Artistic team

Upper Division Faculty

INNA BAYER

Founder, Artistic Director, and Instructor

EDUCATION

Master's Degree, Pedagogy with Honors, Bolshoi Ballet Academy

Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, Voronezh State Academy of Arts

Ms. Inna Bayer is a master teacher of the Russian Vaganova Method of classical ballet and character dance, with more than 13 years of experience as a professional dancer and over 30 years of experience as a ballet mistress and educator.

Ms. Inna earned her Master’s Degree with honors in Pedagogy and Choreography from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy (Moscow State Academy of Choreography) and her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from the Voronezh State Academy of Arts.

During her performing career, Inna toured throughout France, Spain, Germany, and Poland and performed as a classical ballet soloist in Kyiv, Ukraine. Her extensive professional experience continues to inform both her artistic vision and technical approach to teaching.

Ms. Inna began her teaching career in 1992 at the Bat-Dor Dance School, where she taught classical ballet and character dance. She later moved to the United States, where she taught character dance at the San Francisco Ballet School. From 2000 through the summer of 2007, Inna served as Ballet Mistress at Westlake School for the Performing Arts in Daly City, California. During her tenure, she prepared students for numerous performances, including *The Nutcracker*, competitions, and annual recitals. In her final year at Westlake, her students participated successfully in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in Scotland.

In 2002, the American Dance Awards named Ms. Inna Choreographer of the Year. In 2016, she received the Outstanding Teacher Award at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) San Francisco Semi-Finals.

Ms. Inna founded Bayer Ballet Academy in 2005 out of a passion for passing on the art and discipline of classical ballet to future generations. The Academy has been recognized as an Outstanding School by Youth America Grand Prix for nine consecutive years, from 2018 through 2026. Inna’s students have earned top honors and international recognition at some of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), Prix de Lausanne, the Moscow International Ballet Competition, World Ballet Competition (WBC), International Dance Challenge (IDC), and American Dance Awards.

Bayer Ballet Academy students have been accepted into prestigious schools and programs including the Vaganova Ballet Academy, Paris Opera Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet School, Princess Grace Academy, the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and John Cranko Schule.

Ms. Inna’s former students from Israel and the United States have gone on to dance professionally with leading ballet and contemporary dance companies throughout the world, including the Mariinsky Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, State Ballet of Georgia, Batsheva Dance Company, Ballet Israeli, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, Scottish Ballet, Compañía Nacional de Danza, Alberta Ballet, Inbal Pinto Dance Company, Ballet Austin, Boston Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, Atlanta Ballet, Croatian National Theatre in Split, and State Opera Stara Zagora, among others.

MAIIA MUSAEVA

Instructor

EDUCATION

Master's Degree, Kazan State University of Culture and Arts (2012)

Training, Ulan-Ude School of Choreography
Teachers: N.A. Abykova and L.Sakhyanova

Ms. Musaeva is a respected professor of classical ballet and an accomplished professional dancer. M. Musaeva’s students are distinguished by their academic approach, purity of performance, and high technical level, which allow them to win prizes at international festivals and competitions.

PERFORMANCE CAREER

Buryat State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (State Academic Mariinsky Theatre), where she performed leading roles of classical repertoire under the guidance of G. Komleva and S. Berezhny
Musa Jalil Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet.
Ms. Musaeva toured internationally

REPERTOIRE

“Swan Lake” - Odette and Odile, Pas de Trois, Big Swans;
“Don Quixote” - Kitri, Street Dancer, an inserted variation from Act III, Girlfriends;
“Sleeping Beauty”- The Lilac Fairy, The Diamond Fairy; Princess Florine, Fairies from the Prologue;
“Giselle” - Myrtha, an inserted pas de deux, the two Willis;
“Le Corsaire” - Medora’s pas de deux, Gulnara’s pas d’Esclave, Trio;
“Spartacus” - Aegina;
“Mowgli” - Bagheera;
“Walpurgis Night” - Bacchante, Nymphs;
“Pas de quatre” – Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi;
Pas de deux - “Diana and Actaeon”;
Pas de deux - “La Esmeralda”, to name a few.

