Valery Lantratov
A graduate of the Moscow Academic Choreographic College, Lantratov was selected as a first soloist with the State Musical Theater K. Stanislavski and V. Nemirovich-Danchenko (Moscow Stanislavski Ballet). With the theater, he danced principal roles in such ballets as Don Quixote, Coppelia, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet.
In 1986 Lantratov was awarded the title "Honored Artist of Russia," and in 1997, Russian president Boris Yeltsin named Lantratov "People's Artist of Russia, the Russian Federation's highest artistic honor.
In 1991, he was one of eight soloists in Rudolf Nureyev's "Farewell Tour" of the United Kingdom. During an engagement of this tour in Sunderland, England, Reuters reported that the music broke down during a solo "leaving ... Lantratov dancing to silence.”
Lantratov has appeared in the United States as a guest artist with the Portland Ballet and Boston Ballet and was a guest instructor with the Boston Ballet. From 2000-2003 Lantratov directed one of two touring companies for SMI, Inc's Moscow Ballet and danced the role of Drosselmeier in the company's "Great Russian Nutcracker" production. "Valery Lantratov's Drosselmeier is young, vibrant and full of explosive energy," wrote reviewer Nancy Johnson. "The mischief in his eyes reaches the back of the house." In 2004, however, he publicly split with Moscow Ballet's U.S.-based production company.
In 2004, Lantratov premiered the role of Czar Nicholas II in the ballet Rasputin staged by the New Imperial Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, with the production being taken to Moscow in 2005. The ballet, which featured Farouk Ruzimatov in the role of Rasputin, drew protests from Orthodox Fundamentalists. Nicholas II was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000. The protestors objected to the depiction of a saint in ballet and especially to the concept of Nicholas II costumed in tights. Lantratov arranged a photoshoot with his costume to show that he would not wear tights in the production.
Jay Fagan
Jay hails from Chicago and is amongst the most sought after Tap Masters in the industry today. Entering his third decade of international dance experience, his mastery of rhythm tap has been performed, taught, and choreographed worldwide.
After completing two years with OKCU in its artist in residency program, Mr. Fagan is once again touring with festivals, workshops, and conventions. Technically, he has been trained by the very best tap dancers in the business including, Gregory Hines, Henry LaTang, Sam Weber and Savion Glover. He has shared the stage with Dianne Walker, Lane Alexander, Acia Gray, Barbara Phillips and Bril Barrett, to name a few. His polished performances have been seen by the President of the United States, at the Kupio Dance Festival in Finland, Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, Canada’s Windsor Casino Showroom, and Las Vegas' Flamingo, Luxor and Suncoast hotels.
Beyond his mastery of tap, he has studied all mediums of dance including, jazz, modem and ballet. His choreographic works have consistently and always placed within all top ranking national competitions. He has worked with DEA (Dance Educators of America), DMA (Dance Masters of America), CNADM (Chicago National Association of Dance Masters), Dance Olympus, Starquest, The Kansas Tap Festival, Southeast Tap Explosion, Third Coast Rhythm Project and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. A recipient of both the Presidential Scholar Award and the American Dance Award, Jay has also developed and choreographed a unique new brother/sister novelty act "SIBLING RIVALRY". Fagan takes a back seat when presenting the duo on stage. The act has performed at Chicago's famed Drury Lane Theater to sell out, standing ovation crowds, as well as numerous showrooms in Las Vegas.
Shannon Argubright
Shannon began dancing at the age of three at the Dance Center in LaSalle under the direction of her mother, Vicky. She continued her training at Ruth Page School of Ballet, Boitsov School of Ballet, Lou Conte Studio, and DuPage Dance Academy in the Chicago area, Broadway Dance Center and Steps in New York City. She received her dance teacher’s certification from UNLV.When she was eighteen, Shannon moved to New York City where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theatre extensively.Shannon worked as a dancer for Opryland in Nashville (co-dance captain), Fiesta Texas in San Antonio (dance captain and swing), Shoji Tabuchi Theatre in Branson, MO, Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach, SC (featured dancer and dance captain), Celebrity Cruise Lines aboard the Century (featured dancer and dance captain) touring the eastern and western Caribbean and 20 European countries, Holland America Cruise Lines (featured dancer and dance captain) aboard the Statendam touring Hawaii, Mexico, and Alaska.
Her teaching experience includes Broadway Dance Center in NYC; San Antonio School for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, TX, DuPage Dance Academy in Elmhurst, IL, Performer’s Theatre Workshop in South Orange, NJ, Dance Plus in Fort Lee, NJ, Beth’s Dance Academy in Joliet, IL, and Gray’s School of Dance in Ottawa, IL.Since returning to the Illinois Valley Shannon has choreographed numerous musicals for St Bede, Mendota Community Theatre (3M Production), and Engle Lane Theatre. On the classical side, Shannon has created original choreography for the Four Temperaments, Concerto for Two Violins, Symphony Concertante, Hansel and Gretel, and Peter Pan for the Maud Powell Music Festival.
