Hannah Baumgarten, Founding Artistic Director., Dance NOW! Miami. Hannah grew up between Santa Cruz, California, and Jerusalem, Israel where she began her dance training. Hannah received a B.F.A. from the Juilliard School in 1993 under the mentorship of Benjamin Harkarvy after attending the University of Utah Ballet Department under Conrad Ludlow, Bene Arnold and Janek Schergen. Hannah danced with Utah Ballet, Michael Uthoff DanceTheatre, Labyrinth Dance Theatre, William Adair and Dancers, Karen Peterson & Dancers, Momentum Dance Company, Giovanni Luquini & Dancers and Ballet Flamenco La Rosa. While at Juilliard, Hannah danced lead roles in the works of Master Choreographers such as Graham, Limon, Taylor, Sokolow, Harkarvy and Nikolais and had her choreography presented at venues in Lincoln Center. She is a Florida Choreographic Fellow; her work has been presented internationally on three continents and in 15 states and Baumgarten has taught throughout the US and abroad at institutions including Teatro Colon, Joffrey Ballet School, Mercyhurst, Cincinnatti Conservatory, NWSA and Interlochen. She founded Dance NOW! Miami with Salterini in 2000, and has toured the US, Mexico, Central, South America and Europe. Hannah was Director of Dance at Dillard Center for the Arts in Ft. Lauderdale for 10 years and serves as faculty at Miami Arts Charter School. Baumgarten is certified in Pilates through Core Dynamics/PMA and served as a grant panelist for State of Florida and Miami-Dade County. Baumgarten taught at the Interlochen Summer Camp for 15 years and the Joffrey Ballet School NY Summer Program since 2012 serving as master teacher and recruiter Nationally and Internationally.