Natasha Bar was born in Odessa, Ukraine. She was trained in the classical tradition of Odessa State Choreographic Academy and continued her studies with legendary teachers Julius Placht, Elena Tchernishova, and Marina Shamsheva. Natasha went on to dance professionally with the Odessa Ballet Company for 15 years. During her career she worked with world renowned choreographers Leonid Lavrovsky, Oleg Vinogradov, Igor Tchernishov, and Nina Fedorova. As a soloist with the company she performed leading roles in classical and contemporary ballets and toured internationally. 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.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan. LeeWei Chao started his ballet training at age 15 with Ms. Xiao Lee, who brought from Russia the Vaganova ballet method to Taiwan. After dancing with Taipei City Ballet, and Henry Yu Dance Company, he joined Singapore Dance Theater. In 1996, Lee Wei joined Joffrey Ballet Concert Group in New York City, followed by dancing with Joffrey Ballet Chicago, and Milwaukee Ballet. Mr. Chao started his choreography work while he was dancing with Milwaukee Ballet Company. As a choreographer, LeeWei’s works have been performed by Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Nouveau Colorado, Oklahoma City Ballet, New Mexico School of the Arts, TCU Residency and others. In 2014, LeeWei received a National Choreography Recognition Award from Regional Dance America. LeeWei has taught at Milwaukee Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, LINES Ballet Training Program, LINES Ballet Summer Program, LINES Ballet BFA Program Dominican University, Stanford University, National University of Taipei, Taiwan, ODC Dance San Francisco, San Francisco State University, Smuin Ballet, and others. LeeWei was featured in the August 2018 issue of Dance Teacher Magazine, and in the May 2021 of Pointe Magazine. He is currently a faculty member with NW Dance Project and BodyVox.

Oregon native Kasandra Gruener has a BA in Dance from Mills College and an MA in Contemplative Education from Naropa University. She was a member of San Francisco based Margaret Jenkins Dance Co., and founded her own company, Henry Harris Green. In her 35+ years as a teaching artist, she has conducted master classes, workshops, and daily technique classes in dance studios, NEA-funded Artist-in-Schools programs in the Midwest, private and public K-12 schools, colleges, community centers, hospitals, group homes, and child care centers. A specialist in teaching at-risk youth, Kasandra earned the 2007 and 2009 Young Audiences’ Sunburst Award for commitment to arts education. In 2009, Kasandra was a guest professor at Portland State University in the theatre department’s dance minor program. She presently serves on the Community Arts Team, a committee of arts and education leaders working to assist Portland’s Regional Arts and Culture Council (a 2010 Kennedy Center Partner in Education) in its efforts to expand arts education and professional development in our schools.

Elise’s dance training began at one of only two Denishawn studios in the country. One of her first professional performances was at Jacob’s Pillow for Ted Shawn’s anniversary tribute in 1972. After graduating from Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, Massachusetts, Elise studied under scholarship with the School of Hartford Ballet. Elise continued her ballet training with Melissa Hayden and Elizabeth Carroll while attending Skidmore College. She later earned her BS degree from Skidmore College, University Without Walls. Elise moved to New York City in 1978 and studied with David Howard, Lawrence Rhodes and Maggie Black. 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.

Josie Moseley has captivated audiences for more than 35 years with her solo performances and group pieces set on various artists and companies worldwide. As a teacher and choreographer, she explores movement that is expansive, passionate, and humanistic. White Bird brought her company to the stage for the first time with sold-out performances. Josie was greatly honored to create a work, under a commission, for the Martha Graham Dance Company. Dance Magazine recognized her as one of the “100 most influential choreographers of 2010.” Josie’s work has been funded by numerous foundations, individuals, presenters, and public organizations. She has created many works for some of Portland’s most respected dance companies and dance artists. Her work continues to be performed both nationally and internationally. Josie’s teaching career has included serving on the faculties of Reed College, University of Portland, University of California Berkeley, Mills College, Shawl Anderson, Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Portland Ballet and BodyVox.

Olivia Pyne began her ballet training at Stites Studio of Dance under the direction of Christine Hamel. She went on to study at Mt. Hood Ballet Academy under the direction of Debbie Pierce. Olivia came to Oregon Ballet Theatre School as a student in 2008 during Damara Bennett’s tenure as School Director, and was soon promoted to the position of teacher’s assistant. In 2009, Olivia joined the OBT School faculty as a lower division and adult instructor. In addition to teaching she has also been a rehearsal assistant for OBT School students for works that include Con Amore, Peter and the Wolf, The Nutcracker, Circus Polka, and Coppelia. Miss Pyne has also appeared in Oregon Ballet Theatre’s productions of Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker.

