Ballet

 

 

 

 

 

JoAnn McCarthy Barkes

A native of Pittsburgh, JoAnn studied and made her professional dancing debut with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the age of 17. She rose to the rank of principal dancer in 1974. Clive Barnes of the New York Times wrote of her role in Lorenzo Monreal’s “Romeo and Juliet”,  her dancing had a fleet immediacy that made this a Juliet of rare fancy and quicksilver mettle. In 1979 JoAnn won a bronze medal in the First International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. Dance Magazine said her performance, drew gasps from observers with a flawless “Black Swan”.

Arriving in South Bend in 1985, JoAnn was responsible for Southold’s production of “The Nutcracker Ballet” from 1990-1999. Under JoAnn’s tutelage, dancers were invited to Joffrey Ballet programs, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Kennedy Center summer programs.

 JoAnn has been on staff at Flint’s since 2001.