Daniel Kaiser, Artistic Director


Mr. Kaiser came to Delaware after performing for thirteen years as a soloist with the Pennsylvania Ballet, dancing many principal roles.  It began at the age of four, when he was enrolled in tap class with three brothers, Roy, Kenny and Kevin. The fourth, Russel, was soon to follow. While living in New Jersey, they were able to travel to New York, where they were in television commercials and did some professional modeling for catalogue companies including Sears, Roebuck, and Co. In 1967, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio where they continued their modeling and dancing careers.

National recognition came when they were asked to perform with the “Singing Angels,” a famous chorus of children based in Cleveland. They performed on national tours which included Disneyland in California, plus several other states, as well as many television appearances.  They were featured on their own television special for a Christmas program in 1970, which won them an Emmy Award for best entertainment of the year. On several occasions, they appeared with such celebrities as Bob Hope and Wayne Newton.  They performed in a Wayne Newton Christmas Special in 1969 and were in his supporting act in Cleveland in 1970. They also appeared in the Kraft Music Hall Special and played a command performance with Newton in the East Room of the White House for President and Mrs. Nixon.

In 1980, Mr. Kaiser joined the Pennsylvania Ballet and promoted to Soloist in 1985. During that time, Mr. Kaiser performed over twenty-five Balanchine ballets including “The Nutcracker,” “The Four Temperaments,” “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream,” “Stars and Stripes,” and “Serenade,” just to name a few. He has had roles created for him by such greats as Peter Martins, Artistic Director, New York City Ballet; Richard Tanner, Ballet Master, New York City Ballet; and Robert Weiss. He has worked with such noted choreographers as Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, and Lynn Taylor-Corbett.

Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to dance with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and as a featured guest artist at the Jacobs Pillow Summer Dance Festival. He has studied with Karen Irvin, Noel Mason, Steve Heck, Kent Stowell, Francia Russell, Lupe Serrano, Benjamin Harkarvy, Fiona Fuerstner, Robert Weiss, David Howard and Richard Tanner. Mr. Kaiser’s last performance was at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In 1993, he was forced to retire due to back injuries.

oday, the Kaisers remain in the dance world. Roy is currently Artistic Director of the Pennsylvania Ballet; Kevin is Ballet Master for Oregon Ballet Theatre; Russel is Ballet Master for the New York City Ballet; and Daniel is Artistic Director of Delaware Ballet, as well as owner of Central Delaware Dance Academy. Two sisters-in-law remain active dancers; Julie Tobiason, Principal Dancer, Pacific Northwest Ballet; and Margaret Tracey, retired from New York City Ballet.

Artistic Staff

Ballet Mistress, Kimberly Diaz

Ballet Mistress, Brittany Kaiser
Text Box: Kimmy began her training at age nine with the Central Delaware Dance Academy under the direction or Daniel Kaiser. There she studied ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, and lyrical with Daniel Kaiser, Diane Drulis, and Victoria Voshell. At age twelve, she auditioned and was accepted to join the Delaware Ballet Company. During her time performing with the company, she danced lead roles in Nutcracker including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, and Clara. She also was a featured dancer in Delaware Ballet’s spring galas. After graduating from Dover High School in 2005, she was accepted into Towson University where she joined the Towson Dance Company. At Towson she studied under Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrel, former principle with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Susan Mann. Other faculty included Catherine Horta –Hayden, Keith Thomas, and Vincent Thomas. She performed in the Nutcracker, variations in Paquita, as well as other leads in various repertoires. Finishing the program early, Kimmy graduated Towson University after three years Sum a Cum Laude. During her training, Kimmy also attended programs at the American Ballet Theatre where she studied under Nancy Raffa, Ethan Brown, and Hilary Cartwright. During her attendance there, she performed excerpts from Sleeping Beauty. She also studied with Malcolm Burn, Jerri Kumery, and Igor Antonav at the Richmond Ballet Trainee program. Kimmy is now in her second year of teaching with Central Delaware Dance Academy and is enjoying her second year with Delaware Ballet as their Ballet Mistress.