A snapshot of David Felicie accepting his diploma from Sharon Dante during the 2008 Graduation ceremony.

Who says we're all work and no play?

TSOB Corner

Great Performances by our TSOB kids,
we are so proud of you!
To see more TSOB performance photos click here.


Torrington CT, A Great Place to live!
City officials hail 'dreamtown' ranking
By DAVID HUTTER
07/23/2008

TORRINGTON - Living in the city is a "dream," according to online publication Bizjournals.
Bizjournals, the online media division of business newspaper publisher American City Business Journals, ranked the city as having the highest standard of living among micropolitan areas in the United States, according to a release issued Tuesday. Torrington was named the No. 1 "dreamtown" among the 140 micropolitan areas evaluated in a survey. The publication defined a micropolitan area as a municipality of 10,000-50,000 residents and a surrounding county or counties that are economically dependent on the larger municipality. Thus, demographic information from all of Litchfield County was used in evaluating Torrington.
The publication assessed 20 variables including educational attainment, home ownership, proximity to a major city, medium household income and the unemployment rate to determine the quality of life in the area surveyed.
The Torrington micropolitan area has a population of 190,119, a median household income of $66,664, a median house value of $292,200, a homeownership rate of 77.4 percent, people age 25 and older who have a bachelor's degree account for 31.9 percent and an average commuting time of 25.2 minutes, according to the Bizjournals report.
Torrington Mayor Ryan Bingham welcomed the news about the city of about 36,000. A Republican, Bingham said he had been informed by the organization about a month ago about its evaluation.
" We are glad people from outside Torrington see the many factors that make Torrington a great place," Bingham said. "The people who live and work here know Torrington is a great place."
The city continues to change from a manufacturing hotbed to a more technology-based community, he said.
" We still have the roots of an industrial community," Bingham said. "We have a highly skilled and diversified workforce. We have first-generation Americans and Americans whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower."
Bizjournals used information posted on the city's Web site, he said, to conduct its evaluation. It did not interview him or any other city employee as a basis to gather information, he said.
JoAnn Ryan, president of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, said she was not overly surprised to hear Torrington anchors the area deemed to have the highest standard of living in the nation. She considers the creation of jobs as the major factor in determining the strength of a community because it stimulates the economy beyond the one person whose job is created.
" This is great news for the educational, cultural and artistic institutions of the region," Ryan said. "This is especially great news to natives of the county - we are glad to be recognized."
Like Bingham, Ryan said she hopes the news will raise the profile of Torrington to Americans residing elsewhere in the nation.
City Councilman Marie Soliani, a Democrat, welcomed the report. Soliani said many residents already consider northwestern Connecticut to enjoy a high standard of living that stems from the public school systems, the local economy and safe neighborhoods.
" I've always believed that Torrington has been a great place to raise children and continues to be a great place to raise children," Soliani said. "I think we have a bright future and revitalization will happen."
One thing she wishes to see occur is the state's plans to open a courthouse in Torrington, she said.
Victor Muschell, president of the Torrington Development Corporation, a nonprofit group working to boost downtown business, said the report strengthens the group's mission. The Torrington Development Corporation is waiting to receive money from the state to perform its project, he said.

2008-2009 Academic Calendar
now online!

Click here to go to the 2008-2009 Calendar, or if you prefer, download the calendar by clicking here.

Nutmeg's Alumni Notebook
What we are doing now...

Dustin Snoody: Hi, I wanted to e-mail Ms. Dante but her address isn't on the website. I just wanted to thank her for all her help and to let her know I am very happy to be finishing my third season with Orlando Ballet and will be joining The Washington Ballet as full company member this September. Thank you to all my teachers and I would love to hear back from anyone. Also, I love those Nutmeg survivor shirts! Where can I get one?

Phil Skaggs: Hi Sharon, I just wanted to tell you the good news. I just found out today that this cast of OKLAHOMA! will be archived as the formost and definitive version of the show. So I will be Immortalized in the Lincoln center library as the dream Curly for future Okies. I cant believe the stuff that I stumble upon. I thought you might get a kick out of that. Love Phil


Phil Skaggs with the cast of Oklahoma

Tiffany McGinley: I am currently living in Orlando Florida, working at Princeton House Charter School for autistic children. I am also working with Orlando Ballet to begin a special needs dance program.

