 In 1995, Abbey founded The Walnut Street Lodge in the Oddfellows building on Walnut Street in Sharpsville, PA. It was an Arts, Health & Community Center created with her sister Denise Alter and Rob Killmer. The Lodge offered dance training, yoga instruction, massage therapy, nutrition counseling, cooking classes and a vegetarian restaurant as well. It was here that Abbey formed her own dance/theatre company, The Walnut Lodge Players, and presented a great variety of performances for the community. In 2003, The Walnut Lodge moved to its present location on South Irvine Avenue, Sharon, PA in the Christian Scientist building. The work continues here with the establishment of Ballet Theatre Shenango Valley--a non-profit, community based Arts Institution.
We continue to offer world class Ballet and Yoga instruction, but that is not our only concern. We have always been about the promotion and presentation of all art forms; firmly believeing that they are a necessary part of the human experience.
This collective and growing group of people have worked together for many years promoting an idea about what is necessary for a fulfilling life: health, inspiration, harmony, beauty and community.
Walnut Lodge approved as a Yoga Alliance (YA) Registered School!
Congratulations to to Abbey, and all the students who undertook this year long program. See our acceptance letter below...
April 20, 2009
Dear Abbey,
Congratulations! Walnut Lodge Yoga and Movement Center, ID# 41524 , Teacher Training program has been approved as a Yoga Alliance (YA) Registered School (RYS) 200. Your new school information will be listed on our website in a couple of weeks; please check your listing at that time and contact us if there are any errors.
The packet containing the school’s approval letter and certificate will be mailed to you shortly.
You are free to use the Yoga Alliance logo on your website.
Graduates of your RYS can apply for their individual RYTs 200 using the attached form.
Thank you for your cooperation. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Many Blessings,
The people of The Walnut Lodge
Abbey Alter
I never seemed confused about what I was or what I wanted to do until college. At Penn State University I was told to choose, I could not be both a scientist and an artist. The absurdity of this statement baffled me coming, as it was, out of the mouths of the so called educated elite. I disagreed out of necessity, being living proof of that which I told I could not be. The absurdity here, I was convinced, was the narrow view of this particular policy so I began to find a way to do what I needed to do.
I'm adding another subject to my list...
relevance of the arts
to those who have not yet discovered it.
My search led me to PS's Bachelor of Philosophy degree, a design your own degree program. "The Art and Science of the Human Body" was my degree title. Essentially I was a premed major that danced and painted. My thesis paper was a study of the physical developments manifested by certain personality traits exhibited by the major dance choreographers of the time.
My first professional job was as a choreographer for the Ballet Theater Of The Virgin Islands. And with this job, I added Ethnic Studies to my list of subjects that I dealt with. I received an MFA from Arizona State University in 1984 in Choreography and Performance and then returned to the Virgin Islands to continue my work there until 1990.
When I returned to The States, I began dancing and choreographing for Ballet Theater Ohio in Warren Ohio. In 1995, my sister and I opened a community health and art center named The Walnut St. Lodge which housed a vegetarian cafe and a health food store, as well as, offering yoga, dance and art classes.
My company is currently based at The Walnut Lodge ~ Yoga and Movement Center, which is in Sharon, PA, and from that base in a defunct steel town I'm adding another subject to my list... relevance of the arts to those who have not yet discovered it.
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Jill Niess
Jill Niess joins the Walnut Lodge from Warren, Ohio. She brings with her 20 years of professional teaching and performance experience. Ms. Niess was born and raised in
Charleston, WV where she attended West Virginia University, pursuing a BA degree in Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. She has danced professionally for several companies in her 12-year career, which include such companies as Tenesse Festival Ballet, Berkshire Ballet and Lexington Ballet, all of which she also taught in their pre-professional schools.
Moving to Warren in 1988, Jill joined the staff of Ballet Theater Ohio under the direction of international dancer David Holmes. She was hired as the director of the Creative Movement program of Trumball County implementing its curriculum, as well as being primary instructor and dancer for the non-profit organization.
In 1977, Ms. Niess opened and operated her own pre-professional ballet school as well as founding director of its non-profit sister company Great Lakes Festival Ballet where she was the Artistic Director.
Ms. Niess is currently teaching and performing with D. Abbey Alter at The Walnut Lodge in Sharon, PA. Please email Abbey for inquiries. | |
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