The Segerstrom Center for the Arts has had an ongoing relationship with American Ballet Theatre and in 2015, that partnership led to the creation the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. The establishment of the school was made possible in large part with the financial support from the very generous Orange County philanthropist and ABT board member William J. Gillespie. In their press release it states that “The goal of the Gillespie school was to become a cornerstone of world-class ballet education on the West Coast, offering aspiring young dancers in Orange County exceptional performance and training opportunities while fostering the next generation of both dancers and dance lovers.”
Following Gillespie’s death in a 2020, Ann Valdespino staff writer for the Orange County Register wrote that Gillespie loved beauty and was attracted especially to music and dance but his generosity did not stop there. Since 1944 when he founded the William Gillespie Foundation, it has supported educational, veteran, environmental, animal care, family, elder care and other artistic organizations.
The American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Instructor: Doug Gifford – Photo courtesy of SCFTA
It has long been known that young students of dance also achieve a strong sense of discipline, persistence and other social skills that assist them in succeeding in any career of their choosing. While these young dancers are training at the ABT Gillespie School, they are also given the opportunity to perform alongside professional ABT ballet artists in the holiday season classic The Nutcracker performing the roles of young Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. In addition, just this past Saturday, December 6, 2025, the ABT William J. Gillespie Dance School presented The Nutcracker for Kids choreographed by the school’s Artistic Director, Susan Brooker and performed with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.
The tenth season of Orange County’s most celebrated holiday tradition is ABT’s renown production of The Nutcracker created by the world famous choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, returns to Segerstrom Hall December 11 through 21. The production features a star studded cast of ABT’s dancers with sets and costumes by Tony winner Richard Hudson. The score by Tchaikovsky will be performed by the Pacific Symphony and in addition, The Nutcracker includes 49 young dancers from the William J. Gillespie School.
ABT William J. Gillespie School students in ABT’s “The Nutcracker” – Photo courtesy of ABT William J. Gillespie School.
During our interview, Susan Brooker talked about who was behind ABT developing a relationship with the Segerstrom Center. “It was Kevin McKenzie who was the mastermind, and Judy Morr,” she said. “It was apparently Kevin McKenzie’s long-time hope to have a west coast center. And, of course, Judy Morr has been a great supporter of dance here at Segerstrom and a great supporter of American Ballet Theatre as well.” There is the Judy Morr Theatre located at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing arts. Brooker feels that it was Morr who brought Mr. Gillespie into the project to be the school’s founding father, and that he kept a large presence at the school watching classes and rehearsals.
“It was Mary Jo Ziesel, the Director of Education and Training at ABT at the time, and Judy Morr who were the ones who really made it happen,” Brooker added.
ABT William J. Gillespie School – Carson Triplett as the Nutcracker Prince and Savannah Koch as Young Clara in rehearsal for “The Nutcracker for Kids” choreography by Susan Cooke – Photo by Scott Smeltzer.
The first artistic director and creator of the Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City was Italian ballet master, teacher and former teacher Franco de Vita and it was dancer and ballet master Raymond Lukens, who created the syllabi for the ABT/ NYU MA Program. De Vita and Lukens came to the Segerstrom Center to work with the original faculty members of the ABT William J. Gillespie School and several of those faculty member are still teaching there.
This is also the tenth anniversary of ABT’s The Nutcracker appearing at the Segerstrom Center, and it has invaluable to have this school that is training students in the same ballet technique style taught at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City. All of the ballet teachers at the Gillespie School are certified in the American Ballet Theatre national training curriculum.
ABT William J. Gillespie School Carson Triplett as the Nutcracker Prince with Solderies in Rehearsal for “The Nutcracker for Kids” choreography by Susan Cooke – Photos by Scott Smeltzer.
Several former dancers with ABT now teach at the Gillespie Dance School. Sarah Jones, the Associate Director is a graduate of the ABT and New York University programs. Jones taught the first class of students at the Gillespie School and later transitioned into administrative work. Faculty member Brendali Espiritu who teaches the senior students, performed with ABT. Eric Tamm, who recently retired from ABT taught at the Gillespie School for a year. Among the other teachers who have been there from the beginning is Sharon Overly, and the school also hires guest teachers.
“What is wonderful about that,” Brooker said, “is there is a continuity of methodology of training.” Although each teacher brings their own personality, there is a common goal with technique, artistic quality, and musicality. Therefore, as the students move up through the school, they get a very solid foundation of training and artistry that they can use as they move on through their career or their life.
ABT William J. Gillespie School (L-R) Savannah Koch (alternate) and Sakura Kimura as Young Clara in Rehearsal for “The Nutcracker for Kids” choreography by Susan Cooke – Photos by Scott Smeltzer.
Dancing in both The Nutcracker for Kids and the ABT production of The Nutcracker at the Segerstrom Center gives these young ballet students the opportunity to be coached in the beautiful, musical and expressive choreography. It also gives them the opportunity to dance on stage with some of the most beautiful and accomplished dancers in the world. Plus, they get to be coached by ABT’s Artistic Director Susan Jaffe to help them rise to the level of the professional dancers.
