Joshua Grant, Co-Artistic Director
Joshua Grant has been involved in the ballet field for over three decades and has had a professional ballet career spanning over two decades. Mr. Grant began his training at the age of three in Huntsville, AL and continued to train throughout his entire school years at various schools around the country including the Greenville Ballet School (Greenville, SC) and the Northwest Florida Ballet (Fort Walton Beach, FL). Mr. Grant trained extensively in the Russian Vaganova technique at The Harid Conservatory (Boca Raton, FL) before graduating high school and moving to Seattle, WA to train at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. At eighteen years of age, in 2001, Mr. Grant was invited to join the company of Pacific Northwest Ballet by Kent Stowell and Francia Russell where he danced various roles in the company's repertoire. In 2004, Mr. Grant moved to Toronto, ON, Canada and joined the National Ballet of Canada, dancing and creating roles by choreographers James Kudelka, John Cranko, and Mikhail Fokine. In 2006, Mr. Grant joined Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male international touring company which uniquely and specifically parodies the great classical ballets. Mr. Grant toured the world exclusively as a principal dancer to locations which included Japan, Russia, Greece, France, The United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Chile, Mexico and Brazil before returning to Seattle to rejoin Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2011. Since returning to Seattle, Mr. Grant has danced soloist and principal roles in the bulk of the company’s repertoire, eventually garnering himself a promotion to the rank of Soloist. Mr. Grant has worked personally with most of the contemporary choreographers currently working around the world including David Dawson, Crystal Pite, Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, Jean-Christophe Maillot, and Justin Peck. Mr. Grant retired from PNB in June of 2022 and has shifted his professional career from one of on-stage performance work to teaching, training, and helping to guide the future of dance at DANCE CONSERVATORY Seattle.
Chris E. Montoya, Co-Artistic Director
Chris E. Montoya was born in the small town of St. Johns, Arizona but grew up in South Phoenix. Chris began their academic journey with the University of Arizona, taking time off periodically to work with professional dance companies. Chris started their professional career with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago as a second company member. Chris continued their career with David Taylor Dance Theatre, Scorpius Dance Theatre, and Center Dance Ensemble, guesting periodically with Queen City Ballet and Legacy Dance Theater. Chris also enjoyed dancing on pointe with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, performing as Doris Vidanya around the world, including Japan, Israel, France, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Finland, Spain, and Italy.
Moving to Seattle in 2011, Chris completed their undergraduate degree with Cornish College of the Arts, while also performing with Seattle Dance Project and Men In Dance. While at Cornish, Chris’ goals shifted from professional work to teaching dance in higher education, which led Chris to receive their Master of Fine Arts from the University of Washington. Chris chose the University of Washington dance department because its curriculum and faculty is one of the best in the country, and Chris knew the program would prepare them for teaching at the collegiate level while assisting them to understand the importance of dance education. A highlight while attending the University of Washington was working with Chamber Dance Company performing works: To Have and To Hold and Moonlight by Shapiro and Smith, Petrousckha’s Room by Michel Fokine, Cloudless by Susan Marshall, and Center of My Heart by Douglas Elkins. Chris is most proud of the class that they developed on the Romantic era of ballet with the assistance of Professor Hannah Wiley.
After graduate school, Chris began working with Spectrum Dance Theater as the Ballet Division Head, which then turned into the School Director. For the last few years Chris has been teaching open class for Dance Fremont, and was recently enjoying their role as the Managing Director of Dance Fremont. Chris would like to further develop their studies of ballet history and looks forward to teaching future generations of dancers at DANCE CONSERVATORY Seattle.
Sierra Keith, Managing Director
Sierra Keith has been an active member in the Seattle dance community for over 25 years. Starting ballet as an adult has provided her with a unique perspective on ballet and dance. Dance for her began as an alternative to traditional medicine as she had suffered a physical injury, which kept her from being able to function normally in daily life. Ballet helped her recover and regain full movement, and so much more. Ballet and dance then quickly became a huge part of her life. She was teaching at a local dance studio shortly after starting her dance training and ended up teaching jazz and ballet for many years, enjoying sharing her love of dance and learning the needs and workings of a successful dance studio. Over the years, she has shifted her focus to continuing to study the art form of ballet, as it is her passion and tends to encompass all of her spare time. She has studied at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dance Fremont, Spectrum Dance Theater, Arc School of Ballet, Exit Space Dance, Velocity Dance Center and Westlake Dance Center in their Open Programs, studying Ballet, Jazz and Modern & Contemporary Dance. She even created a ballet blog to share information online about local dance studios so the dance community could access information about local available classes. She has performed with New City Dance Studio and was in Relay Dance Collective for 4 seasons. She has been managing dental practices and working in the dental field for the past 25 years. Ms. Keith hopes to combine her business knowledge and love of dance to Manage and Teach for DANCE CONSERVATORY Seattle, where she can share her enthusiasm for ballet and dance and help all ages enjoy the benefits of movement.
Abby Thomson - Guest Faculty
Abby Thomson began her journey into movement with ballet as a small child and continued to dance, performing in musical theatre shows in her local community and traveling abroad to perform in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a young adult. She continued dancing throughout college. Learning many different types of dance and movement along the way, her curiosity for how movement happens, what feels good in our bodies and pursuing our personal identity through movement led her to become a massage therapist, eventually an instructor of massage therapy as well as a yoga instructor. She now uses her dance and education background with yoga and massage to help people explore lifelong personal growth through movement.
