Marta Jackson Maduro has been teaching in Jacksonville, FL for over 10 years. Ms. Jackson’s experience includes tenure as a faculty member at the University of Miami. Following her tenure there, Ms. Jackson moved to Jacksonville, FL under the name Jacksonville International Ballet Co. Some of Ms. Jackson’s students have joined such companies as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Co., Cleveland Ballet, Eliot Field, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Charleston Ballet, National Ballet of Flanders, Pacific North West, etc. for nearly 50 years. After teaching in where she founded the Southern Theatre Ballet Company. The company participated in city events and received grants by the National Endowment of the Arts.Southern Theatre Ballet toured. Marta has worked with many famous artists in the ballet world including Peter Martins (NY City Ballet director) In addition, Ms. Jackson has worked with Heather Watts, Royez Fernndez, Michael Maule, Barbara Fallis, Richard Thomas, Starr Danias, Diana Cartier, Douglas Wassell, Fernando Bujones and many others. Her teachers were Alexandra Denisova, Leon Fokine, Anna Leontieva, Alberto, Fernando and Alicia Alonso; founders of The National Ballet of Cuba. She also trained in New York City under George Balanchine and Vincenzo Celli. She danced with the Metropolitan Opera Company and The National Ballet of Cuba. Ms. Jackson is one of the original directors of the First Coast Nutcracker Ballet in Jacksonville. She worked for many years to establish the ballet as a tradition for our city with the symphony. She is listed in the Who’s Who Among American Women, Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and the Personalities and Community Leaders of the South. Marta is the widow of Bobby Maduro, former owner of the Jacksonville Suns, at whose death in 1986 was acclaimed as one of the “Glories of Cuba”. The Miami Stadium was named The Bobby Maduro Stadium.
Megan Knickerbocker began her serious ballet training at the age of 9 in Jacksonville, FL at the Marta Jackson School of Dance. Her teacher, Marta Jackson, studied at the School of the National Ballet of Cuba. At the age of 16, Megan performed in Clay Ballet Theatre’s production of “a. In February of 2000 she competed in the first Youth American Grand Prix regional competition and was awarded the grand prize. At the finals in New York City Megan was awarded the third grand prize for ballet and contemporary dance.Megan then danced with American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company for the 2000 – 2001 season. She danced the following year with Alabama Ballet under the direction of Wes Chapman. Megan returned to Jacksonville in 2002 to teach and choreograph ballet and contemporary ballet at her home studio of Marta Jackson School of Dance. She was Ballet Mistress when Clay Ballet Theatre performed “The Nutcracker” in 2008 and 2009.
Javier Fernandez began his training in Tallahassee, Florida at the Tallahassee Community College with Aurora- Hansen and Liz Delancy founder and co founder of THE TCC DANCE COMPANY where he has performed with and choreographs. He also study with Beatrice Corbin and Henry Hernandez who awarded him a scholarship with Tallahassee Ballet Company at the time Hernandez was there till he branched off into his new company World Ballet Company in Tallahassee, Florida. Javier than was accepted to Santé Fe College on dance scholarship. He studied under the tutelage of Alora Haynes, Teri Kendall, Angela Mc Doughnon, and Rodney Brown. Studying there he has been able to work and been selected to be in pieces by Guest Artist such as Brian Brooks, Jessica Mayhew, Shauna Matlock and faculty of the college as well. He just graduated and received his Associate in Arts in Dance from Santa Fe College. He just got accepted to the dance program at Jacksonville University on scholarship where he will be working towards his BFA in dance. Javier has choreographed for pageants, dance teams of all levels and local artists. He was mention in international magazines working with a band “The Cruxshadows” on their tour all over Europe and Asia. He has Choreographed work with the Shakespeare Company in Tallahassee for their theatrical show. He has been involved with the community teaching middle and high schools social dancing on the side of his spare time. Javier is very excited about coming on board as an Artistic Staff member of Marta Jacksons School of Dance, home of the Clay Ballet Theatre. He will bring a new and innovated vision to the school as well as for Clay Ballet Theatre bringing in new works and repertoire with Marta Jackson and Megan Knickerbocker.
