The story of The Ballet Alliance begins with the establishment of the National Association for Regional Ballet (NARB) in 1956. NARB was founded to decentralize dance and nurture the growth of regional companies across the United States.
1956
1966
In 1966, Ballet studio owners and trailblazers formed the Pacific Western Regional Ballet Festival Association and joined NARB. That year, the Pacific chapter hosted its first Festival, organized by Deane and Barbara Crockett of the Sacramento Civic Ballet. Doris Hering was the first adjudicator, and six companies performed: Laguna Beach Civic Ballet, Cairns Dance Group, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Dorothy Fisher Concert Dancers, Sacramento Civic Ballet, and Concert Ballet Group of Tacoma.
1975
By 1975, NARB had expanded to five regions and over 200 companies. Consequently, the Pacific Western Regional Ballet Festival Association simplified its name to Pacific Regional Ballet Association (PRBA), representing ballet schools and pre-professional companies across the western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
1988
Regional Dance America (RDA) was founded in 1988 to continue NARB’s mission of promoting the artistic development of dance companies nationwide.
1989
In 1989, PRBA became Regional Dance America/Pacific, concurrent with NARB’s renaming to RDA.
EARLY 2000’s
While witnessing the shifting currents of the dance world, RDA/Pacific recognized the need for bold evolution. As the millennium turned, a powerful new vision started to take hold, one designed to ignite and elevate its member companies in an era of transformation.
2019
In 2019, the directors of RDA/Pacific separated from RDA and rebranded as The Ballet Alliance. This rebranding underscored a revitalized dedication to artistic excellence, education, and community engagement. The Ballet Alliance sharpened its focus on its members, investing in the future through professional development and mentorship programs.
In 1966, Ballet studio owners and trailblazers formed the Pacific Western Regional Ballet Festival Association and joined NARB. …
By 1975, NARB had expanded to five regions and over 200 companies. …
Regional Dance America (RDA) was founded in 1988 to continue NARB’s mission of promoting the artistic development of dance companies nationwide.
In 1989, PRBA became Regional Dance America/Pacific, concurrent with NARB’s renaming to RDA.
While witnessing the shifting currents of the dance world, RDA/Pacific recognized the need for bold evolution. …
Barbara Crockett, Doris Hering, Lila Zali
Barbara Crockett was a founding director of the Pacific Western Regional Ballet Festival Association, which after several name changes evolved into The Ballet Alliance. She was the founder of the Sacramento Ballet and her own school, Crockett Dance Studio. It is through her vision and guidance that The Ballet Alliance exists today. We strive to realize our mission: To raise the standards of American ballet through education, performance, and community engagement. It is her trailblazing footsteps we walk in, and we will always be thankful for her leadership and foresight.
Born Elisaveta Borisova Zalipskaya in Tblisi, Russia, Lila Zali came to the United States in 1921 at the age of three. During World War II, she organized a trio of dancers, including her good friend Barbara Stuart, called "The Three Debs," to do a USO tour. When she returned to New York, she starred in a weekly CBS television show called "Balleretta." She later was principal dancer of another weekly ballet program called "The Don Lee Show." Lila starred in many movies, including "An American in Paris" (in which she was Leslie Caron's stand-in), "Limelight" with Charlie Chaplin, "Daddy Long Legs," "Gaby," "Anything Goes," "Silk Stockings" and "The Ten Commandments." She also appeared on "The Colgate Comedy Hour" with Harpo Marx and Tony Martin. Her ballet teacher during this time was Imperial Russian Ballet star Adolph Bolm, whom she also taught for.
In addition, she taught at the studio of Michel Panaieff, which included her most famous student, a young Cynthia Gregory. Lila opened her own dance studio in 1959, and founded a small ballet company called Laguna Beach Civic Ballet, which later became Ballet Pacifica. Under her direction, the company evolved into a semi-professional group, performing 60-70 times per year. She served as director, choreographer, costume maker, fundraiser, and many other roles until 1988. Lila served on the board of the National Association of Regional Ballet — which later became Regional Dance America — for many years, including serving as president.
Doris Hering was a charter member of the board of directors of the predecessor of The Ballet Alliance, the National Association of Regional Ballet. She served as RDA/Pacific’s first Adjudicator. She continued to lead the regional dance movement in these capacities, including as president of the national office. She has received the Capezio Dance Award, was inducted into the Hunter College Alumni Hall of Fame and was given the Dance Magazine Award.