Alex Ung - Guest Faculty
Alex Ung is a queer, first generation US citizen with parents who immigrated from Laos during the Vietnam War and has used dance and movement to retell the story of his family's and other Tai Dam peoples’ experiences relocating, family separations, and racial struggles coming to the US, Canada, and France. As part of that cultural background, Alex has focused on providing voice and platform for all people of color to share their stories and experiences to the community. As Artistic Director of the Guild, which is currently made of 80% POC dancers, artists, and board members, he strives to maintain and search for members of the POC community to raise representation, awareness, and understanding of cultural backgrounds. Additionally, as a queer gay man, Alex has really struggled with coming out and finding connection in the LGBTQIA+ community and has emphasized works, individuals, and forms to boost and foster a safe and supportive space for LGBTQIA+ artists.
Alex’s dance and choreography career started with the Hip Hop Dance Club (DubH) at Iowa State University. With no formal dance training, he began choreographing dance pieces as well as performing in other students’ works. After Iowa State, Alex move to Seattle where he taught at Bainbridge Ballet and coached the competition dance team that went on to win several regional awards. In 2018, Alex began the Guild Dance company.
Angelica Generosa - Guest Faculty
Angelica Generosa is from South River, New Jersey. She studied on scholarship at the School of American Ballet and Princeton Ballet, and she attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet, Chautauqua Summer Program, and New Jersey Ballet. She also studied with Gina Forcella in Sayreville, New Jersey. In 2011, Ms. Generosa joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice. She was promoted to corps de ballet in 2012, soloist in 2016, and principal in 2020.
Ms. Generosa was the recipient of the Youth American Grand Prix Regional Hope Award in 2005, and she was a YAGP New York finalist in 2007. She also was the recipient of the School of American Ballet Mae Wien Award for Outstanding Promise.
Ms. Generosa has performed as a guest artist with the Vail International Dance Festival, American Academy of Ballet, and Ballet Hawaii. She has performed at the Chautauqua Dance Alumni Gala and Gala de ballet de Buenos Aires.
Annie de Vuono - Teaching Artist
Annie de Vuono brings a wealth of practical and professional experience to her teaching with an ability to access students of all ages and levels. An emphasis on personal enrichment and a contagious joy for movement are as integral to her classes as unraveling the mysteries of different rhythms and encouraging fellow dancers to connect physically and emotionally. Annie’s training began in Cecchetti method at Evanston School of Ballet, then at Ruth Page under Larry Long and Giordano Dance Chicago for modern and jazz. After moving to Seattle, she attended Cornish College of the Arts under Karen Irvin. Her teaching began in 1979 while being mentored by Helen Salter, an original member of Ballet Society, Balanchine’s first company. It was with Ms. Salter’s guidance that Annie’s passion to teach was fully realized.
Ayumi Matsuda - Teaching Artist
Ayumi Matsuda was raised in Mexico City and trained at the Academia de Ballet San Angel Inn. After completing her Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) exams, she was accepted into the Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School. She graduated in 2015 with Associates in National Dance and Cecchetti. Since graduating, she has taught in Toronto, Calgary, Seattle, and Mexico City, where she also completed her ISTD Ballet Associate. She moved to Seattle in 2018 and is excited to be a part of the DCS family.
Bizzie Adams - Teaching Artist
Bizzie Adams began training in Seattle, Washington, with The British Dancing Academy in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary styles eventually completing the RAD examinations with "Honours". She earned many awards in local choreography showcases before eventually pursuing her double major at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Biz began studying a concentration of multimedia dance while having performed in many Las Vegas theaters and projects. She has also worked on larger-scale dance in multimedia forms designing lights, digital projections, and videography for many choreographic works throughout the west coast. Prior to graduating, Biz joined the State Street Ballet Company Trainee program. In December 2022 she graduated with an "Outstanding Graduating Senior" recognition by the UNLV Department of Dance for earning her double BFA in Dance Production and Management, Dance Performance and Choreography with a minor in Business Administration and a certification in Athletic Pilates from UNLV.
Bruce Wells - Guest Faculty
Internationally known choreographer Bruce Wells has created well over 100 ballets. His career as a dancer began under the direction of George Balanchine where he danced as a soloist with The New York City Ballet.
His choreographic career began in workshops that Mr. Balanchine coached in the early 1970’s. From there he became resident choreographer for the Connecticut Ballet from 1975 to 1979, choreographing his first full length production, Coppelia in 1976. Following this from 1979 to 1989 Mr. Wells was resident choerographer for the Boston Ballet under the direction of E. Virginia Williams until her death in 1983 and Bruce Marks until 1989. Mr. Wells created over 20 works for Boston Ballet, which included The Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee, Swan Lake, and his highly acclaimed A Midsummer Night’s Dream. From 1984 to 1989 he was also Associate Artistic Director for Boston Ballet.
Next he would join Patricia Wilde’s Pittsburgh Ballet Theater for six seasons as resident choreographer creating new productions of Romeo & Juliet, The Firebird, and The Great Gatsby among others. Mr. Wells has created works for The Australian Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Atlanta Ballet, The Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Cincinnati Ballet, The Nashville Ballet, Tulsa Ballet Theater, Oregon Ballet Theater, Jacob’s Pillow, and many more.
For the past seventeen years Bruce Wells has been on the faculty of Pacific Northwest Ballet formerly directed by Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, now under the direction of Peter Boal. Mr. Wells first Children’s ballet for the Pacific Northwest Ballet School was Snow White, followed by Hansel & Gretel and a production of Pinocchio. His production of Snow White has been staged for The Atlanta Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theater, City Ballet of San Francisco, and Boston Ballet. Pinocchio was restaged for Atlanta Ballet, Carolina Ballet, and PNB.
