On July 13, 2021, Bojan Spassoff announced his retirement as President and Director of The Rock School for Dance Education, following over three and a half decades of leadership. In conjunction with his Artistic Director and wife, Stephanie Spassoff, Bojan will continue to oversee many of The Schools activities throughout 2021 and 2022, ensuring vitality and artistic integrity as the torch is passed from the Company’s President and Director.
The search for a successor was completed in November of 2021, led by a Rock School Board of Trustees committee, including both Bo and Stephanie Spassoff. Learn more about our new 2022 President and Director, Peter Stark on our Faculty and Staff page.
Join us on May 12 at 6pm to honor Bo Spassoff and the legacy he created at The Rock School!
The Rock School honors Bo following three decades of outstanding leadership. This star-studded evening will feature a world premiere ballet choreographed by TRS alumnus and Boston Ballet Soloist, Michaela Mabinty DePrince set to an original composition by Curtis Institute of Music composer Elise Arancio.
The gala also features special guest performances by TRS alum and Boston Ballet II dancer Brooke Wilson, and Philadelphia native and Boston Ballet artist Henry Griffin. The Rock School’s own performers round out the evening of exceptional dance.
Click Here for Tickets and Sponsorships
For those unable to attend the gala, a virtual performance option is available.
Confirm your attendance by calling 215.551.7010 ext 1113 or by clicking here. Contact Blake Caple with questions at capleb@therockschool.org.
We look forward to seeing you at this once-in-a-lifetime, gala event. Thank you for joining us.
Sincerely,
Peter Stark
President and Director
Gala CoChairs:
Mindy Baiada
Executive Director, Music Theatre Philly
Tara Trimarchi
Strategy Integration,, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Director of The Rock School for Dance Education, Bojan Spassoff
Bo Spassoff began his time at The Rock School in 1983 as Director. Over the 37 years that followed, Bo and Stephanie have been the heart and soul of The School. The Spassoffs were instrumental in helping The Rock School grow from a relatively small, company school into the internationally acclaimed independent school and conservatory that it has become.
Leading Paramount Growth for The Rock School
In 1995, Bojan and Stephanie guided the school through its transition to a larger facility in South Philadelphia, which included the renaming of the organization and its establishment as a nonprofit entity. This new facility allowed the Spassoffs to dramatically expand the size and prowess of their summer dance intensive program. At the same time, they changed their admissions process from a traditional audition to a more compassionate master-class program. These two changes revolutionized how the ballet community viewed summer dance intensives.
Expansion to Serve Philadelphia’s Western Suburban Communities
By the late 1990s, under Mr. Spassoff’s leadership, The Rock School expanded into the Philadelphia suburbs, with a large branch school in West Chester, Pennsylvania, The Rock School West. This school grew in popularity and attendance, requiring four studios, including the largest dance studio in the Philadelphia region outside Center City. In addition to success in its own right, Rock West also acted as a funnel for extremely committed students from the western suburbs into The Rock School’s main campus in South Philadelphia.
Paramount Outreach for Children from Philadelphia’s Underserved Communities
Under their leadership, along with the invaluable support of the William Penn Foundation, the school established a comprehensive dance outreach program called RockReach (2001- present). The program reaches over 30,000 Philadelphia school children every year and has exposed over a half million young people across the region (for 20 years) and nationwide (through the pandemic) to the artistry and discipline of dance.
A Groundbreaking Academic Education Model
Also in 2001, Bo and Stephanie recognized the need for students who we’re training to achieve a high school degree at the same time, culminating in the establishment of Rock Academics. This accredited program was integrated into The School’s daily schedule, allowing the dancers to gain a high school diploma while continuing to train. The Rock School remains the only major ballet school in the United States with this model. Accompanying Rock Academics was a new residence program, with spacious dormitories across the street from Rock Center, available for students in the professional program. These two programs combined to allow young artists more time to train and rehearse, as well as having more performance opportunities.
