Today we’d like to introduce you to Enrica Tseng.
Hi Enrica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Ms. Tseng is from Italy, Chiavari, where she began her training studying classical ballet with teachers such as Mr. Erik Bruhn, Ms. Yvette Chauvire’, Mr. Bruno Telloli, Mr. Ricardo Nunez, and Ms. Ekaterina Maximova.
Ms. Tseng started her professional career in Italy where she danced with Teatro Comunale of Florence, Teatro Regio of Torino, and Teatro Nuovo of Torino. In 1990, she accepted an offer from Mr. Roy Tobias to join the Universal Ballet Company of Seoul. She was quickly offered soloist roles and achieved the rank of Ballerina when she was chosen to perform the leading role in the Marinsky Theatre production of Swan Lake.
In 1998, she was offered a contract as Principal Dancer with Texas Ballet Theater and she was featured in all the principal roles of the company repertoire. Under the inspirational artistic direction of Mr. Ben Stevenson, Enrica has being given the chance to perform in some of the most beautiful masterpieces in the ballet repertoire.
Some of her favorite repertoire includes:
Giselle & Myrtha in Giselle (Mrs. Tseng was selected to dance the role of Giselle with Carlos Acosta)
Odette & Odile in Swan Lake ( Mrs. Tseng danced the title role in the Marinsky Theatre production, and in two different productions by Texas Ballet Theater)
Kitri & Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote ( Marinsky Theatre production)
Cleopatra in Cleopatra (Mr. Stevenson’s choreography)
Swanhilda in Coppelia ( Mr Houk and Mr. Stevenson’s choreography)
Lead roles in Mr. Balanchine celebrated masterpieces such Theme & Variations, Serenade, La Sonnambula, Rubies, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Allegro Brillante
In September 2006, she received a special award as a “Distinguished Italian Artist in the World” from the jury of the LericiPea, in Italy. Enrica retired from the stage in April 2008 after a successful career with Texas Ballet Theatre and she was once more awarded the “Dancer of the Year” by her colleagues.
In September 2005, Mrs. Tseng and her husband Mr. Chung-Lin Tseng opened Ballet Center of Fort Worth, where they pass on their talents, passion, and artistry to future generations of dancers. Mrs. Tseng was invited to teach one of the Master Classes at the Star of Canaan Dance Competition 2015 and 2016 in Hong Kong. Mrs. Tseng was awarded Outstanding teacher by YAGP 2022, and her students were awarded top prizes.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Dancing professionally it has always been one of my goals as a young student of classical ballet. The first sacrifice was certainly leaving my family in Italy to pursue a career that took me as far from Italy as to Seoul, South Korea.
The first few years as formation as professional dancer were very hard, because it required a consistent proving yourself to the Artistic Staff and finding your artistry, while establishing a position in the ballet company.
When my talent started to be recognized the challenge became with myself; I wanted to do better than the last time I was on stage.
But I was lucky that my career wasn’t slowed down by any major injuries.
Loved every minute of it!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently the Artistic Advisor for Ballet Frontier and the Artistic Director of Ballet Center of Fort Worth.
Both roles are very different; with Ballet Frontier I assist with rehearsals, coaching, selecting the casting.
But I am also involved in multiple areas with the ballet company such as booking the company performances, managing dancers payrolls, assisting with costumes and production needs.
With Ballet Center of Fort Worth my major duty is teaching classes, meeting with faculty and parents when it is required, organizing new activities.
I am also involved with both organization in marketing and development.
I am proud of all the achievement reached with the company, where I helped to build the company ballet repertoire that includes Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Coppelia, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, La Sylphide.
With Ballet Center of Fort Worth I am proud of all the students we helped to shape into wonderful people and still remembering the great times spent at the studio.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Opening a business it normally requires to be ready to take a risk.
The first three years of the studio were very hard, with small enrollment and a lot of work to be done; looking back now, I learned so much from the beginning of the studio, particularly coming from a successful stage career.
I truly believe that the hard beginning built strong bones for myself and the business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://balletfrontier.org
- Instagram: balletfrontier
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ballet.frontier
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@balletfrontier5912
- Other: https://www.balletcenterfortworth.com/
