Biography
Sueann Townsend began dancing with instructor Dale Black and later with Toni Introvia. She attended National Music Camp at the Interlochen Centre for the Arts and received a scholarship to continue her studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy. Upon graduation, she received the Fine Arts Award in Dance.
Continuing her training at New York Conservatory of Dance, she studied with such prominent instructors as Vladimir Davidov, Hector Zaraspe, Ali Pourfarroukh, Sallie Wilson, Nichols Orloff, Igor Youskevitch, and Ramzi el-Edlibi.
She danced with Fort Worth Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, Dance Theatre of Long Island, Ramzi el-Edlibi Dance Company, Louisville Ballet, and Ballet Theatre Internationale. She was also featured as a guest artist with Nevada Ballet Theatre, Sayville Ballet, Albano Ballet, National Grand Opera Company, Kentucky Opera, Thoughtforms Dance Company, and the American Music Festival.
Her modern dance experience with Afterimages Dance Company included principal dancer, Director of the company's school, and Co-Director of ADC II. She participated in modern dance residencies with Twyla Tharp, Bella Lewitzki, Daniel Nagrin, Laura Dean, and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company.
She spent one season as the Featured Ballerina in the Dino Kartsonakis Show under the direction of R.L. Peterson. This experience led her to pursue further work in commercial theater in Las Vegas, NV. During this time she worked as a dancer, theatrical technician through I.A.T.S.E. Local 720, as an independent lighting technician, and in general production management.
As an instructor of Classical Ballet, her teaching encompasses professional dancers, pre-professional teens, and recreational dancers from teens through adults. She has worked as a repetiteur and choreographer for professional and pre-professional companies. She has provided coaching and choreographies for many pre-professional students for both the regional and final rounds of the Youth America Grand Prix.
From 2011 through 2017 Sueann was the Executive/Artistic Director of Amherst Ballet. In 2018 she was invited to join the team that would shepherd the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, NY from an idea, through renovations, to ultimate opening for performances in January 2020.