Lorena Walker
Artistic Director
Lorena started teaching in 2000 in Norway and has established a solid foundation for
teaching classical ballet in the Bergen area. She uses her experience and passion for dance and music, to inspire and
instill that passion into
her students.
She has trained and privately coached students who have successfully gained entrance to renowned dance
institutions in Norway and other countries.
Born in Santiago, Chile, Lorena attended the Ballet de Santiago School, studying with Osvaldo Gėldres
and Alicia Targarona, and was awarded a scholarship for her studies in the Vaganova method. She joined the
professional company at
the age of 16 and in a few years was dancing soloist roles in the resident theatre and on tour with the
company in Latin America and New York. Lorena was invited by her director, Ivan Nagy, to join him as a dancer
in the U.S.A. Here she
continued
to dance many soloist and leading roles.
After nearly three years Lorena was asked to join the Northern Ballet Theatre as a Leading Artist by the
artist director Christopher Gable. Here she danced leading roles in all of the major productions including:
Don Quixote, El Corsario,
Romeo &
Juliet, Liasions Amoureuses, A simple Man, Giselle, Lipizzaner and Dance Ensemble, in all of the main theatres
of major cities of Great Britain and on foreign tours to Prague, Bruno, Bratislava and Thessalonica. In the
Northern Ballet
Theatre’s
production of Swan Lake, she created the role of Odile and also danced the role of Odette. In their production
of A Christmas Carol, as well as dancing the part of ‘Belle’, she created the role of ‘The Ghost of Christmas
Past’, a part she
played
when the production was televised by the BBC and screened on Christmas Day 1993. She also created the roles of
the younger stepsister in NBT’s Cinderella, and Cathy in Gillian Lynn’s ballet “The Brontes”.
In 1995 Mrs.
Vidal Walker was invited
to
guest, dancing the title role of Giselle, with the Romanian National Ballet Company, in their national theatre
in Bucharest.
After along dancing career as a Principal dancer Lorena accomplish and reaches the total development of stage
work that forms a complete dancer.
In the year 2000 Lorena was invited to teach the Elite Ballet group in the Bergen Cultural School, where in
2004 Lorena was able to establish the school in Bergen main theatre, Grieghallen, where she also produced and
choreographed Bergen’s
first
Production of Nutcracker Ballet. Lorena was invited to dance the principal roll of Cinderella with Carte
Blanche Company in their 2001 Gala, and in 2009 the 40th year anniversary of Northern Ballet Company to dance
a lead roll in their
production
of ‘A Christmas Carol’. In 2011, Lorena was invited to an International Gala of Dance in Munster, Germany. She
has successfully choreographed and produced ballets and dances that have been performed all over Bergen and in
Grieghallen
After 5 years of hard work in the city of Bergen, she decided to open her own private Dance Academy just
outside the center of Bergen in Sotra.
Lorena continues to dance in ballets produced by the International Dance Academy, Norway and Vidal-Walker
Productions; including: Café Bombon, Nutcracker, Snow White, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood.
William Walker
Administrative & Theatre Director
William's mission is, to bring performances to new and existing audiences and to nourish, enrich and promote
dance theatre and performance arts in the community.
William has a rich history of education and professional performing experience and choreography in dance,
including; folk dance, ballroom, Irish dance, Jazz, contemporary, musical theatre and classical ballet.
In 2001 William was enticed to assist in the directorship of New Carte Blanche, Norway, where his business
experience and artistic talents enabled him to improve standards and communications on all levels. During his
time with Carte Blanche,
he worked
with two different artist directors and received critical acclaim for his participation in their Christmas
Gala performance. William remained the rehearsal director / assistance director for two and a half years until
he resigned to pursue
personal
choreographic and directorial opportunities.
William has also been closely involved with Bergen’s community Arts / Ballet school where his choreographic
works have been presented at many venues and events, often accompanied by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
He directed and choreographed ‘Pirouette’ (Bergen Festival 2004) and ‘Arabesque’ (Bergen Festival 2005).
In 2004 William became a member of and performed with, the Irish Dance Company. An amateur group of Irish
dance enthusiasts. He is also a member of their board
In December 2004 William directed, produced and choreographed Bergen’s first specially commissioned one
hour version of the Nutcracker Ballet. Using classically trained students, trained by Lorena Walker, and
adults from
Bergen and surrounding areas the evening performances were sold out. The audiences attendance totaled over
9000, for the 8 performances at Grieghallen, Bergen and all performances were accompanied by the Bergen
Philharmonic Orchestra.
His goal is to promote dance and Classical Ballet in and around the surrounding areas of Bergen, Norway with
the aim of providing dance training and theatrical performance opportunities, especially for children, and
bring these events to a
diverse
audience.