Ms. Hering was a freelance write and senior editor of Dance Magazine. She served on the Dance panel of the New York State Council of the Arts. She wrote two books: “25 Years of American Dance,” which she edited, and “Giselle & Albrecht: American Ballet Theater’s Romantic Lovers.” She is listed in Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who in Entertainment.
Nicholas Ade is a champion of The Ballet Alliance. He danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet for ten years before embarking on his teaching career. He was made Principal of PNB’s Francia Russel School, and led the faculty for several years before moving to Pennsylvania to serve on the faculty of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Nicholas has been CEO of CPYB since 2014, where he oversees operations and collaborates with artistic staff. He has taught at festivals, served as an Adjudicator, and is currently an Ambassador and a Festival Artistic Director for The Ballet Alliance.
Glenda Brown co-owned Allegro Academy of Dance and directed Allegro Ballet of Houston for many years. She was a founding member of Regional Dance America and a leader in the Southwest Region. She established the Glenda Brown Choreography Project, sponsoring hundreds of young dancers and choreographers to attend. In 1996, Glenda and her daughter Vanessa joined the staff of Young!Tanzsommer, a summer dance intensive in Austria. That project became Stars of Tomorrow and has hosted thousands of dancers through the years. Glenda’s dedication to the regional ballet movement is felt today by The Ballet Alliance, as her influence has affected our policies and goals for the development of our dancers and young choreographers.
Jan Collum received her ballet training in Omaha and Seattle before moving to continue her studies at the San Francisco Ballet School. As a teenager, she toured North America in musicals, then married and moved to Tokyo. She taught and choreographed for the Kamaki Ballet and the Tokyo Ballet, producing the first “Les Sylphides” in Tokyo.
Jan Collum received her ballet training in Omaha and Seattle before moving to continue her studies at the San Francisco Ballet School. As a teenager, she toured North America in musicals, then married and moved to Tokyo. She taught and choreographed for the Kamaki Ballet and the Tokyo Ballet, producing the first “Les Sylphides” in Tokyo. After the war, she returned to Seattle where she taught at the Cornish College of the Arts, and established the Jan Collum School of Classical Ballet in Tacoma. She founded the Tacoma City Ballet, which rose to regional prominence and became a founding member of the Pacific Region of NARB.
Jon Cristofori spent his high school summers at the renown dance festival Jacob’s Pillow under the tutelage of Ted Shawn. He continued his dance training with the National Ballet of Washington, quickly becoming an apprentice with the professional company. A year later he joined the Joffrey Ballet in NYC.
Jon Cristofori spent his high school summers at the renown dance festival Jacob’s Pillow under the tutelage of Ted Shawn. He continued his dance training with the National Ballet of Washington, quickly becoming an apprentice with the professional company. A year later he joined the Joffrey Ballet in NYC. Hard floors, touring on buses and the relentless choreographic challenges of Arpino ballets forced Jon from the professional stage in the early 70’s; but his passion for the dance did not die. Instead, it transferred to developing young artists in the classroom and on stage. Relocating to Arizona set the stage for Jon to inhabit his ultimate career as guide and mentor, earning him the nickname “The Maestro.” Jon has trained countless dancers, choreographers and teachers over his career. Directing Ballet Yuma with his wife Kathleen Sinclair surely brought him the greatest joy and his students maximum rewards.
Raised by parents who were patrons of the arts, Lenore Farese acquired a passion for beauty in the arts early, especially for ballet. She was a driving force within the Houston Ballet, part of the Founder’s Circle, served as President and had a wonderful relationship with many of the artists within the company. She had a long relationship with Ballet Yuma as an active board member, supporter and donor. Lenore supported the development of Emerging Choreographers with annual donations to Regional Dance America/Pacific that sponsored both choreographers and dancers.
Robert Hanlin performed with American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet and in broadway musicals, film and television. He and his wife Carole founded Goleta Civic Ballet in 1968 and joined Regional Dance America/Pacific in 1975. Goleta Civic Ballet supported the regional ballet movement through their membership for so many years, eventually becoming Santa Barbara Festival Ballet.
Deborah Hadley began her professional career as a charter member of Joffrey II. She took time off to marry and have two boys, returning to her career ten years later with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Her thirteen years as a principal dancer with PNB were distinguished by dancing virtually every leading role in the classical and Balanchine repertoire.
