YEAR-ROUND FACULTY

The Long Beach Ballet Academy is dedicated to a professional classroom atmosphere that provides each student with the optimum opportunity to progress to his or her full potential. The faculty is comprised of skilled and highly motivated instructors, each of whom instills the highest standards of classical ballet and goals of the school.

 

David Wilcox, Artistic Director Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, David Wilcox began studying the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus at the age of eleven. Having successfully completed all exams through the Advanced level, he continued his studies in London and at the age of nineteen began his professional career in Germany.  He spent seven years dancing with the Berlin Ballet, the Nuremberg Ballet and the Heidelberg Ballet.  Returning home in 1978, he co-founded Long Beach Ballet and formed a professional company which became Southern California's most successful ballet company for 15 years.  Mr. Wilcox has coached several of his students for international ballet competitions and many have gone on to join such companies as San Francisco Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Milwaukee Ballet and New York Ballet Theater. Over the past several years he has produced and directed five ballet tours to Asia and has staged three full-length ballets for the Classical Ballet of Guangzhou, China:  The Nutcracker, La Bayadere and Cinderella.  He is a prolific choreographer and has created numerous full-length ballets for the school and the company.  He lives with his wife and daughters in Long Beach.

Johnny Zhong Mr. Zhong graduated from the Shen Yang Arts Institute in China and performed for seven years as a soloist with the Classical Ballet of Guangzhou.  He was featured as the Golden Idol in La Bayadere Cupid in Don Quixote, the Court Jester in Swan Lake, and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, as well as many other leading roles.  His father is a well-known Chinese choreographer and Mr. Zhong has continued in his father's footsteps by choreographing for and competing in several international ballet competitions, finishing in 8th place at the Shanghai International Ballet Competition in 2005.  He recently immigrated to the U.S. as a free-lance ballet dancer and joined the faculty of the Long Beach Ballet.

Shani Englert Ms. Englert began her training with Audrey Share at the age of five and continued her training with David Wilcox at Long Beach Ballet Arts Center. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Business and marketing at Cal State Long Beach while continuing her ballet training with Rebecca Wright and Colleen O'Callahan, both former dancers with American Ballet Theatre. She is a principal member of the LBBAC faculty and co-founder of Long Beach Ballet Theatre, the school's resident junior performing company, for which she was acting artistic director for eight years.

Nicole Wilcox Miss Wilcox received her ballet training from her father and mother beginning at the age of four.  She performed lead roles in several of her father’s ballets and also danced with the Los Angeles Classical Ballet as a student performer.  At Orange County High School of the Arts she majored in classical dance before changing to technical stage management and sound engineering.  She spent three years as the stage manager for the Improv Comedy Club and is Long Beach Ballet’s resident stage manager for all productions.  In 2001 she performed in Aladdin on a three week tour of mainland China.   Nicole has performed in many stage productions such as the the role of Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Hilde Byrne Ms. Byrne ("Miss Hilde") received her original training from the Norwegian Ballet Academy.  She continued her training in Rome and Paris, going on to perform featured roles in West Side Story, Cats and Chorus Line.   After arriving in the United States, she taught for several ballet schools and then opened her own school for five years.  In 1995 she joined the Long Beach Ballet faculty and currently instructs the Pre-Ballet, and all Children's levels.  Her skills also include costuming and theatrical hair and make-up.

Melissa Sandvig Melissa began her training at the age of five and continued uninterrupted at Long Beach Ballet Arts Center. She received scholarships to such schools as Houston Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, and was awarded second place in the Music Center's Spotlight Competition and 1995. She performed the role of Clara in The Nutcracker with Los Angeles Classical Ballet for three years and in 1997 and 1998 she toured with the Company to Taiwan and China.  In 1999 she joined the Milwaukee Ballet, performing soloist roles and touring with that company for four years. Most recently Melissa was a finalist on the hit TV show "So You Think You can Dance."

Christine Nunez Born in Southern California, Christine Nunez began her formal classical ballet training in Auburn, California under the direction of Sheila Humphreys (Ballet Mistress for the Royal Ballet & Joffrey Ballet). While training, she danced with the Sacramento Ballet in three seasons of the Nutcracker and attended the summer intensive programs of Ballet Magnificat! in Jackson, Mississippi, under the direction of Kathy Thibideaux (silver medalist at the 2nd USA International Ballet Competition).  In the spring of 2007 she continued her dance training and completed a dance internship at Orange Coast College under the mentorship of Amelie Hunter, Associate Professor of Dance, where she also received her Associates degree.  Miss Nunez has been invited to perform in several Faculty and Student productions at Orange Coast College, as well as at Irvine Valley College, under the direction of Marie de la Palme (Director of Motion Tribe) and Amelie Hunter.  Miss Nunez began teaching at Long Beach Ballet in the summer of 2009.

Part Time and Guest Faculty (in alphabetical order)

Patricia Barker Patricia Barker has been a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet since 1986. She joined PNB as an apprentice in 1981, became a full company member in 1982 and was promoted to soloist in 1984. Barker trained with Lynne Williams-Mullins prior to studying at PNB School on scholarship.  Miss Barker has been regularly featured in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine and is considered one of the world's finest ballerinas.

Da'Venche Burks Mr. Burks developed his unique contemporary style as a principal dancer with Spectrum Dance Theatre in Seattle.  He has since performed with many celebrated companies and has been a guest artist with Long Beach Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.   Mr. Burks has also been a ballet master for "Ballet Folklorico" and has successfully coached many dancers for international ballet competitions.

Alaine Haubert Alaine Haubert received her training from age 15 on at the School of American Ballet in New York City, where she studied with George Balanchine. In 1965 Alaine joined American Ballet Theatre, where she performed corps de ballet, soloist, and principal roles. In 1969 she joined the Joffrey Ballet as principal dancer. In 1993, Alaine was invited to return to New York as Ballet Mistress for American Ballet Theatre. She is currently director of the ABT Summer Intensive Program in Detroit.