San Benito Dance Faculty

Faculty

DIRECTOR Kim Lavagnino's passion is classical ballet and teaching to pint size ballerinas. She has studied ballet for 8 years and has been teaching to 6. She specializes in Petite Ballet and Ballet I. When she opened San Benito Dance Academy in September of 2005 it was with much excitement and a desire to create a family atmosphere and give the finest in classical ballet instruction. She performed for 3 years in Pacific Ballet Academy's annual production of the Nutcracker. Kim rekindled her theatre dream when she began choreographing for San Benito Stage Company. She was the choreographer for "Oliver" (Summer 2004), "Pocahantas" (Spring 2005), "South Pacific" (Summer 2005), "Beauty and the Beast" (Summer 2007). She received The Member's Choice Award for Best Choreographer for "Oliver" and "Beauty and the Beast". She will be Choreographing SB Stage Company's 2008 summer production of "The Wizard of Oz".	Email Kim
Email Stephanie	Stephanie Hicks has more than 30 years of classical ballet and dance experience. She was a member of the Central Valley Civic Ballet Company for 6 years and has been teaching advanced ballet for over 5 years. As an active member of her Church and Community, Stephanie also is involved with the San Benito Stage Company as Choreographer for their recent production of "Bye Bye Birdie ". Stephanie teaches pre-pointe and pointe level ballet and is thrilled to be part of San Benito Dance Academy. "I enjoy seeing my students advance and I am inspired by their passion and love of dance."
Nants Foley is our adult Classical Ballet instructor. Nants Foley fell in love with dance at age 6. In her training she received the best of Cecchetti, Russian, Royal and Bourneville. She began training under Olga Ziceva. Most of her training was under the direction of Richard Gibson, a former member of both the Joffrey Ballet and the San Francisco ballet who later became Company Teacher and Principal Teacher for the Joffrey Ballet and Joffrey School. He was artistic director of the Peninsula Ballet Theatre (formerly Ziceva Ballet Studio then Dick Ford Dance Center) during Nants' 12 years of intensive study. Though she chose college over a professional dance career, she has continued to dance as a form of expression, exercise and relaxation. Her tremendous sense of humor and passion for dance always spill into her classes which tone the body and nurture the soul.	Email Nants
	Chloe Lavagnino has been a student of classical ballet for 8 years. She comes to us with 4 years of teaching experience. She received training from SBDA's Stephanie Hicks who provided her first pointe instruction. She has had world class instruction at Pacific Ballet Academy for 4 years under Marion Chaeff, Rima Chaeff who danced with San Francisco Ballet and ABT. Lawrence Peck who dances as a principle with the San Francisco Ballet and is a choreographer/instructor with ABT. Anton Pankervich, who has danced with the New York City Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet and the Royal Ballet. Amanda Ban danced with San Francisco Ballet before becoming a full time instructor at PBA. Another instructor was Lisa Sundstrom from NYC Ballet. Kim Bowman who was trained at Boston's Walnut Hill. Chloe auditioned for and was accepted into American Ballet Theatre's summer intensive program in Detroit, Michigan. Some of her instructors were Alaine Haubert, who was a principle dancer with ABT until a back injury ended her dancing career, but continues on as an instructor with ABT. Ted Kivitt was a principle dancer with ABT for 20+ years was another instructor at ABT's Summer Intensive. Chloe instructs all levels at San Benito Dance Academy.
Holly Grabeel had classical ballet instruction as a child through college. Watching her daughters enjoy ballet, rekindled her passion. It wasn't long before she was teaching Petite and Ballet I classes. "Teaching ballet is a joy; seeing little ones grow in their skill and excitement for dance".
	Kelsey Forbush has been dancing for thirteen years. She has been trained in modern, lyrical, tap, jazz, ballet, and pointe. She has performed as a semi-professional for SpectorDance since 2006. She has studied many teachers including Erica Jeffrey, Michael Lowe, Fran Spector Atkins, Ray Savage, and Stacey Printz
Sara Kimmich started ballet training with Patricia Rose of New York and continued under Kerry Burcham of Northern California. Additional training was received at the Marin Civic Ballet School and the Sacramento Ballet. Sara has studied dance at several junior colleges enjoying jazz, modern, aerobics and of course, ballet.

