A native New Yorker received his early dance training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center in Queens NY, and then attended La Guardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City. A scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School, The Joffrey Ballet School and The Dance Theater of Harlem, Mr. Thomas went on to receive his Bachelors of Fine Arts in dance performance from SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. There he earned various awards for outstanding achievement, most notably the university’s Presidential Scholarship as well as the Harry Belafonte Award for the Arts. Upon graduation, Mr. Thomas received the Thayer Fellowship Award for professional potential in the arts. Mr. Thomas earned his Master of the Arts in Dance in Higher Education from New York University, which has given him a wide range of experiences in all facets of dance. Additionally, he worked for two years as a full time faculty member, advisor, and artist in residence at Barnard College, New York where his duties included teaching Modern and Ballet classes, mentoring undergraduate dance students, choreographing in faculty concerts, and setting and overseeing works by major choreographers.
As a professional dancer Mr. Thomas’ career has afforded him the opportunity to perform with The Paul Taylor Dance Company, where he was featured in the 2008 Academy Award Nominated documentary film “Dancemaker'' as well as an recipient of the Princess Grace Award while with the Elisa Monte Dance Company. He has also danced with The Nikolais & Louis Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico of New York and Rebecca Kelly Ballet, among others. These experiences have given him the opportunity to be an active member of the worldwide arts community.
Currently, Mr. Thomas is a Connecticut State and ABT® National Training Curriculum Certified Dance Teacher and has worked as a Theater/Production manager, Choreographer and Teacher for the Wilton, Greenwich and New Canaan Connecticut Public School systems. He co-owns and operates a ballet school and regional not-for-profit ballet company in New Canaan, Connecticut, as well as directs and choreographs for Thomas/Ortiz Dance Company and the Ted Thomas Dance Foundation, a 501©3 professional dance organization now based in New Canaan, CT which he started in 2001. His students have performed professional ballets choreographed by Lew Christiansen from the San Francisco Ballet and George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasia set by Ms. BJ Sills. His professional company has been presented at Jacob’s Pillow MA, Dance Theater Workshop NY, Ailey Citicorp Theater NY, Southern Vermont Dance Festival’s Redfern Arts Center VT, Dance St. Louis and other venues throughout the United States. Mr. Thomas also serves on several boards and contribute to the fund raising and donor development of organizations that combat illiteracy and child abuse in Westchester, NY and Southern Fairfield, CT. Mr. Thomas is proud to have received the 2018 Connecticut Fellowship Award for Artistic Excellence in Dance and Choreography.
As a professional dancer Mr. Thomas’ career has afforded him the opportunity to perform with The Paul Taylor Dance Company, where he was featured in the 2008 Academy Award Nominated documentary film “Dancemaker'' as well as an recipient of the Princess Grace Award while with the Elisa Monte Dance Company. He has also danced with The Nikolais & Louis Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico of New York and Rebecca Kelly Ballet, among others. These experiences have given him the opportunity to be an active member of the worldwide arts community.
Currently, Mr. Thomas is a Connecticut State and ABT® National Training Curriculum Certified Dance Teacher and has worked as a Theater/Production manager, Choreographer and Teacher for the Wilton, Greenwich and New Canaan Connecticut Public School systems. He co-owns and operates a ballet school and regional not-for-profit ballet company in New Canaan, Connecticut, as well as directs and choreographs for Thomas/Ortiz Dance Company and the Ted Thomas Dance Foundation, a 501©3 professional dance organization now based in New Canaan, CT which he started in 2001. His students have performed professional ballets choreographed by Lew Christiansen from the San Francisco Ballet and George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasia set by Ms. BJ Sills. His professional company has been presented at Jacob’s Pillow MA, Dance Theater Workshop NY, Ailey Citicorp Theater NY, Southern Vermont Dance Festival’s Redfern Arts Center VT, Dance St. Louis and other venues throughout the United States. Mr. Thomas also serves on several boards and contribute to the fund raising and donor development of organizations that combat illiteracy and child abuse in Westchester, NY and Southern Fairfield, CT. Mr. Thomas is proud to have received the 2018 Connecticut Fellowship Award for Artistic Excellence in Dance and Choreography.