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SPOTLIGHT:
INSIDE PERSPECTIVES
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Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
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Valentina Kozlova

by Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
September 9, 2003
New York, NY

About the Author:

Valentina Kozlova

www.dcpp.org
212.245.0050

By Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
September 9, 2003

Valentina Kozlova is the Director of the new, immaculate, and inviting Dance Conservatory of New York at 250 West 54th Street, Suite #503, NY, NY 10019, 212.245.0050. She was previously in Westchester and just opened her new Conservatory, which stresses the finest ballet techniques found at the Bolshoi, where Ms. Kozlova was a Principal dancer, before defecting to the USA from Russia in 1979. Ms. Kozlova was later a Principal with New York City Ballet and also danced the lead in On Your Toes on Broadway. In 1995, Ms. Kozlova established the Daring Project, a performing ballet company, with Margo Sappington, who is currently listed as a faculty member of the Conservatory.

Ms. Kozlova is now Artistic Director and Founder of the Dance Conservatory Performance Project. Her classes include Pre-Ballet, Children's Ballet, Pre-Professional Ballet, Adult Classes, Character, Jazz, Pointe, and Variations. Students can be selected to perform with the Dance Conservatory Performance Project, in order to develop new techniques and confidence. (DCNY Notes). Valentina Kozlova is the subject of this inside perspective.

September 9, 2003, with Valentina Kozlova, at her lovely new dance studio on West 54th Street, as she prepares to give two private lessons to students from Westchester, Caitlin, in high school, and Skylar, in elementary school, who now travel to NYC to continue their ballet study. Ms. Kozlova models ballet movement and carefully watches and supervises the practice, as students dance to recorded piano music, especially chosen for each lesson. Caitlin had danced "The White Swan" in a performance. Skylar was quite independent and focused. Just prior to the lessons, I spoke privately with Ms. Kozlova.

REZ - Tell me about the origins of this school.

VK - I knew one day I would open my own school. I have to pass on to others the knowledge and new training based on my Russian experience with the Bolshoi. This is the same training as the Kirov. It's all the same training in any city in Russia.

REZ - And what about the students?

VK - These students have followed me from Westchester and New Jersey. We opened the studio yesterday. I would like to combine pointe and variations, character and jazz, plus serious workshops. On November 1 my students and I will perform Medea, and I will dance. It's about how to gather the experience to be onstage. We learn the classics. We use the same traditional methods, with a majority of the teachers in my school from Russia.

I didn't want to make just a regular studio. I will fill the walls with art works and paintings from the students. I also want to make exhibitions of art here, of paintings. And, I would like to have a class in dance history. (The brightly colored walls and ceilings had a freshly painted aroma. The solid pinks and blues seemed to invite guest artists. Now the students arrive and begin Ballet Practice with Valentina Kozlova.)


Dance Space



Valentina Kozlova in Her New Office



Audrey Ross (audreyrosspub@aol.com) and Valentina Kozlova



Valentina's Dance Shoes on Display



Caitlin from Westchester Warms Up



Ballet Practice



Valentina and Caitlin



Ballet Practice



Valentina and Caitlin



Ballet Practice



Valentina and Caitlin



Ballet Practice



Skylar from Westchester Warms Up



Skylar's Mother and Valentina



Ballet Practice



Valentina Models



Ballet Practice

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