Who are ConnectedTheaterArtists (CTA)?

We are a collective of international dance professionals mostly working out of, or associated in some way to the rich and fertile German theater landscape. The idea is simple; quality artists tend to have quality collaborators. And this artistic common-ground is the base of the CTA. The artists of the CTA are a group of like-minded, highly creative, and highly successful dance specialized professionals who share a mutual respect and professional network with each other. This is important, as it means each artist of the CTA comes with the support of a highly professional team of harmonizing artists (when needed) to insure that the end artistic result of any project is an uncompromising and superbly realized artistic venture!

To be clear, the artists of the CTA come from all over the world, and continue to work and create around the globe. As the founder, with over 30 years of dance experience, I have recognized the German theater system as one of the most nurturing and prolifically creative environments for dance worldwide which has therefore attracted and developed many of the most successful professionals and superb artists working in the world of dance today. So it this unifying thread that we acknowledge here, at our conception, that ties us together and is our launch pad to far-flung undertakings…

Our blood pulses in dance, and dance related projects are certainly our focus. But the arts are interconnected and as ever changing as are our artists themselves…. You will find that many of the CTA artists have long pedigrees working as well in opera and the theater acting scene as well as their obvious specialty in dance.

We are new… we are curious… we are imaginative and creative… and we are hungry to create and perform. We are ConnectedTheaterArtists!

THANKS: I would like to thank Marco Vitale for the help with the website, Annette Vladar with help with German translations, and Anna Loose with help with contract models

FOUNDER: Robert Conn

Robert was born in Arkansas, U.S.A., and is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts. In 1986 he joined the Joffrey II Dancers and in 1988 he became a member of American Ballet Theater. In 1993 he joined the National Ballet of Canada as a soloist, and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1996. From 1997 until he retired in 2003 Robert Conn was a Soloist with the Stuttgart Ballet and a featured performer in numerous international Galas. His extensive and diverse repertory encompasses works from the 19th century classics to contemporary choreographers; in addition, he has had many roles created for him by renowned choreographers.

Throughout his active dance career Mr. Conn concurrently prepared himself for a future career in artistic leadership by; serving as company speaker, as dancer liaison to the departments of sponsorship, fundraising, and the volunteer committee. And even serving on the board of directors (NBoC). He also took a university run arts administration economics course intensive, began coaching and teaching, and also acted as presenter for dance evenings of his own conception.

In September 2004 Mr. Conn was engaged as the Chief Ballet Master and Associate Director of Ballet Nuremberg expanding his artistic horizons into the more modern/dance-theater milieu. In the fall of 2007 he was appointed Artistic Director of Ballet Augsburg, the resident contemporary/neoclassical repertory dance ensemble of Augsburg, Germany.

After ten successful years directing he was able to improve most every aspect of the company and its activities and establish Ballet Augsburg as one of the most creatively prolific companies in the German dance scene. Some of his achievements during this time are; tripling the dance public, presenting over 60 choreographers in our evenings, having the highest attendance in the theater 5 out of 9 years, growing the ballet ensemble from 12 to 17+ dancers, increasing the artistic budget two-fold through sponsorship efforts, developing a young-choreographers program that led to the appointment of Augsburg’s first ever house choreographer, and creating the largest and fastest growing subscription series in the theaters history.

Mr. Conn’s 32-year career in the dance industry has prepared him now for this next step…. Bringing together and representing superb and passionate dance industry artists… ConnectedTheaterArtists.