Jennifer Schwartz Bell-Grey

ARAD, Diploma RBS TC
Co-Director & Co-Founder

It was in Hong Kong that Jennifer, at three years old, began her life of dance. Born in California, she spent her early years on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, Hong Kong, Thailand and England. Jennifer began her first full-time professional training at the Legat School of Russian Style Ballet, and soon after, at age eleven, won a position at the Royal Ballet School in London, England.

Educated by world-class teachers, Jennifer performed at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden with the Royal Ballet Company. She danced for members of the English Royal family, as the School's patrons included the late Princess Margaret and her sister Queen Elizabeth.

Jennifer's extensive training involved the study of a wide spectrum of dance genres, including ballet, contemporary dance, jazz, hip hop, and flamenco spanish dance. She studied music, theatre and art. National folk dances were also a part of Jennifer's studies, with emphasis on the countries of Russia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, France, England and Ireland.

In 1998, Jennifer graduated and obtained her diploma from the Royal Ballet Teacher's Course and the Royal Academy of Dancing.

A winner of several prestigious choreographic awards, Jennifer has created arrangements for White Lodge Royal Ballet School and the Royal Ballet Senior Summer School program, as well as theatre productions like Fiddler on the Roof. In Hawaii, Jennifer has performed as a soloist with Guest Ballet Company "Ballet Hawaii" in The Nutcracker, and has worked with local artists, musicians and promoters. She received the "Best Dancer" award by People's Choice in 2006. While directing and instructing at Kauai Dance Center, she continues to teach in local schools and college.

Upon returning to Kauai, Jennifer founded Kauai Dance Center with Mel Bell-Grey. Kauai Dance Center is known for keeping it's classes fresh and exciting by offering the rich legacy of traditional repertoire as well as contemporary works, new wave, hip hop and pop fusion dance culture. The company choreographs and produces original, full length performances set to both classic and original music in collaboration with Meledelicious Productions. Past performances have included Mother Earth SOS, It's a Beautiful World, The Symphonic Safari, Twilight, and Mother Earth Revisited 2009. Jennifer and Mel Bell-Grey have also written a children's book, "The Adventures of Nani and Koa", in which two Hawaiian children teach the elements of dance while exploring and learning about the beautiful Garden Island of Kauai.

Mel Bell-Grey

Co-Director & Co-Founder

Mel Bell-Grey’s extensive background in the world of Theater, music, dance and film, has given him an experience second to none.

First, Mel’s training as a dancer touring England and Europe then touring in a successful band. He’s modeled professionally and has worked in London creating programs and designing instrument to facility children and adults with special needs. Mel was awarded a special grant from the Prince’s Youth Business Trust, for his innovative contributions to the arts.

He has taught music and dance with the YMCA in London, setting up and teaching Music and Drama workshops, performing in plays and writing scripts. As singer songwriter, Mel has toured extensively as a solo artist, produced and written numerous albums, also composed and scored sounds tracks for Theatre Productions, movies, and commercials, set and costume designing.

In 1998, Mel co-founded and became co-director of Kauai Dance Center (www.kauaidancecenter.com) which for the last 7 years has been performing his original productions such as It’s a Beautiful World, Twilight and Once Upon a Dream.

Mel has been extensively involved in every aspect of creating and developing artistic products, and has worked with photographers and graphic designers, web designers, as an image consultant and project marketing coordinator.

In 2009,Mel graduated from the San Francisco School of Digital Film, and established Eyes Wide Open Productions. His vision for the future where all multimedia art will bleed into one, is what lead him to pursue the art of film making. As a director, videographer, composer, screenwriter, multimedia artist, Mel is forever pursuing new innovative ways to exploit today’s diverse communications environment to the fullest.

Drawing from the past, the present and into the Future.

For more information on Mel's projects, please visit eyes wide open productions.