Faculty
Our faculty and guest teachers are the best. Anywhere!
Our Advanced Intensives offer small, focused Zoom classes to dancers of all levels, and especially to elite dancers, preprofessionals, and professionals looking for the best instruction by the best teachers. We can guide you and refine you to prepare you for a professional career.
With decades of professional dancing and teaching experience, we know how to teach you so you learn. We see with such a trained eye and we know how to communicate so you grow. So you flourish. And, most importantly, so you are prepared to move into a professional career yourself.
Even though you may feel stuck now in the small space of your room, we can help you learn and grow.
You know us.
You trust us.
You know how we teach and what we bring to our students.
Amanda Cobb
Amanda Cobb’s professional dance career spanned over 20 years. She danced with American Ballet Theatre nationally and internationally from 2001–2007, and was a principal with Washington Ballet, Ohio Ballet, and Ballet Tucson. Ms. Cobb’s diverse background with Alvin Ailey, Gus Giordano, Frank Hatchett, and School of American Ballet, as well as her experience as a competitive gymnast attending the 1992 Junior Olympics, gives her a skilled eye like no other.
Ms. Cobb began intensive ballet training at age 12 under Mary-Beth Cabana at Ballet Arts in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to ballet, she competed in gymnastics, winning numerous state championships on floor and beam routines, and went to the Junior Olympics in 1992. This gave her the strength and discipline that has been a major element in the success and dedication she has demonstrated in every aspect of her life.
Summers were spent at the School of American Ballet, Gus Giordano, and Frank Hatchett. At 15, Ms. Cobb moved to New York on a special full scholarship to study with Alvin Ailey, where she performed with the second company at City Center. Returning to Tucson, Arizona to continue her education at the University of Arizona, focusing on Dance and Exercise Science,
Ms. Cobb performed as a principal ballerina with Ballet Tucson. She graduated Magna Cum Laude, receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Fine Arts Department, and was the first company member at American Ballet Theatre to complete her degree while performing with the company. Ms. Cobb also was in The Washington Ballet and was a principal with Ohio Ballet. Principal roles included Kick Girl in George Balanchine's Rubies (Washington Ballet), Choleric in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments (Washington Ballet), Partisan Woman in Jooss's Green Table (ABT), Leto in Balanchine's Apollo (ABT), Brown Couple in Lila York's Celts (Washington Ballet), Queen in Swan Lake (ABT), Tiger Lily in Peter Pan (Washington Ballet), Juliet in Jörgen’s Romeo and Juliet (Ohio Ballet), and The Chosen One in Aiello’s Rite of Spring (Ohio Ballet).
Ms. Cobb danced the ABT classical repertory, and worked with or performed works by many legendary choreographers, including Balanchine, Makarova, Agnes de Mille, Gelsey Kirkland, Kevin McKenzie, Petipa, Michel Fokine, Lar Lubovitch, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Nicole Fonte, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Anna-Marie Holmes, Kurt Jooss, Christopher Wheeldon, Cynthia Gregory, Wayne Eagling, Anne Marie DeAngelo, and more.
In 2012, Ms. Cobb was designated a Certified Teacher by ABT, and for the past five years has been on their faculty, teaching the highest levels at the ABT Gillespie School. In addition, she teaches for both ABT’s California Summer Intensives and Young Dancer Workshops. Ms. Cobb is also on the faculties of PACE University and OCSA, and is certified in Pilates and GYROTONIC®.
Luciana Paris
Luciana Paris is a Soloist Dancer with American Ballet Theater, with whom she has danced since 2001, and has performed as a guest artist worldwide.
An accomplished teacher as well as a world-renowned ballerina, Ms. Paris was designated a Certified Teacher by American Ballet Theatre in 2012. In addition to teaching at American Ballet Theatre, she has taught in Buenos Aires, Misiones, Córdoba, San Juan, and with American Ballet Theatre, American Academy of Ballet, Charm City Ballet, and Central Park Dance since 2016, as well as at Estudio Fabrica de Arte Fundación Julio Bocca.
Ms. Paris's guest appearances include performing Le Talisman pas de deux with Kleber Rebello at the Ballet Now Gala 2015 (Los Angeles); the Nutcracker pas de deux and Liam Scarlett's With a Chance of Rain at the 5th International Buenos Aires Ballet Gala; and the Romeo and Juliet Balcony Scene pas de deux with Marcelo Gomes at the 20th Anniversary Fire Island Dance Festival.
She was guest artist at the Dance Open Ballet Festival 2013 (St. Petersburg), partnered by Herman Cornejo in Alexei Ratmansky's Seven Sonatas; performed The Black Swan pas de deux at the Festival des Arts de Saint-Saveur 2013 (Montreal); and Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite at the Roberto Bolle and Friends Gala at the New York City Center in September 2013, performing Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite.
