Leo Clarke is a teacher, choreographer, and performer joining the Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative. A native of Norfolk, Virginia, he trained in classical ballet at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., graduating in 2011. He went on to dance professionally with Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz, Poland until 2016, performing in roles such as Gamma in Robert Bondara’s The Captive Mind (Zniewolony umysł), Jorma Elo’s First Flash, and Egeusz in Karol Urbański’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, alongside numerous other roles in operas, musicals, ballets, and gala events. From 2016 to 2020, Leo worked as a freelance artist, performing primarily classical repertoire with various organizations throughout the southeastern United States. After taking an extended hiatus from dance, Leo returns eager to explore new depths of form and technique while pursuing fresh creative possibilities in collaboration with fellow artists.