PATRICIA CANTWELL- EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
In addition to her administrative work, Mrs. Cantwell stages many of the classical ballets in the company's repertoire and has been called one of the most articulate voices in the dance world. Mrs. Cantwell came to Charleston from the Savannah Ballet, where she danced as principal ballerina, a position she also held with Southern Ballet. Mrs. Cantwell began her training with the Atlanta Ballet and the Southern Ballet and was trained under a full scholarship at the School of American Ballet in New York, after George Balanchine, Artistic Director of NYCB, found Patricia dancing at a SERBA Dance Festival when she was 13 years old. She retired from the stage in 1988 after performing the principal ballerina roles in the entire Charleston Ballet Theatre repertoire. She is the former Board Chairman of the South East Regional Ballet Association and has served on the Board of Directors of Regional Dance America and the National Association of Regional Ballet in New York. As Co-Director of the Dance Education Centre, which teaches children and career track pre-professional dancers from age three and up, she has created an extremely successful summer workshop, which has drawn students to Charleston from as far away as Taiwan. It is Patricia Cantwell's hope that she can continue to guide Charleston Ballet Theatre's development in a way that involves and enriches the Southeast with excellent and innovative performances and dance education.
In addition to her administrative work, Mrs. Cantwell stages many of the classical ballets in the company's repertoire and has been called one of the most articulate voices in the dance world. Mrs. Cantwell came to Charleston from the Savannah Ballet, where she danced as principal ballerina, a position she also held with Southern Ballet. Mrs. Cantwell began her training with the Atlanta Ballet and the Southern Ballet and was trained under a full scholarship at the School of American Ballet in New York, after George Balanchine, Artistic Director of NYCB, found Patricia dancing at a SERBA Dance Festival when she was 13 years old. She retired from the stage in 1988 after performing the principal ballerina roles in the entire Charleston Ballet Theatre repertoire. She is the former Board Chairman of the South East Regional Ballet Association and has served on the Board of Directors of Regional Dance America and the National Association of Regional Ballet in New York. As Co-Director of the Dance Education Centre, which teaches children and career track pre-professional dancers from age three and up, she has created an extremely successful summer workshop, which has drawn students to Charleston from as far away as Taiwan. It is Patricia Cantwell's hope that she can continue to guide Charleston Ballet Theatre's development in a way that involves and enriches the Southeast with excellent and innovative performances and dance education.
DON CANTWELL - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Throughout his career, Mr. Cantwell has served in a variety of capacities from dancer, to partner to director, to scenic designer and costumer. During his first years back in Charleston, Mr. Cantwell worked with former soloist with the New York City Ballet, Stanley Zompakos, at the Civic Ballet. He expanded his talents from the stage to behind the curtain, preparing sets and costumes for such favorites as The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Snow White. Don's knowledge and expertise are an integral part of each production. During his tenure with CBT, he created a reputation for performing the classics as well as encouraging established and emerging choreographers in the creation of new works. He brought some of the nation's most exciting dancers to Charleston Ballet Theatre and established the Charleston Ballet Theatre Centre for Dance Education which currently reaches out to hundreds of students each year.
Throughout his career, Mr. Cantwell has served in a variety of capacities from dancer, to partner to director, to scenic designer and costumer. During his first years back in Charleston, Mr. Cantwell worked with former soloist with the New York City Ballet, Stanley Zompakos, at the Civic Ballet. He expanded his talents from the stage to behind the curtain, preparing sets and costumes for such favorites as The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Snow White. Don's knowledge and expertise are an integral part of each production. During his tenure with CBT, he created a reputation for performing the classics as well as encouraging established and emerging choreographers in the creation of new works. He brought some of the nation's most exciting dancers to Charleston Ballet Theatre and established the Charleston Ballet Theatre Centre for Dance Education which currently reaches out to hundreds of students each year.
JILL EATHORNE BAHR - RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER
Bahr is a woman with a mission, in many ways like a sprint runner busting out of the blocks racing into the new 21st century with open arms and promises of wild rides as she strives to make Charleston Ballet Theatre bigger and better each year. Recognized for her unique and personal choreographic approach, Eathorne-Bahr has been heralded as being sleek and explosive in her range of styles. Works of Bahr include her nihilistic Firebird and the "World War II Slant of Life in France" in Last Vestiges of a Torch Song Café in addition to her prim al tale of a matriarch society turned upside down, The Rite of Spring.
