Robin Osborne
BIOGRAPHY
Ms. Osborne began her formal dance training at age seven in Southern California as a student of the Cecchetti style of Ballet. As a child, she performed for the Whittier Civic Ballet in productions of “The Nutcracker” and in several roles for David Lichine in his “Graduation Ball.” She “discovered” Modern Dance as a freshman at UCLA where she studied with Al Huang, Carol Scothorn and Mary Anthony. In her senior year, she toured with the UCLA Dance Company as a dancer in “Arena for One,” choreographed by Valerie Bettis. Working under the direction of Eugene Loring in the UCI Masters Dance Program, Robin brought her background of Ballet and Modern Dance together while honing her skills as a teacher and choreographer. Upon completion of her MFA, she moved to NYC to dance with the Valerie Bettis Dance Theatre. Her love for teaching led her to numerous positions as an instructor and professor in dance. On the East Coast, she has taught at Ocean County College, Nassau Community College, the College of Staten Island, Kingsborough Community College, F.I.T., and The Borough of Manhattan College. She is currently a faculty member at Queensborough Community College and Queens College. Her teaching curriculum has included: Aerobic Dance, Folk Dance, Dance Composition, Yoga, Musical Theatre Dance, Modern Dance, Jazz, Ballet and Dance History.
The recipient of awards from the “CUNY Women’s Research and Development Fund” allowed her to produce herself and several other women choreographers at St. Clements Church, NYC (Off-off Broadway). A second grant funded a challenging and personally satisfying project: the reconstruction of the dance drama, “As I Lay Dying,” originally choreographed by her mentor, Valerie Bettis. Ms. Osborne also performed the leading role of Addie Bundren. Another ground breaking role by Ms. Bettis, a solo called “The Desperate Heart” was reconstructed and performed by Ms. Osborne at Kingsborough and Queens Colleges.
Her work with youth was defined by her twenty five year tenure at the Brooklyn Music School where she was the Chair of the Dance Department. Under her direction, the program grew to include several techniques for children ranging in age of three years to nineteen. In 1999, she founded a pre-professional division. The original group, “The Journey Dancers,” multiplied into three performing groups. During the past ten years they regularly performed on the BMS stage and in other performance venues throughout the Tri State area. Her original ballet, “A Brooklyn Nutcracker,” a critical and popular success, became a Brooklyn holiday tradition (1999 TO 2008.)
Her commitment to physical fitness comes to play in her work on the college level, as well as the private sector. For two decades, she has led City University college students in aerobic dance classes that have taught thousands of students the benefits of “intelligent” and regular exercise. In the private sector, Ms. Osborne trains individual clients in her “One on One” work outs that are tailored to meet each person’s specific needs. Always striving to find exciting and beneficial ways to develop the body’s natural affinity to physical well being, she is currently developing a novel technique that will build strength, muscular and cardio, through graceful and lyrical movements.