Princeton Ballet School Recognizes Graduating Seniors

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Ballet School, the official school of American Repertory Ballet (ARB), presented scholarship awards and recognized its graduating seniors at its annual spring production, the school announced on Wednesday. This year's production, "The Sleeping Beauty," was presented at Patriots Theatre at the War Memorial in Trenton.

The Audrée Estey Award is named for Princeton Ballet School’s founder. It is given to rising seniors of exceptional talent and dedication who serve as role models to others. This year’s recipients are Annalee Brody of Princeton; Nichole Heiser of Skillman; and Annika Kuo of Belle Mead.

The Ruth Pettit Award was established by Pettit’s family in her memory. Pettit was a Princeton Ballet School parent volunteer who worked in ARB’s wardrobe department. Her daughter, Dodie, went on to a career on Broadway. The 2017 recipient of the Ruth Pettit Award is Kaila Jones of Plainsboro.

The Nora Orphanides Award goes to an outstanding young pre-professional. The 2017 recipient of this award is Zoya Pavlovsky of Ewing.

Pavlovsky, who started ballet at the age of four at Princeton Ballet School, has completed three years in the Professional Training Program. This summer, she will be attending the Princeton Ballet School Summer Program. She will be an American Repertory Ballet Trainee for the 2017-18 season.

The Molly Clifton Award was established by Lisa and Lionel de Ravel to honor the memory of Clifton, a fellow dancer with Lisa de Ravel in American Repertory Ballet. It goes to a younger female dancer of great promise, and this year it went to Naomi Namboodiripad of Plainsboro.

The Edwards Scholarship was established by Sally Edwards and her husband Don to be given to a very young dancer who exhibits a great enthusiasm and joy in dance classes. This year, the Edwards Scholarship was awarded to Madeleine Rambow of Princeton.

The Maria Youskevitch Scholarship Fund was established in 2013 at the initiative of Ildiko Henni-Jones to honor Maria Youskevitch, the 2014 recipient of the Audrée Estey Award for Excellence in Dance Education. This year, Hailey Wright of Flemington received this scholarship to continue her studies in the American Repertory Ballet Trainee Program.

The Marlene Volpe Scholarship was established in 2016. Volpe is a long-time supporter of American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School and was a founding supporter of ARB’s flagship residency program, Dance Power. It is presented to a promising student. This year’s recipient is Jordan Cunningham of New Brunswick.

Princeton Ballet School also recognized this year’s graduates:

• Thalia Centolanza of Somerset;
• Zoe Countess of Annandale;
• Sophia D'Adamo of Monroe Township;
• Tina Lu of Princeton;
• Dominique Rafael of East Brunswick;
• Alexandra Raslowsky of Ringoes;
• Ryan Ricca of Belle Mead;
• Zoya Pavlovsky of Ewing;
• Diana Tang of Princeton;
• Gracen Taylor of Cranbury; and
• Haley Wright of Flemington.

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