Lisa Attles

About

Lisa Attles, a native of Newark, NJ, began her dance training at the Newark School of the Arts.  Ms. Attles subsequently trained in ballet and pointe at the Garden State Ballet, under the direction of Fred Danieli.  She studied modern and jazz with Alfred Gallman and was a member of Gallman’s Newark Dance Theatre.  Ms. Attles continues her ballet training as a dance instructor under the tutelage of her mentor, Madame Gabriella Darvash.
 
In her senior year of high school, Ms. Attles was recognized as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and was awarded a medallion by Nancy Reagan in a ceremony at the White House.  During that same year, she was a finalist in the Arts Recognition and Talent Search program and received a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet School.
 
Ms. Attles, a former soloist with the Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell, was a member of the company for thirteen years.  She toured with the company throughout the United States, as well as, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa.  She has appeared in the following Dance Theatre of Harlem television specials: “60 Minutes” (CBS), “Giselle” (NBC), the 1984 Olympic Games televised from Los Angeles, California, Sesame Street (PBS), Peter Jennings Special (ABC), the 2011 Black History Month (BET) segment for the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the live television segment for The Today Show (NBC) with students from The Ailey School.  
 
During her career with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ms. Attles was featured in several leading roles including, “Medea,” “Dougla,” “John Henry,” “Dialogues,” “Fete Noire,” “Doina,” and “Adagietto #5”.  She received outstanding reviews for her portrayal as Medea in Michael Smuin’s version of “Medea” and Polly Anna in Arthur Mitchell’s “John Henry.”  
 
Currently, Ms. Attles is an adjunct instructor of ballet in the Dance Department of Marymount Manhattan College in New York City.  She is also a ballet and pointe instructor at The Ailey School in New York City in the following programs: Junior Division, PPAS-Professional Performing Arts School, Arts in Education, Ailey/Children’s Aid Society Summer Camp (Washington Heights), Ailey Extension, Junior Division Summer Sizzler, and First Steps Program.  She has instructed ballet, pointe, musical theatre (choreography), creative movement, liturgical dance and concepts of dance for private dance schools and public school systems.  Her other teaching and/or choreographic credits include: Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (company class), Ailey II (company class), Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, Youth Arts Academy, Restoration Dance Theatre Company, Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts, Richard Rodda Community Center, Newark School of the Arts, Broadway Dance Center, Theater Workshop, Ly-Ben Dance Theatre, Shellman Dance Academy, Battista Dance Studio, Gallman’s Newark Dance Theatre, East Orange Public School District Summer Youth Theatre Program, East Orange Public School District, New Jersey Performing Arts Center Dance Academy, and ACT-SO/NAACP Program.  Ms. Attles has instructed master classes and conducted lecture demonstrations within the New York, New Jersey, and South Carolina public school systems and private dance schools.
 
Ms. Attles has completed the following certifications: ABT (American Ballet Theatre) Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and DTH (Dance Theatre of Harlem) Dance III Certificate Program.