Steve Rooks - Modern Guest Faculty
“...a fine model of a Graham Dancer...electric” Anna Kisselgoff—New York Times
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Classes at NYAB:
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Steve Rooks began his dance training in Washington D.C. with Jan Van Dyke and Greg Reynolds. After graduating with honors from Dartmouth College, he continued his training in New York City as a scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Mr. Rooks has danced and toured with the Greg Reynolds Dance Quintet, the Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Peter Sparling, Dancer's Eye, and the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, where he performed classic works by Ailey, Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, and Ulysses Dove. He joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in the summer of 1981, and was a Principal Dancer with the company until 1991. Mr. Rooks has appeared in the Metropolitan Opera House presentation of Martha Graham's Diversion of Angels televised for "Celebrate! 100 Years of the Lively Arts at the Met. He has appeared in television commercials, and as a featured dancer on the television special, "The Martha Graham Company in Japan." In October 1989, Mr. Rooks solo, Outside was selected to be presented in the New Choreographers series during the Graham Company's fall season at the City Center Theater in New York, and one of his works, Cool River became a part of that company's 1996-1997 Repertory after its World Premiere at Lincoln Center in August 1996.
Mr. Rooks has been a guest artist with the Hakodate Ballet in Japan, and toured with the Morning Star Classical Biblical Theater in their 1996 International Tour to Israel. He has also appeared in Dennis Grey's 1992 musical Black Love Notes, portrayed Joseph in the 1996 International Christmas Television Special of Billy Graham Ministries, and in May 1997 appeared as a guest artist with the Great Day Chorale in their performance at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Rooks re-created his role as the Revivalist during a May 1998 Gala Performance at the Coolidge Auditorium in Washington D.C., commemorating the World Premiere of Graham's Appalachian Spring, and in November 1999 danced in the World Premiere of "Talisman" performed with the Utica Symphony Orchestra. In December 2000, Mr. Rooks was a featured artist in Jubal Production's "LIFE - PEOPLE-TIMES" at the Minkler Auditorium in Toronto, Canada. He was also the recipient of a Vassar Research Grant for an Artist Residency in Riga, Latvia in May 2002, and a 2004 winner of the Sixth Annual National Choreographic Competition sponsored by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Randall Craig Fleisher for the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra also commissioned Mr. Rooks as a choreographer for the presentation of “Triumph” in January 2007 - the same month that he taught at the International Summer School in Sydney, Australia. He has performed “The Skull and Bones Club” with Kathy Wildberger at the 2006 Cool Dance Festival in New York, and danced in a presentation of “From the Horse’s Mouth” with the Graham company during their 2007 New York Season at the Joyce Theater.
Mr. Rooks is currently Resident Choreographer and Associate Professor of Dance at Vassar College, and was a founding faculty member of the Dance Degree Program at Howard University. He is also a Guest Instructor at the Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham Schools of Dance. He was a 2001 Artist-in-Residence at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and has been a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance. Two created solos "Sanctus”, and “Sonata D’alta Gracia” were performed during the 2004 Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition. Mr. Rooks has taught internationally at several dance festivals and as a guest instructor for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Florida Dance Masters, the Masterworks Festival, Ballet Nacional de Mexico, the American Academy of Ballet, the Houston Ballet, and the Symposium on Dance at Yale University. Mr. Rooks would like to thank Jesus Christ for all that has happened to him.
Mr. Rooks has been a guest artist with the Hakodate Ballet in Japan, and toured with the Morning Star Classical Biblical Theater in their 1996 International Tour to Israel. He has also appeared in Dennis Grey's 1992 musical Black Love Notes, portrayed Joseph in the 1996 International Christmas Television Special of Billy Graham Ministries, and in May 1997 appeared as a guest artist with the Great Day Chorale in their performance at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Rooks re-created his role as the Revivalist during a May 1998 Gala Performance at the Coolidge Auditorium in Washington D.C., commemorating the World Premiere of Graham's Appalachian Spring, and in November 1999 danced in the World Premiere of "Talisman" performed with the Utica Symphony Orchestra. In December 2000, Mr. Rooks was a featured artist in Jubal Production's "LIFE - PEOPLE-TIMES" at the Minkler Auditorium in Toronto, Canada. He was also the recipient of a Vassar Research Grant for an Artist Residency in Riga, Latvia in May 2002, and a 2004 winner of the Sixth Annual National Choreographic Competition sponsored by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Randall Craig Fleisher for the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra also commissioned Mr. Rooks as a choreographer for the presentation of “Triumph” in January 2007 - the same month that he taught at the International Summer School in Sydney, Australia. He has performed “The Skull and Bones Club” with Kathy Wildberger at the 2006 Cool Dance Festival in New York, and danced in a presentation of “From the Horse’s Mouth” with the Graham company during their 2007 New York Season at the Joyce Theater.
Mr. Rooks is currently Resident Choreographer and Associate Professor of Dance at Vassar College, and was a founding faculty member of the Dance Degree Program at Howard University. He is also a Guest Instructor at the Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham Schools of Dance. He was a 2001 Artist-in-Residence at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and has been a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance. Two created solos "Sanctus”, and “Sonata D’alta Gracia” were performed during the 2004 Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition. Mr. Rooks has taught internationally at several dance festivals and as a guest instructor for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Florida Dance Masters, the Masterworks Festival, Ballet Nacional de Mexico, the American Academy of Ballet, the Houston Ballet, and the Symposium on Dance at Yale University. Mr. Rooks would like to thank Jesus Christ for all that has happened to him.