Ms. Paris portrayed the principal role of Nikiya, partnered by Cory Stearns and with Herman Cornejo as Solor, in a full-length production of La Bayadère in Argentina in August 2013; and performed the Romeo and Juliet Balcony Scene pas de deux at the Brandon Ballet Gala in November 2013. She also has danced as a guest artist for Buffalo Ballet's Nutcracker production.
In 2017, Ms. Paris was invited to participate in the Australian Ballet Gala, Chile Gala of Ballet Stars, Danzar por la Paz en Buenos Aires, and others, and in 2018, she was given the Extraordinary Dancer Award by FINI Dance Festival in New York.
Jonatan Luján
Jonatan Luján, a native of Mendoza, Argentina, began his training at age 10 at Jesus Vera Arenas Dance School, while also performing with the Mendoza Folkloric Ballet.
In 2006, he was the recipient of a full scholarship to Julio Bocca’s Musical Comedy School in Buenos Aires, which provided him the opportunity to train with the most prestigious ballet teachers, including Julio Bocca.
Mr. Bocca invited Mr. Luján to join his company, Ballet Argentino, performing soloist roles in some of the most important operas in the world, including the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, where he performed at the Prix Benois de la Danse Awards, as well as in Italy, Spain, Greece, United States, Brasil, Chile, and others.
Feature roles were in Carmen by Alicia Alonso, Desde Lejos by Mauricio Wainrot, Cruz y Ficcion and Bocca Tango by Ana María Stekelman, Entre Tangos y Milongas by Oscar Arais, and Nine Sinatra Songs by Twyla Tharp.
In 2009, Mr. Luján joined Victor Ullate Ballet Company in Madrid, Spain as a soloist. His repertory with the company included 2 you Maestro, Samsara, Coppélia, Jaleos, Seguirilla, and Bolero, among others.
In 2014, he joined Ballett Zürich as a Soloist under the direction of Christian Spuck. Some ballets danced include Anna Karenina, Romeo and Juliet by Christian Spuck, Wings Of Wax by Jiri Kylian, Giselle by Patrice Bart, Frank Bridge Variations by Hans van Manen, and A Life by Douglas Lee.
In 2015, he joined Slovak National Theater as a Soloist under the direction of Josef Dolinsky, performing lead roles in Beyond Sin by Boris Eifman (Dmitri), Le Corsaire (Birbanto), Nutcracker (Cavalier–Spanish Dance), Giselle (Hilarion), Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty.
Since September 2018, Mr. Luján has been a freelance dancer in New York City, where his works include Sleeping Beauty Dreams, choregraphed by Edward Clug, in which he shared the stage with Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes. He is joining MorDance Company for his first season after Covid-19 is contained.
Since the beginning of his career in Europe, Mr. Luján has returned often to Argentina to guest teach.
Guest Teachers
Meet the Artists
Meet these virtually wonderful artists in virtual interviews!
ISABELLA BOYLSTON is a Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. (Session 1)
JAMES WHITESIDE is a Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. (Session 1)
ANA SOPHIA SCHELLER is a Principal dancer with National Ballet of Ukraine. She was a longtime Principal dancer with New York City Ballet, and was a Principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet. (Session 1)
SASCHA RADETSKY danced as a Soloist with American Ballet Theatre and as a Principal with Dutch National Ballet. In 2018, he was named Artistic Director of ABT Studio Company. (Session 2)
DEVON TEUSCHER is a Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. (Session 2)
ALAINE HAUBERT is the director of the ABT Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. She has been associated with American Ballet Theatre since 1965 as a dancer, coach, Ballet Mistress, adjudicator, director of Summer Intensives, and advisor for the ABT National Training Curriculum. (Sessions 1, 2, and 3)
SEAN STEWART is the ABT Apprenticeship Program Coordinator and Répétiteur, and a former ABT dancer. (Men's Technique, Session 2)
SKYLAR CAMPBELL is a Principal dancer with National Ballet of Canada. (Sessions 1 and 2)
KLEBER REBELLO is a Principal dancer with Miami City Ballet. (Technique, Session 3)
ANNA LICEICA performed as a Soloist with American Ballet Theatre. She is a judge and master teacher for YAGP and also a Principal Guest Artist with Deutsche Oper Berlin. (Session 1)
EMILY BROMBERG is a Principal Soloist with Miami City Ballet. (Pointe, Session 3)
SKYLAR BRANDT is a Soloist with American Ballet Theatre. (Session 2)
NILAS MARTINS is a former New York City Ballet principal. (Men's Technique, Session 3)
WILLY LAURY is the Artistic Director, Executive Producer, and Founder of ACE Dance Concept, and danced with Alvin Ailey for 7 years. (Contemporary, Session 3)
ZHONG-JING FANG is a Soloist with ABT. (Choreography, Session 3)
KELLY LEONARDI is on the Faculty of American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. She is certified in the ABT National Training Curriculum and has been a certified Pilates instructor for 26 years. (Session 1)