Artistic Staff

ALAN OBUZOR - FOUNDER - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER - DANCER 

​Alan Obuzor was honored in 2013 by Dance Magazine by being named one of the "Top 25 to Watch". Originally from Pittsburgh, Alan began dancing at the age of nine. Two years later he attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School(PBTS), where in 1998 he was a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Dance Honorarium.  Alan received a contract to join Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's(PBT's)professional company at the age of 17.  During his seven years in PBT's Company, he danced a wide array of ballets ranging from classical to neoclassical to contemporary, which included principal and soloist roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Symphony in C, Carmina Burana and Divertimento 15.  In that time he also worked with many world renowned figures in dance, and was selected to originate soloist roles in new works by choreographers Dwight Rhoden, Derek Dean, Matjash Mrozewski and Jiabin Pan.  Alan began teaching in 2002; from 2007-2012 Alan was on the faculty of PBTS as one of the primary Pre-Professional Division teachers and choreographers.  In the fall of 2012, Alan joined the teaching faculty of Pittsburgh Youth Ballet.  Alan choreographed his first work in 2002 on himself and a fellow dancer.  Since that time he has choreographed over 90 new works for Texture Contemporary Ballet, PBT, PBTS, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company, New Ballet Ensemble, Harvard Ballet Company, Point Park University, Dancers' Trust, Canton Ballet, Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and various independent projects.  In 2011, Alan won first place in the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Dance/Choreography competition. During 2014 Alan was awarded a BRAZZY Award – “Outstanding Male Dancer in Pittsburgh 2014”. In 2017 Mr. Obuzor received an “Outstanding Teacher Award” by Youth America Grand Prix. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of Texture Contemporary Ballet 2011, and Texture Ballet School 2019.

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KELSEY BARTMAN - ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER - DANCER ​

Kelsey Bartman, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began formal training with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School (PBTS) and Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). Summers were spent studying at American Ballet Theatre, New York, Jacob's Pillow Jazz Program for two years and PBTS for several years.  Kelsey then continued as a trainee with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT). During that time she choreographed works for PBT’s School and Company. She then joined Nashville Ballet 2 in 2007 and was hired as a Nashville Ballet Apprentice. She is a co-creator of Works in Progress (WIP) Choreography Project, and has choreographed for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Ballet 2, Arova Contemporary Ballet, Columbus Modern Dance, and Texture Contemporary Ballet. Kelsey's works, Stills From Italy and Old Skin, have been performed at White Wave DUMBO Dance Festival, and The Rose was showcased at Dance Canvas in Atlanta. She had the great pleasure of choreographing for Resonance Works’ production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. She has had the honor of dancing in Balanchine's Four Temperaments, Theme and Variations, and Serenade, Sarah Slipper's Postcards From the Boys, as well as Paul Vasterling's Adjustable Wrench and Carmina Burana, as well as multiple works by Alan Obuzor and Gabriel Gaffney Smith.  Ms. Bartman has taught for the School of Nashville Ballet, Evolve Productions, Alloy School, Laurel Youth Ballet, Xtreme Tumbling, and Millenium Dance Complex. She has recently had the privilege of teaching a workshop for the group Yaledancers at Yale University. Kelsey is now Associate Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer, and Dancer for Texture Contemporary Ballet.

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Guest Choreographers:

Gabriel Ash
​Christopher Bandy
James Barrett
Oscar Carrillo
Erin Halloran

Darren McArthur
Jamie Erin Murphy
Robert Poe
Renee Danielle Smith 
Henry Steele ​

Alexandra Tiso
Catherine Tiso  
Annalee Traylor
Brynn Vogel ​​​

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