EDUCATOR

2010-2018: Kazan School of Choreography, following the A.Y. Vaganova System
2018-2023: L. Różytski State Professional Ballet School (Ogólnokształcącą Szkołą Baletową im. L. Różyckiego w Bytomiu nauczyciel tanca klasycznego), Poland

PUBLICATIONS & TECHNICAL PAPERS

Institute of Additional Professional Education (Professional Development) (2014)
Presented a paper on the topic "Current issues of improving the level of professional mastery of classical dance teachers and choreography concertmasters”
Perm State Choreography College (2014)
Presented the work "Methods and peculiarities of teaching special disciplines in primary and secondary school"
Institute of Additional Professional Education (Professional Development) (2015)
Presented a paper on "Methods of teaching classical dance"
Moscow State Academy of Choreography (Bolshoi) (2016)
Participant of educational and methodological events of "Moscow Ballet School in the regions of Russia"
Polish Ministry of Education
Created video materials on classical dance methodology "Teacher's Diary"

AWARDS & HONORS

Individual Award of the II degree for outstanding contribution to the development of creative education in Poland
"Festival of Terpsichore" International Competition: awarded the diploma of laureate of the second degree and Audience Award
Student Successes: “ZŁOTE POINTY” (2019); Gdansk Ogólnopolski konkurs XXI (2019); “EUROPEAN BALLET GRAND PRIX” (2020); Gdansk Ogólnopolski konkurs XXII (2022)

ELENA NIKOLAEVA

Instructor

EDUCATION

Ballet Dancer, Vaganova Ballet Academy

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Choreographic Art, Vaganova Ballet Academy

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Ballet Pedagogy, Vaganova Ballet Academy

Elena Nikolaeva is a distinguished ballet educator and former professional dancer. From 1991 to 2002, she was a soloist with the St. Petersburg Russian Ballet Theater. In 2002, she joined the Ballet of the Croatian National Theatre Split (HNK Split), where she became Prima Ballerina and later expanded her work into teaching and ballet mastery.

Throughout her performing career, Ms. Nikolaeva danced numerous leading and solo roles from the classical repertoire, including Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Kitri in Don Quixote, Giselle, Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadère, Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Pimpinella, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and Carmen. She performed at major theaters throughout Russia, including the Mariinsky Theatre, Hermitage Theatre, and Mussorgsky Theatre of Opera and Ballet in St. Petersburg, and toured extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Alongside her performing career, Ms. Nikolaeva developed an extensive career as a ballet educator. She began teaching at the Academy of Arts at the University of Split in 2004, where she served as an Associate Professor in Stage Movement. In 2009, she became Artistic Director and a teacher of classical ballet at the Boris Papandopulo Ballet School in Split. In 2014, she became an Associate Professor in Stage Movement at the University of Mostar and began working with young ballet soloists at HNK Split. She later served as Assistant Choreographer and Ballet Teacher and taught classical ballet at the HNK Split Ballet Studio. In 2021, she began working as a Ballet Master at the Croatian National Theatre Split.

Ms. Nikolaeva is a graduate of the renowned Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg. She received her diploma as a ballet dancer specializing in Choreographic Art in 1991 and, continuing her education at the Academy, earned her qualification as a ballet pedagogue and choreographer specializing in Ballet Pedagogy in 2011.

During her studies at the Vaganova Academy, Ms. Nikolaeva trained under distinguished Russian ballet pedagogues, soloists, principal dancers, and representatives of the Russian ballet tradition, including K.M. Sergeev, L.B. Kovaleva, E.B. Kokorina, L.N. Safronova, N.P. Sahnovskaja, V.S. Desnickij, V. Onoško, A.A. Stepin, G.N. Selucki, I.G. Gensler, L.E. Goncarova, A.B. Bruskin, I.I. Gorovaja, A.I. Manoškin, and Y. Gumba.

SORA KIM

Instructor

EDUCATION

Master’s Degree,

Ewha Womans University

Bachelor’s Degree,

Ewha Womans University

Certifications (Grades 1-8),

Vaganova Ballet Academy, St. Petersburg

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Sora Kim graduated with the highest distinctions from Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Ewha Womans University.

From 2003 to 2004, Ms. Kim received a Ballet Master Scholarship to continue her education in England. In 2018, she furthered her training at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, where she received additional certification. Ms. Kim is certified in the Vaganova teaching method for Grades 1 through 8.

