Full-Time:
Cynthia Lucas, Artistic Director (Advanced division)
Ms. Lucas was born in San Rafael and received her ballet training from Leona Norman at Marin Ballet. Ms. Lucas joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1972 and was widely recognized as a dramatic ballerina during her stellar 18-year performance career. She became Ballet Mistress of that same company in 1989 and was promoted to Principal Ballet Mistress in 1996; her responsibilities included teaching company class, re-staging the company repertoire, and assisting Artistic Director James Kudelka on many of his creations. In this capacity, she also advised the community outreach program, Bits & Pieces , and developed a valued relationship with the National Ballet School of Canada, creating and expanding the Apprentice Programme. After 26 years with the National Ballet of Canada, Ms. Lucas was appointed Marin Ballet School Director in 1998 and promoted to Artistic Director in 2000.
Becky Erhart, Artistic Coordinator (Primary, Intermediate and advanced divisions)
Becky Erhart received her ballet training from Laguna Ballet, Contra Costa Ballet, School of American Ballet, and LINES Ballet School. She then went on to earn degrees in ballet and business at Indiana University, studying on scholarship under Violette Verdy. Ms. Erhart has danced professionally around the country with The Washington Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet West, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Ms. Erhart returns to the Bay Area after four years with the Washington Ballet, serving as both dancer and Artistic Coordinator. After dancing with the company for two years, she went on to become the primary ballet mistress for Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker and Cinderella, as well as a faculty member for the esteemed Washington School of Ballet. She has taught children and adults of all ages and set numerous ballets on the school and company. Ms. Erhart is thrilled to be joining the staff of Marin Ballet for Fall 2008.
Leslie Crockett (intermediate and advanced divisions)
Leslie Crockett was trained by her parents, Barbara and Deane Crockett, and on scholarship at San Francisco Ballet School. She danced professionally with SFB and on Broadway in musical comedies. She joined the faculty of San Francisco Ballet School in 1982, where she taught for thirteen years. Ms. Crockett has taught master classes for the Pacific Regional Ballet Festival, Contra Costa Ballet, Deane Dance Center, and City Ballet School, among others. She has choreographed several ballets with support from grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2004 and again in 2006, Ms. Crockett was chosen by Regional Dance America to be the adjudicator for their annual ballet festivals. She was invited back to adjudicate the 2007 National Festival. She joined the faculty of Marin Ballet in 1995, serving as Acting Artistic Director in 1998 and Performance Director in 1999.
Laurie Klein (pre-ballet and primary divisions)
Laurie Klein was trained by Leona Norman at Marin Ballet and participated in many Pacific Regional Ballet Festivals and Craft of Choreography Conferences. She performed with Western Dance Theatre under the direction of Norbert Vesak, where she studied as a teacher-in-training. She joined the Marin Ballet faculty in 1972, and is responsible for developing the Pre-Ballet Division and its syllabus.
Signe Lando (pre-ballet division)
Signe Lando earned a B.A. in child development from San Jose State University, and studied dance with Jody White, Margie Belrose, the Romanoffs, Alvin Ailey, Margot Jones, and Rec Russell, among others. She danced with the Marin Chamber Dance Co. under the direction of Juliana Sakowsky. Mrs. Lando developed a rhythm and movement program for pre-schools and joined Marin Ballet faculty in 1988, specializing in pre-ballet classes and scholarship training to outreach communities. She has also choreographed a dance based on Madeleine L'Engle's book Dance In The Desert with composer Philip Lee Hahn at St. John's Church in Ross.
Part-Time:
Katie Faulkner (Modern)
Katie Faulkner received her B.F.A. in theatre from Hampshire College in 1997 and an M.F.A. in dance performance & choreography from Mills College in 2002. She has performed the works of many choreographers including Bill T. Jones, Stephen Petronio, Trisha Brown, Mark Morris, Victoria Marks, and Ann Carlson. She has been a dancer with AXIS Dance Company, performing both locally and nationally, since 2003. She is also a dancer with Paufve Dance and is the Artistic Director of her own company, little seismic dance company. She has taught at Santa Clara University, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, and Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. Ms. Faulkner joined the Marin Ballet faculty in 2002.
Malarie whiting (Pre-Ballet Division)
Malarie Whiting trained with STARS national dance program in Utah for 13 years competing and placing in national competitions. While pursuing her degree in secondary education at Utah Valley Universit, she took several highter level dance classes and taught at STARS for 3 years. Since moving to the Bay Area, she has taught preschool-focused ballet/jazz combo classes at several dance studios.
David Kato (Boys' Class)
David Kato trained at Marin Ballet and holds a BA in dance from Dominican College. He danced professionally with Empire State Ballet in New York and has danced as a guest artist with many Bay Area companies including Oakland Ballet, Western Ballet, Berkeley Ballet Theater and Margaret Wingrove Dance Company. He has taught technique, pas de deux and boys' training in schools throughout the Bay Area and is currently also on faculty at Berkeley Ballet Theater. He joined the MB faculty in 2003.
Yuko Katsumi (Intermediate Division)
Yuko Katsumi was born in Tokyo, Japan and received her training in West Germany, Japan, Zimbabwe and at the Royal Ballet School in London. She has danced professionally with the Matsuyama Ballet, Tampa Ballet and Colorado Ballet, where she was a principle dancer. She has taught and coached ballet around the U.S., Taiwan and Japan. In the Bay Area she has taught at Shawl-Anderson Dance center since 1998. Ms. Katsumi joined the MB faculty in the fall of 2005.
Stephanie Lando (pre-ballet division)
Stephanie Lando trained at Marin Ballet for 11 years, studying withSvetlana Afanasieva, Leslie Crockett, and Shannon Bresnahan. She has danced with the COM Dance Company, performing various works by choreographers Kristi Kuhn, David Jones, and Ellen Bauer. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of San Francisco with a B.A. in Performing Arts & Social Justice with an emphasis in dance. Ms. Lando joined the Marin Ballet faculty in
2003.
james strong (open Division)
James Strong, originally from Dallas, TX, holds a B.F.A. from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He danced professionally with Ballet Arizona, Ballet Dallas, Eugene Ballet, Lawrence Pech Dance Company, Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley and most recently with Smuin Ballet. He joined the MB Open Division faculty in January 2008.
Robert Sund (Open Division)
Robert Sund was a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and in 1979 joined San Francisco Ballet, where he performed solo and principal roles. In 1996 he choreographed his first full-length ballet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, for the Norwegian National Ballet. Mr. Sund has also created two award-winning ballets for television: Womensong in 1990, received three Emmys including "Outstanding Entertainment Special;" and Blue Lair in 1992, which won another Emmy for choreography. Mr. Sund's guest teaching credits include: Frankfort Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theater, Stuttgart Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Ballet du Nord, Zurich Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and as company teacher for Smuin Ballets/SF. Mr. Sund joined the MB faculty in 1997.
Recent Guest Teachers:
Kim Agnew (West African)
Sandra Tanner (Jazz)
Peter Brandenhoff (Ballet)
Sandra Jennings (Ballet)
Nadia Oka (Modern)
Kimberly Michelle (Pilates)
Wade Peterson (West African Drumming)
Phoebe Vernier (Flamenco)
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