Building a Supportive Community for Art and Artists
Theodore "Ted" Thomas
A native New Yorker, Theodore "Ted" Thomas received his early dance training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center in Queens, N.Y. and then attended La Guardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City. A scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School, The Joffrey Ballet School, and The Dance Theater of Harlem, he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance performance from SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. There he earned various awards for outstanding achievement, most notably, the University’s Presidential Scholarship as well as the Harry Belafonte Award for the Arts. Upon graduation Thomas received the Thayer Fellowship Award for Professional Potential in the Arts. Thomas earned his Master of the Arts in Dance in Higher Education from New York University. He worked for two years as a full-time faculty member, advisor, and artist in residence at Barnard College where his duties included teaching modern and ballet classes, mentoring undergraduate dance students, choreographing in-faculty concerts, and setting and overseeing works by major choreographers.
As a professional dancer, Thomas’ career has performed with The Paul Taylor Dance Company, where he was featured in the 2008 Academy Award Nominated documentary film “Dancemaker.” He also was a recipient of the Princess Grace Award when he was with the Elisa Monte Dance Company. He has danced with The Nikolais & Louis Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico of New York, and Rebecca Kelly Ballet among others.
Currently, Thomas is a Connecticut State and ABT® National Training Curriculum Certified Dance Teacher. He has worked as a theater/production manager, choreographer, and teacher for the Wilton, Greenwich, and New Canaan, Connecticut Public School systems and he co-owns and operates a ballet school and regional not-for-profit ballet company in New Canaan, Connecticut.