea (by Gustavo Herrera), and Tablada (by Juan Carlos Santamaria). A subsequent invitation from world-renowned dancer and director Fernando Bujones led Mr. d’Alton to join the Orlando Ballet where he danced as Principal Artist. There he performed many soloist and principal roles such as Basilio in Don Quixote, Albrecht in Giselle, Franz in Coppelia, Alain in La Fille Mal Gardee, Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Flower Festival in Genzano, Esmeralda Pas de Deux, and Minkus Pas de Trois. He also was featured and received critical acclaim in Fernando Bujones' Jazz Swing and Robert North's Troy Games. Mr d’Alton has also worked with teachers and choreographers including Galina Mezentseva, Lazaro Carreno, Alberto Mendez, Sherry North and Fernando Alonso. Mr. d’Alton was a regular Company teacher for Orlando Ballet and was also elected to be the dancer’s representative where he worked specifically with Mr. Bujones, the Orlando Ballet Administration and Executive Director resolving and focusing on dancer-related issues.

In January 2004, Mr. d’Alton furthered his professional aspirations by establishing the McAllen Ballet Studio Ensemble (a pre-professional dance performance organization directly associated with McAllen Ballet Studio, co-owned and co-directed by his mother, Jill d’Alton). From 2004 to 2006 Mr. d’Alton helped establish and assumed the position of Artistic Director of McAllen Ballet, the first and only professional ballet company in the most southern region of Texas. He was also principal choreographer of McAllen Ballet and set numerous classical and contemporary works including The Nutcracker, Sylvia, and La Fille Mal Gardee. Mr. d’Alton’s success as a teacher and choreographer are apparent through the accolades of the students and dancers. He has trained dancers that have been accepted to prestigious schools such as American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Washington Ballet, and they have won medals and awards at recognized ballet competitions such as Youth America Grand Prix and the American Ballet Competition. For three consecutive years has been awarded an “Outstanding Choreographer” award from the judges of the YAGP competition. In July 2006 he created and directed the International Stars of Cuban Ballet Gala held in Houston Texas and featured Principal Dancers from around the U.S including Rolando Sarabia, Joaquin de Luz, Lorna Feijoo, and Xiomara Reyes among others. He has taught and coached dancers from San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Louisville Ballet, among others. In September 2006 Mr. d’Alton relocated to Houston TX and opened the International Ballet of Houston, an establishment dedicated to coaching, individual instruction, and career management of professional and pre-professional dancers with a desire to pusue a career in dance. This year alone, Mr. d'Alton's dancers have received contracts from professional companies including Cincinnati Ballet, Louisville Ballet, BalletMet Columbus, Ballet Florida, Sarasota Ballet, Ballet Austin II, Ajkun Ballet Theatre, and Ballet de Printemps. He is also responsible for managing dancers such as Rolando Sarabia (Miami City Ballet), Daniel Sarabia (Miami City Ballet), and IBH Alumni Samantha Finley, Kaitlyn Kinerk, and Stephanie Hill. In January 2007 Mr. d’Alton was named Permanent Faculty member for the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, a professional repertory company where he regularly teaches ballet classes.

External links

*http://www.internationalbh.page.tl
*http://www.myspace.com/internationalbh
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOQrVOdDc4w
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYmHlJyAA1Q