Teaching Artist in Residence Program at NDI New Mexico
The Teaching Artist in Residence program is designed to be a mutually beneficial partnership between NDI New Mexico and high-caliber choreographers in the field of dance. The residency is an opportunity for NDI New Mexico to give students a unique way to learn and grow by working with a professional choreographer with a heart for youth development and dance education. The NDI New Mexico staff and community will also benefit from education and enrichment opportunities, and the inspiration of seeing a great artist create great contemporary work on our dancers. The Teaching Artist has the potential for a commission for their work, exposure to NDI New Mexico’s audiences in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and the means to expand their outreach work to have an impact on youth.
The Teaching Artist in Residence creates or stages choreography with multiple groups of students, ideally in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque over the course of a program year, creating works performed in a variety of NDI New Mexico events, and leading educational and enriching activities for NDI New Mexico staff and the broader community. If you are interested in applying for the 2026 program, please fill out the form below.
For more information on our Teaching Artist in Residence Program, please contact:
Liz Salganek, Artistic Director: Email | (505) 557-6046
2024-2025 Teaching Artist In Residence: Lillian Barbeito
“My hope is that the NDI New Mexico students, through working with me and our other Ballare Carmel dance artists, will be deeply transformed through this process. At the very least, I aim for them to gain invaluable lessons that will resonate both inside and outside the studio, lasting a lifetime.”
Lillian Barbeito
Lillian Barbeito, Ballare Carmel Dance Company Artistic Director
Lillian Barbeito grew up in the desert under the blues skies of Santa Fe, New Mexico where she trained with Early Street Studios and the Santa Fe Dance Foundation and worked with The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Southwest Ballet, and Santa Fe Opera. She earned her BFA from The Juilliard School where she studied on a 4 year, full-tuition scholarship awarded by Tomorrow’s Leaders of America for her essay about the world dancing together in harmony. Lillian had an extensive performance career that took her to Europe, New York, and then finally to Los Angeles, where she founded BODYTRAFFIC with Tina Berkett. Under her leadership as Co-Artistic Director and Director of Education for over 13 years, the company toured to sold-out audiences and international acclaim at theaters such as the Algiers Opera House, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Institute of Contemporary Arts in Boston, Jacob’s Pillow, New York City Center, The Broad Stage, The Hollywood Bowl, The Israeli Opera, The Joyce Theater, The Lensic in Santa Fe, ODC in San Francisco, Rothstein Theatre in Vancouver, The Wallis in Beverly Hills, Winspear Opera House in Dallas among countless other prestigious venues around the planet.
At the onset of the pandemic, Lillian launched HAVEN Global Sanctuary for Dance, an online platform devoted to providing work for teachers and choreographers that served as a refuge for dancers to keep evolving despite the global shutdown. In less than 9 months, HAVEN provided over 45k in scholarships to attend 13 innovative, online dance mentorship programs.
Barbeito has taught internationally for organizations such as CALARTS, Idyllwild Arts Academy, L’Artère, and L’ecole de Danse in Quebec City, Lyon Opera Ballet, Northwest Dance Project, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Southland Ballet Academy, The Wooden Floor, and UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures. Barbeito is one of 36 teachers in the world who is certified to teach Anouk van Dijk’s groundbreaking Countertechnique. She has choreographed over 50 works for high schools, universities, competitions, regional ballet companies, and professional modern dance companies throughout the US and Canada. She was a Senior Lecturer at Loyola Marymount University, where she taught various dance-related courses from 2010-2021. Lillian is married to filmmaker and environmentalist Grant Barbeito. They relocated their two sons, Oliver who is 14, and Forest who is 10, two bearded dragons, and an Irish Doodle named Harvey to Carmel Valley Village in August of 2021 in order to launch Carmel Dance Festival and be more connected with nature.
Ballare Carmel is the resident dance company of Carmel Dance Festival. In naming this professional, project~based contemporary dance ensemble, Founder and Artistic Director Lillian Barbeito paired the late Latin word “ballare,” which means to dance and Carmel; the simplest translation being “To Dance Carmel.” Since its launch in September, 2021, Ballare Carmel, has been presented by the Sunset Center, performed at Folktale Winery, and toured to Fort Collins, CO, Richmond, VA, and St. Helena, CA. CDF has received grants from the Arts Council for Monterey County, Carmel Sunset Rotary, Carmel Valley Kiwanis, Carmel Gives, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Yellow Brick Road Foundation, and Elizabeth Ytema. In 2023, Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce deemed the CDF “New Business of the Year,” at the Business Excellence Awards. Dancers from Ballare Carmel will be joining Lillian as a part of her Residency at NDI New Mexico.
