Faculty
Julie Grooters
Julie began her training in Des Moines with the Des Moines Ballet School and The School of Ballet Iowa. She expanded her technical training at the Hartford Ballet School, Ballet West, The Joffrey Ballet School and The School of American Ballet in New York City. Professional companies she performed with are the Eugene Ballet Company, Ballet South, American Folk Ballet, and Ballet Iowa. She extensively toured the United States as well as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Thailand, and Taiwan on an Arts America tour with the Eugene Ballet Company. As founding Artistic Director of Ballet Des Moines, Ms Grooters produced collaborative performances with Valley High School Chamber Orchestra and Project Unity with The Taz Band. She has written and narrated school show performances for Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Project Unity and a special Science Center presentation on physics and ballet. She has recently performed with Ballet Des Moines in Continuum in 2007. Ms Grooters is currently teaching at the School of Classical Ballet and Dance.
Julie began her training in Des Moines with the Des Moines Ballet School and The School of Ballet Iowa. She expanded her technical training at the Hartford Ballet School, Ballet West, The Joffrey Ballet School and The School of American Ballet in New York City. Professional companies she performed with are the Eugene Ballet Company, Ballet South, American Folk Ballet, and Ballet Iowa. She extensively toured the United States as well as India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Thailand, and Taiwan on an Arts America tour with the Eugene Ballet Company. As founding Artistic Director of Ballet Des Moines, Ms Grooters produced collaborative performances with Valley High School Chamber Orchestra and Project Unity with The Taz Band. She has written and narrated school show performances for Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Project Unity and a special Science Center presentation on physics and ballet. She has recently performed with Ballet Des Moines in Continuum in 2007. Ms Grooters is currently teaching at the School of Classical Ballet and Dance.
Guest Faculty
Alfonso Martin
Alfonso Martín is a Principal dancer with Tulsa Ballet. Mr. Martín joined Tulsa Ballet in 1998 as a Demi-Soloist and rose through the ranks, receiving his promotion to Principal Dancer in April of 2001. Martín's professional career also includes Boston Ballet and Ballet de Monterrey in Mexico. Mr. Martín's repertoire includes Albrecht in Giselle, Basilio in Don Quixote, Prince inCinderella, Romeo inRomeo & Juliet, Prince Siegried and Rothbart inSwan Lake, Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty, Armand in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Jean in Brigit Cullbert's Miss Julie, the male lead in George Balanchine's Who Cares?and Theme and Variations, as well as the creation of Charles in the world premiere of Marcello Angelini's The Nutcracker. Martín has also been featured in numerous works by choreographers such as Jerome Robbins, Robert North, Nacho Duato, Paul Taylor, John Butler, Fredrick Ashton, Christopher Wheeldon, Nijinska, Nicolo Fonte, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, and Ma Cong.
Mr. Martín received the gold medal at the second national competition of Torrelavega, Spain. He has also appeared as a guest artist around the United States and in Spain, Italy, Mexico and Brazil.
Alfonso Martín is a Principal dancer with Tulsa Ballet. Mr. Martín joined Tulsa Ballet in 1998 as a Demi-Soloist and rose through the ranks, receiving his promotion to Principal Dancer in April of 2001. Martín's professional career also includes Boston Ballet and Ballet de Monterrey in Mexico. Mr. Martín's repertoire includes Albrecht in Giselle, Basilio in Don Quixote, Prince inCinderella, Romeo inRomeo & Juliet, Prince Siegried and Rothbart inSwan Lake, Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty, Armand in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Jean in Brigit Cullbert's Miss Julie, the male lead in George Balanchine's Who Cares?and Theme and Variations, as well as the creation of Charles in the world premiere of Marcello Angelini's The Nutcracker. Martín has also been featured in numerous works by choreographers such as Jerome Robbins, Robert North, Nacho Duato, Paul Taylor, John Butler, Fredrick Ashton, Christopher Wheeldon, Nijinska, Nicolo Fonte, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, and Ma Cong.
Mr. Martín received the gold medal at the second national competition of Torrelavega, Spain. He has also appeared as a guest artist around the United States and in Spain, Italy, Mexico and Brazil.