Raymond William Serrano

RAYMOND SERRANO BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Raymond Serrano was born on the island of Vieques in Puerto Rico. He began his early ballet studies with his mother, Lois Kolb, and continued formal training with the Ballets de San Juan, the National Academy of Ballet in New York, and the School of American Ballet. His first professional experiences were with Ballets de San Juan, and the National Ballet of Washington. A soloist with National Ballet from 1969-1972, Serrano also made guest appearances with the Maryland Ballet, New Jersey Garden State Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, Ballet Concerto, and the Ballets de San Juan, during that same period. Prior to joining American Ballet Theatre in 1975, Serrano toured with ABT's ""junior"" company, Ballet Repertory, where he performed, most notably, the classical pas de deux, ""Black Swan,"" ""Spring Waters,"" and ""Flower Festival."" Also, in 1976, Serrano originated the role of Daphnis in Jean-Paul Comelin's production of ""Daphnis and Chloe"" for the Milwaukee Ballet. With American Ballet Theatre, Raymond developed an outstanding reputation for his character acting/dancing. He received critical acclaim for his performances as Herr Drosselmeyer in Baryshnikov's ""The Nutcracker,"" Madge (the Witch) in Eric Bruhn's ""La Sylphide,"" Carabosse in ""The Sleeping Beauty,"" the General in ""Graduation Ball,"" Hilarion in ""Giselle,"" Tybalt in ""Romeo and Juliet,"" the Radjah in ""La Bayadere,"" and Espada in ""Don Quixote."" Also known for his skillful partnering, he was cast in the original production of Tudor's ""The Leaves are Fading,"" and performed in the ""pas de trois"" of Glen Tetley's ""Voluntaries."" Raymond appeared in all of ABT's ""Live from Lincoln Center"" broadcasts and in several ""Dance in America"" programs, between 1975 and 1990. He performed in Baryshnikov's television productions of ""The Nutcracker"" and ""Don Quixote,"" as well as in the Herbert Ross motion picture which featured ABT---""The Turning Point."" During his 20 years with ABT, Serrano toured throughout the United States, South America, Japan, and Europe with the company. As the ABT dancers' union representative, he was instrumental in the historical contract negotiations of 1979 and 1982, establishing standards in dancers' salaries and working conditions which are still in effect throughout the profession today. Mr. Serrano was the official Company Masseur for ABT from 1984-1995. He also worked as the masseur for Baryshnikov's ""White Oak Dance Project,"" the Ballet Arizona, the Cannon Film Company (""Dancers"" motion picture), and the Evian ""Domaine du Royal Club/Spa"" promotional in New York. He was, for more than ten years, a self-employed masseur in mid-town Manhattan, and, as such, was particularly well-known among celebrity performers within the Broadway theater community. Mr. Serrano was a part-time ballet-faculty instructor at the UNC School of the Arts from 2002-'07. He was teaching ""Artist-in-Residence"" with Greensboro Ballet in 2007, where he also served as Faculty Chair and Assistant Director of their '07 Summer Festival program. He currently teaches ballet at the Dancer's Edge Studio in Kernersville, NC. Serrano has taught Master classes in ballet, partnering, mens', repertoire, and character classes, for the ""Festival of NC Dance"" at UNCSA, the ABT Summer Intensive (NYC), SUNY/Purchase (NY), Alma College (MI), Ballet Academy East (NY), Ballet Academy of Texas (Dallas), Red Bank Dance Academy (NJ), New Milford School of Performing Arts (CT), Greensboro Ballet (NC), Raleigh Civic Ballet (NC), Monroe Civic Ballet (NC), Sullivan Dance Centre (NC), as well as for his parents, at the Academia de Baile Serrano in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was known by his students to be an especially generous, sensitive, inspiring mentor. Raymond is survived by his wife of 35 years, dancer/teacher Christine Spizzo, faculty instructor at the UNC School of the Arts; and his brother, Carlos Serrano, an opera singer/teacher who resides in Mexico City. Professional reviews: ""Los Angeles Times"" Friday, January 13, 1978; ""Raymond Serrano [as Drosselmeyer]… already the mime is ideally lucid, the relationship with Clara strongly credible. Serrano opts for fatherly warmth rather than a sense of the mysterious; for instance, his absorption in Clara's attention to the nutcracker toy in Act I isn't otherworldly but rather apparent concern that his gift is appreciated. This is a prosaic approach, but one given maximum sincerity and refinement."" ""The New York Times"" Thursday May 10, 1984; ""But, best of all, there was Raymond Serrano in an unforgettable performance as Madge the witch, so often seen as a throwaway or simply campy role. This was a Miss Havisham of a Madge, a proud old beauty whose dignity and madness were gripping. No one who despairs of powerful, nuanced acting in dance today should miss this performance."" ""The New York Times"" Thursday, May 16, 1985; ""Raymond Serrano's performance as Madge--- the witch who, hating James, causes the death of the Sylph--- was itself worth a trip to the theater. Mr. Serrano is well on his way to becoming one of the great ballet actors. His Madge is always believable as a woman and a demented evil spirit, and he brings fresh nuance to the part by making her an old beauty with an imaginable past."" """"The New York Times"" Friday, May 25, 1990; ""Raymond Serrano made a memorable return to the ballet stage as Carabosse. One of the best dance actors around, Mr. Serrano made the evil fairy a grande dame gone wrong. Looking a little like Queen Elizabeth I, he did not settle for camp or pantomime drag but created a believable glamorous woman of invincible bitterness, in a performance that blended well with the pure-dance interpretation of the leads.' In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Vieques Humane Society & Animal Rescue, Inc., c/o Pennye Miller, PO Box 1399, Vieques, PR 00765.

Service:
Service at 12:00am on January 1, 1970 at No Services Planned