A frequent guest teacher and free lance choreographer, his most recent assignment was as guest teacher/choreographer for Jacobs Pillow and for the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam.
Carrie Imler - Guest Faculty
Carrie Imler joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet 1n 1995 as an apprentice, and joined the corps de ballet the following year. She was promoted to soloist in 2000, and was promoted to principal dancer, mid-season, two years later.
Imler has danced lead roles in nearly 100 ballets, such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The Merry Widow and Giselle, and works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Kiyon Gaines, Jonathan Porretta, Jerome Robbins, and Alexei Ratmansky. According to colleague Jonathan Porretta, she could jump as high as the men in the company.
A video of Imler dancing the 32 fouetté turns from the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake went viral on YouTube. After 22 years with the company, Imler retired from performing in 2017. Following her retirement, she joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet School faculty.
Dakota Wear - Guest Faculty
Dakota Wear was born and raised in Seattle, WA. She started dancing at the age of 9 at Spectrum Dance Theater training in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz and tap. She had the pleasure to train in various summer intensives such as ABT, PNB, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Alonzo King LINES and The Joffrey Ballet School New York. In 2014 she trained at the Cornish Preparatory Program under the direction of Steve Casteel for one season. Dakota joined The Academy at Spectrum Dance Theater in 2015 where she worked very closely with Donald Byrd. In 2018 Dakota was accepted into Alonzo King LINES Training Program. She moved to the Bay Area August 2018 and trained with Alonzo King, Maurya Kerr, Christian Burns, Arturo Fernandez, and many more until Covid hit in 2020. Since she’s been back in her hometown dancing, teaching and working!
Dammiel Cruz - Guest Faculty
Dammiel Cruz is from New York, New York. He studied on full scholarship at the School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and he attended summer courses at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and Boston Ballet. He was the recipient of the Mae. L. Wien Award and Danish American Nationals Cultural Exchange (DANCE) scholarship. Mr. Cruz joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2016, was promoted to corps de ballet later that year, and to Soloist in 2022.
David Prottas - Guest Faculty
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, David Prottas graduated from Toronto’s National Ballet School before joining the New York City Ballet where he spent ten years dancing a wide range of repertoire. After leaving the company, David went onto tour in the 1st National Tour of An American in Paris and made his Broadway debut the following year in revival Carousel. A graduate of the Actors Foundry in Vancouver, he has appeared in numerous short films and commercials in addition to other regional theater and dance appearances. David has been a guest master teacher at numerous schools throughout the country and enjoys sharing his love of dance with a wide range of students and class offerings.
Ellie Sandstrom - Guest Faculty
Ellie Sandstrom is a Dance Educator, Choreographer and Performer who is fueled by movement in many forms. She is a Seattle Magazine Spotlight Award Winner; and a Velocity Dance Center Dance Champion;. Originally from Minneapolis, she began her movement training with Minnesota Dance Theater and later, BalletArts Minnesota. She has studied various forms of dance technique, body conditioning, composition, improvisation and performance at celebrated dance festivals and schools across the country including Cornish College of the Arts, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. She danced and toured nationally and internationally with locust and Scott/Powell Performance from 2000-2010. She has received funding from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and from Artist Trust for her choreographic work, which has been produced locally and nationally by many organizations. Over the last 25 years, through Brain Compatible Dance Education and culturally responsive teaching, she has taught a variety of dance forms at many schools, private studios and universities in Seattle and beyond, including the University of Washington. She led packed classes at Velocity Dance Center for 16 years in both ballet and modern dance. From 2006-2021, she taught middle and high school students at The Northwest School, where she was the Dance Department Chair for 5 years. She has been a Teaching Artist for STG's Dance This programming since 2007. Ellie was honored with a Teaching Fellowship award from the Jubilation Foundation in 2022.
Emily Sneeringer - Teaching Artist
Emily Sneeringer began their dance education at 4 in Albany, New York, before moving with their family to Washington state. Here they trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet and International Ballet Theater before beginning private coaching with Deborah Hadley. They moved to Pennsylvania at 15 to join Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, followed by Atlanta Ballet. After an injury, they returned to Washington state where they danced with The Stone Dance Collective, and taught alongside Deborah Hadley. They have since taught at Cascade Dance Academy and Turning Pointe Dance Centre, and DCS.
As a teacher, Emily focuses on technique and precision, and building individual artistry. They believe ballet is the math of dance, and that lessons learned in the studio are applicable across many aspects of life. They are incredibly excited to join DCS, as their mission of inclusion and personal expression squarely intersect with the direction they hope the dance world, and next generation of dancers are headed.
Fiona Vigdor - Guest Faculty
Fiona Vigdor began dancing at the age of 4 and hasn’t stopped since. Born and raised in Santa Fe, NM, she started her training under Andy Prince at Prince Ballet. She continued her studies with Gisella Genschow at the Santa Fe Dance Foundation through high school. In 1996, Fiona attended the Boston Conservatory and studied a mix of modern and ballet under Jennifer Scanlon, Yasuko Tokunaga, Donna Silva, Anamarie Sarazin and Elaine Bauer, among others. She also studied with Marcus Schulkind outside of the Conservatory.