From 2008 to 2012, Ms. Kim performed with Ballet Blanc in Korea, dancing a diverse repertoire of classical ballet and contemporary works. In 2012, she received the Female Ballet Dancer Acting Award at the Seoul Dance Festival, hosted by the Korean Dance Association.

From 2010 to 2020, Ms. Kim taught at Yewon School, which is recognized as an official partner school of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg.

OLGA VOLOBOUEVA

Instructor

EDUCATION

Teaching Diploma, Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, St. Petersburg
Teachers: N. Kurgapkina, N. Serebryannikov, B. Ratchinskay, M. Daukaev, I. Gensler, N. Yananis

Olga Voloboueva graduated from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 1989, where she studied in the class of Professor N. Kurgapkina. Upon graduation, she began her professional career with the Kirov Ballet, now the Mariinsky Ballet, in St. Petersburg.

Throughout her performing career, Ms. Voloboueva danced soloist and principal roles with the Kirov Ballet/Mariinsky Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, and Ballet Víctor Ullate. She also appeared as a guest artist with San Francisco Opera Ballet, Setsuko Itchikawa Ballet in Japan, and Arlington Ballet. Her career brought her to stages throughout England, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Scotland, Belgium, and France.

At the Mariinsky Theatre, Ms. Voloboueva’s repertoire included Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadère, Masha in The Nutcracker, Giselle in Giselle, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, the Sylph in La Sylphide, the Waltz and Mazurka in Chopiniana (Les Sylphides), the Hostess of the Copper Mountain in The Stone Flower, and pas de deux from Esmeralda and Don Quixote.

With Colorado Ballet, her repertoire included Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, the Diana and Acteon pas de deux, and works including George Balanchine’s Serenade, Rubies, Western Symphony, and Stars and Stripes, as well as Configurations by Choo San Goh and The River by Alvin Ailey.

With the Royal Ballet of Flanders, Ms. Voloboueva performed in works including The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, La Bayadère, William Forsythe’s Impressing the Czar and In the Middle, Richard Tanner’s Ancient Airs and Dances, Jan Fabre’s Swan Lake, Cayetano Soto Pastor’s Encounters, and Jerome Robbins’ In the Night.

Throughout her professional career, Ms. Voloboueva worked with numerous teachers, choreographers, directors, and artists, including N. Kurgapkina, T. Terehova, N. Bolshakova, O. Vinogradov, M. Fredman, Poul Mejia, Robert Denvers, Christopher Wheeldon, Victoria Morgan, Victoria Simon, William Forsythe, Jan Fabre, E. Evteeva, M. Daukaev, I. Kolpakova, Menia Martinez, Daniel Job, and Christine Redpath. Her stage partners included Andris Liepa, Farukh Ruzimatov, Makhar Vaziev, Igor Zelensky, Alexander Vetrov, Wim Vanlessen, Melis Pakri, Priit Kripson, and Stefan Jon Wise, among others.

Ms. Voloboueva also appeared in the film The Little Humpbacked Horse. Her participation in international competitions, festivals, and galas includes the First International Dance Festival in Miami, Dance Aspen Festival in Colorado, Golden Ballet Stars Gala in Tokyo, Stars of the White Nights in Russia, the Classical Ballet Festival named after Rudolf Nureyev, the First Vaganova Ballet Competition, where she received a First-Degree Diploma, and the In Memory of Rudolf Nureyev Ballet Competition in Hungary, where she received a diploma.

As an educator, Ms. Voloboueva has served as an international guest teacher at the Vaganova Ballet Academy, Ballet West in Scotland, Universal Ballet in South Korea, Yantra Ballet in Belgium, and Ballet Ruso in Barcelona.

Elenina Nikolaou

Director of Junior Day Program and Instructor

EDUCATION

Vaganova Ballet Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia
Professional Dance Training

Greek National Opera Dance School
Diploma in Ballet Pedagogy

Vaganova Ballet Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia
Teacher Retraining Program, 2019
Specialization in Junior and Middle Level Instruction

Performing Career

Before focusing exclusively on teaching, Ms. Nikolaou enjoyed a professional performing career with the Greek National Opera, Prague National Theater, and Thessaly Ballet, performing corps de ballet, soloist, and principal roles across classical, neoclassical, and contemporary repertoire.

Throughout her performing career, Ms. Nikolaou worked with internationally acclaimed artists including Vladimir Vasiliev, Irek Mukhamedov, and Ray Barra.

