Holly began her classical ballet training in the style of Balanchine (Cecchetti) and Vaganova with Ballet Arts Minnesota under the Tuteledge of Bonnie Mathis, Lirena Braninski and others. She then trained on scholarship at Interlochen Arts Academy, Gus Giordanno Jazz Dance Chicago, Alvin Ailey Summer Intensives, Martha Graham Intensives, and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. After graduating with her BFA in Classical Dance from Southern Methodist University with honours, (1997) she toured Europe performing contemporary works with the SMU Dance Ensemble. Upon her return to the US, she began intensive training with Lou Conte Dance Studios in Chicago, home of Hubbard Street. 

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Since retiring from dancing professionally in order to focus more on her family, Holly’s passion for classical ballet and contemporary dance has only grown. She pursued additional courses including Basi Comprehensive training, Pregnancy and Beyond, and Rebound South Africa. Holly is busy completing the 8 years of Vaganova training under Ljiljana Urosevic da Silva who studied in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg, Russia) Vaganova Academy. 

 

Holly has choreographed for numerous University productions, musicals, performing arts schools, and churches, in both the United States and South Africa including original works with Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, Esther, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, and The King and I. She has produced dynamic dance performance opportunities for Elite College of Excellence. 

 

Holly founded Johannesburg Arts Conservatory (JAC) in 2017 as a sponsor organization to further the arts in Johannesburg. Today JAC is a dedicated training centre for advanced, pre-professional dancers. She continues to run, oversee, and teach at JAC. 

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It is with great excitement that Holly is now moving forward with WGRUV Dance Company, South Africa’s newest contemporary ballet dance company. 

 

Holly is passionate about making WGRUV an organisation that endeavours to model integrity, positive energy, meaningful and life-giving works around a team of teachers, choreographers and dancers for the preservation of the classical art form of dance.

 

With a diverse Advisory Board and by the generous support of private sponsors and access to international choreographers and teachers, Holly has collaborated with local South Africans to develop a world class dance company that seeks to change the scope by adding to it.

 

“I am excited to invite curious dancers to join me who are interested in growing, performing, choreographing, and working toward a dynamic and exploratory creation of a new dance company.”