Vera Altunina

Vera Altunina is a renowned and respected choreographer and ballet master from St. Petersburg, Russia, who has brought her talent and love of dance to the United States. Her extraordinary talent, consummate professionalism and passionate commitment to dance speak for themselves.

Born in 1965, Ms. Altunina began her ballet career when she was five years old. In 1973, she was accepted by the world-famous Vaganova Ballet School and graduated in 1981 as a professional ballet dancer. She went on to The Leningrad College of Cultural Education and graduated with distinction in 1985 with two bachelor degrees as Director of Performing Arts and Pedagogue specializing in Performing Arts. She continued to further her education while dancing professionally by attending the N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory earning her master degrees in Choreography and as Ballet Master, specializing in Ballet Direction in 1993.

Vera's extensive credentials include dancing professionally in both classical and character dance, choreographing and staging of new and classical productions such as Giselle, Paquita, Chopiniana, The Nutcracker and Raymonda both in Russia and the United States; and teaching students in both countries the expressiveness, grace and beauty of dance, its techniques, and history.

Vera came to the United States in 1993 and continued to distinguish herself as an exemplary artist of great talent. As the lead ballet instructor and choreographer for the Washington Academy of Performing Arts, she continued inspiring students, produced many original full-length productions and has shared her talents throughout the Puget Sound as guest instructor for Cornish College of the Arts, Ewajo Dance Workshop, Whidbey Island Dance School, Olympic Ballet School, Ballet Bellevue School, Everett Chorale, Issaquah Chorale, and as guest artist for Whidbey Island Dance Theater. She has also assisted in the staging of Paquita for the Fort Worth/ Dallas Ballet Company.

Ms. Altunina teaches Classical Dance, Pointe, Variations and Character Dance.

Anton Pankevitch

Anton Pankevitch is from St. Petersburg, Russia. He trained at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, the School of American Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet School. He joined New York City Ballet in 1995. In 1997, he joined Dutch National Ballet, and in 2002, he joined the Royal Ballet. He returned to Dutch National Ballet briefly before joining Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2005.

Mr. Pankevitch has performed leading roles in Kent Stowell's Hail to the Conquering Hero and The Nutcracker (Prince). At his former companies, he performed works by Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, August Bournonville, William Forsythe, Magey Marin, Marius Petipa, Jerome Robbins, Ton Simons, Twyla Tharp, Rudi van Dantzig, Hans van Manen, and Toer van Schayk, among others.

Mr. Pankevitch has performed as a guest artist with San Jose Ballet, Ballet Ireland, and throughout Japan.

In addition to his performing career, Mr. Pankevitch has been a guest teacher at Ballet Hannover (Germany), Cronsberg Ballet School (Boston), English National Ballet, Higashitani Ballet (Japan), Keiko Ikawa Ballet School (Tokyo), National Ballet Academy (Amsterdam), San Jose Ballet, and Saratoga School of Dance.

Mr. Pankevitch teaches Ballet, Pas De Deux and Men's Class.

Jill Adomaitis

Born in NYC, Ms. Adomaitis began her training in Germany at the age of four. Upon returning to the U.S., she continued her studies at the Cambridge School of Ballet, Harkness House, Joffrey and American Ballet Theatre Schools. She spent a season at the University of Cincinnati Dance Conservatory and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina.

Ms. Adomaitis danced professionally with Boston Ballet II, Connecticut Ballet, South Carolina Ballet Theatre and Dinosaur Dance Company. Upon retiring from the stage, she began dedicating her time to studying the art of teaching ballet. She was the ballet mistress for two companies and she has been teaching at several schools and colleges in the U.S. since 1981.

Ms. Adomaitis teaches ballet.

Jana Malloy

Jana is a native of Los Angeles, California, where she trained with the famous Russian dancer and teacher, Tatiana Riabouchinska-Lichine. She received numerous scholarships to the Stanley Holden Dance Center and the Pennsylvania Ballet School. Her career further progressed when she joined the Los Angeles Ballet in 1975 and later, Ballet West in 1979. While with Ballet West, she performed as a soloist in such classical works as Giselle and Swan Lake as well as in many Balanchine ballets. Jana joined the Pacific Ballet Theatre in 1984, which later became Oregon Ballet Theatre under the artistic direction of James Canfield. While there, Jana performed in Equinoxe, Between Two worlds, Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker. Her most notable roles were Carlotta Grisi in Pas de Quatre and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker. Additionally, Jana danced with the Portland Opera in productions of The Merry Widow, Carmen and Show Boat.