In 2003, Ms. Nikolaou represented Greece at the Eurovision Grand Prix for Young Dancers, placing among Europe’s top ten young dancers. Ms. Elenina was also awarded a scholarship from the Onassis Foundation in recognition of her artistic achievement.

Teaching Career

Ms. Nikolaou has more than 15 years of international teaching experience and has taught in professional training programs, higher education, and international workshops throughout Europe and the United States. Her teaching experience spans all levels, from young students to pre-professional dancers and aspiring ballet teachers.

Ms. Elenina has prepared students for admission to internationally respected institutions, including the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp, Tallinn Ballet School, and Bavaria Ballet Academy, and has served as a jury member for international ballet competitions.

Grounded in the principles of the Vaganova tradition, Ms. Nikolaou is dedicated to developing strong technical foundations while fostering artistry, musicality, discipline, and confidence. Her teaching combines technical precision with an individualized approach, helping dancers reach their artistic and technical potential while preserving the integrity of the classical ballet tradition.

PRE-BALLET DIVISION FACULTY

Anton Lukovkin

Director of Male Program and Instructor

EDUCATION

Kazakh National Academy of Choreography
Master of Art Science in Choreography and Dance, 2022

Vaganova Academy, St. Petersburg
Bachelor of Arts, 1999
Trained under Evgeny Shcherbakov

Performing Career

Mr. Lukovkin began his professional career with the Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet in St. Petersburg in 1999, first as an Artist and, from 2004 to 2007, as a Coryphée. His repertoire included the Jester in Swan Lake, William Forsythe’s Steptext, the Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle, the Nutcracker Doll in The Nutcracker, and Spring in Cinderella. In 2004, he was nominated for Best Male Dancer for the Benois de la Danse Award in Moscow.

In 2007, Mr. Lukovkin joined English National Ballet as a First Artist and was promoted to Soloist in 2010. During his tenure with the company, his repertoire included Albrecht in Giselle, the Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Bluebird Pas de Deux, Le Spectre de la Rose, Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, Petrushka, and the Faun in L’Après-midi d’un Faune. In 2011, he received English National Ballet’s People’s Choice Award.

Teaching Career

From 2019 to 2025, Mr. Lukovkin served as Principal Ballet Master and full-time teacher of classical ballet and acting at the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography in Astana.

Prior to this appointment, he taught classical ballet for professionals and adults at Danceworks in London and taught classical ballet and contemporary dance at Natalia Kremen Ballet School. At Natalia Kremen Ballet School, he also served as choreographer and producer of Bambi and as Production Manager for a fundraising gala at Cadogan Hall.

Contemporary Faculty

Mengjun Chen

SMUIN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN BALLET

Instructor

EDUCATION

Diploma, Dance, Beijing Dance Academy

Trainee Program (Full Scholarship), Joffrey Ballet

Mengjun Chen trained at the Beijing Dance Academy on a full scholarship, where he developed a strong foundation in classical ballet and performance. Following his training in China, he continued his studies in the United States as a full scholarship trainee with the Joffrey Ballet.

Chen began his professional career with Milwaukee Ballet II before joining Milwaukee Ballet as an artist. During his time with the company, he performed a wide range of classical repertoire, including Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Romeo & Juliet, Dracula, and The Nutcracker.

In 2015, Chen joined Smuin Contemporary American Ballet, where he performed extensively for ten seasons. His repertoire with Smuin includes works by Michael Smuin, Val Caniparoli, Trey McIntyre, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ma Cong, Matthew Neenan, and Alejandro Cerrudo, among others. His work spans both classical and contemporary styles, reflecting a versatile and dynamic performance career.

Throughout his career, Chen has performed in major venues, including The John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and has appeared as a guest artist in international performances and media, including the television program I Am a Dancer in China.

Chen’s achievements include top honors at international competitions, including Overall First Place at the World Dance Competition and Elite Platinum and Outstanding Technique at the Taoli World Dance Competition. He was also recognized as a Top 10 Finalist at the USA International Ballet Competition.

ADJI CISSOKO

LINES BALLET

Guest Instructor and Choreographer

EDUCATION

Ballet Academy Munich, Munich, Germany
Diploma in Dance

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre, New York
Full Scholarship

American Ballet Theatre
National Training Curriculum Certification, 2020

Performing Career

Born and raised in Munich, Germany, Ms. Cissoko began her professional career with The National Ballet of Canada in 2010. In 2012, she received the Patron Award of Merit from the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada.

