Former Cincinnati Ballet principals Anna Reznik and Alexei Kremnev have been hired to develop a ballet-based dance curriculum at Northern Kentucky University. Gail Wells, dean of arts and sciences, hopes the hiring will change the thrust of the existing program.

        Since its inception in the mid-'70s, dance at NKU has played second fiddle to theater. There's never been a dance major, merely a theater major with an emphasis in dance. Under the Russian couple, that will change.

        “I hope to have a dance major within three years,” Ms. Wells says. “We will immediately (spring semester) allow students to begin a dance track in their theater major.”

        The first classes to be taught jointly by Ms. Reznik and Mr. Kremnev are advanced ballet on pointe and partnering. A preparatory program is scheduled to begin this summer.

        “With a little luck we could have that ready by spring,” Ms. Wells said.

        These changes have come about quickly, as the dancers resigned from Cincinnati Ballet in October. An anonymous donor, described by Ms. Wells as a “friend of ballet,” felt it was important to keep them in the area and contacted NKU.

        The donation is intended to get the program on its feet. Ms. Wells said additional funding will be sought to keep it going, hopefully in the form of endowments to name a school of ballet or particular dance program.

        The speed with which a new studio is being built (in a previous theater props room) confirms the confidence Ms. Wells has in the Russians' ability to develop a serious program. Even Peggy Lyman, former Martha Graham principal dancer and first dance director at NKU in the '70s, was unable to swing a decent studio. Ms. Lyman had to make do with a studio that was more like an afterthought, built in a small room with a giant cement pole left of center.

        The existing dance classes, overseen by Jane Green and taught by part-time faculty, will be enhanced by the new plans Ms. Wells said.

        The Russians, at the peak of their performing careers, intend to continue to dance. They are in Toledo, performing the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier this weekend in Nigel Burgoine's Nutcracker at the Stranahan Theatre (today is the final performance). They'llappear in a student performance at NKU and are preparing a gala for midwinter or early spring.

        Ballet hires principals: It has been the buzz in the dance community for weeks. Now it's official. Cincinnati Ballet has hired Cuban dance sensations Lorna Feijoo and Nelson Madrigal to replace Ms. Reznik and Mr. Kremnev as the company's principal dancers.

        The married couple both trained with Alicia Alonso and danced with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba as primera bailarina and primeros bailarines, the highest dance positions Cuba offers.

        They've recently completed an American tour and have committed to the remainder of Cincinnati Ballet's 2001-2002 season. Look for them to feature prominently in the Winter Festival, Feb. 1 and 2.

        More on the Russians: Ms. Reznik and Mr. Kremnev wasted no time finding a performance opportunity following their Oct. 3 resignations from Cincinnati Ballet. They both appeared in a ballet tech ohio performing arts association program at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

        Initially designed around African and African/American dance themes, it was a little jarring to see Ms. Kremnev's “Dying Swan” losing life on the same program with a Nigerian village fishing expedition (Wo-Yingi African Drum & Dance Group).

        In spite of the vast differences in styles and levels, it proved to be an entertaining program, bringing folks together who might not otherwise catch each other's works.

        In the audience for the Nov. 30 performance was choreographer Val Caniparoli, who is staging Cincinnati Ballet's new Nutcracker.

        Two of his works were being danced, “Aria,” a solo for Mr. Kremnev, and “Aquilarco,” a duet for the couple.

        He said he was happy to be seeing them done — and done well. The works were done for Cincinnati Ballet with the stipulation that only the Russians would perform them here. (They are also in the repertory of San Francisco Ballet.)

        “They're very difficult,” Mr. Caniparoli said.

        Also on the program were Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II, Bi-Okoto Drum and Dance Theatre and Claudia Rudolf Barrett's ballet tech dancers.

        On track in Indy: Indianapolis' Ballet Internationale, recently on the brink of dissolving, is back in the business of making dance and worrying less about money woes.

        The company has received a challenge grant of $910,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc., half of which is contingent upon matching contributions and evidence of fiscal responsibility.

        Interim executive director John Zurick (former executive director for Cincinnati Ballet) says the company is taking steps to make itself strong.

        The “board is recommitted to fund-raising and the search for a permanent executive director is under way.”

        Founded in 1973, Ballet Internationale is Indiana's only professional ballet company and is under the artistic direction of former Kirov Ballet star Eldar Aliev.

        Contact Carol Norris by fax, (812) 537-5693; e-mail webers@one.net.

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