Students in the Long Beach High School IB Dance Program recently took part in a Dance Residency Intensive on March 12 and 14, in partnership with New York City Center. This unique opportunity allowed the IB Dance students to collaborate with renowned international dancer, teacher, and choreographer Manon Bal, who guided them through Horton and Street Jazz techniques and choreographed an original performance piece exclusively for them.
Long Beach Dance Teacher Christianne Vella said, “Working with such an esteemed dance professional is a very unique experience for a dancer and for many of these students, it was a once in a lifetime time opportunity.”
Manon Bal, a versatile professional dancer from Marseille, France, worked closely with the students during the residency. She has trained at the IFPRO Rick Odums in Paris and the prestigious Ailey School in New York City. Since 2016, she has been a member of Ephrat Asherie Dance, a company that tours both nationally and internationally. Throughout her career, Manon has worked with esteemed choreographers, including Ronald K-Brown, Rick Odums, Michelle Dorrance, Tweet Boogie, Michele Byrd McPhee, Jon Rua, and Miki Tuesday. As a choreographer, she co-founded Maley Company with Dhele Agbetou and Mozaik Dance with Janine J9 Micheletti and Sun Kim. Additionally, Manon serves as a New York City Center Teaching Artist.
Date Added: 3/24/2025