In 2014, Ms. Cissoko joined Alonzo King LINES Ballet, where she has originated numerous central roles and appeared as a guest artist in galas worldwide. In 2026, she was appointed Associate Artistic Director of Alonzo King LINES Ballet while continuing to perform with the company.

Teaching

Ms. Cissoko has taught master classes and classes around the world through LINES Ballet’s outreach programs. In 2020, she became certified in American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum and in health/life coaching.

At Bayer Ballet

Ms. Cissoko introduces Bayer Ballet students to contemporary movement, improvisation, and personal interpretation of movement and musicality. Through this work, students develop greater freedom of expression and experience approaches to movement that extend beyond classical ballet technique.

WATCH VIDEO of Adji teaching at Bayer Ballet.

Farrar_Brady Bayer Ballet Guest Teacher_edited.jpg

BRADY FARRAR

ABT COMPANY

Guest Instructor and Choreographer

EDUCATION

Stars Dance Studio

The Art of Classical Ballet

American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Spring Semester, 2022
Under the direction of Cynthia Harvey

Awards & Performing Career

Brady Farrar began dancing at the age of five, training at Stars Dance Studio and The Art of Classical Ballet.

Mr. Farrar is a five-time Youth America Grand Prix Finals medalist and was the 2021 Grand Prix Winner of the North American Finals. He is also a three-time Best Dancer Winner at The Dance Awards, the 2021 recipient of the Carla Fracci Prize at Novara Dance Experience in Novara, Italy, and a double gold medal winner at the South African International Ballet Competition in 2020.

In November 2021, Mr. Farrar performed in Twyla Tharp’s Twyla Now at New York City Center. He has also performed in international galas at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center and around the world in Germany, Italy, Israel, and Mexico.

Mr. Farrar attended the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School during the spring semester of 2022 under the direction of Cynthia Harvey. In September 2022, he joined ABT Studio Company under the artistic direction of Sascha Radetsky.

During his time with ABT Studio Company, Mr. Farrar created roles in works by Gemma Bond, Hope Boykin, Amy Hall Garner, Jamar Roberts, James Whiteside, and Aleisha Walker, and performed in works by Rena Butler, Emily Kikta, and Houston Thomas. His repertoire also included Paquita Pas de Deux, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, a Raymonda suite, Daniel Ulbricht’s Tatum Pole Boogie, and George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. He also performed in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker with the main Company of American Ballet Theatre.

Mr. Farrar joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in December 2024 and became a member of the Corps de Ballet in July 2025.

Choreography

In addition to his performing career, Mr. Farrar is a choreographer. His works have been presented at the Youth America Grand Prix Finals in Tampa, Florida, the Nervi International Dance Festival in Italy, and by ABT Studio Company.

His ballet Night Falls, originally commissioned by ABT Studio Company, was performed by American Ballet Theatre as part of the BAAND Together Dance Festival at Lincoln Center in 2024.

Pre-Ballet Division Faculty

CHRISTINA KONGAIKA

Director, Pre-Ballet Division

Instructor

EDUCATION

Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA)
Graduated, 2008

Westlake School for the Performing Arts
Graduated, 2008

Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Certification Program
Completed All Levels

Christina Kongaika began dancing at the age of three, studying a wide range of dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, character dance, hip-hop, hula, and Tahitian dance. At age nine, Ms. Christina began studying the Vaganova Method under Ms. Inna Bayer.

Teaching Career

From an early age, Ms. Christina knew that she wanted to become a dance teacher and began preparing for a teaching career at age 12. In 2006, she began teaching ballet, tap, and hula at Westlake School for the Performing Arts.

In 2008, Ms. Christina joined Bayer Ballet as an instructor of classical ballet. She currently serves as Director of the Pre-Ballet Division, where she oversees the division’s curriculum, directs the annual production of Springtime Fairy Tale, and prepares students for community outreach performances and competitions.

Ms. Christina’s students have received top honors, including a Gold Award in Classical Ballet at California Dance Classics and Third Place awards in Classical and Contemporary Dance at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).

Ms. Christina has completed all levels of the official Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Certification Program, whose curriculum is based on the Vaganova Method.