Ballare Carmel at the Sunset Center Highlights
“I am thrilled to return to New Mexico, where my journey in dance began, and give back to the community that nurtured my passion. I am particularly excited to collaborate with the National Dance Institute (NDI), an organization I have had the pleasure of teaching at in the past and hold in high regard for its exceptional leadership and dedicated teaching staff.”
Lillian Barbeito
Ballare Carmel Dancer Bios
Choreographer & Dancer
Ja’Moon discovered his love for movement in his hometown of Detroit, MI. Following his graduation from Cass Technical High School, during which he was the inaugural recipient of the Maxmara Young Visionary Award and a gold medalist in the YoungArts dance competition. After training at The Juilliard School, Ja’Moon performed with Kyle Abraham’s New York-based A.I.M. Currently, he is a cast member of Sleep No More NYC and developing his own sacred illustrations as an independent performance artist. Ja’Moon’s work has been showcased in various locations, including Santa Fe, NM; New York, NY; Durango, CO; Colorado Springs, CO; San Jose, CA; Carmel, CA; Glendale,CA; and Los Angeles, CA, through a diverse range of performances and residencies. He is featured in Ballare Carmel’s repertory by Jennifer Archibald, Ihsan Rustem, and Kelly Ashton Todd, and is thrilled to be named Ballare Carmel’s first resident choreographer. This is Ja’Moon’s 3rd season dancing with Ballare Carmel.
Dancer
Charmaine is a dance artist based in San Francisco. They received training from Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s Training Program in San Francisco. Charmaine has worked with Coriolis Dance, Post:ballet, the Seattle Opera, Sharp & Fine, and Verlaine & McCann’s Burlesque Nutcracker. In addition to dancing and teaching movement, Charmaine is a visual artist working in the mediums of floral, paint, and clay.
Dancer
Babatunji was born in Portland, Oregon and grew upon the Big Island of Hawaii. Though never formally trained as a child, Babatunji was always moving his body to the beat. At the age of 15, he discovered the art of hip-hop. Following over a decade of self-taught street performance, he has developed a unique approach to various styles of hip hop such as breakdance, popping, and krump. While cultivating his own movement language, Babatunji simultaneously trained in ballet, modern, and contemporary. Babatunji has performed with Lines Ballet, Post:ballet, SF Danceworks, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Misty Copeland. In 2015 Babatunji was given a Princess Grace Award, as well as a Chris Hellman Award for his outstanding achievements and promise in the world of dance.
Teaching Artist in Residence Press
Every step counts: Santa Fe native Dana Tai Soon Burgess returns to teach at NDI New Mexico
January 15, 2024 | The Albuquerque Journal | By Adrian Gomez Dana Tai Soon Burgess grew up in the Casa Solana area of Santa Fe and had big dreams. The dancer wanted to make an impact in the world. Mission accomplished. Today, Burgess has his own dance company, Dana...
Dance Dream: A Pasatiempo Article
December 1, 2023 | Pasatiempo | By Michael Wade Simpson Dana Tai Soon Burgess is a Korean American choreographer. His Korean given name, Tai Soon, means “great serenity of the family,” and while he has lived in Washington, D.C., for 35 years and worked globally, he...
2024-2025 Teaching Artist in Residence Community Events
Oct 5-12
Oct 10 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: FREE Countertechnique Class taught by Lillian Barbeito at The Hiland Theater
Oct 10 | 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Open Rehearsal at The Hiland Theater
Oct 11 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: FREE Countertechnique Class taught by Lillian Barbeito at The Dance Barns
Oct 12 | 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Open House at The Hiland Theater, featuring a showing of Company works and a Moving Stories Family Finale Rehearsal
Feb 28-Mar 1
Lillian Barbeito and dancers choreography and performance as part of The Hiland Theater Moving Stories
June 2-6
Lillian Barbeito at The Dance Barns, teaching and choreography in The Dance Barns Arts in Motion Summer Program
Learn More about the Teaching Artist In Residence Program
Teaching Artist in Residence Program Application