Biography & Class Description

Debra Zalkind is a native New Yorker.  She graduated from the Juilliard School with a BFA in dance.  Debra has worked as a soloist with the Pearl Lang Company and the Lar Lubovitch Company.  She worked with Twyla Tharp on the film Hair, where she appeared as one of the dancers.  Debra is an original cast member of the Broadway production The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.  She has worked as a producer of several dance instructional videos including Intermediate Ballet with David Howard and the Zena Rommett Instructional Video. She has choreographed for the stage, film and television including the ABC soap "One Life to Live."  Debra has studied extensively with David Howard, Alfredo Corvino, Zena Rommett, Maggie Black and Michael Owens.  Debra is on the faculty of the Governor's School of New Jersey and a professor at Pace University in New York City.

Jazz

Debra Zalkind's Contemporary Jazz Class combines ballet, modern and jazz techniques to create a unique style of Theatrical Dance.  The warm-up focuses on placement and organic muscular movement supported by correct breathing.  The standing warm-up includes stretching, plies, tendues, extensions, balances and isolations.  The floor exercises continue to fine tune back and hip placement.  Exercises are given to strengthen abdominal and lower back muscles and leg stretches. An Adagio is given to focus on leg extensions, change of weight, transitions and musicality.  The final combination includes turns, jumps, leg extensions and gesture that will the challenge the dancer to put all the elements together with a strong sense of character, style and presentation.