Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre

ACADEMY FACULTY

The Studio boasts a fully professional faculty. Former ballet partners, our Directors Diane Cypher and Robert Kelley have known each other since 1984 and worked together in their current capacity since 1995. They have directed The Studio School of Classical Ballet and Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre since 1998. To learn more about our Directors, go to the Executive Artistic Directors page.

Linda Lock took a circuitous route to her role as one of the best ballet teachers in America today. She has taught at The Studio since 1998, coming from San Jose Dance Theatre, where she taught for two years with Diane Cypher and Robert Kelley. Linda began studying dance as a teenage gymnast -- eventually coaching gymastics professionally. She also studied several musical instruments, including piano, guitar, flute, alto saxophone, oboe and E flat soprano clarinet. She played her B-flat soprano clarinet in orchestras for ballets, operas, and musical theatre. She played in both a wood-wind quintet and jazz band for six years and played guitar and sang in a rock band for four years playing pubs, dances, and private events.

Linda studied six years of Pre-Med biochemistry and microbiology at San Jose State, as well as completed two years of aeronautics and aerodynamics. She earned her private pilot's license on her way to what she thought might be a commercial flying career. In her mid-20s she began to study ballet. No one told her it was too late. She studied with Jean Dunphy at The Studio, Kristine Elliott in Palo Alto, and the Reyes husband and wife team in Santa Clara. She took every form of dance-related class she could find at Cabrillo College, including modern dance and drama classes. She eventually danced professionally with Santa Clara Ballet and Peninsula Ballet Theatre in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, and as the Cat in Peter and the Wolf.

Linda's early teaching career was especially influenced by Kristine Elliott and Kim Gardner. She also studied Pilates privately with Kim for over ten years to add to her understanding of kinesiology. She has attended teacher training courses in both the Vaganova method and Royal Academy of Dancing method. "Miss Linda" brings a passion and perspective to the ballet classroom that only someone who took this route to get here could. It's best said by her:

"Being part of the development of our fine dancers is thrilling to me. Every 'Nutcracker' I cry like a baby watching the youngest students be part of their first big Corps de Ballet in Snow. It is surreal for me, because I was over 30 years old the first time I stood in the wings waiting for my entrance in Snow; I was so thrilled to be finally able to do something I had wanted since I was six, but never had the opportunity until it was too late (by popular opinion). I would love to convey to our students that the path to dance -- and what it adds to your life -- can take many forms. Mine was not traditional or perfect, but nonetheless, it got me where I am today.”

Modern Dance Instructor Stephanie Emmanuela Da Silva received her MFA in choreography from Saint Mary’s College of California in 2017 and graduated with honors, and holds an AA in Dance from Cabrillo College.

Stephanie lived in Salvador Brazil for over 5 years immersing herself in Afro-Brazilian, Modern, and Brazilian Contemporary dance. She completed the professional dance training program at FUNCEB and trained closely with the world acclaimed dance company Balé Folclorico da Bahia. While living in Salvador, Stephanie performed professionally with the Norma Santana Dance Company, Attomos Dance Company, Diaspora Dance Company, Rosangela Silvestre, Vera Passos, Paco Gomes, Nildinha Fonseca, Augusto Omolu and many other notable choreographers.

In 2012-2013 Stephanie choreographed and performed for the band Ozomatli, she was a selected dance artist for the Emerging Choreographer’s showcase in San Francisco in 2016, her dance film “The Wave Within” was selected to premier at the 2017 Big River Dance Festival, and has been a guest choreographer for the Yemanja Arts Festival in Berkeley in 2016, 17 & 18. She produced her first full length evening dance showcase in Santa Cruz entitled Tracing Diasporas in 2017 & 2018, and was a featured dance artist for the Ebb and Flow Arts Festival in 2017 & 2018. She presented original choreography at the annual SC World Arts Festival in in 2016 & 18, and has been a sponsored dance artist by the Santa Cruz Arts Council since 2016. Stephanie has presented original choreography for Santa Cruz Dance week annually since 2016, and was a selected choreographer to show work at the Winter Dance Concert at the Colligan Theater in February of 2019. She has been substitute Modern dance instructor at The Studio, School of Classical Ballet for several years. She is currently the Director of Dance at Harbor High School, teaches Modern and Afro-Brazilian Dance at UCSC, Modern Brazilian Roots at Motion Pacific, and is the Artistic Director of Agua Doce Dance Company.