Lisa Sundstrom received her early training in her hometown of Astoria, Oregon and at The Marin Ballet in San Rafael, California. Hand-picked by American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director, Mikhail Baryshnikov at 16, for the American Ballet Theatre Scholarship Program, she went on to tour extensively nationally and internationally with ABTII then ABT, performing a wide range of corps de ballet, soloist and principal roles. She joined Pennsylvania Ballet (now Philadelphia Ballet) as a soloist and was quickly promoted to principal dancer. Ms. Sundstrom’s principal repertoire includes Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Swanhilda in Coppelia, The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title roles in Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella. She performed numerous George Balanchine ballets and works by Paul Taylor, William Forsythe, Agnes de Mille and José Limón. Ms. Sundstrom worked with choreographers Twyla Tharp, Anthony Tudor, Kenneth MacMillan, Merce Cunningham, Ben Stevenson, Lynne Taylor-Corbett and James Kudelka and was privately coached in roles by Gelsey Kirkland, Suzanne Farrell, Robert Joffrey and Peter Martins. In addition, Ms. Sundstrom appeared several times on PBS “Dance in America,” was featured in Dance Magazine and interviewed on radio. Her image appears on postcards, posters and books by renowned dance photographer, Harvey Edwards. Ms. Sundstrom began her 35-year teaching career as a full-time faculty member at The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She returned to Oregon to attend college, and shortly thereafter directed Portland Festival Ballet, where she staged The Nutcracker and presented their company at the Pacific Regional Dance America Festival in Southern California. In 2014, Ms. Sundstrom was invited to teach at Oregon Ballet Theatre School and was named OBT2 Program Director and OBT School Principal Teacher in 2015. While teaching in the school, she rehearsed, coached and staged works for OBT2, booking 20-30 presentations annually, educating audiences and building community relationships throughout the Portland Metro area. She brought OBT2 on tour to Astoria, Bend, Hood River, Lincoln City and Olympia, WA, inviting local dance troupes to open the performances. Ms. Sundstrom’s students have gone on to dance professionally in the US and abroad. As a guest teacher, she has worked in the US, Asia and Europe. Ms. Sundstrom is passionate about sharing her knowledge and helping dancers of all levels reach their highest potential.

Brooke Bero is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin which is where she began training at Milwaukee Ballet under the direction of Michael Pink and Rolando Yanes. During her time as a student in the academy she had the privilege of performing in some of Michael Pink’s world premieres including Peter Pan and Cinderella. After her time with Milwaukee Ballet and spending summers at The Joffrey Ballet in Chicago she continued her formal training at Point Park University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in dance with a specialization in ballet. During her time at the university she performed works from George Balanchine’s Serenade to Peter Merz’s The Together Colored Instinct. After graduating Brooke’s professional career began at Eugene Ballet Company, where she was a part of Toni Pimble’s new works including The Snow Queen and The Great Gatsby. While she has remained on the west coast for the majority of her career she also spent seasons dancing in Melbourne, Australia as well as Charlottesville, Virginia. Most recently Brooke was a soloist with Ballet Fantastique. While she loves performing, Brooke has a special love and skill for teaching dance and the specificity of ballet. She’s very excited to be on staff with Oregon Ballet Theatre and have the opportunity to share the joy of dancing with her students!

Claire Donovan is originally from Louisville, Kentucky where she began training at the Louisville Ballet School and later studied with Kristen Wenrick. She moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina at 16 to attend the high school boarding program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts under the direction of Susan Jaffe. After high school, Claire was accepted into Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music Ballet Department where she performed notable roles in Jerome Robbins’ Fanfare and Antique Epigraphs, Mark Morris’ Sandpaper Ballet, and Anthony Tudor’s Dark Elegies. Claire was a recipient of the Premier Young Artist Award through the Jacob’s School of Music. Claire graduated in May of 2020 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Psychology. After graduation, Claire accepted a position with OBT2, Oregon Ballet Theatre’s junior company. Claire has received wonderful opportunities performing with OBT as well as the second company in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and The Four Temperaments, and Ben Stevenson’s Dracula. Claire has attended summer programs at Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Lines Contemporary Ballet, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Claire began her teaching journey when she enrolled in three semesters of ballet pedagogy at Indiana University. Since then, she has enjoyed teaching at Indiana University’s Pre College-Program, Louisville Academy of Dance, Sultanov Russian Ballet Academy and Hillsboro Dance Center. She is thrilled to join the faculty at Oregon Ballet Theatre’s School and share her passion and love of ballet.

