Steve Theodore Primis

Steve Primis was born of immigrant Greek parents, March 30, 1930, in Chicago. Grounded in his Greek Orthodox Faith, and instilled with the values of hard work and perseverance, he went on to devote his entire life to teaching. Mr. Primis graduated from Amundsen High School and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education from De Paul University. He served in the United States Army, and as a Fullbright Scholar, completed an exchange grant to study and teach in Greece. His teaching career began in Chicago Public Schools where he coached a championship gymnastics team at Lane Technical High School. He did not begin his study of ballet until age 21, when he began training with Richard Ellis and Christine Duboulay. He later continued his studies at the Stone Camryn School. Teaching during the day and studying ballet in the evening and on weekends, his perseverance and passion for dance led him to dance professionally with Ruth Page’s Chicago Opera Ballet, the Florentine Opera Company and on ABC-TV in Chicago. He also taught and performed at the Interlochen Arts Academy and Summer Camp. Mr. Primis won an audition to join the company of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet but his draft into the army did not allow him to fulfill that contract. One of the highlights of his career was performing with Rudolph Nureyev in 1962 at Nureyev’s American debut in Prince Igor with the Chicago Opera Ballet

Mr. Primis first came to Alaska as a guest artist with the Alaska Festival of Music in 1967, and returned to perform in five consecutive festivals. In 1971 he decided to make Alaska his home. In 1972 he married his wife Diane and together they raised six children. He began teaching for State Operated Schools on Fort Richardson, and at the same time founded the Dance Department at Anchorage Community College (now the University of Alaska Anchorage), and opened his own ballet school "Academy of Classical Ballet.” He founded the Primis Ballet Ensemble, comprised of advanced dancers from his school, and as a recipient of numerous Arts Council touring grants, Mr. Primis introduced ballet to the rural residents of Alaska. His dancers were also featured in the Anchorage Symphony Young People’s Concerts, with the Anchorage Opera, the Alaska Festival of Music, the Anchorage Community Chorus and the Anchorage School District Fine Arts Festival. He taught on the faculties of both the Alaska Fine Arts Camp and the University of Alaska Summer Arts Camp. His ballet students have gone on to perform with such companies as Alvin Ailey, Ballet West, Houston Ballet, Mark Morris and Pacific Northwest Ballet, among others; and many have founded ballet schools and companies of their own.

Mr. Primis began teaching at Chugiak High School in 1977. He organized the Mustangs’ Boys Gymnastics Club, a competitive gymnastics team that for many years competed with private gymnastics clubs in the Anchorage area. He taught a wide variety of physical education classes, and promoted new classes at Chugiak including men’s gymnastics, ballet, and soccer. In 1984 the National Association for Sport and Physical Education named him "Secondary School Physical Education Teacher of the Year." Mr. Primis retired in 1998 after 21 years at Chugiak. The Chugiak High School Auditorium was renamed in his memory attesting to the fact that Mr. Primis touched the hearts and lives of many. Mr. Primis continued to teach at the University until his death in 2001.

Steve Primis was truly a founder of dance in Alaska as he raised classical ballet training to the next level with his professionalism, his undying energy, his persistence, and his pursuit of excellence! Teaching school by day and dancing at night and on weekends, his dedication and passion for dance left its mark on all who knew him, and especially those who were fortunate enough to have studied and worked with him.