Artist Biography
Dance Instructor & Choreographer
Founder/Director of California DanceArts
Founder/ Artistic Director of ctyballet
Education
Erin Holt began her career at the prestigious Lobero Theater of Santa Barbara, California as the Modern Dance child prodigy of former Martha Graham student Fawn Pickett, eventually becoming Ms. Pickett's assistant and class demonstrator for Master Classes taught at University of Southern California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, UCLA and Brigham Young University. Ms. Holt became the recipient of several classical ballet training scholarships from Valerie Houston (currently a ballet professor at University of California, Santa Barbara), Robert Hanlan and Carla Mosely, all hailing from the Santa Barbara and Ventura, California areas. Additionally, Ms. Holt attended studies and performed with the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company under the direction of Shirley Ririe. Erin attended the University of New Mexico on dance scholarship under the tutelage of professors Jennifer Predock-Linnell and Bill Evans. Again on scholarship, she received personal instruction and mentoring in choreography and apprentice teacher training from Charles Russell of the Joffrey Ballet (Executive Assistant to Mr. Robert Joffrey) and became a principal dancer for his choreography. In 2003, under the direction of Yehuda Maor, she became certified to teach MPT ballet and conditioning and has since established herself as a United States representative for the MPT method. Ms. Holt is a certified dance educator and member of Dance Masters of America. Erin has completed basic Posture Alignment Specialist Training (P-1) from Egoscue Motion Therapy and is continuing her studies for additional certification.
Performing Experience
Erin has been fortunate to study and perform with the companies and choreographers of the Martha Graham Dance Company, the Joffrey Ballet, the Utah Repertory Ballet, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Allegro Ballet Florida and Momentum Dance Company. During her dance career, she performed a challenging repertoire of classics and originally choreographed works created exclusively for her talent as a versatile dancer/actress. Erin has also been featured in a series of dance films made for television, which aired on educational programs during the mid 1970's. She later appeared in a series of television commercials for a major radio station in Miami, Florida, and has performed at dinner theaters, on the Majestic Cruise Lines and at Universal Studios. Performing at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Ms. Holt appeared as a featured artist and member of the original cast of dancers in Andrew Lloyd Weber's opera entitled Requiem. She has also donated her talent to multiple community causes such as concerts held to promote a Drug Free L.A. appearing on stage with the likes of jazz great Chick Corea and pop singing star Maxine Nightengale.
Choreographer
See Samples of Erin Holt's Choreography on YouTube
Groomed as a choreographer by her teachers, Erin Holt is an award-winning, international choreographer specializing in works for theatrical events, stage productions, competitions and full length ballets. Ms. Holt's versatile choreography ranges from classical ballet, contemporary ballet and modern dance, neo classical and jazz styles. Her choreography is seen in the U.S. and Europe.
A list of Ms. Holt recent choreography works include:
BLIND JOURNEY- a haunting surrealistic journey
Janacek Conservatory, Czech Republic (August 2007
Glendale Centre Theatre, Ca.( October 2007)
El Portal Theater, Hollywood (May 2007)
California DanceArts Studio Theater Ca. (Premier June 2007)
THE SNOW QUEEN – as a full length contemporary ballet
Lanterman Theater, Los Angeles Ca. (Premier 1998, 1999)
Glendale Community College (2000- presently performed annually)
BLUE PASSION FLOWER
El Portal Theater, Hollywood (March 2007)
Celebrity Center International, Hollywood Ca. (September 2006)
California DanceArts Studio Theater Ca.- As part of full production choreographed by Ms. Holt titled Several Shades of Blue ( Premier May 2006)
LAPIS LAZULI
El Portal Theater, Hollywood (March 2007)
California DanceArts Studio Theater Ca.- As part of a full production choreographed by Ms. Holt titled Several Shades of Blue ( Premier May 2006)
MIDNIGHT BLUE
Glendale Centre Theatre, Ca.( October 2007)
Celebrity Center International, Hollywood Ca. (March 2007)
California DanceArts Studio Theater Ca.- As part of full production choreographed by Ms. Holt titled Several Shades of Blue ( Premier May 2006)
ROMEO + JULIET- a contemporary rock ballet (complete production)
Celebrity Center International, Hollywood Ca. (September 2006)
California DanceArts Studio Theater Ca. (Premiere Spring 2004 & by demand 2005)
LIFETIMES- A full length ballet exploring the concept of life after death.
California DanceArts Theater- (Premier spring 2003)
VOICES OF THE FUTURE- a collection of dances depicting moral and ethical issues confronting the youth of today.
Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica Ca. (August 2002)
California DanceArts Theater- (Premier 2000 & by demand 2001)
Other notable works choreographed by Erin Holt include a mini ballet of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Phantom of the Opera, choreographed in 1996, as well as Faith for the World and Rodeo, both choreographed in 2000. Each of these ballets is still frequently revived for special occasions and engagements
Instructor
Ms. Holt has been teaching classical ballet, contemporary ballet and modern dance for over 25 years. A few of Ms. Holt’s recent guest teaching positions include:
•Ostrava Ballet Workshop, Czech Republic, teaching Contemporary Modern Dance,
Motion Therapy and created works of Choreography (July 2007)
See a Sample of Erin Holt's choreography for the Ostrava Ballet Workshop on YouTube
•Salzburg International Ballet Academy in Salzburg, Austria, teaching
Ballet and Contemporary Modern Dance (July 2005)
•Idyllwild Arts Academy, teaching Modern Dance (May 2007)
Additionally, Ms. Holt's interest in music lead her to work with many singers and musicians possessing a variety of music styles, choreographing videos and stage shows. She became a performance coach and developed a curriculum which employed performance drills to provide musical artists with the skills to move on stage naturally and develop stage presence. She was recognized by Music Connection Magazine for her contributions and work as it relates to the music industry. As a result with her work with musicians, singers and performers of all kind, Ms. Holt has defined and implemented the methods used in Dance Essentials TM, created to improve stage presence and performance skills of any performing artist.
Recognizing her special gift of inspiring others, Ms. Holt founded California DanceArts in 1987, located in the Los Angeles area of La Canada, California. True to Ms. Holt's own background, she created a school where dancers can become trained in versatile styles with classical and contemporary ballet at its core. The dance academy offers a well-structured dance curriculum including classical ballet, contemporary & modern dance, lyrical jazz, hip-hop, acrobatics for dancers. The Academy is one of only a few that offer Aerial Arts within its facilities. Within each of the dance disciplines, the academy offers several levels of classes, based on the advancing skills of its dancers. For the schools usage, Erin Holt structured and defined the California DanceArts curriculum offering 10 progressive levels of Russian based classical ballet. In addition to founding the Academy, Ms. Holt developed a pre-professional training program for serious dancers who wish to train and perform at the highest caliber.
Today, many of Ms. Holts students and alumni have been accepted to several University dance programs, have gone onto successful television and theater careers and have been awarded study, performance and career opportunities with companies such as Universal Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Cirque De Soile, Pittsburgh Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Alonzo King's Lines Ballet, Salzburg International Ballet, the Moravian & Silesian National Theatre in Czech Republic and more.
Artistic Director
Several years following the establishment of her school, Ms. Holt initiated California Theatrical Youth Ballet (CTYBallet), a career preparatory company. Eventually, California Theatrical Youth Ballet, Inc. incorporated in November 1998 and shortly thereafter, received its status as a California non-profit organization. Eventually the expansion of the company and artistic vision resulted in a professional company named, California Contemporary Ballet (CCBallet). Today, CCBallet features the talent of dedicated professional dancers accompanied by professional alumni and guest artists. Currently, Ms Holt serves as the companies Artistic Director. A Youth Division in the name of California Contemporary Youth Ballet, continues to prepare young students in their pre-professional pursuits.
Today, Callifornia Contemporary Ballet delivers Ms Holt's contemporary dance works of varied flavor. Performances of the Company can be seen in festivals throughout Los Angeles and occassional in Europe.
In addition to performing in Ms. Holt’s productions and dance works, students and dancers of the California DanceArts and CCballet have through the years, performed in a number of community performances and dance festivals hosted by La Canada High School, Six Flags, Magic Mountain, New Heaven on Earth Ranch, performances for area service organizations such as Lions Club, Kiwana's, Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce and the City of Los Angeles. The members of ctyballet were invited to perform in a Mardi Gras celebration held in March 2001, hosted by the Long Beach Day Nursery, as well as the world premier of Katie Cassidy's first record single and performed Ms. Holts works of Blind Journey, in the Czech Republic.
Grant Awards
In November 2002, California Contemporary Ballet was awarded a grant by the Hezlep Family Foundation of San Marino, California, providing for the purchase and restoration of costumes for the 2002 production of The Snow Queen. In addition, California Contemporary Ballet has received 8 unrestricted grants, each from the Time Warner Foundation during the 2000 through 2008 calendar years. California Contemporary Ballet also continues to draw support from its generous Patrons of the Arts. In September 2006, Ms. Holt became the recipient of "Setting a Good Artistic Example Award" by the organization of Artists for a Better World. Merit of the award states, "For setting a good example as an artist towards the creation of a better world and helping other artists direct their aesthetic inspiration towards improving our world, thereby creating a better future for us all."
