Oscar Hawkins, Artistic Director
Ballet Arts Academy is under the teaching and direction of Artistic Director Oscar Hawkins who is a graduate of the Kirov Academy of Ballet (The Vaganova Russian Ballet School) and studied under some of its most prestigious teachers. Mr. Rudolph Kharatian, Madame Alla Sizova, Madame Ludmila Morkovina and Mr. Nikolai L. Morozov all founding teachers of the Kirov school. Students under these teachers went on to become stars of the ballet world and some now teach and coach around the world including at the Vaganova Academy in Russia.
Mr. Hawkins has danced with Kirov Ballet Company II, Ballet International, Tulsa Ballet, Deutsche Opera, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, Spoleto Festival Ballet and performed leading roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, Paquita, Esmerelda, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire,Venetian Carnival, Alberto Alonzo’s “Carmen”, Jeffrey Holder’s “Douglas” and “Troy Games”, George Balanchine’s “Four Temperaments” and “Prodigal Son”, Vladimir Anguelov’s “Forte”, Alonso King’s “Signs and Wonders” and Dennis Nahats “A Midsummer Night Dream” and “Go Daddy O”.
Oscar has recieved critical acclaim for his choreography “Strange Fruit” (danced to the vocals of Billie Holliday), "For My Teacher " (created to honor Oleg Vinogradov and performed at his Gala in St. Petersburg Russia) and “Cris D’Enfant” (music written and sung by Hawkins).
Mr. Hawkins has performed as principal dancer in Las Vegas with Cirque Du Soleil’s “Mystère” , Lead Act with Belle Et Foux in Berlin,Germany and worked with Hinton Battle as a Character Dancer in the film “The Great Observer”.
Oscar acted as Director of Dance for Kirov Ballet Academy's Ballet Outreach program and Creator/ Director of The Oscar Talent showcase Competition. He is also Choreographer for the Anastasia Kim “ The One I Feed” benefit for St. John Hopkins Hospital.
Oscar is a guest judge and choreographer for Hinton Battle’s new Japanese TV series “On The Way To Broadway”. He also appear as choreographer and dance master for the National Master Class Circuit for Pre- Professional Dancers.
Mr. Hawkins recently Premiered choreography for Tony Small’s Musical “Ruka” and Opera “Qadar” at Kennedy Center in Washington DC, The World Bank Gala and CNN Hosts the70th Anniversary of World War 2 at the Russian and Eisenhower Gala.
Mr. Hawkins named in Kirov Ballet Academy Anniversary cover for his great teaching, is now counted as one of those students to become an International Principal Dancer who is now teaching the Vaganova Technique and passing on the great old world knowledge of classicism at the Kirov Academy of Ballet and currently as Artistic Director of the Oh! Ballet Arts Academy.
November 16, 2017 Oscar became one of the first black dancer to perform and close the highly coveted televised Grand Concert Hall Oktober’s Russian All Stars Gala honoring Oleg Vinogradov. In a Russian news interview, Mr. Vinogradov named Oscar as one of his best students. It was historic and Oscar Hawkins was embraced by the audience of ballet legends to the tune of 2 curtain call backs for bows.