In 2001, after graduating with a BFA in dance, Fiona moved to New York City to continue her dancing. In 2004, she joined Alan Good Dance, who she closely studied with and performed with for 5 years. During her time in New York, she also continued her ballet training with Christine Wright, Marjorie Mussman, Jocelyn Lorenz, Zvi Gotheiner and Graciela Kozak. In addition to dancing, Fiona also received her Pilates certification from Sal Anthony’s Movement Salon in 2004. While in New York, she studied Pilates closely with Clarice Marshall and she also spent a year studying with Deborah Lessen. Fiona continued to dance, perform and teach Pilates in New York, until 2010, when Fiona and her husband decided to move to Seattle.
In the time Fiona has lived in Seattle, she has continued taking classes through out the area and has also performed with both Relay Dance collective and Bellingham Repertory Dance. Through the magic of zoom, Fiona has had the opportunity to reconnect with some of her phenomenal teachers from her past and has been studying with them through out the course of the pandemic. Fiona’s finds inspiration from these teachers and they have a huge influence on her teaching. Fiona loves helping dancers learn how to make clear connections in their body through the use of imagery, anatomy and rhythm.
Helen Eugene Nowik - Teaching Artist
A Seattle area native, Helen Eugene Nowik has trained extensively in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary from a very early age.
She solidified her technical foundation (while on scholarship), at the Dance Academy of Bellevue, subsequently training at facilities such as Velocity Dance Center, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Cornish College of the Arts, and Westlake Dance Center.
Prior to her teaching years, Helen danced competitively in both regional and national competitions, winning high scores in group and solo jazz and lyrical divisions under the direction of Kirsten Cooper (WDC Performance Group).
Her career led her to the Bay Area where she continued her technical training at Lines Dance Center (Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet), ODC, and City Ballet. During her time in San Francisco, she was fortunate to dance professionally with, among others, Courage Group (Director: Todd Courage), Samantha Giron Dancers (Director: Samantha Giron), and Garrett/Moulton Productions (Directors Janice Garrett and Charles Moulton).
Helen is proud to have completed full certification through Dance Masters Of America's Teachers Training School at the University of New York, Buffalo, and continues her training in kinesiology-based work through various intensive workshops and seminars around the U.S.
Helen has enjoyed being a busy teacher and choreographer in the Pacific Northwest and the Bay Area, and her work can be seen on companies in Washington, Oregon, San Francisco, San Jose, and Mill Valley in both professional and competitive venues.
Holly Logan Livingston - Guest Faculty
Holly Logan Livingston is a Choreographer, Dancer, and Dance Educator in the Seattle area. She began her dance training at 13 years of age where she studied Ballet under Elena Dominguez-Bartley, Luis Dominguez, and Nancy Dominguez-Cole at the Performing Arts School of Metropolitan Toledo. At PAMT she also trained in Jazz (Giordano Based), Tap, and a continued studies in Ballet; as well as extensive training in Musical Theater.
Holly went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from Kent State University with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography with a Minor in Theater, where her studies not only included daily technique classes, but also classes in dance composition, dance pedagogy as well as dance mechanics and anatomy.
Since her graduation in 2009 Holly has has worked as a performer with companies such as Verlezza Dance (Cleveland, Ohio), and here in Seattle with Sixth Day Dance as a Performer, Choreographer, and Instructor. She currently teaches dance in Seattle at the Ballard Academy of Music and Dance where she instructs Ballet, Jazz, and Tap for all ages.
Jason Ohlberg - Guest Faculty
Jason Ohlberg attended State University of New York at Purchase and completed his BFA from Cornish College of the Arts where he graduated summa cum laude. He earned his MFA from the University of Washington in 2015. Jason has danced professionally with numerous companies including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Dance Kaleidoscope, Jan Erkert and Dancers, and Chamber Dance Company. In 1997, Jason founded Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre in Chicago, Illinois where he acted as artistic director and choreographer. He has served on the faculties of Barat College, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Spectrum Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, University of Washington, and Cornish College of the Arts. Jason has been making dances for over twenty years and his choreography has been seen on numerous companies and in festivals throughout the country. He has presented research at the annual conferences of the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) and the National Dance Educators Organization (NDEO). His research focuses on in-practice application and has been published in the Journal of Dance Education (JODE). Jason is an Associate Professor and the Associate Chair of Dance at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Jilyan Wolfe - Guest Faculty
Jilyan Wolfe was born and raised in Massachusetts before moving west to obtain her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education from Arizona State University. She has had the opportunity to teach in studios, middle schools, high schools, and day & overnight camps in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Arizona and Washington. Predominately trained in modern and jazz, Jilyan has also studied ballet, tap, and acrobatics. She holds two levels of teacher certification through Acrobatic Arts, a certification through International Dance Teaching Standards, and has completed the Summer Dance Institute for Teachers at the Creative Dance Center, expanding her knowledge of Brain Compatible Dance Education. Jilyan has also completed Karida Griffith’s ‘Roots, Rhythm, Race and Dance’ training as well as Griffith’s ‘Tap Teacher Training Workshop’.
Jilyan takes a personal approach to teaching dance. Her focus is on combining proper technique while exploring self-expression, confidence, and personal growth. She is dedicated to educating dancers about all areas of dance including its rich history, kinesiological principles and choreographic methods. More than anything, Jilyan is focused on having fun in the classroom and creating a love for dance and movement.
Kaori Nakamura - Guest Faculty
Kaori Nakamura is from Gumma, Japan. She trained at the Reiko Yamamoto Ballet Company and the School of American Ballet. In 1986, she won first prize at the 14th Prix de Lausanne competition in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 1988, she won a bronze medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria. Ms. Nakamura joined Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1990, where she was made a principal dancer. She joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a soloist in 1997 and was promoted to principal in 1998.
