Mr. Brooksher grew up in Mesa, Arizona where he received his early training at Ballet Etudes and Jeanne’s School of Dance. At the age of 13 he left Mesa for Washington D.C. to attend the Kirov Academy of Ballet (KAB), one of the premier ballet training schools in the world, on full scholarship for their accelerated professional training program. His studies included ballet technique, repertoire, technical theory, pas de deux, historical court dance, character dance, contemporary movement, pedagogy, music theory, nutrition, kinesiology, painting, sculpture, injury prevention, Pilates and Gyrotonics.

 

Mr. Brooksher graduated from KAB with High Honors, and from Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School with a Certificate of Merit, in 1993. During his years at KAB, he learned the craft of classical dance from some of the world’s true masters, the most influential in the shaping of Joshua’s training and career was, and still is, Rudolf Kharatian, a graduate of the famed professor Alexander Pushkin at the Vaganova Choreographic Institute. Throughout his career Mr. Brooksher performed all the great classical ballets and worked with the most influential choreographers of the time. He is known as one of the greatest partners of his generation. Among all the leading male roles he performed he is most fond of the role of Albrecht in Giselle.

 

After dancing professionally in The Kirov Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Internationale, Boston Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theater, Mr. Brooksher returned home for a single season with Ballet Arizona before embarking on his teaching career. He has always been a teacher; even at a young age, his attention to detail distinguished him to his peers and teachers. Throughout his career Mr. Brooksher regularly took the time to return to his home in Mesa to serve as temporary faculty for Ballet Etudes and Phoenix School of Ballet. Under his tutelage his students have gone on to become professional performing artists in theaters all over the world. Mr. Brooksher founded and directed Brooksher Ballet and the National Academy of Classical Ballet in Mesa, Arizona to provide professional training opportunities in his hometown while simultaneously continuing to work as a director and faulty member with other dance organizations around the country. As such, he was involved in all aspects of running a successful professional level training program. His responsibilities have included teaching & coaching all levels of classes in the 6-year accelerated Vaganova-based program, creating choreographic works, curriculum, and syllabus structure development, as well as the administrative duties associated with such a position. His students have been recognized at national and international levels of competition, gone on to attend conservatories and universities, as well as securing work as professional dance artists.

 

Mr. Brooksher currently serves in several national and international organizations as well as being the Artistic Director for the Oklahoma Youth Ballet. He is a member of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – International Dance Council and serves as a Pedagogy Specialist for the Classical Dance Alliance, an organization created to promote the highest standards for classical ballet in the United States through teacher training programs and educational awareness of the importance of pedagogical training. Mr. Brooksher also served as Associate Artistic Director for his alma mater, The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. and was involved in all aspects of running an international boarding school and elite level dance education organization.