In addition to her career in Ballet, Jana has also danced in three motion pictures, "Footloose", "Breakin' 2 Electric Boogaloo" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".

Ms. Malloy teaches Ballet.

Kristie LaMar

Kristie LaMar began dancing at the age of six in Fresno, California. At age 11, she joined Olympic Ballet Theatre where she danced for three years. She joined the International Ballet Theatre in 2002 and became a soloist in 2004. Under the direction of Vera Altunina, Kristie performed leading roles in The Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, "Aurora's Wedding" (Sleeping Beauty Act III), and Dracula. She is also a highly accomplished performer in Modern dance, Jazz, Tap, Character, and Theater Dance. In February 2004, she traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, to participate in the Dance Open Ballet Festival, which was the most inspirational expericence of her life.

Ms. LaMar teaches ballet.

Margo Walker

Margo Walker is an associate member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance as well as the American Terpsichore Society. She and partner Don Walker competed professionally in such prestigious ballroom competitions as the California Star Ball, San Francisco Star Ball, the Sapphire Ball and placed 2nd in the Rising Star category at the Autumn Classic.

While residing in Modesto, California, Mrs. Walker owned and operated Steps and Variations, a studio offering lessons in Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Ballroom dancing. In 1994 Ms Margo moved to Washington where she has been teaching ballet, tap, and ballroom dance to pre-school students. Ms Margo was the developer and director of the Young Ones Program for WAPA and is a qualified instructor for young dancers.

Ms. Walker teaches Pre-Ballet and Beginning and Preparatory Ballet.

Jerry Tassin

Jerry Tassin began his ballet training with Perry Brunson at the Seattle Dance Center where he also studied jazz, flamenco, and modern dance. He went on to apprentice with First Chamber Dance Company, and then as a soloist with Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Mr. Tassin met his wife Kimberly when they were both dancing at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. They toured North and South America as adagio dancers with several dance companies and returned to the northwest in 1984 when Jerry joined Actors Equity Union with a production of Guys and Dolls at the Seattle Repertory Theater. After performing locally in theater Mr. Tassin then moved to New York where he joined the American Dance Machine, a musical theatre dance company, where he performed in New York City and toured.

Jerry and Kimberly returned to Seattle. Jerry joined Spectrum Dance Company and went on to teach his varied style of jazz, tap, and theater dance in the Puget Sound area.

Mr. Tassin teaches Jazz Dance, Theatre Dance and Tap.

Eva Stone

Eva L. Stone received a B.F.A in Performance and Choreography from Arizona State University under renowned instructors such as Daniel Nagrin, Renee Wadleigh and Mel Wong. After graduation, she was awarded a scholarship from DanceMagazine to study choreography at Harvard University with David Gordon. Ms. Stone continued her training at SUNY Purchase, The Ailey Studio in New York and danced professionally in Boston and Los Angeles. She continued her education in the United Kingdom and earned a Master of Arts degree in Choreography and Choreological Studies from the Laban Centre in London. Ms. Stone then formed the Stone Dance Collective, a modern dance company, and began teaching at various colleges in and around London. Ms. Stone came to Seattle in 1995, re-established her company and began an extensive teaching and lecturing career throughout the Puget Sound area. Some highlights have included presenting work at On the Boards, Bumbershoot and Broadway Performance Hall, as well as premiering an original work at Lincoln Center in New York City. Ms. Stone has appeared as a guest teacher at Western Washington University and has been a faculty member of both Olympic Ballet School and Washington Academy of Performing Arts. Her love of teaching and passion for choreography has resulted in the creation of over 50 original dance pieces.

Ms. Stone teaches Modern dance.

Lizzy Melton

Lizzy Melton trained at the Washington Academy of Performing Arts and, later, on scholarship at the London Studio Centre (UK). Upon graduation, she worked with several companies in Europe. Most recently, Lizzy worked on a freelance basis and taught at L’ecole de Danse de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ms. Melton teaches Modern dance.

Treva Putsche, Cert. Health & Fitness Specialist

Conditioning/Functional Fitness.

Jody Fridenstine, MS, OTR/L

"Into the Arts" program offers children with special needs the opportunity to participate in performing arts activities. Contact at: 425-885-1405.

Angela Pifer, Certified Nutritionist

In-house nutritionist

Brett Swigard, MPT, OCS, CMPT, c. MDT

Physical Therapist

Alan S. Woodle, DPM

Foot and ankle specialist in dance medicine/surgery

Peggy Otto Swistak, MS, RD, CD

Nutritionist

Suzette Madson, PT

Injury Management/ Prevention