Amelia Logan (Unsicker), a Portland native, is an alum of the Oregon Ballet Theatre School where she trained under the tutelage of Damara Bennett, Elise Legere, Tracey Katona and many other well-respected ballet educators. Amelia holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of California, Irvine and a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Dance from the University of Oregon. She is also a Certified Pilates Instructor. As a student with OBTS, Amelia performed in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Raymonda, and La Source, as well as Swan Lake, Il Distratto, Peter and the Wolf, and Snow White. Amelia danced as a soloist with Ballet Fantastique. She later joined the Agnieszka Laska Dancers, where she performed The Rite of Spring in Portland, Chicago and throughout Poland. Amelia has worked with many respected choreographers, and has presented her own choreography at festivals and showcases across the country. She is currently the director of the dance program at Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School, co-directs Pathways Dance Company, holds the role of Secretary on the board of the Oregon Dance Education Organization (ODEO), and is a Dance Wire Ambassador. Amelia has been teaching ballet along the West Coast for fifteen years, and she is delighted to be part of the OBTS faculty; to share her passion and love of ballet with the OBTS students.

Jessica Post holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Michigan where she taught as a Graduate Student Instructor and received the Rackham International Research Award. She also holds a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts where she was selected to perform in the restaging of works by Martha Graham and José Limón. Jessica performed professionally in Chicago with The Dance COLEctive and Esoteric Dance Project and has presented her choreography throughout Chicago and Michigan. Jessica is a dedicated dance educator with teaching experience including Oregon Ballet Theatre School, Multnomah Athletic Club, Portland Community College, Eastern Michigan University and Hillsdale College. She continues to expand her interest in teaching movement methods and has completed a comprehensive Pilates certification and GYROTONIC® Level 1 certification.

Robyn Ulibarri began her dance training at Southwest Washington Dance Center, and began teaching in 1990. She developed a love for musical theater while attending Centralia College, and has appeared in and choreographed numerous productions. Robyn earned her B.A. in dance from Columbia College Chicago in 2004 and has taught for various studios, theater camps, Portland’s S.U.N program, community colleges, and community centers for the last 25 years. Robyn began at O.B.T. in 2011, specializing in work for OBT’s partnership with the Right Brain Initiative.

Alison Roper was born in Portland, Maine, and began her ballet training at age five with local teachers Jon and Linda Miele. She received her formal dance training from The Portland School of Ballet, Boston Ballet School and Oregon Ballet Theatre School. She joined Oregon Ballet Theatre in 1996 and was promoted into the corps in 1997. She was honored by Dance Magazine in 2002 as one of “25 to Watch,” and in 2007 was promoted to principal dancer. Her repertoire includes principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, William Forsythe, Jerome Robbins, Sir Frederick Ashton, Helen Pickett, Kent Stowell, Peter Martins, Nacho Duato, Paul Taylor and Bebe Miller. She has originated leading roles in ballets by James Kudelka, Nicolo Fonte, Trey McIntyre, Yuri Possokhov, James Canfield and Christopher Stowell, among others. In 2014, Ms. Roper was honored with a full-evening performance series celebrating her 18 year career. 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

Joseph Wyatt began learning about dance and ballet at Eugene Joseph’s Trinidad Dance Theatre. Since then, he has spent most of his life studying, dancing professionally, and teaching ballet. Although he danced in Mexico City as the principal dancer of La Compania Nacional De Danza; and in Portland, Oregon, as principal dancer of Pacific Ballet Theatre, his most important achievement was being a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City. He began his career there, danced several principal  roles, and toured the U.S., Europe, and Japan. His life’s work now is teaching Ballet. He was the Ballet Master of the Dance of Harlem, the first Director of the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, and owned his own dance studio. He retired from professional dance, and begun guest teaching around the U.S. and at family studios and dance company in the Caribbean. He brings a love of teaching all ages of dancers. He has taught ballet to students from age eight to adult, pre-professional, and to seasoned professional dancers. He has also choreographed at all levels from young students to professional dancers. He looks forward to teaching each class.