About
Ms. Brown (KB) is a well-known force in established dance. She is lauded at the highest levels of classical ballet for her exemplary dancing as a Principal Ballerina with the internationally renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem from 1973–1995, under the direction of founding Artistic Director, Arthur Mitchell.
In recognition of her accomplishments as a world-renowned dancer, and her passion for teaching, Karen was chosen as a master teacher and adjudicator for the inaugural Dance Theatre of Harlem/Kennedy Center Community Outreach Residency Program (1992–98). Through all of her career and life turns, one of the most consistent callings was a message to help young and emerging dancers achieve their paths to excellence.
Her intellect and artistic virtue were tapped again as Artistic Director of the Oakland Ballet (2000–06) and recently as the bridge Executive Director for Garth Fagan Dance, 2016–17. As an Assistant Professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, 2007–13, she taught all levels of classical ballet and shared her experiences and knowledge of the business of dance. In 2017, she was invited to Ballet Wichita as guest artistic director. Later that year she was awarded the Harriet Tubman Freedom Award. Since 2018 she has returned to teaching and her research in analyzing movement. The Karen Brown International Coaching Studio dedicated to renowned ballet dancer, close friend, former dance colleague and benefactor Mel A. Tomlinson and the legacy of the late Dance Theatre of Harlem founder, Arthur Mitchell opened in 2019. The studio is designed to be used for distance learning, coaching, choreographing, master classes and workshops, teacher training intensives in accelerated learning techniques for ballet application, private career consultations and movement presentations.
Ms. Brown is certified in all levels of the (ABT) National Training Curriculum. Her teaching style is influenced by her training in the Cecchetti, Vaganova, and Balanchine techniques. She is certified in Reinforced Motor Function for Ballet Application founded by Sean McLeod and she founded the En Pointe Plus Dance Mastery Institute offering coaching sessions for dancers utilizing computerized motion analysis technology. In her first year of teaching, she was asked to submit for consideration the Dance Science and Kinesiology Course based on the McLeod Technique; Reinforced Motor Function for Ballet Application. It was accepted to become three credits in the UMKC Essentials program as part of the 30 credits that dance majors have to take to earn a degree at the university.
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