JAN HAMILL
has been with SRVDA since 1984, becoming an owner in 2005. She has known the Academy intimately from both a student's and parent's perspective, and has been a trusted advisor to the Academy for performances, costuming, back stage assistance, and general operating issues. She has been one of the participating choreographers in the annual "Impressions Of The Nutcracker" demonstrating not only a gift for choreography, but also a unique talent for teaching young ballet dancers. Jan was a dedicated student of ballet in her early years and continued her dance studies at UC Irvine; she received her Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley. [Top]

JENNIFER ESSEL BURGARDT (Jazz)
joined the SRVDA faculty in 1989 and became an owner in 2005. Jennifer is director of the SRVDA jazz companies and her creative and artistic talents are unmatched. In 2004, her choreography of the Senior Jazz Company's piece, "Eastern Elements," placed first from over 750 entries at Encore Performing Arts national finals in Las Vegas, NV. Her performing background includes principal dancer in Marin Civic Light Opera's production of "Mame," numerous industrials (including Pac Bell, GMAC, and Kadence Computer Company), the cruise ships Sky & Sea (Royal Viking Line) and Fujimaru, and featured dancer at Marriott's Great America. Jennifer's talents aren't limited to jazz; she is equally adept at ballet, tap, acting, and singing. Her students are continually challenged by her creativity and contemporary style of dance. [Top]

MARIE ANNONSON (Acrobatics/Gymnastics)
first competed as an athlete in acrobatics on Tonya Case’s team, California Acrosports Team, in Sacramento, CA. Her women’s pair competed nationally and internationally at events including the 2000 & 2002 World Championships, earning bronze at the 2001 Azur Acro Cup in Antibes, France, and silver at the 2002 Machuga Cup Competition in Krasnodar, Russia and the Flanders Cup in Purrs, Belgium that same year.  She began coaching acrobatic gymnastics in 2003 and her passion for the sport continues in that capacity. Her athletes have been members of the USAG Nat’l Team, IAGC World Teams, National Champions, 2008 silver medalists at the World Championships and gold medalists at the 2009 World Games & 2010 World Championships. Marie is director of the Acro/Gym program at SRVDA in addition to owning and coaching at West Coast Training Center in Livermore, CA.[Top]

ALEKS EYDELMAN (Acrobatics/Gymnastics)
is not only a former SRVDA gymnast and competitive acrobatic gymnast herself, but also coached gymnastics and acro at the Academy from 2005-2008.  She then continued in the sport, training acrobats and gymnasts at West Coast Training Center in Livermore, CA, alongside Elite coach Marie Annonson. Aleks is equally adept at working with students of all abilities, from beginners to advanced, and all ages.  She graduated from San Jose State with a BA in communications and finds time in her busy schedule for another favorite activity - acting.  SRVDA is delighted to welcome her back as coach in the Acro/Gym department and Head Coach of the SRVDA Acro Team. [Top]

ED & GAYLE FARLEY (Ballet)

Gayle Farley danced professionally with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah for eight years. Under the direction of Bruce Marks, Toni Lander, and Denise Schultz, Gayle had the opportunity to dance soloist parts in some of her favorite ballets such as; Swan Lake, Etudes, Carmina Burana, Concerto Barocco, Symphony in C, Bruce Marks’ Don Quixote and the premier revival of August Bournonville’s Abdallah. Before becoming a member of Ballet West, Gayle attended the University of Utah’s dance program with a full scholarship and trained under Bene Arnold and Mattlyn Gavers. As a student she studied at the Metropolitan School of Ballet in Bethesda, Maryland under Charles Dickson and Allan Woodard. Gayle’s summers were spent at Ballet West’s summer camp in Aspen, Colorado where she had the opportunity to study Bournonville technique with Dinna Bjorn of the Royal Danish Ballet. Gayle is director of the SRVDA Junior Ballet Company and co-director of the Academy’s holiday production “Impressions of the Nutcracker”.

