1 of 2
Photo courtesy of Suzanna Mars.
Chapman teaching for Florida Dance Association at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida.
2 of 2
Photo courtesy of Neil Cohen.
Wes Chapman, teaching here in Palm Beach, Florida, now heads the Alabama School of Fine Arts’ dance department.
Courtesy artsBHAM
When the Alabama School of Fine Arts had an opening for chair of their dance department last year, Wes Chapman knew he wanted to pursue to it, returning to the place he began learning his craft after years of performing and teaching ballet at the highest level.
“These jobs don’t open up often,” he said. “I jumped at the chance to be back at ASFA, as it’s always been my home and in my heart.”
Born and raised in Union Springs, Alabama, Chapman graduated from the dance program at ASFA in 1983. He then danced with Alabama Ballet for a season before heading to New York City to join American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the most prominent dance companies in the country. Over the years, he was promoted to soloist and then principal dancer. Chapman was also a principal at Bavarian National Ballet and guested with numerous other companies.
Like many dancers, Chapman realized his path early in life.
“I took my first ballet class at the age of 9 in an arm cast from falling off a pony,” he said. “I remember walking into the studio at Montgomery School of Ballet and thinking, ‘This is it; this is where I belong.’”
Chapman said his mother and grandmother supported his ambitions.
“My dad, on the other hand, was the football coach at the local high school,” he said. “You can imagine how that went. But when ABT’s artistic director, Mikhail Baryshnikov, hired me in 1984, my dad was my biggest fan — and still is.”
Chapman took on a different side of the dance world in 1996 when he became artistic director of Alabama Ballet and founded the company’s school. In 2007, he returned to ABT for four years to direct the organization’s studio company, a performing troupe for dancers ages 16-20 who are transitioning from student to professional.
In 2015, Chapman came back to the Magic City to pursue freelancing.
“I am not exactly sure what the draw is, but Birmingham has always seemed like home to me,” he said. “I love to be in Union Springs, but Birmingham is where my heart brings me.”
What was it like for him to return to the school he graduated from? “The school offers so much more than my time there,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot of how the day-to-day works and all of the administrative duties that come along with that.”
He credits fellow dance faculty members Martha Faesi and Teri Weksler for their guidance, support, and mentorship.
“They are my personal heroes and there’s no way for me thank them enough in my first year as dance chairman.”
Of course, administrative duties are just part of the job at ASFA. Dance classes run from 2-5:30 p.m. “Some evenings we have rehearsals until 7:15 p.m. if we are in need of extra time,” Chapman said. “Often, students will come in on Saturdays for some additional rehearsal time.”
Chapman was proud with the results of all those classes and rehearsals, which culminated in an end-of-the-year showcase.
“The dance department looked like a school that enjoyed dancing together and they put on a wonderful show,” he said.
Reflecting on the past year, Chapman said ASFA got to know him and the way he views the dance world. He said that sometimes his students now call him “ballet dad” and he calls them his “ninjas.”
What are his goals for the future of ASFA’s dance program? He would like to increase enrollment a bit, but not too much, saying that the school currently has the “luxury of smaller class sizes.” He also hopes “to see the students to continue to grow and have more performance experiences” in the coming years.
