Francisco Gella
Francisco Gella’s distinguished career as a professional ballet and modern dancer, choreographer, artistic director and dance educator spans more than twenty years since he took his first ballet class during his freshman year at the University of Washington. His award-winning innovative choreography, and highly effective inspirational teaching methods are sought after by universities, schools, and companies across North America and around the globe.
Born in Bacolod City, Philippines and now residing in Los Angeles, CA., Mr. Gella first began dancing in college at the age of 19 and later graduated with a B.A. in Dance from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1996.
Francisco has choreographed for Pennsylvania Ballet’s Shut-Up and Dance production, PHILADANCO’s Danco on Danco program; Danco/II; Ballet East; Tucson Regional Ballet; Reflections Dance Company; California Ballet; Ballet Pacifica; the University of Utah Ballet Ensemble; South Bay Ballet; the Orange County High School for the Arts; the University of Washington Dance Program and for the prestigious Laguna Dance Festival. His work for South Bay Ballet entitled Configured Echoes garnered the Best Choreography Award at the National Regional Dance America Conference. His Tango en Pointe solo was performed for the Presidential Scholar’s Gala held at the Kennedy Center. He has been a finalist multiple times for the McCallum Theater’s Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in the professional and pre-professional divisions, and in 2013 won the Grand Prize. He has also created many award-winning contemporary ensembles and solos for Youth America Grand Prix competitors.
Francisco has been awarded the title of ‘Outstanding Choreographer’ at the Youth America Grand Prix semi-finals in Los Angeles in 2011 and in San Diego in 2012; has also been a featured choreographer for RAWArtists.org; and was the assistant choreographer of Patricia Zhou’s solo featured on a segment in the hit TV show “Dancing with the Stars.” In 2013, Francisco founded the COLABO Youth Dance Collective. COLABO made its official debut in Jamie Nichol’s Celebrate Dance in Glendale, California where Francisco’s “Concentric Harmonies” also premiered to rave reviews. More recently in August 2013, Francisco created a ten-minute ballet that premiered at Utah’s Dancing Under The Stars Festival where he also came out of retirement to perform. In October 2014, Francisco premiered a fifteen-minute contemporary ballet for Arizona’s Phoenix Ballet in front of an international audience at the Beijing Ballet Invitational opening gala event.
Francisco Gella’s distinguished career as a professional ballet and modern dancer, choreographer, artistic director and dance educator spans more than twenty years since he took his first ballet class during his freshman year at the University of Washington. His award-winning innovative choreography, and highly effective inspirational teaching methods are sought after by universities, schools, and companies across North America and around the globe.
Born in Bacolod City, Philippines and now residing in Los Angeles, CA., Mr. Gella first began dancing in college at the age of 19 and later graduated with a B.A. in Dance from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1996.
Francisco has choreographed for Pennsylvania Ballet’s Shut-Up and Dance production, PHILADANCO’s Danco on Danco program; Danco/II; Ballet East; Tucson Regional Ballet; Reflections Dance Company; California Ballet; Ballet Pacifica; the University of Utah Ballet Ensemble; South Bay Ballet; the Orange County High School for the Arts; the University of Washington Dance Program and for the prestigious Laguna Dance Festival. His work for South Bay Ballet entitled Configured Echoes garnered the Best Choreography Award at the National Regional Dance America Conference. His Tango en Pointe solo was performed for the Presidential Scholar’s Gala held at the Kennedy Center. He has been a finalist multiple times for the McCallum Theater’s Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in the professional and pre-professional divisions, and in 2013 won the Grand Prize. He has also created many award-winning contemporary ensembles and solos for Youth America Grand Prix competitors.
Francisco has been awarded the title of ‘Outstanding Choreographer’ at the Youth America Grand Prix semi-finals in Los Angeles in 2011 and in San Diego in 2012; has also been a featured choreographer for RAWArtists.org; and was the assistant choreographer of Patricia Zhou’s solo featured on a segment in the hit TV show “Dancing with the Stars.” In 2013, Francisco founded the COLABO Youth Dance Collective. COLABO made its official debut in Jamie Nichol’s Celebrate Dance in Glendale, California where Francisco’s “Concentric Harmonies” also premiered to rave reviews. More recently in August 2013, Francisco created a ten-minute ballet that premiered at Utah’s Dancing Under The Stars Festival where he also came out of retirement to perform. In October 2014, Francisco premiered a fifteen-minute contemporary ballet for Arizona’s Phoenix Ballet in front of an international audience at the Beijing Ballet Invitational opening gala event.