HIGHLIGHTS OF PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCE

Dance & Fitness Instructor 

Choreographer

Dance Performer

TV, Film, Competitive Events 

Education and Professional Training

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

Business Administrator

Co-Founder, VP and Business Manager, Masterpiece Dance Theatre (MDT)

MDT operated under the auspices of the West Coast Classical Ballet Society, 

a non-profit organization, 2000 - 2017

As Business Manager for MDT, I ensured compliance with federal and state laws, prepared fiscal reports, co-developed boards, established a patron subscription program, prepared and submitted grant proposals, including having received funding from organizations including American Express Foundation, Dole Corporation, and United Way; secured contributions from private donors up to $30K; garnered endorsements from and participated in corporate sponsored events with companies such as British and Lufthansa Airlines, Tiffany & Co., Mercedes Benz and the LA Cultural Affairs Department 

Have procured dance performers and teachers from the US, Europe and Russia including Peridance Dance Center, New York, the Kirov Ballet Company, St. Petersburg, Russia, the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Münster Tanz Theater, the former Ballet International, Indianapolis, the former Delta Dance Academy, British Columbia, Canada and a variety of talented performers and teachers who live and work within the greater Los Angeles County

Received mention in a Los Angeles Times newspaper article (May 1987), which brought to light collaborations and negotiations that were taking place with the Kirov Ballet and Vaganova Ballet Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia (then under the direction of Leonid Nadirov, Altynai Asylmuratova). 

I was instrumental in co-creating and establishing the first endorsed Vaganova Ballet program instructed at a private dance academy on

 the West Coast which operated over a multi-year period . My primary female dance partner and master Vaganova ballet teacher for several years

was Nadezhda Kalmanovskaya, now deceased

Experienced in managing dance academy operations and staff up to thirty people, allocated revenues, procured faculty and performers, purchased production equipment, created and designed marketing materials, recruited students and provided artistic and academic counseling to those students in pursuit of undergraduate degrees  

Have participated in numerous civic, educational and promotional events by noteworthy organizations including the Beverly Hills Education Foundation, the Ramon C. Cortez School, the Colburn School, the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and the Center for Early Education

Proficient with computer applications such as Windows and Apple Mac and a functional knowledge of digital media such as video and audio editing and website design

Dance & Fitness Instructor 

Münster Tanz Theater, Münster, Germany, 1990-1991

California Dance Theatre, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village, California 

 (Ballet Instructor and Choreographer, 2012, 2013, 2016)

University of California, Los Angeles 

(Junior Discovery, F.I.T., Dance Instructor, 2005)

University of Southern California 

(Adjunct Professor, Department of Theater, Undergraduate - Ballet, 2001)

Masterpiece Dance Theater (MDT), West Los Angeles, CA., Ballet Ecarte, Culver City, CA

(Dance Instructor, Elementary - High School levels, Adults, Undergraduates, Graduates)

(Ballet Ecarte, 1994 - 1999; Masterpiece Dance Theater 2000 - 2013)

YMCA Milwaukee, WI (Youth Dance Instructor 1984)

As a Dance Instructor I have taught a variety of dance styles including Ballet (Petipa-Vaganova), Contemporary Dance, Post-Modern Dance, Choreography, Hip-hop, Jazz, Slavic Dance, Dynamic and Static Stretching and the History of Dance and other key elements of theatrical production 

As a celebrity trainer and coach, I have co-coached actors; Penelope Cruz, Emmy Rossum, John Blyth Barrymore, 

Alwyn Kushner, Hanala Sagal and the late Brittany Murphy

As an invited guest Ballet Instructor and Choreographer for Julies Dance School and Store, located in Jakarta, Indonesia  

I instructed a three-day Ballet (Vaganova) workshop for dance students and teachers and created an original ensemble Choreography, presented to the families of the students and dance teachers working regionally

Delta Dance Academy, Vancouver, Canada (Performer and Guest Dance Instructor)

Scuola di Danza Tersicore, Ostia Lido, Rome, Italy (Guest Asst. Ballet Instructor)