Hayley Stone: I am going on my 4th season with Atlanta Festival Ballet. I am a teacher for them and I am also their Summer Intensive Coordinator. We just opened our sister school a few towns south of where we are located and I am the director of their Dance Competition Team.

Barry Hughson: Go Nutmeg!

Crystal Powell: I attended Nutmeg's residency program from 1998 thru 2001. Since then, I graduated Clemson University in 2006 with my Master's in Professional Accountancy. After graduation, I accepted an offer with Ernst & Young to work in the firm's Assurance and Advisory Business Services practice as an external auditor in the public accounting industry. I am currently working on obtaining my CPA license. I have been happily married to Brandon Powell, for almost two years (August 19, 2006).

Amanda Sesko: Wow! It has been a long time! I came across the website and was struck with a blast from the past. I left in 1996 when my family moved to Wisconsin but was there from around age 4/5 and on. Nutmeg has shaped a lot in my life and I am forever grateful and think about dancing a good deal. It has been about 12 years since I have danced, and although I miss it, Nutmeg and all of the frieds and family I made will always be apart of me. I recieved my B.S. in psychology and women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and am now at getting my PhD in social psychology at the University of Kansas. I hope all is well and I send my love to everyone!

Mary Elizabeth Mock: Artistic/Executive Director of Florida Ballet Arts Academy in Sarasota, FL; Director of Florida Ballet Arts Ensemble (pre-professional company associated with school); also giving Master Classes & guest teaching in Southern California.

Kerry Miles: Love the new building and the programs that have been established since I was there in the early 80's. I will be sending some news clippings/pictures of when I took classes there myself on Water St. It is fascinating to see Victoria, Cheryl Madeaux and some of the other students that are still around, and to see how their careers have skyrocketed! Can't wait to read and see more :-)

Jarrod Kentrell: It has been such a long time since I have been able to have a free moment to come by here and say hello. At the current moment I just returned form Montreal from a 3 weeks professional dance project what was made up of many international dance companies such as Cas Public, CND (Nacho Duato), Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Flakk Danse Montreal, Cirque du Soliel, and many more. Another company that was apart of this amazing process was Les Grands Ballet Canadians de Montreal. So I had the great pleasure of meeting John Hall 1st hand. He was super nice and was happening to be there as a photographer the night of out showing. I am now on my to start my 2nd season with the Atlanta Ballet, but this time as an apprentice. So look out for my bio and headshot online:) I am super excited. I hope that everyone is doing well and I will be in contact sooner than later.

Natasha Brooksher: Josh and I spent a few days at Nutmeg setting Le Corsaire pas de deux on about 30 couples! Phew...it was great fun, and all the students were lovely to work with. This was the first time I had actually worked in the new building, so that was a big change from 21 Water St.! Those of you who remember the 3rd floor mid-summer, no airconditioning with the fan in the doorway! haha. Josh had a wonderful time with the young men...we both hope to return again soon!


A Current Nutmeg Student shares some thoughts with us at the Nutmegger! Thanks Amanda!

Amanda Bailey dances at Golden Gate Park with her friends at break before the performance for the LINES Ballet summer session. Amanda is in 11th grade. She is a high honors students at East Granby High School and is one of few students eligible to graduate from the 10 year Professional Training Programs at Nutmeg. She has been the recipient of both the Donna Neri and Mary Ellen Adamo scholarship awards.

At Alonzo King LINES Ballet Summer Program in San
Francisco, California, I was shown how to grow physically and mentally in order to achieve my future goal in becoming a Professional Ballet Dancer. It was at LINES Ballet where I learned many new dance styles that I have never tried before. I loved every minute of my Horton Modern classes and the Contemporary Partnering classes along with the regular ballet classes. They have really expanded my mobility to move in a whole new way. I loved every teacher because no matter how many times we
had them, they always had new ways to keep us dancing to our fullest. I was taught that if I really wanted to become a Professional Ballerina, I would not dance with the music but totally into the music. From Flomenco to Hip Hop to Horton to Ballet, Alonzo King and the rest of the staff have made me a stronger and more confident dancer. All the other
dancers around me truly were my family, always encouraging one another to keep doing their best and to have fun.
- Amanda Bailey