HUNTINGTON BEACH : Top Dancer Keeps Class on Its Toes

About 20 ballet students at Golden West College had a special teacher Thursday morning through the school’s master-class program.

Internationally acclaimed ballet dancer Roy W. Fitzell led the intermediate and advanced students in barre work and center floor adagio, or slow movements, as well as leaps, jete and allegro combinations.

“It was a lovely class. He put us through our paces, doing all kinds of things,” said Golden West dance instructor Carol Caniglia, who arranged for Fitzell to visit.

Fitzell has performed throughout the country and on numerous television shows. He teaches at the American School of Dance in Hollywood and teaches and serves as department chairman at UC Irvine.

The next dancer to visit Golden West through the master-class program will be Dennon Rawles, a jazz dancer and choreographer who just finished choreographing the movies “Bugsy” and “Staying Alive.” He will visit Jan. 30.

Golden West’s dance program has six faculty members who teach jazz, modern dance, ballet and tap in evening and day classes. The master program is an attempt to enrich the students technically, Caniglia said.

“It is also an opportunity for students to take a class with someone they might never have an opportunity to take a class with, because these people are busy doing movies and TV,” Caniglia said.