We are thrilled to have French Clements teaching our Intermediate Level for Summer Series I!
Originally from San Jose, California, French received his BFA in Dance from The Ailey School and Fordham University in 2003. His rich and varied career spans performance, teaching, arts writing, and arts administration.
As a performer, French toured northern Spain with a contemporary dance company and presented his own choreography at Venice’s Peggy Guggenheim Collection during a residency at the museum. He was the press representative for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival for three years, where he also trained in the summer programs and led community ballet classes.
French has been on faculty at Boston Ballet School, Simon’s Rock College, and The Dance Complex, and has guest-taught for the dance programs at Harvard University and Tufts University.
In addition to his work in the studio, French is an accomplished arts journalist, having written for Dance Magazine, Village Voice Media, SF Weekly, and many other publications. He was also a fellow of the NEA’s Institute for Dance Criticism at the American Dance Festival.
He credits his development to formative training with notable teachers such as Gus Solomons jr, Ricardo Bustamante (San Francisco Ballet School), Benjamin Harkarvy (Juilliard School), and at Ailey, Lynn Glauber and Kazuko Hirabayashi.
We are honored to have French share his artistry, deep knowledge, and passion with our adult ballet community this summer.
