New Mexico Dance Theater: NMDT Faculty





NMDT Faculty Susan Baker-Dillingham Director Susan Baker-Dillingham was born in Abilene, Texas where she grew up studying dance at the Abilene Civic Ballet Company under the direction of Ellen Rutherford. Susan completed her senior year of high school and one year of college at the highly acclaimed North Carolina School of the Arts. After leaving North Carolina School of the Arts, Susan danced professionally with the Louisville Ballet, Balletmet in Columbus, Ohio, the Eglevsky Ballet in NYC, the modern troupe Michael Mao Dance in NYC, and Ballet Austin. During her 20 years as a professional dancer, Susan worked with many world renowned choreographers including, Lou Conte, Lynn Taylor Corbett, James Kudelka, John McFall, David Parsons, Kirk Peterson, Michael Smuin, and Glen Tetley. Susan has performed in a wide range of balletic works from the absolute classicism of Marius Petipa and the neo-classic George Balanchine, to the modernism of Paul Taylor. In the spring of 2004 Susan was chosen as a New Mexico Woman of Distinction. She was honored to be one of ten women celebrated at the Governor's mansion in Santa Fe. In the fall of 2005, NMDT was chosen as the "Most Successful New Small Business" in Los Alamos. Phone: (505) 662-NMDT (6638) Daren Savage Associate Director Daren started dancing while in college. Daren began his professional career with the San Antonio Ballet, where he quickly rose through the ranks to dance principal roles. Daren's success continued with the Tennessee Festival Ballet, where he danced under the direction of David and Anna-Marie Holmes. Daren counts the Prince in Cinderella as one of his favorite ballets with the Tennessee Festival Ballet. Daren received his highest praise while dancing Mac in Lew Christensen's Filling Station, with BalletMet under the direction of John McFall, At BalletMet, Daren had the opportunity work with many influential choreographers and ballet coaches, such as Lynn Wallis, Michael Smuin, David Parsons. Since accepting the position of Associate Director of NMDT, Daren has been busy getting involved in the community by teaching at the National Dance Institute-New Mexico in Santa Fe. Selena Offenberg Administrative Director Instructor Selena is originally from Munich, Gemany and joins NMDT this year as Administrative Director. Selena enjoyed a 14year long professional dance career in which she danced with the Hessisches Staats Theater Wiesbaden, Staats Theater Nuernberg, Paul Henry Dance Company, London, Concert Dance Theater, Munich, Michael Mao Dance, NYC, and Dance Imprints, NYC. As well, Selena trained with Royston Maldoom of the Scottish Ballet, Mauricio Wainroth of Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Batsheva Dance Company, Ballet Rambert, Michael Clark and David Parsons. In the fashion industry Selena was a dance model in fashion shows such as Nike, Reebok, Goldwell, Wella and Mercedes Benz. Since 2000 Selena has worked as a personal trainer with members of the HBO Fitness Center, NYC, and privately in Miami. After retiring from dancing professionally, Selena began her second career in an administrative capacity as a foreign language assistant working with several international companies in Germany. Most recently Selena worked at the German Consulate General Miami, where she was in charge of issuing passports, visas, German permanent residency, and retirement and restitution for German Holocaust survivors living in Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Phone: (505) 920-9134 Carol Liebmann Instructor Carol received her BFA in Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma. She trained as a dancer at O.U., with Ruth Petrinovic at the Academy of Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale, at Minnesota Dance Theater, and in New York with Willie Burman (ballet), Henry LeTang (tap), and Michelle Assaf (jazz). As a professional dancer, Carol was a Ballet Oklahoma company member, then went on to musical theater, performing such roles as Val in A Chorus Line, Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, Zaneta in The Music Man, Lily St. Regis in Annie, and Consuelo in West Side Story. Carol's teaching credits include the School of Ballet Oklahoma, Children's Theater Company School in Minneapolis, and the School of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Carol teaches jazz and tap at NMDT. Phone: (505) 473-7193 Ellen Walton Instructor Ellen Walton is a native of Los Alamos and graduate of Los Alamos High School. She spent her childhood dancing classical ballet and jazz with a local ballet company, Pajarito Ballet Theatre, and went on to train and perform in California, Germany, New York and Spain. In 1990 Ellen obtained a B.A. in Mathematics from Pomona College, where she danced with her college’s dance program and members of the José Límon Company. Ellen left the United States to study and perform as a guest student at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany for 2 years. In the spring of 1993 she entered the Dance and Theater Department at the University of New Mexico and completed a B.F.A., magna cum laude, in Dance in 1995. While at the University of New Mexico, Ellen performed with Alma Flamenco and Ballet Theater of New Mexico. Upon graduation Ellen left to work for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts which ultimately led her to a 10-year career of freelance work in technical theater and dance in New York City. In New York, Ellen danced on her own and with the American Bolero Dance Company and worked in lighting for shows such as the Broadway revival of Cabaret at Studio 54. Her instructors over the years have included Libby Nye, an early member of the José Limón Company; modern dance innovators Hans Züllig and Jean Cébron of the Folkwang School in Germany; well-loved ballet masters Jack Hertzog and Igal Perry, and renowned flamenco artists José Molina and Tomás de Madrid. Ellen moved back to Los Alamos in 2005 and is proud to be teaching locally for New Mexico Dance Theater and for Northern New Mexico College this fall. <TOP>