Gibb takes reins at Alabama Youth Ballet

After a year of collaboration between teachers, parents, students, and volunteers to get AYB up and running, Keren Gibb is returning to a familiar place at the helm of a ballet school.

"It's been nothing short of a miracle," says Gibb, who watched as many around her gave time, financial resources, and talent to turn a vision into reality.

With a firm commitment to excellent ballet training in a warm and caring environment, AYB has been buzzing with activity since opening its doors last summer. In its first year, AYB has refurbished its space at 1405-C Weatherly Drive, birthed three companies, enrolled over 200 students, offered special classes with the likes of Luba Gulyaeva and Margi Cole, held an urban outreach workshop, filed for non-profit status, launched a guild, won the overall choreography competition at Panoply, and given the public wonderful performances. The Spring show highlighted Wendy Graham's Beatle's choreography, the classical ballet Pacquita, and a mixture of other contemporary, modern, and jazz numbers.

Graham will remain as resident choreographer. Herriott will continue to direct AYB's company, and Mary Halverstadt will oversee the young modern troupe, Footprints, and the liturgical group, CrossRoads. Meg Hall is joining the faculty.

The two main shows are moving from the VBC to Merrimack Hall this year - A Yuletide Ballet, scheduled for the first weekend in December, featuring favorite parts from the Nutcracker, and the Spring Repertoire, the first weekend in April, featuring Herriott's Cinderella.

Gibb and Herriott have produced dancers who have been accepted to illustrious summer programs and dance academies across the nation. One such dancer now home from Harid Conservatory is a favorite teacher and award winning choreographer at AYB. Another recently returned to participate in Gulyaeva's workshop and take classes with Gibb. She reported that as she auditioned for various schools in a large East coast city, directors were impressed with the level of instruction she had received over eight years with Gibb and she was also better able to evaluate where she wanted to dance. AYB joins the most current of ballet schools in America in proving a place of discipline and excellence can be friendly and supportive.

For more information, visit alabamayouthballet.org or call 881-5930.