DAWN SUE

Instructor

EDUCATION

Teaching Certificate, Pre-Ballet Certification, and

First Year Level 1 Certification, Bolshoi Ballet Academy

Irine Fokine

Joffrey Ballet School, Trainee Program

Princeton Ballet School

Cornell University, Government & Sociology

Education & Training

Ms. Dawn Sue began her early ballet training with Irine Fokine in Ridgewood, New Jersey. She later continued her training in the Trainee Program at the Joffrey Ballet School.

Following her studies in Government and Sociology at Cornell University, Ms. Dawn trained at Princeton Ballet School with Douglas Martin, Mary Barton, and Kyra Nichols.

Performing Career

Ms. Dawn was invited to dance with American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, New Jersey. Her repertoire with the company included Romeo and Juliet, Serenade, Paquita, and Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Teaching Career

Ms. Dawn began her teaching career at Princeton Dance and Theater under the ownership of Susan Jaffe, following Ms. Jaffe’s retirement from American Ballet Theatre, and Risa Kaplowitz.

Ms. Dawn has experience teaching students from age five through adulthood. She is passionate about fostering a love and appreciation for ballet while helping students develop the proper muscular foundation necessary for classical ballet technique.

Ke Tian (Nicole)

Instructor

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Performance, Department of Dance Hunan Normal University, China

Master’s Degree in Dance Education, Department of Dance

Shanghai Normal University, China

Ms. Nicole earned her Master’s Degree in Dance Education from Shanghai Normal University in 2010 and is a member of the Shanghai Dancers’ Association. Ms. Tian began her formal studies in Dance Performance at Hunan Normal University at age 18 and trained extensively in ballet, Chinese dance, contemporary dance, and modern dance.

Teaching Career

After completing her graduate studies, Ms. Tian remained at Shanghai Normal University for eight years as a dance educator, teaching students of all ages in dance technique, choreography, and stage performance. Ms. Tian guided students to success in national competitions, contributed choreography and performances to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, and co-authored three dance education textbooks.

Ms. Tian’s research and writing have also received recognition, including First Prize in the Shanghai Dance Education Essay Competition.

Since relocating to California in 2018, Ms. Tian has taught children’s dance throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, providing training in ballet foundations, flexibility, conditioning, acrobatics, and stage performance. Ms. Tian develops individualized training plans designed to strengthen technical skills and artistic expression, preparing students for performances and competitions while fostering confidence and a lasting appreciation for dance.

Dhanya Ganti

Instructor

EDUCATION

Bayer Ballet Academy

Official Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Certification Program at the Pre-Ballet Level.

Homestead High School

Ms. Dhanya began her dance training at age three and later continued her training at Bayer Ballet Academy, where she progressed through the levels of the Pre-Professional Division.

Performance & Competition Experience

Throughout her training, Ms. Dhanya has performed in numerous Bayer Ballet productions, including Rose and the Butterfly, Snow Queen, Esmeralda, Coppélia, La Bayadère, Paquita, and Don Quixote.

Ms. Dhanya has also competed at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) and California Dance Classics, where she received a scholarship in 2023. In addition to her individual competition experience, Ms. Dhanya has performed in award-winning group entries that received First Place and Overall Highest Scoring honors.

Teaching Experience

Ms. Dhanya has served as a teacher’s aide in Ms. Christina’s Pre-Ballet classes for several years, gaining experience working with young students across a range of ages and levels.

Grateful for the guidance and mentorship she has received from her teachers throughout her training, Ms. Dhanya is excited to share her knowledge and love of dance with the next generation of students.

Health and Wellness
Physical Therapy and Injury Prevention

LAUREN MINDEL, DPT

Consultant

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Performing Arts, St. Mary's College

Doctorate, Physical Therapy, UC San Francisco

San Francisco State University

Continuing Education, Institute of Physical Art

Dr. Lauren Mindel, DPT Born and raised in California, Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from St. Mary’s College of California prior to earning her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from UC San Francisco and San Francisco State University. She is especially fond of utilizing the Sahmann approach and Functional Manual Therapy techniques she has learned through continuing education courses with the Institute of Physical Art.

Prior to becoming a physical therapist, Lauren danced professionally and taught dance to all ages. She has been recognized for her artistry and choreography, and she continues to teach and create.