Benjamin Briones
Professional dancer, choreographer, designer and entrepreneur Benjamin Briones is a graduate of The National School of Classical Ballet, The National School of Contemporary Dance and The Royal Academy of Dancing in Mexico City. His eclectic educational background includes training in Cuban and Royal Ballet styles, as well as study of Graham, Cunningham, Limon and Francis modern dance styles. Currently, he receives coaching in classical ballet technique from Nancy Bielski and David Howard.
Benjamin moved from Mexico to USA in 1995 to dance first with Ballet El Paso, then with Ballet Austin. As a soloist, he has appeared with many companies, among them Ballet El Paso, Ballet Austin, Connecticut Ballet, Mid Ohio Ballet, Ballet Theater of Annapolis, Granite State Ballet, Southern New Hampshire Ballet, New Haven Ballet, Staten Island Ballet and River Ballet. Among the roles he has danced are the Cavalier and the Snow King in The Nutcracker, Basilio in Don Quixote, Ali in Le Corsaire, and Jonathan Harker in Dracula. He has also appeared as a principal dancer in numerous Contemporary pieces, including "No Exit" and "Huapango."
After dancing with the Staten Island Ballet for several seasons, Benjamin was appointed the company's Ballet Master in 2006, a post he held through 2009. During that time, he also began his choreographic career, serving as the Resident Choreographer for both the Staten Island Ballet and, beginning in 2007, Ajkun Ballet Theatre (New York). In 2010, his numerous choreographic endeavors culminated in the created Benjamin Briones Ballet.
Since 2006, Benjamin's commissioned works have been performed at such venues as
Dance Festival Italy, the Latin Choreographers Festival (New York, 2008-2011), the New York International Choreographers Festival (2006-2009), International Dance Festival, Hudson Dance Festival (New York), Dance Theater Workshop (New York), Blue Muse (New York) and at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (Mexico).
Co-owner and co-founder of UBCostumesDancewear.com, an online dancewear store, Benjamin has been designing and constructing both stock and personalized costumes and dancewear for the past 16 years.
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Ursula Verduzco
Dancer & Choreographer
Trained at Ballet Austin Academy and the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City with full scholarship. She has been a member of the Staten Island Ballet for the last seven years, where she has danced soloist and principal roles in classical and contemporary ballets, some that have been created specially for her.
Ursula performed recently with the New York City Opera in the production of Cendrillon and last Nutcracker season with Staten Island Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, Contemporary Ballet Theatre and Rebecca Kelly Ballet Nutcracker Previews. She has also danced with several companies including Ajkun Ballet Theatre, Benjamin Briones Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, New York Dance Theatre, New York Ballet, Dance Theatre in Westchester, Dayane Faye Dance Theatre, River Ballet Company, Ballet New York , Ad Hoc Ballet, Ballet Neo among others. She is a professional actress with experience in the TV, and the Theatre Play world since the age of nine.
She has been a Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis instructor at The Village Gyrotonic in NY and The Harmony Group in Englewood, NJ for the last six years, were she is also the creator of their energetic magazine, “Pilates &” The Harmony Group Magazine.
This year she is proud to be part of the faculty at Ballet Forte in Chester , NJ a school dedicated to the art of ballet.
A co-owner of UB Costumes and Dancewear, Ursula has been designing and constructing costumes and dancewear for the past 13 years.
As the Founder and Curator of The Latin Choreographers Festival, Ms. Verduzco brought in July 2008 for the first time to NYC the talent and creativity of Latin choreographers from NY and abroad , creating an annual event with the intention to maintain Dance and Opportunities ALIVE !
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About us
Vision of the Company
Established in New York City in 2011, Benjamin Briones Ballet provides a supportive forum for choreographers and performers of all cultural and stylistic backgrounds to explore the endlessly diverse concepts and feelings that symbolic movement can convey. Founder/Director Benjamin Briones envisions his company as “an engine of creativity” that uses dance and the arts to engage minds, ignite hearts, and shape social consciousness. He and his fellow artists have made a commitment to honor their kinetic art form beyond expectations and preconceptions.
Mission of the Company
The company collaborates with neoclassical and contemporary artists from decidedly diverse backgrounds to create new repertoire that strive to provide positive, compelling cultural experiences to a wide range of audiences throughout the world.
The Director
The Artists
