Boulder Ballet Directors
Ben Needham-Wood
Ben Needham-Wood is an EMMY Award-winning choreographer, filmmaker, and dance educator. Ben received his BFA in Ballet (magna cum laude) from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, OH. He then went on to enjoy a 12-year performance career dancing primarily with the Louisville Ballet in Kentucky and Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco, CA. As a performer Ben was honored to receive two Isadora Duncan Dance Award nominations and a favorable review from the New York Times.
Ben’s choreographic career began while still performing. His creations have been presented nationally by professional companies, TV networks, commercial airlines, film festivals, and galas. In 2018, Ben and his long-time collaborator, Weston Krukow, co-created the dance film BaseBallet: Into the Game, which was awarded 4 regional EMMY Awards and recognized by film festivals across the country. This feature was preceded by the short film, BaseBallet, which was also recognized with a regional EMMY Award and was later exhibited at the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Ben was the first appointed Artistic Fellow of Amy Seiwert’s Imagery in 2018. Two years later he founded his own company, Redirecting Dance, in order to produce works that amplify critical social issues and inspire empathy. Through his company Ben has been closely studying the impacts of movement on mental health. This research continues to inform his work as a choreographer and leader in the performing arts.
Claudia Anata Hubiak is a choreographer, director, and educator. She is originally from Boulder and began her training at Boulder Ballet. Claudia holds an MFA from NYU at Tisch and a BFA in dance from UCSB. She studied at NYU on a full scholarship Dean’s Fellowship and was honored with the position of Graduate Assistant in Film for Dance.
Claudia founded The Anata Project in 2011 where she has created original works for the stage and screen for over a decade. Claudia was a was a 2018 recipient of the CHIME choreography award with Margaret Jenkins and has been a Resident Artist of The California Historical Society, Bay Area Discovery Museum and Shawl Anderson Residency Program.
Claudia’s work has been presented across the nation in New York, San Francisco, and Colorado at venues such as Judson Memorial Church, Joe’s Pub, Z Space, ODC, The Cowell Theater, Dance Mission Theater, The West Wave Dance Festival and The Dairy Center For The Arts.
Claudia was an educator for Lines Ballet and taught choreography for the SF School of the Arts from 2012–2019. In 2014 she founded the Anata Wellness Outreach Program dedicated to bringing dance, meditation, and somatic practices to schools throughout the Bay Area. Claudia is delighted to come full circle back to Boulder to support the growth of Boulder Ballet.
Claudia Anata Hubiak
Artistic Director
Executive Director
Andrea Basile is a dance educator, director, and choreographer, originally from Albuquerque, NM. Ms. Basile began her dance training under the direction of Karen Alwin and Lynn Cox, continuing at the San Francisco Ballet School prior to her professional career. Over her eighteen-year career in the Bay Area, Ms. Basile performed with dance companies including San Francisco Ballet, ODC Dance, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Kate Weare Company, Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Smuin Ballet, The Lawrence Pech Dance Company, and The Foundry.
Founder and Artistic Director of LINES Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo
King, choreographed “Pas” for Ms. Basile and Homer Avila, which premiered with Axis Dance Company, toured to the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine. Ms. Basile’s teaching career spans 27 years. She has been an instructor at many dance schools including LINES Ballet School, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Cincinnati Ballet Academy, Marin Dance Theater, the ODC School, and Magnify Dance Center. Ms. Basile moved back to New Mexico in 2015 and became a co-owner of Magnify Dance Center and the Artistic Director of Magnify Dance Ensemble. In 2016 Ms. Basile founded The Five Point Dancer Method. This method cultivates wellness and prioritizes the mental and physical health of dancers in the studio with a track record of creating positive changes for dancers, faculty, and parents. Ms. Basile is thrilled to bring her knowledge and passion for dance education to Boulder Ballet.
Andrea Basile
Photo Credit: Lexi Evans
School Director