Marek Cholewa

Marek Cholewa, Professor of Dance, began his ballet training at the National School of Ballet in Poznań, Poland. His exceptional talent was recognized at an early stage of his education, and he received sustained support from the Polish government throughout his formative years. He attained the rank of Soloist with the National Ballet of Poland and performed as a guest artist with the Polski Teatr Tańca – Balet Poznański in Poznań.

In 1978, Mr. Cholewa was awarded a full scholarship by the Polish Ministry of Culture to pursue advanced studies at the prestigious N. Rimsky-Korsakov Music State Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia. During this period, he refined and perfected his classical ballet technique and repertoire through intensive training and performance experiences at the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1982, he earned his master’s degree as a Choreographer and Répétiteur.

That same year, Mr. Cholewa was invited by Dame Margot Fonteyn to join the National Ballet of Panama, where he served as Associate Artistic Director, Master Teacher, and Choreographer. From 1983 to 1985, he was appointed Dance Adviser for the Latin American Dance Chapter of INAC (Instituto Nacional de Cultura). Although he departed the Republic of Panama in 1988, he has maintained a lasting artistic and cultural relationship with the National Ballet of Panama and its dancers. Between 1990 and 2010, he returned regularly as a guest Artistic Director and Choreographer, staging and directing numerous major productions, including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, La Vivandière, Esmeralda, Simfonia Simple, La Sinfonía de una Vida, and Sarabanda Sentimental.

Since 1982, Mr. Cholewa has worked extensively as a commissioned choreographer, with his original works presented throughout the United States, Central and South America, and Europe. He is widely regarded as an “on-demand” choreographer for his versatility and musical sensitivity. His choreographic works include The Messiah (ballet-oratorio), Vivencias, Vocalisa, Nupsias, Adagietto, Firebird, Sarabanda Sentimental, Danzón, Dreaming with Open Eyes, At a Gathering, A Dialogue, Rhapsody, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, White Happiness, The Other Self, A Path, Displacements, Travesí in Retro, and Inception.

Mr. Cholewa is also internationally recognized for his staging and reconstruction of classical ballet repertoire, including Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Paquita, La Vivandière, Esmeralda, and Le Corsaire. In addition, he has choreographed full-length classical ballets such as La Fille mal gardée, Coppélia, and The Nutcracker.

As a master teacher, Mr. Cholewa has taught for international dance programs in Denmark, Russia, Panama, Taiwan, and Poland. In the United States, his teaching appointments include Boston Ballet, Boston Ballet’s Summer Dance Program, Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, and numerous regional ballet schools and companies in cities such as St. Louis, Chicago, New Orleans, Richmond, and Fort Wayne.

In 1988, Mr. Cholewa joined the faculty of Butler University, where he continues to serve as Full Professor of Dance. Deeply committed to cultural exchange and global education, he initiated Butler University’s international study and performance programs in 1995, beginning in St. Petersburg, Russia. These programs later expanded to include Poland (Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań, Gdańsk), Taiwan (Taipei), Georgia (Tbilisi), Austria (Vienna and Salzburg), Slovakia (Bratislava), and the Czech Republic (Prague). In these programs, he has served as Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Teacher, providing students with immersive artistic and cultural experiences beyond the traditional classroom setting.

Mr. Cholewa’s areas of specialized expertise include the complete Vaganova syllabus and nineteenth-century classical ballet repertoire as taught in St. Petersburg, Russia. In recognition of his artistic and academic contributions, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2003.