"Kaori was my partner in Winnipeg (1992-1995) and a good friend,” said celebrated choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, who most recently directed her acclaimed performance as Kitri in Don Quixote (February, 2012). “I've always admired her dancing – effortless, light, sharp and feminine. Technically she could do anything, but artistically she was able to develop fully only in Seattle and I am glad she dedicated her talents to PNB.”
Ms. Nakamura performed the role of the Butterfly in the BBC's 1999 film version of PNB's production of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream, filmed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London. She has performed as a company member of Whim W’Him, a guest artist at the Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Melbourne Ballet Festival and with Dancers for Life in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Kim Gockel - Guest Faculty
Kim Gockel has instructed and choreographed in and around the Seattle area for over 30 years. She currently teaches children through adults at Westlake Dance Center, Gotta Dance and most recently Dance Expressions. Kim earned her BA in Kinesiology from the University of Washington and has spent her career focusing on the research and implementation of safe and effective movement as it relates to dance. She has participated in many dance workshops around the country through which she has learned to think about the body mindfully and teach others to do so as well.
Kim teaches modern ballet with the purpose of transforming strong, dynamic technique into meaningful movement. She has had the opportunity to study with prominent instructors including Stephanie Saland and Hannah Wiley whom she credits as having the most influence on her current perspectives on movement. Kim is the founder and director of En L’air Dance, a benefit dance collective. Kim is also a certified Gyrotonics instructor and leads private sessions in her home.
Kyle Craig-Bogard - Guest Faculty
Kyle Craig-Bogard received her MFA in Dance from the University of Washington and her BA in Musical Theatre from Baldwin-Wallace University. Currently, Kyle is an Associate Professor and the Coordinator of the Musical theatre program at Sam Houston State University where she teaches Musical Theatre Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Auditioning for the Commercial Theatre, and serves as choreographer for the musical theatre productions. Kyle is a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) and the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) and has performed on Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall, on national tours, and at regional theatres across the country and overseas. Kyle has had the honor and the pleasure to work with choreographers such as Christopher Chadman, Liza Gennaro, Michael Shawn, Tony Stevens, Linda Haberman, Robert Longbottom, John Dietrich, Michael Clowers, Dennis Callahan, AC Ciulla and Richard Stafford. Select performance credits include The Most Happy Fella (Broadway), Guys and Dolls (National Tour ’93), On the Town (Goodspeed Opera House), and Martin Guerre (Hartford Stage Company). Also, as a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union (SDC) Kyle’s professional choreographic credits include Footloose (Maine State Music Theatre), Sweet Charity (Theatre by the Sea), Children’s Letters to God (Lamb’s Theatre Company) American Canteen in Paris (Celebrity Cruise Lines), and Jimmy Buffett’s concert tours. As an assistant choreographer, Kyle worked with Dan Knechtges on Elf the Musical at Theatre Under the Stars.
As a teacher, Kyle has trained dancers in New York City at Broadway Dancer Center, New Dance Group Arts Center and CAP21, as well as other studios and universities across the country. Additionally, Kyle is a certified STOTT Pilates instructor and a member of the National Dance Educators Organization (NDEO) and Musical Theatre Educators Alliance (MTEA).
Laura Bannister PT, DPT, OCS, OMT - Guest Faculty, Injury Prevention Mentor
Laura Bannister is a modern dancer who applies her love for movement and unique understanding of the human body to her practice as a PT. Since graduating from the University of Washington with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2005, Laura has been dedicated to post-graduate education, earning advanced credentials as a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and as an Orthopaedic Manual Therapist.
Laura is the owner of Avant Physical Therapy. Since opening the clinic in 2013, she has grown Avant to become an integral part of the Belltown, South Lake Union, Downtown and Lower Queen Anne neighborhoods. She enjoys working with a broad spectrum of orthopaedic injuries and challenges including hypermobility, acute and chronic low back pain, postural dysfunction, and loves to work with those patients who may be a bit of a puzzle. Laura is also a specialist in dance medicine. In addition to sitting on the Board of the Seattle Performing Arts Medical Association, she is dedicated to treating both professional and recreational dancers from around the greater Seattle area, including Spectrum, Whim W’Him, and Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB).
Laura enjoys spending her free time with her husband, chasing their two lovely daughters through the city, beaches and mountains. She finds personal fulfillment in exercise, gardening, interior design, and entertaining.
Lauren Reins - Guest Faculty
Lauren Reins is a dance educator, choreographer and the founder of Motivation in Movement, a mindset training program, and wellness coaching practice for dancers. She has been a dancer for over 30 years. She grew up in Portland, OR where she trained at various studios in jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop. When she was 18, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in dance. She graduated from The Edge Performing Arts scholarship program and went on to dance professionally for a decade doing various television, film, stage, and commercial dance jobs. She then went on to get her Bachelor degree in Psychology, as she started her teaching and choreography career. She has been teaching and choreographing now for over a decade. She also became a certified wellness and enneagram coach, and opened Motivation in Movement.
Her mission is to connect with as many dancers as possible through the art of dance, mindset training, and self exploration practices. To co-create a space where vulnerability is celebrated and therefore unlocks authentic performance onstage and in life. To help each dancer embrace their own story and ultimately find confidence in who they are as humans. “My hope is that through training the whole dancer, body, heart, and mind, they are able to experience the love, light, and unique artistic self expression that dance has to offer.”
