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Dwight Shelton, native Houstonian, began his dance training at age seven. He received a Ford Foundation Merit Scholarship for continued training at the Houston Ballet foundation (presently Houston Ballet Academy) while studying ballet under Madame Tatiana Semenova. At age 17, Dwight received a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre School in New York City and studied dance with prominent teachers such as David Howard, Pereyaslavac, Danilova, and Stanley Williams (School of American Ballet). He graduated from the Professional Children’s school in N.Y.C. During a 19 year performing career, he danced nationally and internationally with such companies as Harkness Ballet of New York, Dennis Wayne Dancers, and as a Principal dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens of Montreal. During this period, he danced leading roles in the works of Balanchine, Ben Stevenson, Paul Taylor, Lar Lubovitch, Bejart, John Butler, Brian MacDonald and many others. For 20 years Dwight has taught ballet and modern dance for Dancemakers of Toronto, Joan Karff’s new dance group, Chrysalis Dance Company, and Houston Ballet Academy. He was Rehearsal Director for 3 Canadian companies, staged 2 ballets for Brian MacDonald at the Banff Center in Banff Alberta, and has choreographed over 20 original works. He taught ballet and modern dance at UH for 14 years after which he taught for 4 wonderful years at Amy Blake's Academy of Dance.
Dwight Shelton, beloved instructor, unexpectedly passed away in November of 2006. His memory lives on in the Dwight Shelton Memorial Scholarship created in his honor. Recipients are chosen by committee from student essays and adult recommendations. Current students of Amy Blake's Academy of Dance are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Scholarships are to be used for class tuition only and are not valid for costume, choreography, Nutcracker, workshop or competition fees.
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Dwight Shelton
December 29, 1951 -
November 12, 2006
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