Trained with Kirov Ballet Company teachers in St. Petersburg, Russia, London, England, Los Angeles, CA

Certified as a Foundation Training Instructor (Level One), a powerful postural exercise system

Instructed and performed at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Imagination Celebration 

Choreographer

 LA Opera, The Music Center; Fedora Gala, attended by celebrities such as Placido Domingo, Maria Ewing, 

Priscilla Presley, Shirley MacLaine, John Lithgow, Bill Conti and Lalo Schifrin

American Jewish University, Culver City Symphony, Grace Lutheran Church Music Ministries, 

and First Church of Nazarene PazNaz 

Assistant Choreographer, the Dance of the Moorish Slaves (youth dances) in the Opera “Aida” at the Verona Arena, Italy, attended by 15,000 people

Original production versions of Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Carmen Suite, featuring a cast comprised of guest dancers from Russia and local dance students

Getty Center Los Angeles, Family Festival, Degas exhibit; Commissioned by Community Arts Resources 

Choreographed and staged period piece dances

Legends of Dance Awards and show, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, James Armstrong Theater, consulted by producer David Gest, with honorees including California Assemblyman George Nakano, Anne Miller, Igal Perry, Ninella Kurgapkina, Paul Maure, Tanya Lichine (posthumous), and created original Choreography

Dance Performer

Over twenty years' experience as an international Dance performer, subject matter expert in ballet, Choreography and Contemporary Dance, including commissions in Canada, Europe and Asia

Principal and Soloist roles have included: Madame Butterfly (Contemporary ballet), Coppelia (Ballet), L'Après-midi d'un faune (Contemporary Grecian dance), Graduation Ball (Ballet/Ballroom), Mazeppa (Contemporary Ballet), Parade (Contemporary Ballet), Les Sylphides (Neoclassical ballet), Nutcracker, Swan Lake (Petipa-Vaganova), Paquita (French/Russian Ballet), and Baroque and Renaissance dances

Münster Tanz Theater, Former Dance Company Member and Instructor, Münster, Germany (1990-1991)

Lyrical Jazz Ballet for the Music Center, Club 100, honoring Lyricist, Hal David at its 35th Anniversary Gala

 An original Ballroom dance duet, inspired on a theme of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, 

presented at the American Youth Symphony’s annual fundraiser

From Russia to Hollywood: The 100-Year Odyssey of Chekhov and Shdanoff,  an award-winning Documentary, which aired on PBS, performed the Fokine ballet “Le Spectre de la Rose”, the Gala event being held in Hollywood CA. honoring acting teacher George Shdanoff 

Peace Through Music and Dance benefit performance, First Church of Nazarene and choreographed and performed in the culminating orchestral dance “Kol Nidre”, benefitting victims of Darfur Sudan

TV, Film, Competitive Events 

Interview on Pasadena Cable TV alongside Louis Gossett Jr., Academy Award Winner

2002 Olympic Figure Skating Bronze Medalist, Timothy Goebel (Ballet trainer, originally commissioned by Frank Carroll)

NBC TV Interview, Brittany Murphy, Beyond the Headlines; Model and Dancer, ABC Good Morning America; ABC General Hospital; Lead Actor in a short film (Grand Jete) by USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate student. 

 UCLA School of Film and Television (A Graduate student Video production)

Masako Ohya, International Ballet Competition, Osaka, Japan and Normandy, France (Adjudicator)

Goldfinger the movie (1964, cast as a child swimmer)

Education & Professional Training

Language Proficiency: French, German, Spanish (conversational level)

Schenectady County Community College (Undergraduate studies, 1985, 1986)

Santa Monica College (Undergraduate studies, 1978, 1979, 1988

Fairfax High School and Beverly Hills High School (Graduate, 1977)

Southern California Military Academy (Graduate, Elementary school, 1970 - 1973)

Milwaukee Ballet School and Company, Milwaukee, WI (1984/85)

(Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary Dance)

