Toni Pimble, Artistic Director, was born in England, and studied at Elmhurst Ballet School and the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Her professional experience includes dancing in three German ballet companies.Since becoming Artistic Director of Eugene Ballet Company in 1978, Ms. Pimble has choreographed over 40 original works for the company. Both Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine have featured Ms. Pimble’s leadership as an Artistic Director and choreographer.Many of Ms. Pimble’s works have involved collaborations with composers and various artists. Through the Meet The Composer project, she was commissioned to create a new work for Atlanta Ballet in collaboration with Emmy-award winning composer James Oliverio, titled Common Ground. Her provocative work Silk and Steel was a collaboration with artist Steve Oshatz. Inspired by visual artist Helen Hardin, Ms. Pimble created the contemporary work, The Skinwalkers. Ms. Pimble also choreographed a work entitled Two’s Company for New York City Ballet as part of its Diamond Project.Ms. Pimble has created two original ballets for Oregon Festival of American Music, two original works for the Oregon Bach Festival, and collaborated with guest artist Curtis Salgado on The Bluesman. Her recent works for the Eugene Ballet and Ballet Idaho are Slipstream, Jitterbug, Jive & Jazz, Concerto for Seven Dancers and Divertimento.Ms. Pimble’s creative work has brought her a number of awards and fellowships, including two Oregon Arts Commission Artist Fellowship Awards and a National Endowment for the Arts Choreographer’s Fellowship Grant.Ms. Pimble’s work has been seen with many companies in the United States including Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Omaha, Washington Ballet, Nevada Dance Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theater, State Ballet of Rhode Island and Dance Galaxy, among others.Under Ms. Pimble’s leadership, the Eugene Ballet Company has toured to 32 states and internationally. Her work has been presented as part of a United States Information Agency (USIA) Tour by Eugene Ballet Company, visiting India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan and Tunisia. In 1994, Ms. Pimble became the Artistic Director of Ballet Idaho when Eugene Ballet Company and Ballet Idaho created an alliance to produce joint seasons combining artistic resources. The alliance continues to be successful as the company tours as Western Ballet Theater.
PETER PAWLYSHYN, Associate Artistic Director/Ballet Master
From Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Mr. Pawlyshyn graduated from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and later joined the Company. His teachers included Julia Arkos and David Moroni. Mr. Pawlyshyn holds a Graduate Certificate from the Pavlo Virsky Academy in Kiev, Ukraine. He has danced with Louisville Ballet and Nevada Dance Theater, also serving as Assistant Ballet Master. He has appeared as Principal Guest Artist with Boston Ballet. During his career, he has worked with Peter Wright, Robert North, van Danzig, Ariaz, Toussaint, Mussman, Sappington, Alun Jones and Bruce Marks. Mr. Pawlyshyn was invited to join the staff of the Boston Ballet School by Anna Marie Holmes, Bruce Marks and Nan Keating, and for seven years he spent a very successful teaching career there. He has been guest teacher at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, International Ballet Competitions in Jackson, Mississippi, Hartford Ballet, Joffrey Ballet II, Atlanta Ballet, Harvard University, University of Iowa, the Cecchetti Council of America, Cecchetti Society of Canada, Dance Masters of America and the Royal Academy of Dance. Mr. Pawlyshyn has restaged various ballets. He has choreographed such ballets as Cinderella, La Boutique Fantasque and Tango.
