Since she moved to the U.S., Natasha Bar has established a reputation as a well-known teacher, choreographer and coach in both traditional Vaganova and contemporary American styles. Natasha was on the faculty of the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia for 15 years, both as a teacher and as the official International Competition Coach. While at the Rock School, Natasha coached the winners of international competitions in Moscow, Jackson, Greece, Paris, and the Youth America GrandPrix in New York City.

In 2008 Natasha was honored with the Outstanding Teacher Award by Youth American Grand Prix. Many of Natasha’s students are professionally employed by major dance companies including New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Alvin Ailey. Natasha was featured in the MTV series “Made” and in the feature film NY Export: Opus Jazz, which aired on PBS and stars New York City Ballet dancers. Natasha’s daughter, Ellen Bar, enjoyed a 13 year career as a soloist with New York City Ballet.

Elise’s professional career began with Garden State Ballet in 1978 where she spent three years, dancing several solo roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy in their Nutcracker. During Elise’s career, she performed ballets from notable choreographers such as George Balanchine, Lew Christensen, William Dollar, Peter Anastos, and Peter Martins.

After marrying and moving to Boston, her career continued with Boston Repertory Ballet and New England Ballet, before moving on to Hartford Ballet. Elise and her husband moved to Oregon in 1986 with their infant daughter. She resumed her dancing career with Ballet Oregon under the direction of Dennis Spaight. Elise has been on the faculty of Oregon Ballet Theatre School since 1998.

Limón. Her professional performing experience includes five seasons with The Dance COLEctive in Chicago, and she was also a founding company member with Esoteric Dance Project. She began teaching dance in 2005, and has taught extensively in studios, workshops and higher education, including the dance programs at Eastern Michigan University and Hillsdale College. Jessica also has an ongoing interest in conditioning methods for dancers. She completed a 600- hour comprehensive Pilates certification in 2008 and has been teaching Pilates in private and group settings ever since. Outside of teaching, her choreography has been presented at the Detroit Dance City Festival (MI), National Flute Association Convention (San Diego), Detroit Institute of Arts (MI), Hillsdale College (MI), Duderstadt Video Studio (MI), Brighton Dance Festival (MI), and Links Hall (Chicago).

In addition to her performances with OBT, Ms. Roper spent her summers touring with Trey McIntyre Project from 2005-2008 and has since worked as a repetiteur and ballet master for that company. In 2010-2011 she danced with Morphoses; The Christopher Wheeldon company. Ms. Roper is currently on the Faculty for the School of OBT and works as OBT’s Major Gifts Officer and choreographs for OBT School and OBT2.

Ms. Sundstrom has danced the leading roles in: Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Cinderella, Lilac Garden, The Nutcracker, Prodigal Son, La Sonnabula, Agon, Concerto Borocco and Allegro Brilliante in addition to numerous other ballets. She has worked with choreographers Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Sir Anthony Tudor, Merce Cunningham, Twyla Tharp, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, James Kudelka and Peter Martins and been coached by ballerinas Gelsey Kirkland, Suzanne Farrell, Natalia Makarova and Irina Kolpakova. As a guest artist, Ms. Sundstrom has performed with various companies including Oregon Ballet Theatre, Diablo Ballet and Lines Contemporary Ballet. She has been interviewed for radio, been featured in Dance Magazine and appeared on PBS “Dance in America” in Les Sylphides, Paquita and Twyla Tharp’s Push Comes to Shove with American Ballet Theatre and in the role of Effie in Peter Martins’ La Sylphide with Pennsylvania Ballet.

After retiring from the stage, Ms. Sundstrom taught full time at The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and as an adjunct professor at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She then moved to her home state of Oregon, where she directed Portland Festival Ballet, restaging The Nutcracker and presenting her ballet, La Bella Luna, at Regional Dance America. She has been a guest teacher for Ballet Academy East in New York City, Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, PA, Nutmeg Ballet in Torrington, CT, Berkeley Ballet Theatre in Berkeley, CA, Marin Ballet in San Rafael, CA and many other schools around the country. She has also taught abroad at Ballettakademien in Stockholm, Sweden and Studio Architanz in Tokyo, Japan. Passionate about sharing her knowledge, Ms. Sundstrom is committed to helping dancers of all levels reach their highest potential.