Elizabeth
Hartwell has been dancing for most of her life. Although she was born in Los
Angeles, she grew up in Michigan, California and Cincinnati, where she attended
the School for the Creative and Performing Arts. She joined the Louisville
Ballet in 1984 after dancing professionally with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
and the Cincinnati Ballet. She was promoted to principal dancer in 1988 and has
been dazzling Kentucky audiences ever since.
Elizabeth Hartwell has
performed a lifetime of lead roles. Many have been in the traditional or
classical ballets such as Princes Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella
in Cinderella, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in The
Nutcracker, Kitri in Don Quixote, Odette and Odile in Swan
Lake and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She has danced in more unusual
ballets as well, such as Lucy, the story of an ancient skeleton and what
her life might have been like and Kaa, the Snake, for the Children's
Theatre of Cincinnati, which toured Belgium and the Netherlands in 1997.
Hartwell and her husband, dancer Ken Braso, were soloists in the Cincinnati
Opera Summer Seasons from 1988 through 1995. She is also a choreographer and
has developed and danced in many productions, including Abracadabra, a
one-person show danced to the overture of The Sorcerer's Apprentice,
performed with the Louisville Orchestra. Last year she and Braso choreographed
for Liz Bussey Fentress' one-person play, Liz's Circus Story, for KET.
Elizabeth Hartwell's passion is music, be it classical, jazz or blues.
Her versatile technique and winning personality have made her a favorite and
her superlative performances have received many accolades in The Louisville
Courier-Journal reviews over the years and have been called "superb", "showing
real beauty", "compelling", and "sumptuous." But, in addition to her
performances and choreographic work she has also been an active educator,
teaching during the summer at the Governor's School for the Arts for 8 years
and as an instructor with the Louisville Ballet School for 10 years. And she
choreographs work for her students as well.
Hartwell has worked
tirelessly on behalf of The Louisville Ballet. It is difficult to imagine what
the Louisville Ballet will be like without her. Her undying enthusiasm for
dance and enormous reserves of energy will be greatly missed after her
retirement this year.
Previous recipients: Harlan Hubbard, Robert S. Whitney, Alma Lesch, Helen Starr, Barney Bright, Ray Fry, Adale O'Brien, Paul Owen, John Tuska, Warren Hammack, Ed Hamilton, Minnie Adkins, David Livingston, George Zack, Lee Sexton, Lee Luvisi, Melvin Dickinson, Moses Goldberg, Arturo Alonzo Sandoval