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]

ED & GAYLE FARLEY (Ballet)
both attended the University of Utah and danced professionally with Ballet West in Salt Lake City. Gayle was with the company, under the direction of Bruce Marks, Toni Lander, and Denise Schultz, for eight years, where some of her favorite roles were in ballets such as "Swan Lake," "Etudes," "Carmina Burana," "Concerto Barocco," and the premier revival of August Bournonvilles' "Abdallah." As a student Gayle studied at the Metropolitan School of Ballet in Bethesda, MD under the direction of Charles Dickson and Allan Woodard, and spent her summers at Ballet West's summer camp in Aspen, CO, where she had the opportunity to study Bournonville technique with Dinna Bjorn of the Royal Danish Ballet. Ed received degrees in both Ballet and Finance at the University of Utah and rose to the rank of soloist in Ballet West. 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" and Willam Christensen's "Filling Station." Ed trained at the Rosanne Zimmerman School of Ballet in Los Angeles and spent his summers dancing at the School of American Ballet (New York City Ballet) with noted teachers such as Stanley Williams, Richard Rapp, and Alexandra Danilova. Gayle is co-director of the SRVDA Teen Ballet Company and Ed enjoys teaching and choreographing for the SRVDA Senior Ballet Company. Together they direct the Academy's holiday production, "Impressions Of The Nutcracker," bringing the show to new heights with each passing year.[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]

GREG 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]

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" performance, 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]

MEGAN IVEY (Tap)
has been dancing since the age of 8. She has not only trained with some of the most noted teachers in tap (Gregory Hines, Arthur Duncan, Max Pollack), but studied mime under the famed Marcel Marceau and ballet, under scholarship, with the Moscow Ballet and the Royal Ballet of London. She has performed in Repertoire Theatre and Summer Stock throughout the United States and is currently a member of the Bay Area Rhythm 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, graduating Summa Cum Laude 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 has been director of SRVDA's Senior Tap Company since its beginning, 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]

JULIE LUSHINGTON (Pilates Based Stretch/Conditioning)
has been teaching movement, Pilates, and fitness for over 30 years. After a 10 year professional career in Modern Dance in New York City, she received her M.A. in Movement Education at N.Y.U. She worked as a dance medicine specialist at St. Francis Memorial Hospital for 11 years, using Pilates as a method for physical rehabilitation. She has also taught Dance Kinesiology at San Jose State University and at Mills College. Julie places equal importance on technique, body awareness, and fun in her classes. [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. [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 and has co-directed both the Senior and Teen Ballet Companies since 2003; she directs the newly formed Junior Ballet Company as well. Students at the Academy benefit greatly from her years of diverse training and professional performing experience.   [Top]

MARY ANN PASCH (Gymnastics)
has coached gymnastics in the Bay Area for 20 years and at SRVDA since 2000. She received her training in San Francisco and San Mateo, and competed nationally as a Class I gymnast for San Mateo Gymnastics and UC Davis. Mary Ann loves gymnastics and enjoys teaching and passing the joy of the sport on to her students.  [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 has taught at the Academy since its inception in 1969, and became a partner when the new facility was completed in 1979. She has established a reputation for her successful and positive approach in working with young children; she regards teaching with an innate sensitivity to her students. [Top]

BYRON SEDDENS (Jazz) 
has danced at Great America, in Beach Blanket Babylon, School House Rock, and "Dazzle Dance" in Lake Tahoe; his teaching background includes Dancers Synectics in San Francisco and UC Davis. [Top]

NICHOLE TILTON (Gymnastics, Acro)
was one of the Academy's first gymnastic students over 30 years ago. She returned to SRVDA in 1998 as coach and instructor in the gymnastic program, served as office administrator as well, was promoted to Director of Gymnastics, and became an owner in 2005.  Her gymnastic background includes coaching in Santa Clara as well as at the NorCal Gymnastic Camp in Santa Cruz.  Nichole introduced Sports Acro to the Academy in 2000, and the SRVDA Acro Team has won top awards in local, regional, state, and national meets over the past 5 years. This year at the National Meet in Des Moines, IA, Nichole was named Elite Coach of the year. [Top]

PATRICIA TOMLINSON (Ballet) 
has studied with Melissa Hayden, George Balanchine, Alexandra Danilova, Peter Martins, & Helgi Tomasson. She was chosen by Natalia Makarova to perform in her company, was a soloist with Houston Ballet Company, danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet, and was a principal dancer with Diablo Ballet, performing both classical and contemporary works. In 1995, Ms. Tomlinson placed 4th among a group of competitors from 32 countries at the World Ballet Competition in Osaka, Japan. [Top]

KORY WATKINS (Hip Hop)
excels as a dancer (Grammy Awards, Bette Midler's New Year's Eve Celebration), choreographer (T.L.C., Housin Authority), and teacher (Funkworks, Dance Attack, Citi Center 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 been teaching ballet for over 48 years; her  commitment to her students and her knowledge of classical ballet continue to provide 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]

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