Internationally Renowned Ethnic Choreographer at Mesopotamian Night

In cooperation with Sherene Melania, the principal choreographer and artistic director of the Presidio Dance Theatre, Mr. Ahmet Luleci an internationally renowned ethnic choreographer is joining us as a co-choreographer for Mesopotamian Night 2010 musical event. Ahmet is a native of Turkey. He is an accomplished choreographer, dance teacher and performer as well as a researcher of Anatolian culture. Collage allows him to further his goal of making folk dance and music accessible to a wider audience. Ahmet was presented with the 2002 Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts & Humanities by the Assembly of Turkish American Associations.

His choreography was awarded the gold medal at the Hong Kong Open dance competition in 2004 (performed by Budlet Dance Company) as well as the first prize at the ethnic dance competition in Germany in 2005 (performed by Elvan Dance Company).

Since arriving in North America in 1985, he has taught many workshops and camps throughout the United States as well as Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Holland, England, Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Norway, Italy and Australia. He has set innumerable suites of dances for the stage working with dance organizations around the world. Some of the notable performing ensembles with whom he has worked include AMAN of Los Angeles, BYU dancers of Provo, BUDLET of Hong Kong, LES SORTILEGES of Montreal, and VINOK of Edmonton. In his native Turkey, he choreographed for HOYTUR, TURHOY and GEHEM of Ankara, ANADOLU UNIVERSITESI of Eskisehir, BUTFOD of Bursa and FOLKTUR of Istanbul.

In 1991 Ahmet joined the Artistic Staff of AMAN as resident choreographer. Prior to his departure for the US, Ahmet also served as Director of Dances for HOY-TUR, long considered Turkey's leading dance association. Since the age of eight he has danced with numerous school ensembles and private associations, many of which won outstanding awards in city-wide and National-International competitions. Between 1973 and 2003 he participated in International dance festivals & competitions throughout Europe and North America. In edition, him and his ensembles appeared in more than 60 programs broadcast nationally in countries such as Turkey, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, USA, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Taiwan and Germany.

His college major was music, Ahmet's fascination with dance led him to conduct scholarly research into the historical, social and cultural background of the costumes and spoon dances from Turkey's Mediterranean coast. His efforts resulted in an exhaustive, 400 page study for which he was awarded First Place in the 1985 national competition in research on the folkdances of Turkey by the Turkish ministry of Youth, Sports and Education. In 1997 Ahmet completed a second degree in Fine Arts.

Presidio Dance Theatre Joins Mesopotamian Night 2010

(Photo by Valentin Baronovsky, Saint Petersburg Russia)

It is a pleasure to announce that the Presidio Dance Theatre, which has a wide range of Mesopotamian dance repertoire, has joined our team to help with choreographic and dance needs of MN-2010 Assyrian Musical. We will provide more detailed info later. The following is a profile of the company and its artistic director SHERENE MELANIA submitted to us by Ms. Judy George Bretschneider, founder, president and CEO of Presidio Dance Theatre.


Presidio Dance Theatre: The Company

Led by Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer, Sherene Melania, the Company of international artists annually presents Winter and Spring Seasons with an original repertoire of over 100 works. It performs for prestigious national events and has been featured internationally on television. The Company tours on the East Cost in Spring; Internationally in Summer; and Statewide in Fall. Costumes for the Company are designed and created primarily by the artists and designers of the Mariinsky Theatre Artshop (Kirov Ballet) of Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Presidio Dance Theater endeavors to preserve, enhance, and present the artistic, classical and cultural traditions of dance, music, and theater through performances imbued with international perspective and inclusiveness that acknowledges the extraordinary diversity of our community.

SHERENE MELANIA, The Artistic Director



Sherene Melania is Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of Presidio Dance Theater & The School of Presidio Dance Theater, the only performing arts facility based in a National Park, except for Wolf Trap in Virginia. She is an accomplished performing Artist, Choreographer and Dance Scholar. From Harvard University, Sherene will receive a Master of Arts degree (May 2011).  From the University of San Francisco, Sherene received a B.A. in Performing Arts and Social Justice, the Dean's Medal for Excellence in the Arts, and serves as a Performing Arts Mentor for the College of Arts and Sciences. From Russia's prestigious Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, she received a Certificate for Ballet Direction Specialty and Choreography. Since 2007, appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, Sherene serves on the San Francisco Arts Commission, representing the field of dance. She is the Chairman of the SF Street Artists Committee, and member of the SF Community Arts, Education, and Cultural Equity Committee, SF Arts Providers Alliance, California Arts Advocates, and International Dance Council UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

Sherene Melania uses her passion for dance to encourage not only an appreciation for the arts and artistic excellence, but also the value of developing "complete artists" who utilize academic and dance education, as a tool for promoting cultural awareness and understanding, leading to a deep compassion for humanity.

DANCE EDUCATION

Trained in classical dance by San Francisco Ballet School and Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington, DC, Sherene performed principal youth roles with both San Francisco Ballet and Kirov Ballet (on its US tour), and at 16, participated in the Prix de Lausanne international dance competition, one of twelve to represent the USA. She also studied character and international folk dance in the style of Igor Moiseyev. After spending two years in Russia as the student of Kirov Ballet Mistress, Gabriella Komleva, Sherene performed as a guest artist with ballet companies in Russia, France, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, and Switzerland.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Sherene has set pieces for dance companies at home and in Europe, and presented for the United Nations, International Red Cross, and PBS. She annually presents Winter and Spring Seasons for Presidio Dance Theatre and Junior Company. 2008-2009 live audiences exceeded 50,000 at major venues and festivals including the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, Marin Center, Palace of Fine Arts, Herbst Theater, Davies Symphony Hall, and SF City Hall. San Francisco Weekly named Presidio Dance Theatre, "San Francisco's Best Dance Company of 2009."
Internationally, Sherene choreographed performances for the 2008 Saint Petersburg's famed White Nights Festival at the Catherine Palace; the 300th Anniversary of Tsarskoye Selo International Festival. In April 2010, under her direction, Presidio Dance Theatre Junior Company represented the USA on tour in Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara where she was presented to the President of Turkey.  In 2012, Sherene has
been invited to present performances in Budapest, Hungary and Paris, France.

ARTIST

As a Principal Artist of Presidio Dance Theatre and Collage, Sherene performs across the United States and Canada. Internationally, Sherene is a Guest Artist with Les Ballets Persans, Stockholm and London; Iranian New Year's, New York City; Magic of Persia, London. 

AWARDS & HONORS

Sherene's work has been recognized by the press nationally in Dance Magazine, Dance Teacher, and internationally broadcast. In 2008, The School of Presidio Dance Theatre received an award from Nickelodeon Television for "Best Artsy Program" in the SF Bay Area and in 2009, the BEST DANCE CLASSES in the SF Bay Area Award. Sherene designed and directs DANCE OUT! a free citywide education program offered in the public schools, funded by the California Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, which was nominated by the Presidio Trust to receive the President's Commission for Arts & Humanities, Coming Up Taller Award.  Last year, Presidio Dance Theatre won BEST DANCE COMPANY of San Francisco by SF Weekly.

CONTACT:

Sherene's office is located at 1158 Gorgas at Marshall, Presidio of San Francisco, CA 94129. Her telephone is 415 561-3997 and email: Sherene@PresidioDance.org