William E. Thomas

Ballet Master & Rehearsal Director Emeritus

William E. Thomas’ concert and commercial dance venues/performances include: Off-Broadway at La Mama E.T.C., The International Theatre Festival of Barranquilla/ Columbia, the National Tour of Sesame Street Live, The Toronto Fringe Festival/Canada and Webster Dancer Theater/US. 

He has performed in regional theatre productions such as: Anything Goes w/ Chita Rivera,The Unsinkable Molly Brown w/ Ann Reinking, and The Black Musical Review.  He has performed in concert works such as: The Green Table (K. Jooss), Don Quixote/ Pas de Deux (after Petipa), and Galena Summit (K. Posin), among others, and sang as part of the Buffalo Philharmonic Community Chorus. 

His choreography has been seen on The Thomas Dance Collection, Jacob’s Pillow Outdoor Choreography Showcase, Buffalo City Ballet, Danco On Danco Choreography Showcase, Zodiaque Dance Company, Orchesis Contemporary Dance Theater, Danza Una and Buffalo Dance Festival, among others. 

Mr. Thomas’ teaching credits (including summer programs and calendar year) include: Philadanco, Rochester City Ballet, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Buffalo City Ballet, Conservatory and School of the Arts in St. Louis, Empire State Ballet, National University of Costa Rica, American Academy of Dance, Ohio State University, Dance Masters of America Teachers Training School, Florida A&M University, The Black College Dance Exchange, The French-English School in Barranquilla, Colombia, Losdenmedium Danza in Costa Rica, Amsterdam Dance Center in the Netherlands, Instituto de Danzas Espanolas, Ballet Folklorico in Argentina, and the University at Buffalo, as a former Associate Professor and the Director of Dance Program. 

Mr. Thomas has trained at numerous places including, Hubbard Street Dance Studio, Broadway Dance Center, Dance Theater of Harlem, Jacob’s Pillow, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and John Barker’s Vaganova Teacher Training Seminar, and has studied choreography from Bessie Schonberg, Phyllis Lamhut and Vera Blaine.  He has adjudicated for organizations such as NAACP ACT-SO, Winners Talent Showcase Nationals, and Links Inc. International, among others and as a panelist for organizations such as the New York Foundation for the Arts, and the Arts Council of Buffalo and Erie County. 

He also has teaching awards from the University at Buffalo and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and holds a B.A. in Dance from Webster University Conservatory in St. Louis, Missouri, and an M.A. in Dance from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.