Ed Farley was a professional dancer with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah.  After receiving degrees in both Ballet and Finance at the University of Utah, Ed joined the company and rose to the rank of soloist.  Under the direction of Willam Christensen and Bruce Marks, Ed danced major roles in George Balanchine’s Western Symphony and Stars and Stripes, Bruce Mark’s Pipe Dreams, and the lead roles in Eugene Loring’s Billy the Kid, Willam Christensen’s Filling Station as well as many male roles in the Nutcracker. Ed trained at the Rosanne Zimmerman School of Ballet in Los Angeles and spent his summers on scholarship dancing at the ‘School of American Ballet’ (New York City Ballet) with noted teachers such as Stanley Williams, Richard Rapp and Alexandra Danilova. Ed enjoys teaching and choreographing and is the co-director of SRVDA’s holiday production “Impressions of the Nutcracker”. [Top]

LYNETTE GARAVENTA (Tap)
is skilled in many dance forms - ballet, jazz, and tap - and is currently sharing her talents in tap with students at SRVDA, where she has been a faculty member since 1991. She studied under one of the nation's most noted tap teachers, Stanley Kahn. As a dancer with the Mason-Kahn Dancers, she appeared with such celebrities as Bing Crosby, Dennis Day, and Phil Harris. She also danced for over 10 years with the performing group "Youth of America," sponsored by Pepsi Cola. She appeared at the Belrose Theatre in San Rafael with the dance group, "The Sidekick," was a featured dancer in "Jesus Christ Superstar" at the Palo Alto Theatre and danced in the San Jose Civic Light Opera's production of "Anything Goes" starring Chita Rivera. Lynette taught at the Mason-Kahn Dance Studios in San Francisco, inspiring and challenging her students. She now enjoys attending master tap classes around the Bay Area to broaden her knowledge in tap, as well as introduce her students to all styles of tap. [Top]

GREGG GEOFFROY (Tap)
is an innovative teacher/choreographer whose work has extended from coast to coast with performances throughout California. Career highlights include the Barbary Coast Jazz Festival with Roxane Butterfly, the International Spring Festival at UC Berkeley, a lecture/demonstration alongside Mark Mendonca and the Los Angeles based Dance Electric, and teaching for the San Francisco Tap Festival. His teaching infuses countless hours of studying the masters, their history, music theory and jazz music. His energy is as infectious and inspiring as his enthusiasm to share the art of tap.  [Top]

MEGAN IVEY (Tap)
Megan Ivey joined the SRVDA staff in 2006.  She has trained in all disciplines of dance, but tap was her emphasis and she has made that a life long career.  Her credits include being a Ringling Bros Barnum and Bailey Clown College graduate and performing as “MEGAN the CLOWN” professionally for 10 years.  Megan was stage and dance captain of B.A.R.T. (Bay Area Rhythm Tappers) for 3 years and has worked in television and independent films as well. She is currently artistic director for the SRVDA Tap Company. [Top]

KARLA & KLAUDIA KOBELT (Emeritae)
were featured dancers in "Annie Get Your Gun" starring Mary Martin (choreographer, Ernest Flatt) and in the national company of "My Fair Lady" (choreographer, Hanya Holm). Their tour with "My Fair Lady" was highlighted by a 2 month cultural exchange visit to the former Soviet Union. With their own acro-dance act, they performed throughout the Far East and were seen regularly on Australian television ("In Melbourne Tonight"). Returning to the U.S., they appeared in such noted venues as the Flamingo and Desert Inn Hotels in Las Vegas, the Palmer House in Chicago, the Sheraton Hotel in San Juan, P.R., and numerous trade and industrial shows as well. They have been featured with such artists as Phyllis Diller, Ella Fitzgerald, Dionne Warwick, the Osmonds, and many more. Karla and Klaudia received their training under such noted teachers as Pat and Stanley Kahn, Jan Carpenter, Elna Laun, Rodney Strong, Chuck Keeney, Harry Cooper, and James Rozanas. In academic studies, Karla attended UC Berkeley and Klaudia received her BS degree in Business from CSUEB. They have taught master classes at private dance studios, high schools, and universities throughout California, in addition to teaching at such regional and national dance conventions as the Dupree Dance Convention and Dance Masters of America. Karla was the first director of SRVDA's Senior Tap Company, while Klaudia conceived and directed the popular adult group, "Just For Kicks," for over 15 years. The Kobelts brought a new dimension of dance to the Academy when they began teaching in 1973; in 1979 they became partners in the organization. [Top]

JAN MANNING (Ballet, Children's Work)
received her BA Degree in Dance from Butler University and continued her studies with David Howard in New York and at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. She was a member of the Butler Ballet Company and later, the St. Paul Ballet Company. Her teaching career began in the Mid West and has spanned over 18 years. Jan is Director of the Apprentice Ballet Company for SRVDA. [Top]

