• Ballet
• Pointe
• Jazz
• Musical Theatre
• Character
• Hip Hop
• Theory
• Acting

Robert Kelley

Robert Kelley received his formal dance training at the School of American Ballet, San FranciscoBalletSchool and with Alonzo King. He danced professionally with Charleston Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet and Fort Wayne Ballet, where he also served as Ballet Master and Resident Choreographer. As a dancer, he had many works choreographed especially for him by choreographers, such as Jill Eathorne Bahr, Philip Jerry and Ron Cunningham. Robert has performed every major classical role and was known for his onstage charisma and sublime partnering abilities.

Robert's choreography lives in the repertoires of many regional and professional companies across the United States, including his full length "Cinderella" and "Beauty and the Beast." His choreography has earned several awards and two of his works are in the Regional America Choreography Plan. He was the Artistic Director of San Jose Dance Theatre, where he implemented several ongoing community programs. Robert has choreographed over thirty ballets for the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. His "Linear Context" won the RDA Choreographic Excellence Award in 2006, and his "The Condition Hereafter" won the same award in 2008.

In addition to his work for the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, Robert sits on the Tannery Arts Center Board and represents Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre as an Associate of the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County. Robert teaches all levels of students at The Studio of Classical Ballet, of which he is also co-director. Robert and Diane were honored in 2009 with a Gail Rich Award for their contribution to the Santa Cruz arts community, and Robert is the recipient of the 2010 Artist of the Year Award, given by the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission.

Kameron Saunders

Kameron N. Saunders was born in St. Louis, MO. He is a graduate of the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. He graduated from Metro Academic & Classical High School while doing his dance training at COCA (Center of Creative Arts). There he studied ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, and choreography as a part of their Pre-Professional Program.  Kameron is currently a principal dancer with Afriky Lolo; a West-African dance company in St. Louis, MO under the direction of Diadie Bathily.  Kameron has choreographed for the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Washington University, Missouri Contemporary Ballet, The Big Muddy Dance Company, Consuming Kinetics Dance Company, MADCO, and COCA. He has also choreographed for Tony award-winning actor Ken Page for his original play for dance, Sublime Intimacy, which premiered in December of 2015. In January of 2017 Kameron started his own project-based dance company, Kambré Contemporary Dance Company. In addition to that he has returned to COCA to teach dance and now serves as the student company Rehearsal Director to former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater principal dancers, Antonio and Kirven Douthit-Boyd.

Maggie Rupp

Maggie Rupp began dancing at the early age of 3. She started her training at Westside Dance Academy where she studied not only ballet, but tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, and theatrical dancing. She then decided to pursue ballet and studied for one year at Oregon Ballet Theatre, and then at The Portland Ballet from 2008-2012 where she got to perform many principal roles such as "Titania" in John Cliffords A Midsummer Night's Dream, "The Blue Fairy" in John Clifford's La Boutique Fantasque, Val Caniparoli's Street Songs, "Odette" in Swan Lake, as well as many Balanchine excerpts. Maggie joined the Sacramento Ballet as an apprentice dancer in 2012, and was promoted the next year to The Company and has been there ever since. While at Sacramento Ballet, she has performed roles such as "Tinkerbell" in Ron Cunningham's brand new production of Peter Pan, "Myrtle Wilson" in Ron Cunningham's The Great Gatsby, "Snow Queen" in Ron Cunningham's The Nutcracker, "1st Lead Regiment Girl" in George Balanchine's Stars & Stripes and also "Blue Girl/Just Right" in Ron Cunningham's Carmina Burana. Along with dancing, Maggie has also modeled for Oliver Endahl's Ballet Zaida, such as photos and his short film Nesoi, and has also modeled for Richard Giorla's Cardio Barre, and Adidas. Maggie also loves to sing and act!

Melanie Haller

Melanie Haller received her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under world renowned teacher, Marcia Dale Weary, and with other prestigious mentors such as Darla Hoover, Alan Hineline, Leslie Hench, Richard Cook, and Melinda Howe. Over the course of a decade, her training included the annual participation with RDA/Northeast, the International Ballet Competition, in 2004 and 2008, representing the Northeast region, and attending the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program for four consecutive years in the highest level under the direction of Devon Carney.  With Darla Hoover’s affiliation with New York City Ballet, Ms. Haller grew up performing Balanchine works such as Concerto Barocco, Divertimento #15, Harlequinade, La Source, Raymonda Variations, Serenade, Star and Stripes, Valse Fantasie, and Walpurgisnacht. At the age of eighteen, she joined the Sacramento Ballet as an apprentice and was immediately given principal roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Her Balanchine repertoire expanded and was highlighted in Allegro Brillante, Agon, The Four Temperaments, Scotch Symphony, Tarantella, Western Symphony, Who Cares?, and Ron Cunningham’s productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, Carmina Burana, Hamlet, A Street Car Named Desire, The Tempest, The Firebird, Carmen, Rite of Spring, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. After six years with the company, she retired and began teaching in the Sacramento community. California Musical Theatre credits include playing Tintinabula in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She has also worked with The Sacramento Opera and choreographed their productions of Otello and The Marriage of Figaro. She was the Principal of The School of the Sacramento Ballet and the Artistic Director of their Sacramento Ballet Youth Ensemble.

Erin Zintek

Erin Zintek is originally from Milwaukee Wisconsin where she started her training under Kellie Plathe from Accent On Dance. Erin graduated from the University of Iowa with a BFA in dance. There she worked exclusively with Dan Stark, Alan Sener, Jennifer Kayle, George de la Pena, Armando Duarte, and Charlotte Adams. She was chosen to dance with the University's Dancer's In Company (DIC), traveling around the midwest. She has performed for ACDFA two years in a row, and received multiple scholarships.

Pre-professionally and professionally Erin has danced with Charlotte Adams and Dancers, David Dorfman and Dancers, Poetic Rebound Co., and Bill Young. During the summer of 2008, she traveled to Brazil to study capoeira and dance with the company Bale Folclorico. Since moving to Portland she has worked with KO&Co., Paige McKinney, Esther LaPointe, The Detail, and Jim McGinn in "Top Shake Dance". Erin is the assistant coach for the Multnomah Athletic Club pre-professional company, and specializes in contemporary/modern movement. She choreographs for the MAC and studios around Portland. Erin is also certified in pilates, yoga and is the co-creator of Evolution PDX.

Lisa Buchmiller

Lisa Buchmiller began dancing at an early age at Tri-Cities Academy of Ballet in Richland, WA. She also performed with Mid-Columbia Ballet under the artistic direction of Debra Pearse Rogo. In college, Lisa discovered her true passion - teaching movement. Lisa resides in Portland, OR where she is a certified personal trainer, certified yoga instructor, dance instructor, co-creator of Evolution PDX and the yoga supervisor at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Whether working with clients individually, or teaching a class, Lisa combines her expertise in many different disciplines to help students prevent injury, and, through Evolution PDX, to become stronger, longer, balanced and more connected to their bodies.