Performer’s Edge
Frank Weiner
Born in Zimbabwe, Africa, Frank started dancing at the Studio School of
Dance in Massachusetts under Dede Guercio-Renko. He then studied at the
State University of New York at Purchase and New York School of Ballet.
Frank performed with the Hartford Ballet in Romeo and Juliet, Copelia, and
Carmina Burana, and Soloist roles in Hansel and Gretel, The Nutcracker and
The Moor in Jose Limon’s The Moor’s Pavane. While in Hartford,
Frank was also a member of Works Contemporary Dance Company. During the
seven seasons Frank danced with the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, he performed
pieces choreographed by Choo San-Goh, Lambros Lambrou, Jill Bahr, George
Balanchine and Jose Limon. Including solo and principal roles in Spartacus,
Spring Waters, The Moor’s Pavane, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, the
Snow King and Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker and Hilarian in Giselle. Frank
then joined Dance Kaleidoscope, under the direction of David Hochoy, where
he was featured in such pieces as Puccini People, Love Lies Bleeding, Seasons,
and Farewell. During his time with Dance Kaleidoscope, Frank also performed
in Indianapolis Civic Theatre’s productions of A Chorus Line, Anything
Goes and La Cage Aux Follies.
Jane
Hachiya-Weiner
Jane comes to Indianapolis from Japan where she was one of the Principal Dancers of the Hirofumi Inoue Ballet company, in Tokyo, and danced under her given name of Jane Godsoe and later her stage name of Noriko Hachiya. She danced the leading roles in such ballets as Swan Lake (Odette/Odile), Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Giselle. She was given the role of Marie Taglioni in Sir Anton Dolin’s staging of Pas de Quatre on one of his visits to the Hirofumi Inoue Ballet Company as guest choreographer. During her days in Tokyo, Jane was a frequent guest artist in both the touring and Tokyo performances of the Japan Ballet Association and also for the NHK’s (National Broadcasting Company of Japan) annual “Evening at the Ballet”. Her dance experiences as guest artist spanned contemporary and original works by local choreographers to Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. During her tenure at the Hirofumi Inoue Ballet Company, she was partnered by such notable dancers as David Wall of the Royal Ballet, Michael Birkmeyer of the Vienna State Opera Ballet and Cyril Atanasoff and Patrick Dupond of the Ballet de l’Opera de Paris. She was featured in André Prokovsky’s staging of Faust Divertimento and in Alfred Rodrigues’ staging of Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique. In l980, Jane was awarded the Akiko Tachibana National Dance Award for her interpretation of Giselle. She has studied in Tokyo, Paris and Toulouse France, New York and at the Boston Ballet. Her teachers include Nina Vyroubova, former Etoile of the Paris Opera who coached Jane for the roles of Aurora and Giselle. She has had extensive tutelage in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus under Frank Freeman, Julia M. Cross and Nicola Wallis. who were resident RAD instructors for the HIrofumi Inoue Ballet Company. Her other teachers of note include Mr. Serge Peretti, Mr. AlfredRodrigues, Mr. Naoto Seki, Miss Nobuko Haruyama in Tokyo. During her career transition from the Hirofumi Inoue Ballet Company to dancing in the USA Jane danced for a brief time at Boston Ballet, which was, then under the directorship of Ms. Violette Verdy. She also danced with Boston Ballet Ensemble under the directorship of Bruce Wells. Miss Elaine Bauers, Principal Dancer of the Boston Ballet at the time, recommended helped her make the connection with Mr. Verdak who was Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre. She owes the success of her career in the U.S. to these three mentors to a great extent. Jane joined Indianapolis Ballet Theatre (later known as Ballet Internationale) in l985. She danced with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre under the direction of George Verdak, Dace Dindonis and finally Eldar Aliev. Since joining this company, she continued to dance lead roles in the standard classics as well being given the opportunity to gain experience in Balanchine ballets such as Night Shadow staged by John Taras and Allegro Brilliante staged by Victoria Simon. In modern dance she danced in Waldstein Sonata staged by Nancy Scattergood Jordan and as Emelia in Jose Limon’s The Moor’s Pavanne staged by Risa Steinberg of the Limon Foundation. After the arrival of Eldar Aliev, Jane was instructed in the Vaganova methodology under Irina Kolpakova a former Prima Ballerina of the Kirov Ballet. (She is currently a Ballet Mistress at the American Ballet Theatre and was Assistant Artistic Director of the company at the time. Of note, Mme Kolpakova coached Jane for the role of the young girl in Spectre de la Rose and Fanny Cerrito in Pas de Quatre .) Vladilen Semenov, Principal company teacher coached her for the Female lead in the Flower Festival at Genzano. Jane retired from full time dancing in l995. She spent a few additional years dancing with Hosanna Sacred Arts, a Christian Dance company under the artistic direction of Kenneth Tolle and served as Ballet Mistress during her time with them. Jane has served as rehearsal assistant and as one of the company teachers for the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre during the latter part of her dancing career with them. In the summer of l995, Jane served as the Interim Ballet Mistress for the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre during the Ballet Mistress’s maternity leave. Jane has experience teaching all levels of ballet. She began her teaching career as a faculty member of the Hirofumi Inoue Ballet Gakuen Academy, during her years there as company member In Indianapolis, Jane became the founding director of the Academy of the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre after Indianapolis Ballet Theatre moved to their new downtown location. She continued in the capacity of director, co director and finally principal of the Academy between the years of l989 - l996. She left this position upon the arrival of her first child. Most recently, Jane has been a Faculty Member at the Jordan Academy of Dance at Butler University - teaching levels 2 - 5 and pas de deux and variations. At the same time, Jane has also been an adjunct faculty member for the Butler University Dance Department Majors Program at the Jordan College of Fine Arts teaching pointe technique for the past several years.