Mission-Driven Artistic Collaborations - National Television and Film
While Bo and Stephanie continued to cultivate strategic growth for The Rock School, they also took part in various media ventures that helped expand The School’s reach and visibility. In 2003, the Philadelphia Museum of Art hosted a new exhibit, “Degas and the Dance,” which included performances by Rock School dancers. Philadelphia’s NBC10 produced a primetime special on this exhibit, including The Rock School performance, which aired regularly for months after. Then, in 2005, The Rock School appeared in an episode of the MTV cable television show, Made. And in 2012, The Rock School featured prominently in Bess Kargman’s major motion picture ballet documentary, First Position. During this period of Bo Spassoff’s leadership The School forged successful performing partnerships with Curtis Institute of Music and the Philadelphia Orchestra that remain today. The media visibility and artistic prowess of these collaborations brought increased local, regional and international recognition to The Rock School.
A Legacy of Mentorship
Through nearly four decades of Spassoff leadership, hundreds of outstanding artists’ dance careers and lives were positively impacted by Bo and Stephanie, along with a cadre of excellent teachers – including Christine Shevchenko and Isaac Hernandez, who became the first ballet dancers trained in the United States in twenty-four years to win medals at the 2005 Moscow International Ballet Competition. The following year, both competed and won medals at the USA International Ballet Competition. The Rock School has alumni dancing in top ballet and dance companies across the United States including Taylor Stanley with New York City Ballet, and Gabe Stone Shayer with American Ballet Theater.
The Spassoff’s success in teaching and coaching has led Youth America Grand Prix to name The Rock School “Best Regional School” an unprecedented fourteen years in a row.
A Lifetime of Artistic Achievement On and Off the Stage
Bojan Spassoff was a Ford Foundation Scholarship student at the School of American Ballet and was an apprentice with the Harkness Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and New York City Ballet companies. Thereafter, Mr. Spassoff became a member of the Dutch National Ballet and was later among the first foreigners to join the Royal Danish Ballet. Subsequently, Mr. Spassoff was invited to join American Ballet Theatre, where he met his soon-to-be wife, Stephanie. He continued his career dancing solo and principal roles with the San Francisco Ballet and teaching for that company and its school. Mr. Spassoff served as Artistic Director, along with Stephanie, for both Savannah Ballet and Ballet Oklahoma and their associated schools. He has been a guest artist and teacher for numerous regional companies, schools, and universities. A former ballet master for Pennsylvania Ballet, he was Associate Director of the New York State Summer School of the Arts, operated in conjunction with New York City Ballet. He has coached gold medalists in prestigious international competitions in Havana, Berlin, as well as Moscow and USA International Ballet Competitions. He was a judge for Youth America Grand Prix. In 2011, 2012, and 2017 Mr. Spassoff was Artistic Director for the largest Ballet Galas ever held in Mexico City.
A Note from the Director
“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from directing The Rock School for Dance Education at the end of August.
It has been a wonderful experience working so closely together with our highly talented artistic and administrative staff–as well as our generous and supportive Board of Trustees. I am thankful for my years of work cultivating such talented young people. I remain truly impressed with each and every young Rock School artist’s tireless dedication to this beautiful artform. I thank you all again and wish you all the best.” stated Bojan Spassoff on his retirement.
From The Rock School Board of Trustees
“Bo’s commitment to The Rock School as our Artistic Leader for well over three decades has taken the organization to world renown acclaim,”
“He has led the organization with a nurturing care for so many generations of young artists and launched the careers of a near endless list of professional performers from across the globe. I speak for my fellow trustees in conveying our gratitude and appreciation for his devotion, loyalty, and service.”
Christopher Raphaely, Chairman of The School’s Board of Trustees.
“As chairman of the Rock School Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2016, I had the pleasure and privilege of working with Bo and Stephanie Spassoff to build the leading dance school in the region and one of the best in the nation. Through their vision, leadership and compassion they have advanced dance education throughout the world.”
Caro U. Rock, Chairman Emeritus of The School’s Board of Trustees.
