This summer, Koltun Ballet Boston gives young dancemakers a chance alongside students

Koltun Ballet Boston (KBB) has announced that three rising choreographers will join its seven-week 2023 Summer Intensive Program faculty to create new dances for students from late June to mid-August. KBB Co-Founding Director Alexandra Koltun says dancemakers Benjamin Peralta, London Mills and Maggie Foster represent a new generation of choreographers whom the school is committed to giving creative opportunities.

Colorado-based Maggie Foster, 32, returns to KBB this summer after creating previous works for the school’s dancers. A graduate of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Foster’s work Refugee, which was commissioned by KBB, nabbed third place at the Youth America Grand Prix’s 2022 Boston semi-finals. Foster will work with KBB dancers for three weeks in July and August, creating new works for two student group levels.

Benjamin Peralta, 26, is a 2022 graduate of the University of Southern California’s Kaufman School of Dance and performs with Ballet BC in British Columbia. He recently worked with William Forsythe to stage the iconic choreographer’s “The Barre Project” for Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City. Peralta will create a new work for ten KBB students and two solos over two weeks in mid-July.

KBB faculty member London Mills, 22, is a 2020 graduate of the school, a previous YAGP winner, and a dancer and choreographer with Nsquared Contemporary Dance Company in Manchester, NH. Mills has been moving into choreography and last year created a solo dance piece for current KBB student Alexis Conway (who earlier this year received the “Aspire Award” at the Universal Ballet Competition and made the Top 12 of YAGP’s Junior Women’s category). Mills will create two ensemble performances, three solos and a duet from late June through early July.

Alexandra Koltun says she and KBB co-Artistic Director Alex Lapshin are committed to building the talents of young choreographers and creating a robust repertoire of new classical and contemporary dances that their students can perform at showcases and international competitions. KBB was awarded Outstanding School at the 2023 YAGP Boston Regional competition in February; this was their fourth time in five years to receive the honor, having previously won it in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

“Today, dancers who want to pursue dance in college and as a career have to be knowledgeable and trained in many styles,” Koltun says. “By bringing in talented young choreographers, our students are exposed to new ideas in dance and build working relationships with dancemakers who we think represent the future of the artform.”

Koltun and Lapshin, both internationally recognized professional dancers, have worked with companies around the world and befriended many choreographers whose work, they say, has influenced their own dancing and their philosophy of teaching dance.

Koltun Ballet Boston’s Summer Intensive Program runs June 26 through August 11, 2023 at the company’s state-of-the-art facilities at 23 Main Street in Watertown, Mass. The Summer Intensive culminates with a studio workshop performance on Friday, August 11 @ 3 p.m., featuring premieres of the works created this summer.

KBB holds an Open House on Saturday, April 29 from 10 am – 3 pm for parents and students from 3-19 years old who are interested in summer and year-round training. RSVP is requested at www.koltunballetboston.com or by email at info@koltunballetboston.com