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State University of New York 2008

Letter of Recommendation

dance in pragueI am writing this letter to advise you that Ricardo Viviani is a valuable teacher to any performance program. He has taught for the State University of New York at New Paltz Study Abroad dance program in Prague and in Italy for many years.
He offers, from his incredible performing experience over the years as a dancer and a choreographer of opera and musicals, a unique approach to teaching which captures the students immediately with his energy. The workshops he gave were always a high point in the program and valued highly by the students and by me.
You will be very fortunate to have him as a teacher.
Sincerely Lynn Barr [Director of SUNY STUDY DANCE ABROAD]

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a student report 2004

Alex Chalyy: Ricardo Viviani

Dancing was part of him.

One could see that Ricardo did not just dance.

Everything that he did was carefully thought out and designed as being fun for the students in the class. He knew when and where to stop and how to better explain moves to the class when everyone had trouble with it. He was also not boring.

He showed that dancing was acting as much as a physical activity. He encouraged us to get involved emotionally into pieces and really be in the piece.

Overall, I thought that Ricardo Viviani was a great dance teacher. He really liked what he was doing. His passion toward dancing was contagious. He made everybody like dancing. He was extremely professional. He also had a good easy going dancing style. Continue reading “a student report 2004”

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Jacob’s Pillow Dancers 1981

Photo Stephan Driscoll

Ricardo Viviani and Elizabeth Zengara
in a duet by Igal Perry (Peridance NYC)

…”Mr. Perry moves his 12 dancers about the tiny space impressively, giving them big jumps – crisply executed -and runs for a note of urgency.” Jennifer Dunning

…”A delicate, flowing measure was peformed by Elizabeth Zengara, well-partnered by Ricardo Viviani”

In 1981 I got a scholarship to study at The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and School.

Jacob’s Pillow is a very special place. The school is a summer camp; the students live in cabins scattered around the woods of the Berkshire Mountains. The program includes an intensive dance education with 5 dance classes per day. The scholarship program also includes work on the many skills needed for running a dance performance: this way the students are also involved in the performances presented at the Dance Festival.

“The Pillow” first introduced me to Bessie Schönberg, Liz Thompson, Manuel Alum, Bill Irwin, the Kathakali Dance of India and so many other people.

”Bessie Schönberg, who heads our choreography department was most impressed with Ricardo’s sense of invention.”

Liz Thompson, Artistic Director

Continue reading “Jacob’s Pillow Dancers 1981”

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Ernie Pagnano

To move with the joy of a wild animal

Ernie Pagnano teaches with a touch so light and lifting that your spirits rise right along with your grandes battements. He has an internal graciousness that enables him to lend something of himself to students so that, despite the demanding nature of a two-hour ballet class, you experience the steady rising of your stamina, your pleasure, and your freedom of movement.

Mr. Pagnano brings to his classes valuable lessons learned from a long and shining dance career. He has worked with some of the finest companies in the world including the Joffrey Ballet, New York City Opera, Jack Cole, Alvin Ailey, Harkness Ballet, Lar Lubovitch, Berlin Ballet, Cliff Keuter, and the Netherlands Dance Theater-, as well as on tile Broadway stage. Though he sustained knee injuries in the very early years of his career, determination and the help of his mentor Maggie Black enabled Mr. Pagnano to continue his professional dance career for another twelve years.

Although he has studied with many fine teachers, Mr. Pagnano states that success in overcoming his injuries must be attributed to Miss Black’s teaching methods: “Maggie taught me a placement so high in the hip, that I no longer sat in my knees. This is the placement that I want to spread with my teaching; it is a placement that protects the dancer.”
Ernie Pagnano teaches with a touch so light and lifting that your spirits rise right along with your grandes battements. He has an internal graciousness that enables him to lend something of himself to students so that, despite the demanding nature of a two-hour ballet class, you experience the steady rising of your stamina, your pleasure, and your freedom of movement. Mr. Pagnano brings to his classes valuable lessons learned from a long and shining dance career. He has worked with some of the finest companies in the world including the Joffrey Ballet, New York City Opera, Jack Cole, Alvin Ailey, Harkness Ballet, Lar Lubovitch, Berlin Ballet, Cliff Keuter, and the Netherlands Dance Theater-, as well as on tile Broadway stage. Though he sustained knee injuries in the very early years of his career, determination and the help of his mentor Maggie Black enabled Mr. Pagnano to continue his professional dance career for another twelve years. Although he has studied with many fine teachers, Mr. Pagnano states that success in overcoming his injuries must be attributed to Miss Black's teaching methods: Maggie taught me a placement so high in the hip, that I no longer sat in my knees. This is the placement that I want to spread with my teaching; it is a placement that protects the dancer.

Ernie Pagnano, died in 1987.
 
Did you take classes with Ernie? Tell us about your experience.