“And that sets a standard for all of our students,” Brooker said.
ABT William J. Gillespie School (L-R) Chloe Cho as Little Mouse and Savanna Koch as Young Clara in Rehearsal for “The Nutcracker for Kids” choreography by Susan Cooke – Photos by Scott Smeltzer.
The main reason Brooker choreographed the Nutcracker for Kids was to give the students who were not able to perform in ABT’s The Nutcracker a chance to experience performing onstage to gorgeous music wearing beautiful costumes. She knows that the older students will look more sophisticated but Brooker said that she wants children to look like children on stage.
“I want that sophistication to come through an organic understanding of the movement and of the quality, rather than a stylized something that is put on them,” Brooker said. “It cannot be honest because it’s not who they are, it’s not where they are in their development. I want their artistry and their sense of presentation, and classical ballet attitude to be organic.”
ABT William J. Gillespie Dance School students in Ratmansky’s “Whipped Cream” (2016) – Photo courtesy of ABT William J. Gillespie Dance School.
We discussed how while teaching students of any age, one of the goals is to train them properly, and teach them discipline, etc. but not to destroy their love of moving or their sense of who they are. The artistry will come as they age if they have that talent. If forced, it does not work.
Brooker said that her goal for the Gillespie School is to give students excellent dance education. They have a conservatory program, so every student who participates follows the same program of study that is developed all the way through so that they have the potential to enter into a professional career if they have the facility, talent and the drive to do so. She also wants the students to be lifelong Ballet Tremains and lovers of all the arts.
ABT William J. Gillespie School students in ABT’s “The Nutcracker” – Photo courtesy of ABT William J. Gillespie School.
While working with the national training program, the school has a very child-centered approach. “We feel that children who not only have a secure, well-developed dance training but they need to have a balanced life as well,” Brooker said. “We try to build up the hours relative to the vocabulary that they are learning, and developmentally what they can cope with, whilst allowing them the possibility of having a family life as well.”
These very fortunate students also take class with live musicians playing for them. Some of these students work their way up to the level where they are dancing six days a week.
The school has surpassed its stated goals through utilizing the same ABT National Training Curriculum as taught at the ABT JKO school in New York. Many students have received this excellent technical and creative dance training and while not all have become professional dancers, many have performed with prestigious ballet companies or pursued other careers in the arts.
ABT William J. Gillespie Dance School students in ABT’s “Harlequinade” (2018) – Photo courtesy of ABT William J. Gillespie School.
Graduates of the ABT William J. Gillespie School who have continued into a professional dance career include; Kellan Hayag (Oklahoma City Ballet), Isabella Martino (Kansas City Ballet), Anabelle Eubanks (Dutch National Ballet), Lucas Matzkin (Ballet Company of Teatro Colon), Mariana Vargas (Imperfect Dancers), Sterling Waterfield (New Orleans Ballet Theater), and Mallory Sweeney (Nevada Ballet). Kendall Bottjer chose a non-performance career and is now the Associate for Creative Enterprise at The Juilliard School and founder of Supper Club Dance.
Other major productions these students have performed in include: ABT’s Sleeping Beauty, ABT’s Harlequinade, ABT’s Whipped Cream, Mariinsky’s La Bayadere, ABT’s Of Love and Rage, ABT’s Woolf Works, ABT’s The Winter’s Tale, Miami City Ballet’s Swan Lake, and San Francisco Ballet’s Frankenstein.
In addition to the performances listed above, the ABT Gillespie School “will celebrate with an expanded Sunday Master Class Series featuring some of the most influential figures from its history — including former ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie — as well as returning alumni who have gone on to join professional dance companies worldwide. The celebrations will culminate in a special year-end showcase and alumni reception, honoring the legacy and future of the Gillespie School.” Press Release.
Susan Brooker – Photo courtesy of the ABT William Gillespie Dance School.
Because this is the school’s 10th anniversary, the celebration will be dedicated and in honor of those who created the school. Kevin McKenzie and Martine van Hamel will be two of the teachers. The former director of the Gillespie School, Alaine Haubert will teach and also be the guest of honour in the school’s end-of-year showcase. Other illustrious guests who will be honored are Raymond Lukens, Franco de Vita, and Judy Morr.
Other guest teachers at this anniversary celebration are Loren Johnson, and former faculty member Kenny Easter.
Southern California is extremely fortunate to have the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the American Ballet Theatre partnership. It has not only created the ABT Gillespie School which offers some of the best ballet training in the country, but audiences have the opportunity to see the brilliant ABT performances live onstage at the Segerstrom Center.
Congratulations to everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this about and on the tenth anniversary of both the Gillespie School and ABT performing their The Nutcracker at the Segerstrom Center.
For more information, please visit the ABT William J. Gillespie School website.
For more information and to purchase tickets for ABT’s The Nutcracker, please visit the Segerstrom Center for the Arts website.
To learn more about American Ballet Theatre, please visit their website.
Written by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: ABT William J. Gillespie School students in ABT’s “The Nutcracker” – Photo courtesy of ABT William J. Gillespie Dance School.