Early Dance and Theatrical training

Al Gilbert Studio (Tap), Yuri Smaltzoff (Slavic dance performance and Ballet), 

Irina Kosmovska (Ballet), George Zoritch (Partnering), Tanya Lichine (Ballet), 

Lawrence Rosenberg (Ballet), Stanley Holden (Ballet), Margaret G. Hills, Alexandra Denisova

John Drew Barrymore (scene study, private instruction)   

Highlights of Professional Membership and Volunteerism 

Wildlife Images, Grants Pass, OR

Marina Christian Fellowship, Marina del Rey, CA

Eracism Foundation, Malibu, CA

Dance Resource Center, Los Angeles, CA

CORPS de Ballet International

Dance USA

IDEA Health and Fitness Assoc

UNESCO International Dance Council (CID), Paris, France

International Fitness Professionals Assoc

American Dance Therapy Assoc

Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce

Culver City Chamber of Commerce

HIGHLIGHTS OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

Masterpiece Dance Theatre Business Manager, Dance and Fitness Teacher 2000-2017  

West LA, California

West Coast Classical Ballet Society CEO (Nonprofit organization) 2000-2017

West LA, California Vice President

California Dance Theatre Ballet Teacher and Choreographer 2016, 2013, 2012

Westlake, California

Universtiy of Southern California Adjunct Professor (Ballet Teacher) 2001/2000 

Dept of Theatre, Los Angeles, California

Hospitality Industry Chef & Banquet/Restaurant Server 1984-2022

(Oregon, Los Angeles, New York State, Texas, Hawaii, Germany)

Certifications

Foundation Training Instructor (Level I) Certification Number 00424 6/7/15 (does not expire)

Beverly Hills Cooking School, CA.  Certified Professional Chef   1987

Academic Education

Schenectady County Community College, New York (Culinary Arts Program)   1986/1985

Courses completed: Organizational Management, Math for Food Service, 

Computers for Hospitality Industry, Food Administration/Menu Planning, Marketing/Sales, 

Banquet Management, Wines of the World, Baking,  Elementary French

Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, California (Liberal Arts) 1988/1979/1978

Courses completed: Human Biology, Nutrition, Advertising, British Civilization, Public Speaking, 

Architectural Planning, Delineation, Rendering, Environmental Design, Stock Market, 

Anatomy of Musical Theatre, Musical Theatre, Ballet, Modern Dance, Advanced Dance Movement, 

International Folk Dance, Fencing, Vocal Studies, Tennis, Yoga

Language Proficiency 

English (100%); and Limited speaking proficiency in French, German, Russian, Spanish

Culinary Skill Set

Food Preparation: experienced in all manner of gourmet food preparation not limited to (line cooking, pantry cooking), hot/cold foods including Dairy, Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Vegetarian, Vegan; Chinese; European, Mediterranean, Armenian, French, German, Hispanic, Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Polish/Russian, and Vegetarian food preparation; Special event and holiday food preparation, Preparing drinks made from coffee and teas, and in other areas related to Baking, Blending, Braising, Broiling, Carving, Chopping, Cutting, Dicing, Filleting, Freezing,  Infusion, Juicing, Kneading, Marinating, Sautéing

Highlights of Hospitality Industry, Professional Experience  

(Chef, Sous Chef, Banquet/Restaurant Server) 

Culinary Services Unlimited, LLC, Marina del Rey, CA  

TDS Foods Inc., San Mateo, CA   

Bermuda Resorts Inc./Burmuda Inn, Lancaster, CA  

Panavision International LP, Woodland Hills, CA 

Buxton Thomas Burroughs & Co., Stevenson RNH  

Papaya's Natural Foods, Kapaau, Hawaii                     

Cronrath’s Restaurant, Munster, Germany                      

Vincent-Four Seasons Inc., Carlsbad, CA  

Culinary Olympic Team, Rancho Santa Fe, CA          

Pritikin Longevity, Santa Monica, CA   

Quinn's Health Pantry Inc.,West Hollywood, CA   

A Votre Sante Restaurant, Los Angeles, CA    

Good Earth Restaurant