We are excited to have our week two Summer Intensive guest master instructor, Ms. Kim Sagami join us. We are so excited to work with her this week and expose our students to a new instructor. Ms. Sagami will also be choreographing a few pieces for our Summer Showcase performance that will take place Friday, August 2, 2019 at 5pm at Trollwood Park North Fargo (Barn Stage). This is a free dance concert showcasing our Summer Intensive students, their progression and technique they have been working on for the 3 week intensive. Read more about Ms. Sagami below.
Kim Sagami is a Chicago-based ballet teacher who was born and trained in Los Angeles before making a career in New York. She joined the Joffrey Ballet at the invitation of Robert Joffrey in 1983 and danced with the company for 14 years. Her teaching style reflects the influences of her mentors: Joffrey and Gerald Arpino; Yoga Narada founder Hilary Cartwright; and the many renowned ballet teachers she had trained with from Los Angeles to New York.
Ms. Sagami’s artistic values were shaped by Robert Joffrey as she witnessed his meticulous eye in reviving historic ballets, intuition for spotting choreographic talent, enthusiasm for teaching, and an appreciation for dance of all genres. Gerald Arpino, co-founder of the company, was a mentor in shaping perseverance, determination, and grit.
Performing with the Joffrey Ballet brought the chance to dance challenging repertoire in major theaters in the US and around the world. Being in theatres that were hundreds of years old, historically significant architectural arts centers, and beautifully designed outdoor venues unveiled her love of architecture. She realized that a well-planned space could facilitate a transcendent experience for both the performers and the audience.
When the Joffrey Ballet moved to Chicago in 1996, Ms. Sagami took the next step and transitioned to studying architecture, earning her degree in 2004 from The Illinois Institute of Technology. She continues to use architectural concepts of structure and design to inform her students on body alignment and placement.
Teaching credits include Joffrey Academy, Hubbard St. Dance Chicago, Chicago High School of the Arts, Regional Dance America MidStates Festival, Fort Wayne Ballet, Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, Chicago Repertory Ballet, Ballet 5:8, Thodos Dance Chicago, Chicago Ballet Arts, Joffrey II, Joffrey San Antonio Workshop, Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker children’s cast ballet mistress. Master classes in Sydney Australia, Tokyo, Virginia, LA, NY, and Chicago.
Film credits include the 1987 film of Joffrey’s historic restoration of Nijinsky’s lost Le Sacre du Printemps and a featured role in the film of BILLBOARDS, a full-length rock ballet with music by Prince. Musical credits includes a featured role in the national US touring company of The Phantom of the Opera.
Ms. Sagami is currently on faculty at the Joffrey Academy of Dance and was recently named Resident Master Teacher at Fort Wayne Ballet. She completed the ABT National Training Curriculum for Level 1 and Progressing Ballet Technique Teacher’s training course. Ms. Sagami is president of the board of directors for The Gerald Arpino Foundation and also serves as a répétiteur.