HOLLY MORROW (Ballet)
began her dance training at the Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica, CA at the age of 5. She continued to study tap and ballet and received scholarships for summer study at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School, the San Francisco Ballet School and the Cleveland Ballet School. After graduating from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, she moved to Cleveland, OH to join the San Jose Cleveland Ballet as a trainee. In less than a year, she was promoted to full company member and spent 8 years working her way up to eventually perform principal and soloist roles in works by director/choreographer Dennis Nahat, George Balanchine and Donald McKayle, to name a few. When not dancing for San Jose Cleveland Ballet, she danced with the Chatauqua Dance Company in New York under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and for Cleveland Ballet Dancing Wheels with co-directors Mary Verdi-Fletcher and Sabatino Verlezza. Holly relocated to the Bay Area in 1999 and performed with Bay Area Dance companies including Mark Foehringer Dance Project, Margaret Wingrove Dance Company and was the former assistant director and principal dancer of Moving Arts Dance; she has also worked with local choreographers such as Charles Moulton, Charles Anderson, and Viktor Kabaniev. Holly has toured the world extensively as a performer and has been involved in various film and television projects ranging from independent art films to the opening sequence of the Drew Carey Show. Holly joined the faculty at SRVDA in 2000. Students at the Academy benefit greatly from her years of diverse training and professional performing experience. Holly Currently directs the SRVDA Senior Ballet Company. [Top]

MO RUSLENDER (Emerita)
began dancing at a very young age in her native state of Nevada. After moving to San Francisco, she furthered her training at the S.F. Ballet. She performed with the S.F. Ballet Company, S.F. Opera Company, and has danced in numerous productions with the Diablo Light Opera Company. After completing her studies at S.F. State University, she taught in the S.F. public school system before moving to the San Ramon Valley. Ms. Ruslender taught at the Academy since its inception in 1969, and became a partner when the new facility was completed in 1979. She established a reputation for her successful and positive approach in working with young children. [Top]

BYRON SEDDENS (Jazz) 
has had the pleasure of being a featured performer in long running productions for the legendary Jack Cole, dancer and jazz dance innovator Ron Lewis, the award winning Michael Darrin, and for the very busy producer Greg Thompson. He has performed for Kraft/Oscar Meyer, Sorbie Hair Products, Clothestime, Beach Blanket Babylon, Great America and many others. Byron's invaluable list of teachers includes the renowned Ann Garvin, Mona Rhone, Kathy Hirai, and Sheri Stockdale. [Top]

KORY WATKINS (Hip Hop)
excels as a dancer (Nio Concert, Grammy Awards, Bette Midler's New Year's Eve Celebration), choreographer (T.L.C., Housin Authority) and teacher (Funkworks, Dance Attack, Citicenter Dance Theatre). He specializes in hip hop, house and freestyle dance. [Top]

JOAN WINTON (Emerita)
established the Academy in 1969 after teaching at the School of Classical Ballet in Berkeley, CA for 12 years. She became a certified teacher of the National Academy of Ballet in 1960. Ms. Winton was a former dancer with the S.F. Ballet Company, S.F. Opera Company, and the national company of "My Fair Lady." She was a soloist with Pacific Ballet, D.L.O.C.'s "Mame," and was both choreographer and dancer with the Valley Opera. Her training was with S.F. Ballet School, School of American Ballet (NYC Ballet), Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo and the School of Classical Ballet with Jan Fitts Carpenter. Ms. Winton has taught ballet for over 48 years. Her  commitment to her students and her knowledge of classical ballet always provided both challenge and inspiration to her classes [Top]

TORI WITTY (Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Children's Work)
earned her Bachelor's Degree in Child Development at Cal State, Fullerton. She performed with the Bay Area Dance Group, "Dance 10," taught jazz at Berkeley Ballet's Summer School and was assistant to dancer/choreographer Steve Escudero, teaching and choreographing at numerous Junior Colleges in Southern California. [Top]

ALLY ZWAHLEN (Jazz, Hip Hop)
is a former SRVDA student who graduated from UCSB with a major in dance and communications. Ally works with San Francisco's jazz based "Pack the House" production company. She is currently on staff with the USA dance team, is an alumna of Culture Shock and has performed with such artists as Run DMC and Third Eye Blind. Ally has danced on music videos with Felonious and Pearl, performed in the AFC Super Bowl Half Time Show in 2002 and in 2005 was a dancer at the Passport Fashion Show for J-Lo's Sweetface line. [Top]

LISELLE KITCHENS (Acro/Gym)
LAUREN KITCHENS (Acro/Gym)
AIMEE KRASOVICH (Jazz/Contemporary)
KATIE MALOOLEY (Hip Hop)
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