Lily Swan trained at The Studio from Pre-Ballet through Level VI. She was a member of the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre Senior Company for several years, performing featured roles in the repertoire such as the Dewdrop Fairy in “The Nutcracker”, the lead Marzipan dancer, and one of the Two Swans in “Swan Lake Act II,” among many others.

Lily has completed the Teacher Training Course taught by Diane Cypher on two different occasions. She has assisted in teaching classes for several years, and she has substitute taught Pre-Ballet through Level II with much success. A high school graduate, we are excited to welcome Lily to the academy to teach this season, and are fortunate to have someone with her talent and enthusiasm joining our faculty ranks.

In addition to her training at The Studio, Lily attended summer intensive programs with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. Lily has a lovely rapport with our young students and will be teaching until Robert returns, and may stay on faculty past that time.

Lily is an excellent example of how classical ballet training pathways often diverge into choreography, teaching, physical therapy degrees and many other disciplines in academia and the arts. We do not just train dancers — we are helping to create the next generation of community leaders, arts enthusiasts and contributing adults in society. We are proud of all of our alumni and welcome Lily to our faculty for 2019-2020.

Modern Dance Instructor Lyndsey Loosely received her BFA in dance performance and choreography from the University of Minnesota, where she danced in University Dance Theater productions, worked with Sage Cowels Guest Artists, performed at ACDFA, and studied with and performed works by artists such as Kari Margolis, Myron Johnson, Doug Varone, Paula Mann, David Dorfman, Carl Flink, HIJACK, Scott Rink, and Toni Pierce. Lyndsey spent a summer intensive training with the Jose Limon Dance Company in New York City, participated as an art educator through the U2U program in the Twin Cities public schools, and taught at the Bryant Square Park Community Center. Living for a year in Salvador, Brazil, "Ms. Lyndsey" studied Afro-Brazilian dance, Samba, Capoiera, and Axe. She studied with Vera Passos of the Bale Folclorico and performed in the Teatro Vilha Velha and Miguel Santana in New York City.

Lyndsey participated in the work study program with DanceSpace and worked as Membership Associate with American Ballet Theatre while continuing her dance training and working as an ACE certified personal trainer. In Madison, Winconsin, Lyndsey danced for Maureen Janson in SMARTDANCE and served as a dance educator in the UW Outreach program. Lyndsey also worked as Madison Ballet's Company manager and taught modern dance for both the School of Madison Ballet and the Kanopy School for Contemporary Dance. Lyndsey danced and choreographed for Kanopy Dance Company for five seasons and is a founding member of Bare Bones Productions. In 2007, she completed a Lester Horton Pedagogy training program under the direction of Ana Marie Forsythe at the Alvin Ailey School in New York City. In Santa Cruz, California, Lyndsey teaches modern dance at The Studio, School of Classical Ballet and, serves as the Director of Operations and Programs for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and performs as a member of the Yabas Dance Company with Dandha da Hora and Tropicalismo -- Dance of Brazil with Marsea Marquis. Lyndsey is also an avid yoga practitioner.

Lyndsey is on maternity leave for the 2019-2020 season.

Substitute Instructors
The Studio features a roster of substitute instructors who are Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre Senior Company members, and who have completed many hours of Teacher Training within the academy. These young instructors are qualified to teach most levels in the school and are usually hired to teach Pre-Ballet and basic levels. They are enthusiastic and have experience either teaching on their own or assisting in the studio.

ACCOMPANISTS
Christopher Pratorius and Carlos Fagundo

Registrar Sandy Nelson
(831) 479-1600
sandy@scbt.org