Leigh-Ann Cohen-Hafford - Guest Faculty
Leigh-Ann Cohen-Hafford has over 25 years of experience teaching, coaching and choreographing for professional and student dancers across North America and in Europe. Her diverse professional repertoire included contemporary ballet, the classics, Balanchine works and modern dance providing her with a comprehensive background and understanding of the essential requirements for ballet professionals.
In 2019, Ms. Cohen-Hafford was invited to observe classes, rehearsals and an array of performances at top European ballet companies and schools including the Stuttgart Ballet, Dresden SemperOper Ballet, and the John Cranko Ballet School. This experience enhanced her insight into the current trends and versatility demands in modern, contemporary and classical ballet techniques, choreography, and training.
Ms.Cohen-Hafford was Artistic Director of Conservatory Ballet of Washington and Director of the Ballet Department of Washington Academy of Performing Arts (1998-2001). She served as a dance faculty member at Oakland University, MI.(1994-95). She was Rehearsal Director and faculty member at Cornish College of the Arts Preparatory Dance Program for 18 years, teaching, staging and choreographing. In 2021 she was honored to be invited by Regional Dance America NE to adjudicate, select and program for the three performances of the multi-region festival. In addition she taught the honors ballet class, evaluated multiple companies and selected the scholarship winners for numerous awards. Ms.Cohen-Hafford is a sought after coach and guest teacher, currently specializing in ballet coaching with professionals and students worldwide.
During her 15-year performing career, Ms. Cohen-Hafford toured extensively nationally and internationally. She danced principal roles in multiple classical ballets as well as in works by some of the most eminent contemporary choreographers. These included Ashton, Balanchine, Butler, Cranko, Forsythe, and Tetley. She had the privilege of working personally with many of these choreographers as well as with distinguished ballet directors and teachers, Reid Anderson, Patricia Neary, Vicki Simon and, Laura Alonso. She danced with Ballet British Columbia, Ballet Jorgen, Metropolitan Ballet Theater, and was a guest artist for numerous schools and companies including Pennsylvania Ballet. Ms. Cohen-Hafford was honored to be chosen for the lead role in the Canadian première of William Forsythe's "In the middle, somewhat elevated."
Ms.Cohen-Hafford’s choreography includes works for Ballet British Columbia's Choreographic Workshop and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's Choreoplan. Several works have been presented by Regional Dance America (RDA) companies, including Gala Night performances in 1994 and1999, as well as by Cornish College Preparatory Dance Company amongst others. In 1996 she was awarded an RDA Craft of Choreography Award. Ms. Cohen-Hafford has choreographed for and coached finalists for the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix including several New York award winners.
Ms. Cohen-Hafford earned a diploma in Dance Training from George Brown College, Canada. She was awarded an Advanced Diploma in Spanish Dance by the South African Spanish Dance Society.
Marco Carrabba - Guest Faculty
Marco Carrabba is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts and earned a scholarship with the School of American Ballet in New York City. Marco’s professional career began with the Stuttgart Ballet where he performed for and was presented to Queen Elizabeth II, per her request. While a principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet, he performed the principal role of Prince Albrecht in Giselle and toured with Rudolph Nureyev. He also toured internationally with the Hamburg Ballet and San Francisco Ballet where he performed Hamlet. Marco was a principal dancer with the Pacific Northwest Ballet and performed Siegfried in Swan Lake, and the Cavalier in the Nutcracker, among many other leading roles. Marco was also a soloist with Boston Ballet and has danced with many world-renowned ballerinas. Marco has over 30 years experience as a professional artist and soloist with dance companies throughout Europe and the United States.
“I take pride when I can see the technical achievement and commitment shine through the individual’s personality and character, and know we are on the road to creating a true dancer who will touch lives by imprinting the art of dance on future generations.“ - Marco Carrabba
Marte Osiris Madera - Guest Faculty
Marte Osiris Madera was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. He graduated with an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington and a BFA in Dance from San Jose State University. Marte has danced professionally with companies across the U.S., including Dance Kaleidoscope, Lustig Dance Theater, Central West Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Menlowe Ballet, Robert Moses Kin, sjDANCEco, and the Margaret Wingrove Dance Company. He has also choreographed and taught dance at various institutions to students of all ages and abilities. Marte has danced with Spectrum Dance Theater and was formerly the Artistic Director of Evergreen City Ballet.
Mary Sigward - Guest Faculty
Mary Sigward is a Seattle-based independent artist, kinesthetic thinker, and movement teacher. She uses movement to explore and disassemble the human experience. A Cincinnati native, Mary graduated magnum cum laude and with honors from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Dance Performance and minor in Biology. Since graduating she has performed with Spectrum Dance Theater under the direction of Donald Byrd (2015-2019, 2022), Stone Dance Collective (2019-2020, 2022), Khambatta Dance Company (2019-2022), and Karin Stevens Dance (2020-2022). Mary premiered her inaugural self-choreographed solo back-formation at 12 Minutes Max at Base Arts Space in February 2020. She had the honor of performing her multi-media solo sorry Clover at the 2021 Seattle International Dance Festival. Her film by the same name received an Honorable Mention at the 2021 Mobile Dance Film Festival. Mary has had the joy of being the Academy Coordinator for the School of Spectrum Dance Theater since 2017, where she continues to work and mentor young aspiring students. In April of 2017 she became a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher through the teacher training program at Vitality Pilates.
