Commack's Ohman School of Ballet and NYDT Announce Artistic Director

Commack-Based New York Dance Theatre and The Ohman School of Ballet Announce New Artistic Director

Alumna Nicole Loizides Albruzzese Returns to Her Roots Following Global Career as Performer, Choreographer and Artistic Director

The Ohman School of Ballet (OSB) and New York Dance Theatre (NYDT) of Commack announce the appointment of new Artistic Director Nicole Loizides Albruzzese, an alumna of the school and company.

Loizides began her classical training at OSB under the direction of the late Frank Ohman, a former soloist at New York City Ballet. Her dance career is vast and diverse, having performed extensively with Momix and Ballet Hispanico for a collective 25 years and, beginning in 2018, as founder and artistic director of MOVING ON, Long Island’s premiere Live Arts and Contemporary Dance Company. She has performed and directed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages spanning 44 countries across six continents, including for HM Queen Elizabeth and the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Loizides’ clients as a creative advisor, performer, or director include MAC Cosmetics, BMW, The Apollo Theatre, National Dance Institute, Mercedes Benz, Target, Pirelli, YAGP, and many more. She was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine and on ABC’s Live with Regis and Kelly as “the Athletic Dancer.” Since returning to Long Island, the Huntington Station native and current Glen Cove resident founded the annual Gold Coast Dance Festival, teaches as an adjunct professor at Long Island University’s C.W. Post campus, and serves on the board of directors of Cove City Arts (Chair) and Orkestai Farm in Oyster Bay.

“Sharing the love of movement and dance with my students and audience is a lifelong passion and I’m excited to lead this institution, my alma mater, into its new chapter,” Loizides said. “I look forward most to inspiring the next generation of dancers as well as challenging the public to unplug and experience dance like never before.”

The announcement of NYDT/OSB’s new artistic director comes as the company prepares for its 40th season of the holiday classic “The Nutcracker” at Hofstra University. Performances will be Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18 at noon and 5 pm with New York City Ballet principal dancers Indiana Woodward and Daniel Ulbricht as The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Tickets are now on sale at https://www.ohmanballet.org/nutcracker-performance/

About the Ohman School of Ballet

The Ohman School of Ballet (OSB) has attracted students from all over Long Island since opening in 1979, building a reputation for unparalleled classical ballet instruction in the tradition of New York City Ballet founder George Balanchine, as well as injury-preventing state-of-the-art flooring in all of their studio space. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, the school was one of the pioneering arts institutions in the state to immediately move instruction to virtual classrooms, offering a full schedule of classes to students nationwide, with guest teachers from premier dance companies including New York City Ballet.

OSB was founded in 1979 by Frank Ohman (1939-2019), former soloist at New York City Ballet and an internationally known dancer and choreographer. Since 2020, the school is under the artistic direction of New York City Ballet principal dancer Ask la Cour. A division of the New York Dance Theatre, Inc., known for the largest production of “The Nutcracker” on Long Island, OSB has become an integral part of the company and is one of the very few not-for-profit ballet schools in the region. New York City Ballet Principal Daniel Ulbricht and retired New York City Ballet Principal/former NYDT and OSB artistic director Ask la Cour serve as artistic advisors.

For more information and class schedules, visit www.ohmanballet.org.