BBT spotlights guest artistic directors at 2026 "The Directors' Summer" workshop
As we count down to the kickoff of The Directors’ Summer at Boca Ballet Theatre, we spotlight the guest artistic directors participating in this year’s workshop! Dancers will train under the direct observation of leading figures in the field, including Gil Boggs of Colorado Ballet, Cervilio Amador of Cincinnati Ballet, Peter Boal of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Roy Kaiser of Nevada Ballet, Michael Novak of Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Nan Giordano of Giordano Dance Chicago. Daily classes and coaching are led by these esteemed guest directors alongside BBT’s exceptional faculty, providing dancers training and sustained interaction, feedback, and real-world evaluation. Learn more about our guest directors and how you can send your audition for The Directors’ Summer workshop below!
2026 Guest Artistic Directors
Gil Boggs began his dance career with the Atlanta Ballet. He joined American Ballet Theatre in New York in 1982 and was promoted to soloist dancer in 1984 and principal dancer in 1991. Boggs was a member of the company for 17 years. Boggs also performed with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, Baryshnikov and Company, Nureyev and Friends, and made several guest appearances around the world. Boggs accepted the position of Artistic Director with Colorado Ballet in the Spring of 2006. In Boggs’ tenure with Colorado Ballet he has restaged full-length productions of Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Don Quixote and Coppélia along with adding new full-length productions of Romeo & Juliet, Cinderella, Le Corsaire, Beauty and the Beast and Peter Pan. Boggs has also presented 17 world premieres and 18 Colorado Ballet premieres by such renowned choreographers as Twyla Tharp, Lar Lubovitch, Anthony Tudor, Val Caniparoli, Dwight Rhoden and Lynne Taylor-Corbett.
Cervilio Amador received his education and training at the Vocational Ballet School in Camagüey, Cuba, and the National Ballet School of Cuba. He began his professional career with the National Ballet of Cuba, starting as a Corps de Ballet dancer and later advancing to the role of Corifeo (demi-soloist). In 2004, he joined Cincinnati Ballet as a Soloist, and in 2006, he was promoted to Principal Dancer, becoming one of the youngest in the company’s history. After retiring as a Principal Dancer during the 2019-2020 season, Cervi transitioned to the role of Rehearsal Director, where he focused on coaching and mentoring dancers both inside and outside the studio. In September 2023, the Cincinnati Ballet Board of Trustees appointed Cervi as Interim Artistic Director. In this capacity, he actively planned the repertoire for upcoming seasons, curated and commissioned new works, and collaborated with the leadership team to shape his artistic vision for the company.
Peter Boal was raised in Bedford, New York. At the age of nine, he began studying ballet at the School of American Ballet. Peter became a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet in 1983 and a principal dancer in 1989. Boal joined the faculty of SAB in1997, teaching technique, variations, men’s and women’s classes, and partnering. He was a guest teacher at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet's school. In 2005, he retired from New York City Ballet to become Artistic Director of Pacific Northwest Ballet. In addition to overseeing all artistic operations, he has staged works of George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Ulysses Dove for PNB and other companies.
Roy Kaiser began his ballet training at age 17 under the guidance of Karen Irvin and earned a scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet School and later with the School of Pennsylvania Ballet. Roy joined Pennsylvania Ballet in 1979. He was eventually promoted to Soloist and Principal Dancer, performing nearly every principal male role in the company’s classical repertoire. In 1987, Roy was appointed assistant ballet master. Upon his retirement from the stage in 1992, he was promoted to the position of Ballet Master. In October 1993, he was appointed Associate Artistic Director of the company under the leadership of Christopher d’Amboise and later succeeded him as artistic director in February 1995. In April 2014, after 19 years, Roy announced he would step down from his position as Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Ballet. He is the current Artistic Director of Nevada Ballet Theatre.
Michael Novak became the second Artistic Director in the history of the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation in September 2018, having been selected by Paul Taylor months earlier to succeed him upon his death. A critically acclaimed dancer of the Company from 2010 to 2019, Novak was nominated for the Clive Barnes Foundation Dance Award for his debut Season. During his career with the Company, he performed fifty-six roles in fifty Taylor dances, thirteen of which were made on him, and new roles in several works by other leading choreographers. Under Novak’s direction, the Paul Taylor Dance Company continues to be one of the world’s premier dance companies, with robust domestic and international touring, an ever-expanding repertory that includes the Taylor canon, an annual engagement at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and several education programs to inspire the next generation of dancers and dance advocates.
Nan Giordano was trained by her father and mentor, Gus Giordano. Nan teaches master classes throughout the United States and has toured internationally as guest teacher in many countries. In August 2018, Chicago Dancers United honored Nan (along with Lou Conte) with the Dance for Life Impact Award, recognizing her contributions to the Chicago dance community and Dance for Life. In summer of 2019, Nan was honored with the Grace Wakefield Lifetime Achievement Award by Star Dance Alliance at the Circle of Excellence Gala. She has served as a guest judge at The Dance Awards (Dance One). Nan was graced as the cover of Fra Noi, Chicago’s Italian magazine. Most recently, she received the prestigious “Take Your Seat” honor at the Harris Theater—an enduring tribute that honors her profound impact on the arts and secures her place in the heart of Chicago’s creative legacy. In August 2025, Nan was honored to be a judge at the highly acclaimed A.C.E Awards by DanceOne.
About The Directors’ Summer at Boca Ballet Theatre
The Directors’ Summer at Boca Ballet Theatre is a highly selective, professional-track intensive created for dancers seeking employment evaluation and direct access to artistic decision-makers from major ballet and dance companies. Limited to just 36 dancers, with an average age of 20, this program is not for children and is designed for artists ready to be seen, challenged, and assessed at the highest level.
The intensive culminates in a professionally produced, full-length production of La Bayadère, offering dancers the rare opportunity to perform demanding classical repertoire while being observed in a true company-style setting. The Directors’ Summer is a proving ground for dancers serious about launching or advancing a professional career.