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About US
Magnify Dance Ensemble (formerly The Performers Ballet & Jazz Company) was founded in 1981 by Karen Alwin. Her vision for the company was to set a standard of excellence in the training and opportunities provided to young dancers.
In 1984, together with Lynn Crawford Cox, Ms. Karen created Christmas Joy, which, in its spectacular telling of the Christmas story, has become an Albuquerque tradition, celebrating more than 35 years of performances with over 600 alumni.
Our History
Over the years additional programming has been added to include community service outreaches, intensives and workshops for increased training and other performing opportunities. In 2009, Ms. Karen passed the torch of leadership to Wendy Miner who became the new Artistic Director. This transition of leadership was with Ms. Karen’s blessing and encouragement to keep the company moving and growing for the next generation.
In 2020 Andrea Basile became our Artistic Director. After a celebrated dance career of 20+ years in San Francisco, Andrea returned home to her roots to instill her vast experience into our dancers. She infused this expertise through additional repertoire, including our highly acclaimed Spring Gala.
In 2021 we celebrated 40 years pursuing our mission. Through these four decades, MDE’s rich history has given us a legacy of amazing productions as well built a strong community of dancers and families with an exciting future ahead.
Lindsay Dekleva and Lauren Maddock were named as Co-Artistic Directors in 2022. From their foundational training through Karen Alwin, Andrea Basile & Wendy Miner, Lindsay and Lauren will continue to fully invest in the next generation of dancers and artists, contributing to their growth and success.
Company dancers 2022-2023
Choreographers
Kelsey Paschich
Rehearsal Directors
Carolina Valverde
Repertory
The company’s repertory spans time, from generations past to new beginnings as we strive to preserve our history while keeping up with the current wave within the concert dance world.
As new genres take form, we expose our company to a versatile experience, challenging them in different ways and allowing them to shine in both their technique and artistry.
Christmas Joy
(1984)
Come…Experience the Miracle!….Awaken your heart to the true Spirit of Christmas in dance as Magnify Dance Ensemble (The Performers Ballet & Jazz Co.) will present the 36th season of its Bravos Award-winning holiday production, Christmas Joy. Over sixty classically-trained dancers will once again inspire audiences in the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Albuquerque Journal Theater with a collection of moving and inspirational classical ballet, jazz and contemporary dance performances choreographed to traditional and contemporary Christmas music.
A moving and uplifting production, Christmas Joy has become an Albuquerque holiday tradition. In 1999, members of the Albuquerque Arts Alliance conferred the Bravos Award for Dance Excellence upon The Performers Ballet & Jazz Company. In addition, in 2012 Christmas Joy was awarded the Albuquerque Community Live Art and Performance Services (Q-Claps), Applause Award for favorite performance.
Start the season with the wonder and awe of the true Christmas story. Experience the Miracle!
How Love Wins
(2014)
Magnify Dance Ensemble (The Performers Ballet and Jazz Co.) returns to the Albuquerque Journal Theater at the National Hispanic Cultural Center with a sequel to its Bravos Award-winning holiday production, Christmas Joy in spring of 2021.
Inspired by the Gospel and expressed through dance, the story of How Love Wins is filled with meaningful and engaging choreography. Progressing from the birth of Jesus through His life, death, and resurrection, this repertoire carries on the professionalism and extraordinary level of performance art our audiences have come to expect. This production was conceived and choreographed by Wendy Miner and came alive as a new opportunity for our dancers to share the redeeming love of our Savior with our audiences. The Miracle Continues!
Spring Gala
(2019)
Magnify Dance Ensemble, (The Performers Ballet & Jazz Co. ) an Albuquerque-based dance company operating since 1981, announced its premiere Spring Gala in the beautiful Albuquerque Journal Theater at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Our first Gala showcased 65 classically-trained dancers in new and re-staged classical and contemporary works. An avant-garde production by this highly-acclaimed Company redefined concert dance in our city.
The performance premiered a renowned collection of classical ballet repertoire. Choreographers included Alex Ketley, Artistic Director of The Foundry, San Francisco, California, as well as local artists Karen Alwin, Andrea Basile, Wendy Miner, and Kelsey Paschich.
Dancer Initiative project
(2020)
Dancer Initiative Project is a collection of new works created by our dancers, for our dancers. This is a mixed rep performance including ballet, pointe, contemporary and jazz works choreographed by our Senior dancers and danced by our full company.
Senior dancers are mentored to grow through the concept – to – stage process by our artistic staff, and all dancers benefit from working with new choreographers and movement. Each choreographer will learn exponentially through this experience by choosing music, working with new dancers, creating costumes, experimenting with choreography, and lighting their piece.