Mathew Heggem - Guest Faculty
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Mathew Patrick Heggem has over 18 years of experience performing, choreographing and teaching in modern and contemporary dance, partnering, composition and improvisation. Mostly in New York City, Mathew has presented solo & group works at arts festivals, cabarets, and theaters throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including: Cabaret Cataplexy; Queer Art Impact's 'Come As You Are' Festival and ‘Gay Wars’; various evenings at Dixon Place and The Tank; the New Dance Alliance's 'Performance Mix Festival'; the Gloucester New Arts Festival; the Transmodern Festival; and DC’s RAW Fesival. While in NYC, Mathew co-founded two companies, Kineasthesia and Left Side Labs, where he worked for several years as a self-producing artist. In addition to his work as a choreographer, he has had the honor of performing on stages like The Joyce, Dance Theater Workshop, and PS 122 as a principal dancer for Nicholas Leichter Dance, ClancyWorks Dance Company, as guest artist for Clyde Forth Visual Theater and Jennifer Monson, and as a soloist for historical reconstructions of Ted Shawn and Doris Humphrey works. As an educator, he has served as faculty for the Goucher Summer Arts Institute (MD) and Experimental Movement Concepts (PA), was a resident artist for the Trinity College LaMaMa Summer Arts program (NY), and taught workshops for various public & private K-12 institutions and colleges throughout the East coast. Mathew holds a BA in Dance from Goucher College (MD), with a concentration in choreography & performance; and in his final year, he was the recipient of a national award from the American College Dance Festival (ACDFA) for his outstanding performance at The Kennedy Center (D.C.) Mathew also holds a certification in “Awareness Through Movement" from The Feldenkrais Institute of New York.
Otto Neubert - Guest Faculty
Otto Neubert became a rehearsal director for Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1992. Mr. Neubert assists the artistic director in rehearsing, teaching, and scheduling the Company, and also rehearses PNB School students in their roles for George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® and other productions.
Mr. Neubert has performed as a guest artist in PNB’s The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake. Prior to joining PNB, he danced as a soloist with New York City Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet. Born in Munich, Germany, he received his early training with Alex Ursuliak, ballet master of Stuttgart Ballet and director of the John Cranko School in Stuttgart. He was also trained at the Stuttgart Ballet School, the School of American Ballet, and with Marika Besobrasova in Monte Carlo.
Paula J. Peters - Guest Faculty
Paula J. Peters (MFA) is an Independent Dance Artist, Educator, Author, and Administrator based in Chicago, IL. Her teaching, scholarly, and creative research explores the many facets of jazz dance aesthetics, and pedagogy methods which serve all types of learners. Her choreography has been presented by Men In Dance, Cornish Dance Theater, University of Washington, SUNY Fredonia, University at Buffalo, MuCCC Dance Festival, Ujima Theatre Company, Teatro Zinzanni Chicago, BOOSTmeUp Festival, American College Dance Association and International Dance Day Festival, Lebanon. She has presented original research at Society for Dance History Scholars, Popular Culture Association, Dance Educators Association of Washington, New York State Dance Education Association, Dance Studies Association, and National Dance Education Organization national conferences, and her scholarship has been published in Seattle Dance Magazine, the Journal of Dance Education in Practice, and in the textbook Rooted Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in the 21st Century.
Her teaching career includes serving as faculty at Cornish College of the Arts, Cornish Preparatory Dance, Dance Fremont, University of Washington, and Pacific Lutheran University, and as an Associate Professor of Dance and the Dance Program Director for SUNY Fredonia (2016-2023). During her time at Fredonia, she revised the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance curriculum to be in alignment with National Association of Schools of Dance educational standards, created a new Bachelor of Science degree in Dance, was awarded a $15,000 Williams Visiting Professor Grant to bring in national guest choreographers, and significantly raised the caliber and visibility of the dance program. In 2019, she was nominated for the SUNY Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, was awarded the 2021 Outstanding Dance Researcher Award from the New York State Dance Education Association, and was elected Secretary for the Illinois Dance Education Organization in 2024. In addition to her work as a professor at Fredonia, she served at the New York State level as the University Faculty Senator for the campus, advocating for fair and transparent shared governance policies between SUNY campuses and SUNY system administration.
Prior to entering academia, she was a principal dancer with Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle (1991-2005), performing and restaging works by choreographers of national and international prominence such as Anne Reinking, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Dwight Rhoden, Donald Byrd, Margo Sappington, and Daniel Ezralow. Ms. Peters holds a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts, and an MFA in Dance from theUniversity of Washington.
Prasti Purdum - Teaching Artist
Prasti Purdum is a Seattle-based dancer and began her training at the age of five, primarily studying ballet, under the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) program. She also participated in the American Academy of Ballet Performance Awards (AAB), attended the Summer Intensive Program with Sarasota Ballet, and then continued on to earn a B.A. in Dance and International Studies from the University of Washington. She has had the opportunity to collaborate with local artists and has performed works by Petra Zanki, Bryon Carr, Amber Willett, Warren Woo, Stephanie Golden//Dore Dance Company, Coriolis Dance, and The Guild Dance Company. Prasti has also performed in various Seattle-based festivals including Tint Dance Festival, Full Tilt Dance Festival, and the Seattle International Dance Festival.
As a teaching artist, Prasti has taught creative movement and ballet classes to children both in the Cleveland and Seattle areas. Dance brings her joy and a sense of wonder, and can be a vehicle to share stories and embody experiences and emotions. These elements along with her deep-rooted love for dance is something she strives to cultivate and nurture in the students she teaches.
