Kurt Froman

STYLE: Ballet Technique, Partnering, Pointe, Variations, Musical Theatre

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Ballet Technique-
90 minute class is divided between barre and center exercises. Barre follows the traditional sequence of classical ballet with a clear focus on clean footwork, alignment, and creating dynamic that makes the entire class feel “dancey” and musical.  The class explains how to properly use the floor, and utilize turnout muscles from the beginning. Center of gravity, creating resistance within the movement, and port de bras are emphasised as well as accurate musicality, hand position, torso and pelvis stabilisation, and proper use of the inner thigh to motivate the movement. The center portion of class progresses from tendus, to pirouettes, combinations moving across the floor, small jumps, and finishing with grand allegro. Students will walk away with a refreshed perspective on what their personal and collective weak points are and how to tackle and improve as dancers. They will also realize how free their movement can be within the rules of classical ballet and what it means to be a modern ballet dancer.

Partnering-
60 minute class focuses on pirouettes, promenades, small lifts using proper hand positions for the men as well as engaging the muscle groups specific to classical partnering to protect their backs and avoiding injuries.  

Pointe-
60 minute class builds foot and ankle strength, how to generate the strength for single leg releves, and how to roll through their feet to make their  pointework clean, pliable, coordinated.  Pointe class finishes with a combination that builds endurance and feels “dancey”

Variations-
60 minute class which breaks down classical choreography specific to the level of the students

Musical Theatre Repertory-
60 minute class breaks down Broadway choreography specific to the level of the students

BIO: Kurt Froman just completed the film Red Sparrow, training and coaching Oscar winning actress Jennifer Lawrence to perform choreography by Justin Peck (NYCB). He was JLaw’s personal ballet trainer and coach and oversaw the dance sequences during production which also featured Isabella Boylston (ABT principal) and Sergei Polunin (former Royal Ballet principal). Kurt was the original Dance Captain and Swing for the Broadway hit, An American In Paris, and eventually took over an ensemble role in the show. He was recently seen on the STARZ series Flesh & Bone, featured in a ballet solo as “Young Paul” as well as a series regular as a Company Member. He trained Christina Ricci for several months and choreographed her solo en pointe for the Amazon series Z: The Beginning Of Everything, and will remain the choreographer and ballet coach for the rest of the series. Kurt was the Resident Choreographer of Billy Elliot, The Musical on Broadway and the 2nd National Tour, and the Associate choreographer for the film Black Swan, responsible for training and coaching Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel and overseeing the corps de ballet. Natalie Portman personally thanked Kurt in her Oscar Acceptance speech for their work together. Kurt has also taught ballet to actress Rooney Mara, and coached her movement for her role in the Terrence Malick film, Song To Song, as well as Vogue Magazine’s “The Vogue 120”. Kurt was invited to stage material for the Paris Opera Ballet’s “Tribute To Jerome Robbins”, and staged Benjamin Millepied’s “The Nutcracker” for Ballett Dortmund in Germany. He has worked on commercials— L’Oreal’s “True Match” starring Zoe Saldana (Choreographer) and Domyos (Associate Choreographer), music videos (Rita Ora/Liam Payne’s “For You” from Fifty Shades Freed), editorial shoots (CO Spring 2018 lookbook and film), and has choreographed the ad campaigns, video shoots, and catalogues for Bloch dancewear for three years.

Kurt has been on faculty at Steps On Broadway, The School at Steps, and Broadway Dance Center, as well as guest faculty at Barnard College and the University of Michigan. He also taught the past two years for the NYC Dance Alliance headlining their Friday night audition class.

Kurt’s professional career started in New York after he was awarded the first Rudolf Nureyev Scholarship which allowed him to study at the School of American Ballet’s “Special” Advanced Men’s Class. After six months, Kurt was invited to join the New York City Ballet, where he danced senior corps and soloist roles for over seven years. His Broadway career started when he was cast in the leading role of “James” in the Twyla Tharp/Billy Joel show, Movin’ Out. Kurt was in the Broadway revival of Pal Joey at Studio 54, City Center Encores!- Juno and On Your Toes, and did principal roles with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center.

Other TV/Film credits include Smash, Biography Channel’s Biography – Natalie Portman: The Professional, Black Swan where he was the “Understudy to Siegfried” and danced with Mila Kunis onscreen, Across the Universe, Center Stage, SNL, and several Live From Lincoln Center telecasts.