Ka-Ron Brown Lehman

(BIOGRAPHY) Ka-Ron Lehman has worked extensively as a Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer, as well as on TV and the Concert Stage throughout the United States and in Europe. As a young dancer, she was a scholarship recipient with several ballet masters such as; J. Erglis Smaltzoff, Carolyn Skyers, Master Zurich, Michael Panaieff, Karol Shook, Joseph Rickard, Ms. McClearq; and Dance Theater of Harlem. She also studied intensely under master instructors like Doug Rivera, James Truitte, Tommy Johnson, Thelma Hill, Claude Thompson, Winston Dewitt Hemsley, Paula Kelly, Lester Wilson, and Carlton Johnson. Ms. Lehman was the featured soloist for Erglis Smaltzoff Ballet and later joined The Joseph Rickard African-American Ballet Ensemble in Los Angeles, for several years. Ms. Lehman appeared as a featured guest artist with The Pacific Ballet Company, under the direction of Ballet Master, Andre’ Tremaine. Ka-Ron toured with Disney on Parade in the “Three Caballero Tour choreographed by Tom Hansen. Ms. Lehman’s first professional theatre experience came in “Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope”, at The Huntington Hartford, followed by Oscar Brown Jr.’s, “It’s About Time” and Jon Hendricks’ “Evolution of the Blues”, which won her the Drama Logue Critics’ Award. Ms. Lehman starred in “Sancocho” at The Public Theatre in NY, and was featured in “Rock’n Roll-The First 5000 Years” and was the associate choreographer for the Broadway production directed by Joe Layton., at The St. James Theatre on Broadway. Some of her choreography credits include numerous shows at Inner City Cultural Center, and earned her NAACP Image Award nominations for her choreography for Showgirls, Wings’n Things, Four Seasons, If They Come Back, Sang Sista Sang, Brilliant Colours and Othello With Ted Lange. She also choreographed several of the original as well as the first televised production for the NAACP Image Award Shows, the Black Filmmakers Hall Of Fame, and the LAATC Black Choreographer’s Showcase, in 2002. As a Teacher of 43 years, Ka-Ron has a special gift for spotting unreleased talent, and for motivating students to let their abilities blossom to its fullest. In 1991, she won a Distinguished Teacher Award by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Since 2001 to present, Ms. Lehman is the Artistic Director of The Dance Department at The Los Angeles County for the Arts, at CSULA. For ten years, she devoted much of her energy toward the development of two projects, The Lehman Dance Co. and The Annual Lehman Awards. The Lehman Awards were Created In 1993, to honor members of the Dance Community, and to educate today’s young dance students and the dance community, about the pioneers of Dance. The Lehman Dance Co. has been seen in Kaleidoscope, and at various venues In the LA area, e.g., African Market Place, CSUN, AFI Awards, Japan and Alex Theatre. In 1999, The Company was invited to perform a series of concerts at the premiere Gala Opening of L’Atrium, a new Performing Arts Center in Martinique. Ka-Ron, through dance, paid tribute to C. Barnard Jackson and Beah Richards together with Mel Carter, danced The Spirit Elaine In Jackson’s “Four Seasons”, as well as The Spirit Of Billie Holiday, in Stephen Semien’s “Elegy For A Lady” A birthday bash tribute for Ms. Holiday and choreographed a National Commercial for Bayer Aspirin, starring Ben Vereen. Most recently Ms Lehman danced a tribute, held at The Beverly Wilshire, for the 2003 NAACP, where Mr. Vereen received A Life Time Achievement Award. Ms Lehman, successfully Produced/Directed and Re-Staged the following ballets, (Ballets Choreographed by Ms. Lehman and LACHSA Faculty). In 2002, the “Firebird”, presented at the Luckman, 2003, “The Rite of Spring” at the Alex Theatre, 2004 Cinderella Goes to New York, and 2005 Peter Pan Ballet held at The Alex. In October, 2005, Ms. Lehman Produced/Directed a Concert entitled, S.O.S. (Students On Stage), For Katrina, at The Alex, raised $13,000 and donated funds to the Red cross and to the students at the NOCCA/Riverfront Performing Arts School In New Orleans. Ms. Lehman received the 2004 ACA Educator of the Year Award, and received a nomination for the 2006 Disneyhand Teacher Award. Recently selected as The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) Alumni Association’s 2006 Outstanding Arts’ Educator. This was the premier year the Alumni Association is bestowing the honor. Presently completed 2nd semester of LEAP at Saint Mary’s College of California; were she is a Liberal Arts/Education major. ________________________________________________ _________________________________________________(INSTRUCTOR 'S RESUME)KA-RON BROWN LEHMAN Recently: Spring Forward Intensive at PAC 2007 IML (Summer Intensive) at PAC 2006 The LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS, from 1986 LACHSA, Artistic Direction for Dance Department, August, 2001 to 2006 THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, Van Nuys, from 1990 to August 2007 MANHATTAN DANCE PROJECT, Master Lessons, Nationwide, from 1999 Jackie Sleight, Summer Intensive, from July 1999, Marat Daukayev, Ballet Summer Intensive, June-July, 2001; Aug 2002; Dance Theatrics, Modern Summer 2001 IntensivePreviously: DANCE ARTS ACADEMY, Wilshire District, from Jan. 2000-July 2001 MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL, LA BACKSTAGE DANCE COMPANY, Sascatoon, Canada- Summer Intensive PACIFIC LODGE, Woodland Hills MADILYN CLARK STUDIOS, North Hollywood STUDIO OF THE PERFORMING ARTS, Los Angeles HELSINGIN TANSSIOPISTO, Helsinki, Finland 1 year (1983-1984) HELSINGIN TANSSIVINTI, Helsinki, Finland 1 year (1983-1984) PROFESSIONAL DANCERS’ SOCIETY, Burbank LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY, Guest teacher / Choreographer DEBBIE REYNOLDS’ REHEARSAL STUDIOS, N. Hollywood 1978- MOONROSE STUDIOS, Los Angeles 1985-1986 ANDRE TREMAINE BALLET ACADEMY, North Hollywood UC RIVERSIDE Guest Master classes GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE -master classes UCLA -Summer intensive 1978, 1979, CORONET THEATER BUILDING 1972 -1979 UC SANTA BARBARA -Master classes 1972 INNER CITY CULTURAL CENTER, Los Angeles 1972-1982 Free Arts Clinic- Artistic Director for Dance (for battered children) 1973-1979 ROLAND DUPREE DANCE ACADEMY, Los Angeles 1973-1979 BERT PRIVAL BALLET SCHOOL, Sherman Oaks J. ERGLIS SMALTZOFF SCHOOL OF BALLET, Los Angeles 1975-1980 DANCE WONDERLAND, Los Angeles 1963-1969Master Classes 1972-2000: Manhattan, NY; Portland, OR.; Nashville, TN; Chicago, IL.; Salt Lake City, UT.; San Jose, CA; Detroit MI.; Phoenix, AZ,; Lincoln, NE.; Washington, DC; Seattle, WA; Omaha, NE; Houston, TX; Oakland, CA; St. Louis, MO; Denver, CO; Syracuse, N.Y.; Melbourne & Sydney, Australia; New Zealand to name a few.