Richard H. Jessup - Guest Faculty
Richard H. Jessup has been Producing, Directing, Choreographing and teaching Dance since 1982. He has focused his work in the genres of Musical Theatre (Richard was the Artistic Director of Rogue Music Theatre in Southern Oregon for 11 years, and has directed and/or choreographed over 110 productions); Dance Instruction (he co-directed the Jessup/Jenkins Dance Studio in Seattle); and Concert Dance (Richard was the founding member of Seattle’s Against the Grain/MEN IN DANCE, and is the Producing President for the organizations Festival of MEN IN DANCE, now in its 26th year). Some of Richard’s other favorite things to do include massage, hiking, travel, and eating coffee-flavored ice cream.
Vanesa Wylie - Teaching Artist
Vanesa Wylie is thrilled to be on faculty at DANCE CONSERVATORY Seattle where she can pass her love of dance on. She has been teaching for the past 18 years. Currently she is teaching at Vashon Center for the Arts where she has been for the past 15 years. Vanesa was also on faculty at Cornish College of the Arts Preparatory Dance for 16 years before it folded during the pandemic. She has also taught at West Seattle Performing Arts, The Dance School in Everett, American Dance Institute, Fremont Dance, Cornish College, Bainbridge Island, Artist Day at Snohomish High School, Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion, Everett High School Dance team, The Evergreen School Shoreline.
Vanesa teaches Modern with an emphasis on technique styles of Graham, Limon, Horton, Cunningham, Laban, Humphrey and Dunham and the history of these Modern Dance icons.
Improvisation, helping dancers become comfortable in their own dance styles through guided movement and imagery. Her favorite saying “there is no wrong way to dance.”
Choreography, learning to connect to one’s true artistic self through exploration and being able to express their stories feelings and experiences through their movements and actions to take an audience on a journey.
Creative Movement, a foundation of dance elements for all ages. Connecting the brain and the body with the fundamentals of dance through play and exploration of these concepts helps one to become comfortable in their own bodies.
Jazz, old school 80’s style with a flare of new moves.
Ballet, the basics of ballet with an emphasis on training in a dancers proper range and healthy alignment.
Tap, beginner to intermediate.
Vanesa has been dancing and choreographing in the Seattle area for the past 32 years. A graduate of Cornish College of the Arts, studied at the Martha Graham School in New York. Her choreography has been seen at Bumpershoot, Fringe Festival, Moore Theater, Langston Hughes Theatre, Broadway Performances Hall, Cornish College of the Arts, Vashon Center for the Arts.
Vanesa is Artistic Director of Original Works on Vashon. Rehearsal Director for Cornish Preparatory dance productions. She formed the Bleedinghearts of Truth Dance Ensemble with her husband Steve, in 1998. They have self produced their own original shows over the years.
“I was given the gift of dance, and I must pass that gift on to others.” - Vanesa Wylie
William Lin-Yee - Guest Faculty
William Lin-Yee is from San Francisco, California. He trained at Contra Costa Ballet Centre, San Francisco Ballet School, and the School of American Ballet. In 2004, he joined New York City Ballet as an apprentice and also was a Mae. L. Wien Award recipient. Mr. Lin-Yee joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2008 and was promoted to soloist in 2014 and principal in 2016 before retiring in 2021. Mr. Lin-Yee has danced leading roles in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Coppélia (Dr. Coppelius), Diamonds, Emeralds, The Four Temperaments, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ® (Cavalier, Herr Drosselmeier, Mouse King, Hot Chocolate), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus, Cavalier), Serenade, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto; Peter Boal’s Giselle (Albrecht, Hilarion, Wilfride); David Dawson’s A Million Kisses to my Skin; Ulysses Dove’s Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven and Red Angels; Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement; William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, New Suite and One Flat Thing, reproduced; Kiyon Gaines’ Sum Stravinsky; Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty (Gold & Silver pas de trois); Jiri Kylian’s Forgotten Land, Petite Mort, and Sechs Tänze (Six Dances); Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Cendrillon (Father) and Roméo et Juliette (Friar Laurence, Paris); Justin Peck’s Debonair; Crystal Pite’s Emergence and Plot Point; Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote (Basilio); Jeromew Robbins’ In the Night and West Side Story Suite (Bernardo); Kent Stowell’s Carmina Burana, Cinderella (Father, Memory Father), Nutcracker (Prince, Herr Drosselmeier) and Swan Lake (Baron von Rothbart); Susan Stroman’s TAKE FIVE…More or Less; Price Suddarth’s Signature; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, Opus 111, and Waiting at the Station; and Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia and Tide Harmonic. He originated leading roles in Benjamin Millepied’s 3 Movements, Amanda Morgan’s This Space Left Intentionally Blank, Mark Morris’ Kammermusik No. 3, Margaret Mullin’s Lost in Light, and Ezra Thomson’s Salt of the Earth. He also has danced featured roles in Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Kent Stowell’s Cinderella, Tharp’s Waterbaby Bagatelles, and Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel (A Dance) and Variations Sérieuses.
At New York City Ballet, Mr. Lin-Yee danced leading and featured roles in Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus), Peter Martins’ The Sleeping Beauty (Asia, King, Cavalier), and Richard Tanner’s Sonatas and Interludes.
In 2011, Mr. Lin-Yee composed the score for Kiyon Gaines’ A Piece in P-I-E-C-E-S for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s NEXT STEP. And in 2021, the score for DCS Co-Artistic Director Joshua Grant’s BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s NEXT STEP.