DIRECTOR

Kim Lavagnino's passion is classical ballet and teaching to pint size ballerinas. She has studied ballet for 8 years and has been teaching to 6. She specializes in Petite Ballet and Ballet I. When she opened San Benito Dance Academy in September of 2005 it was with much excitement and a desire to create a family atmosphere and give the finest in classical ballet instruction. She performed for 3 years in Pacific Ballet Academy's annual production of the Nutcracker. Kim rekindled her theatre dream when she began choreographing for San Benito Stage Company. She was the choreographer for "Oliver" (Summer 2004), "Pocahantas" (Spring 2005), "South Pacific" (Summer 2005), "Beauty and the Beast" (Summer 2007). She received The Member's Choice Award for Best Choreographer for "Oliver" and "Beauty and the Beast". She will be Choreographing SB Stage Company's 2008 summer production of "The Wizard of Oz".

Kim

Email Kim

steph

Email Stephanie

Stephanie Hicks has more than 30 years of classical ballet and dance experience. She was a member of the Central Valley Civic Ballet Company for 6 years and has been teaching advanced ballet for over 5 years. As an active member of her Church and Community, Stephanie also is involved with the San Benito Stage Company as Choreographer for their recent production of "Bye Bye Birdie ". Stephanie teaches pre-pointe and pointe level ballet and is thrilled to be part of San Benito Dance Academy. "I enjoy seeing my students advance and I am inspired by their passion and love of dance."

Nants Foley is our adult Classical Ballet instructor. Nants Foley fell in love with dance at age 6. In her training she received the best of Cecchetti, Russian, Royal and Bourneville. She began training under Olga Ziceva. Most of her training was under the direction of Richard Gibson, a former member of both the Joffrey Ballet and the San Francisco ballet who later became Company Teacher and Principal Teacher for the Joffrey Ballet and Joffrey School. He was artistic director of the Peninsula Ballet Theatre (formerly Ziceva Ballet Studio then Dick Ford Dance Center) during Nants' 12 years of intensive study. Though she chose college over a professional dance career, she has continued to dance as a form of expression, exercise and relaxation. Her tremendous sense of humor and passion for dance always spill into her classes which tone the body and nurture the soul.

Nants

Email Nants

Chloe

Chloe Lavagnino has been a student of classical ballet for 8 years. She comes to us with 4 years of teaching experience. She received training from SBDA's Stephanie Hicks who provided her first pointe instruction. She has had world class instruction at Pacific Ballet Academy for 4 years under Marion Chaeff, Rima Chaeff who danced with San Francisco Ballet and ABT. Lawrence Peck who dances as a principle with the San Francisco Ballet and is a choreographer/instructor with ABT. Anton Pankervich, who has danced with the New York City Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet and the Royal Ballet. Amanda Ban danced with San Francisco Ballet before becoming a full time instructor at PBA. Another instructor was Lisa Sundstrom from NYC Ballet. Kim Bowman who was trained at Boston's Walnut Hill. Chloe auditioned for and was accepted into American Ballet Theatre's summer intensive program in Detroit, Michigan. Some of her instructors were Alaine Haubert, who was a principle dancer with ABT until a back injury ended her dancing career, but continues on as an instructor with ABT. Ted Kivitt was a principle dancer with ABT for 20+ years was another instructor at ABT's Summer Intensive. Chloe instructs all levels at San Benito Dance Academy.

Holly Grabeel had classical ballet instruction as a child through college. Watching her daughters enjoy ballet, rekindled her passion. It wasn't long before she was teaching Petite and Ballet I classes. "Teaching ballet is a joy; seeing little ones grow in their skill and excitement for dance".

Holly

Kelsey

Kelsey Forbush has been dancing for thirteen years. She has been trained in modern, lyrical, tap, jazz, ballet, and pointe. She has performed as a semi-professional for SpectorDance since 2006. She has studied many teachers including Erica Jeffrey, Michael Lowe, Fran Spector Atkins, Ray Savage, and Stacey Printz

Sara Kimmich started ballet training with Patricia Rose of New York and continued under Kerry Burcham of Northern California. Additional training was received at the Marin Civic Ballet School and the Sacramento Ballet. Sara has studied dance at several junior colleges enjoying jazz, modern, aerobics and of course, ballet.