Bahr is a woman with a mission, in many ways like a sprint runner busting out of the blocks racing into the new 21st century with open arms and promises of wild rides as she strives to make Charleston Ballet Theatre bigger and better each year. Recognized for her unique and personal choreographic approach, Eathorne-Bahr has been heralded as being sleek and explosive in her range of styles. Works of Bahr include her nihilistic Firebird and the "World War II Slant of Life in France" in Last Vestiges of a Torch Song Café in addition to her prim al tale of a matriarch society turned upside down, The Rite of Spring.
Overflowing with ideas, Bahr's other works include: Wings, Random Occurrences, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Fox-Trot Circa 1990 and Captured Angel, as well as the full length story ballets Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Great Gatsby, Coppelia and Seven Deadly Sins. Bahr's acclaimed signature work, Poetry with a Splash of Red Blood, has thrilled Charleston audiences since 1987. Her choreography can be found in the repertoire of Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Ballet Eddy Toussaint USA, Eugene Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Nevada Dance Theatre, North Carolina Dance Theatre, State of Alabama Ballet, Ballet Omaha, Joffrey II Dancers and the Fort Wayne Ballet. Jill Eathorne Bahr's famous Dracula with Flying by Foy is in the repertoire of four national dance companies. In October 1999, Bahr's Dracula returned to Las Vegas for seven performances.
Jill Eathorne Bahr has been awarded two National Endowment for the Arts Choreographic Fellowships, four Monticello Choreographic Fellowships, the William Habich Choreography Award, the South Carolina Arts Commission Choreography Fellowship in 1997 – the first time offered in 10 years, two Astral Choreography Awards, and was part of the Celebration of the Uncommon Woman in Oregon. Bahr was most recently awarded the Verner Award from the SC Arts Commission recognizing outstanding achievement and contributions to the arts in South Carolina and a second choreography fellowship from the same organization in 2009. She has taught at many colleges including University of Akron, the University of South Florida, the University of Maryland/Baltimore and has adjudicated numerous American College Dance Festivals and Regional Dance America Festivals. Jill is very fond of her spoiled rotten cocker spaniel, Choura.
KYLE BARNETTE - ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR
Kyle has been intimately involved in all aspects of the fine arts from a very early age, earning a degree in Theatre Performance from Ole Miss in 1998 with a minor emphasis in dance where upon graduating he moved to Charleston and became the very first acting intern at Charleston Stage Company. An accomplished veteran actor and director, Kyle has worked professionally in theatres throughout the country including Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN where he performed as a principal actor in the theatre's exclusive Resident Acting Company. It was there Kyle was introduced to his other passion, arts administration, working as the theatre's PR & Marketing Representative and Development Assistant while also performing in the theatre's season of shows. After several season's Kyle moved on to further his career in the arts by co-founding a non-profit professional theatre in Northern Michigan.
In Atlanta he worked as the Managing Director for Ansley Park Playhouse, a for-profit professional theatre in midtown Atlanta that is home to the famously long-running and record-breaking original play Peachtree Battle. He also worked as national and international sales coordinator for acclaimed contemporary landscape artist Ford Smith. His deep affection for the rich culture and beauty of Charleston brought him back to the area in the fall of 2007 where he fit right in with the artistic community of CBT and Charleston. Kyle was recently named to Charleston Regional Business Journal's 40 Under 40 celebrating the top young business professionals in the city of Charleston recognizing his accomplishments with CBT along with his artist contributions to the city of Charleston as an arts advocate, actor and director.
As a professional actor Kyle's regional credits include Quills, Hair, Amadeus, Cabaret, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Dinner With Friends, Dirty Blonde and A Tuna Christmas among others. Directing credits include A Tuna Christmas, Baby With the Bathwater, Steel Magnolias and award winning productions of Bash and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. A member of the Charleston Stage Acting Company, this coming season Kyle will appear in the theatre's productions of The 39 Steps as Richard Hannay and reprise his role of Captain Hook in Peter Pan. After a successful run directing Steel Magnolias last winter he will direct Charleston Stage's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2011.
