Meet Lenore Pavlakos-Morales | Ballet Teacher & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lenore Pavlakos-Morales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lenore, what do you attribute your success to?
During my years as a professional ballet dancer striving for excellence was a must. You must dedicate yourself to the art form and put in endless hours of rehearsals to properly prepare for performance. The daily ballet class was a must, it is like vitamines to the dancers body. Now as teacher/coach, I pass on my experiences with my students. My job is to skillfully conduct a lesson where I motivate, challenge and instill discipline in the dance studio. Basic information must be repeated over and over allowing the student to develop into their full capabilities. It’s so rewarding to watch the process.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, I attended a local dance studio and always loved to dance. It wasn’t until I was 15 years old that I decided I wanted to pursue a career in ballet. In this industry, starting at that late an age is unheard of. My mom took me into New York City and I auditioned for Harkness House for Ballet Arts. I was accepted and told I would have to work extra hard to catch up. I remember my commute being about 1 hour, 3 trains & doing homework on the train. I was the oldest in my class but I was determined to catch up. I was very excited when cast to dance a solo in the end of year concert.

I always felt like I was behind so I was always taking ballet class and studying with the wonderful teachers NYC had to offer. It was in these classes that I had the chance to observe other professionals working on their craft. I was fortunate to be noticed by teachers and given extra attention. I was recommended to audition for Dance Theatre of Harlem and landed the job. It was a dream come true to dance with such a prestigious company based in NYC.

Presently, I’m Rehearsal Director to Collage Dance Collective, a ballet company based in Memphis, TN. I assist the Artistic Director, Kevin Thomas, with implementing his artistic vision. I’m responsible for supervising rehearsals and preparing the dancers for the stage. I’m basically the right hand woman to choreographers, having to keep the integrity of their choreography once they leave.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
With Memphis being the home of Blues music I’d say let’s hit Beale Street, it’s the most iconic street in Memphis. Music, clubs, museums and of course food. There is always something happening on Beal Street.
The National Civil Rights Museum is a must. Most associate Memphis with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther KIng. This museum is dedicated to the preservation of history and helps to educate all who visit. Plan on staying for hours.

Graceland, home of Elvis Presley. It’s more than just his home, their is a museum of his cars and clothing. Who knew he had so many jumpsuits, lol. His private jet and even his grave site. It’s a full day adventure.

One and Only BBQ. There are many places in Memphis but I find this one to be the best. Dry or wet the barbeque is outstanding. Great fries and this crazy big onion ring loaf. finger licking good.

Overton Park in Midtown. After all it’s nice to just relax in the park and enjoy the outdoors. Depending on the month there are live performances in the bandshell and the Memphis Zoo is also there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shout out to the late Arthur Mitchell, Founding director of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Mr. Mitchell saw the potential in me and gave me a position in his company, Dance Theatre of Harlem. With his mentorship I rose through the ranks to achieve the position of Principal Dancer. While dancing I also served as Master Teacher in their “Dancing Through Barriers” program where I taught ballet lessons to students all over the world.

Website: Lenorepavlakos.com

Other: lenore@collagedance.org

Image Credits
vibeckedphoto