Mr. Patrelle, through his company, has the ability to give them opportunities to perform, as well as developing dancers in class, but I agree that it deserves noting that there are and have been many wonderful teachers at Ballet Academy East who've developed a number of dancers there. And it's where Lourdes Lopez cut her teeth administratively.
I just wanted to add that Patrelle gives the students of BAE the chance to perform in his annual The Yorkville Nutcracker, but that is pretty much the extent of it. Students have just as many opportunities to perform in BAE's Spring concert, which was originally initiated under Hoover and Lopez's guidance. Nonetheless, while Patrelle "found" Erica, many other faculty members influenced and shaped her training and development.