Our alumni
As the years have passed, our company has seen hundreds of dancers grow and flourish through our training, performances, opportunities and relationships. We’ve guided many dancers on to professional dance careers and even more on to be successful in a myriad of other endeavors, thanks in part to the character-building experiences in our pre-professional dance company.
Are you an Alumnus of The Performers Ballet & Jazz Company/Magnify Dance Ensemble? Want to be featured on our Alumni page? Send us a message so we can connect with you!
Professional & Distinguished Alumni
Tessa Peterson Barbour
Andrea Basile
Carolina Centenera
Karroll Candelaria Bauer
Lauren Bernard
Kara Carroll
Lynn Cox
Alejandra Crisafulli
Carin Malm Corrie
Lindsay Dekleva
Deanna Encinias
Jason Franklin
Joanna Harbaugh
Natalia Harrison
Andrea Houser
Rachel Jones
Hannah Lagerway
Amy Lent
Mackenzie Lohnes
Amy London-Kato
Adrienne Kerr
Hannah Kerr
Natalee Maxwell
Kelly McCormick
Allison McDonald
Wendy Miner
Kelsey Paschich
Jillian Pena
Tatiana Poth
Cassidy McKee Rhodes
Bryn Romig
Rebecca Krumel Sanchez
Ashley Solomon
Brooke Trimble
Aubrey Ulibarri
Shonoah Ulibarri
Carolina Valverde
Jenny Warren
Faye Warren
Jesse Zimmerman
Where to?
American Ballet Theater
Ballet Nuveau Colorado
Richmond Ballet
Ballet Austin
The Rockettes
Stadttheater Bremerhaven
American Ballet Theater Studio Company
Ballet Idaho
Connecticut Ballet
San Diego Ballet
Atlanta Ballet
Synthesis Dance Company
Phoenix Suns NBA Dance Team
University of New Mexico Lobo Dance Team
Dallas Baptist University Patriettes
New Mexico State University Sundancers
Texas Tech University Dance Team
North Carolina School of the Arts
Point Park University
San Francisco Ballet School
University of Arizona Dance Department
University of New Mexico Dance Department
New Mexico Ballet Company
Smuin Ballet
The Foundry
Lines Contemporary Ballet
Imagery
Lines BFA Program
Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Dance Team
University of Utah Dance Department
Ballet West
Brigham Young University Living Legends
Walt Disney World
Festival Ballet Albuquerque
Florida State University Dance
Professional & Dustinguished alumni
- Tessa Peterson Barbour
- Andrea Basile
- Carolina Centenera
- Karroll Candelaria Bauer
- Lauren Bernard
- Kara Carroll
- Lynn Cox
- Alejandra Crisafulli
- Carin Malm Corrie
- Lindsay Dekleva
- Deanna Encinias
- Jason Franklin
- Joanna Harbaugh
- Natalia Harrison
- Andrea Houser
- Rachel Jones
- Hannah Lagerway
- Amy Lent
- Mackenzie Lohnes
- Amy London-Kato
- Adrienne Kerr
- Hannah Kerr
- Natalee Maxwell
- Kelly McCormick
- Allison McDonald
- Wendy Miner
- Kelsey Paschich
- Jillian Pena
- Tatiana Poth
- Cassidy McKee Rhodes
- Bryn Romig
- Rebecca Krumel Sanchez
- Ashley Solomon
- Brooke Trimble
- Aubrey Ulibarri
- Shonoah Ulibarri
- Carolina Valverde
- Jenny Warren
- Faye Warren
- Jesse Zimmerman
Where to?
- American Ballet Theater
- Ballet Nuveau Colorado
- Richmond Ballet
- Ballet Austin
- The Rockettes
- Stadttheater Bremerhaven
- American Ballet Theater Studio Company
- Ballet Idaho
- Connecticut Ballet
- San Diego Ballet
- Atlanta Ballet
- Synthesis Dance Company
- Phoenix Suns NBA Dance Team
- University of New Mexico Lobo Dance Team
- Dallas Baptist University Patriettes
- New Mexico State University Sundancers
- Texas Tech University Dance Team
- North Carolina School of the Arts
- Point Park University
- San Francisco Ballet School
- University of Arizona Dance Department
- University of New Mexico Dance Department
- New Mexico Ballet Company
- Smuin Ballet
- The Foundry
- Lines Contemporary Ballet
- Imagery
- Lines BFA Program
- Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Dance Team
- University of Utah Dance Department
- Ballet West
- Brigham Young University Living Legends
- Walt Disney World
- Festival Ballet Albuquerque
- Florida State University Dance