Deborah Hadley began her professional career as a charter member of Joffrey II. She took time off to marry and have two boys, returning to her career ten years later with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Her thirteen years as a principal dancer with PNB were distinguished by dancing virtually every leading role in the classical and Balanchine repertoire. She also appeared as a guest artist with the Kozlovs and Stars, Godonov and Stars, and in the title role of “Giselle” with Anthony Dowell, in addition to many companies across the United States.Upon retiring from her PNB performing career, Ms. Hadley founded the Washington Academy of Performing Arts in Redmonds, WA and directed it for five years. Following some years as Ballet Mistress of the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, she returned to the Pacific Northwest to teach, coach and stage ballets. Ms. Hadley has served as Adjudicator for several RDA regions, most often the Pacific, and has been instrumental in helping The Ballet Alliance create its artistic standards. She most recently served TBA as an Emerging Choreography mentor and on faculty at the 2023 Festival.
Backed with a degree in Zoology from UC Berkeley and following a career as a chemist at Stanford Medical School, Doris Jenkins volunteered with the Mill Valley Creative Dance Group, eventually becoming business manager of Dick Ford Dance. She was active in local ballet organizations and Regional Dance America, and for years was National Chairman of its Craft of Choreography Conferences. Her leadership of that conference helps establish the foundation of our current Emerging Choreography mentorship program.
Evelyn LeMone’s first love was Dance. Years of training from repeated trips to Los Angeles on the “Red Line” to study with the top teachers of the time, lead to her career as a noted performer, master teacher, choreographer, the owner of LeMone Ballet Center and the artistic director of Pasadena Junior Ballet Company.
Evelyn LeMone’s first love was Dance. Years of training from repeated trips to Los Angeles on the "Red Line" to study with the top teachers of the time, lead to her career as a noted performer, master teacher, choreographer, the owner of LeMone Ballet Center and the artistic director of Pasadena Junior Ballet Company which evolved into Pasadena Dance Theatre, a member company of the Pacific Regional Ballet of which she was a founding member. With her eclectic training in all forms of dance, she evolved her own "Free Style Ballet" form, which lead her to be the President of the largest dance teachers association in America, and to a professorship at the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts. Besides the thousands of dance teachers across the nation who taught her lyric style, hundreds of actors were inspired to emulate her grace on the stage, and many of her dance students went on to careers as lead dancers with ballet companies; also movies, television, stage work and as teachers, some of whom now own their own schools and others as heads of dance departments in colleges.
Charles Maple trained with Evelyn LeMone at Pasadena Dance Theatre and at the School of American Ballet. He had a career with American Ballet Theatre for several years before joining Basel Ballet in Switzerland as a principal dancer. Charles worked with such choreographers as George Balanchine, Antony Tudor, Agnes De Mille, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Jirí Kylián, Mikhail Baryshnikov, William Forsythe, Natalia Makarova, Erik Bruhn and Nacho Duato. He is a prolific choreographer, teacher and coach. He founded the Maple Conservatory of Dance, which he directed for 20 years.Currently, Charles is pleased to partner with and support The Ballet Alliance and in its education and development of talented young dancers pursuing careers in the field.
Clare Porter devoted her life to the world of Dance, predominately ballet. She joined the San Francisco Opera ballet the year of its inception, and later with the Paris Opera Ballet. She founded the Fresno Dance Repertory Association which consisted of three separate dance companies, one of which was the Fresno Civic Ballet. In 1966 she was one of the originators of the Pacific Western Regional Ballet Festival Association. She maintained very high production values. There is now an active dance community in Fresno because of Ms. Clare Porter.
Josephine Schwarz is the founder of Dayton Ballet. Miss Jo, as she was known in the dance world, began her dance training at 8 years of age, initially as physical therapy following a bout with the mumps. Her therapy became a passion by age 14.After her father’s business went bankrupt, Miss Jo began teaching to raise money for her lessons.
Josephine Schwarz is the founder of Dayton Ballet. Miss Jo, as she was known in the dance world, began her dance training at 8 years of age, initially as physical therapy following a bout with the mumps. Her therapy became a passion by age 14. After her father's business went bankrupt, Miss Jo began teaching to raise money for her lessons. She also danced with Ruth Page's Ravinia Opera Ballet while in high school. In 1927 she and her sister started the Schwarz School of Dance. Ten years later they founded the Experimental Group for Young Dancers. Eventually the dance company became known as the Dayton Ballet. The Dayton Ballet is one of the oldest regional companies in the United States. Miss Jo fell in love with modern dance after witnessing a moving performance by the German modern dancers, Yvonne Georgi and Harold Kreutzberg. She went to Germany and Austria to study modern dance with Mary Wigman and her disciples. From there, Miss Jo went to New York City to work with Charles Weidmann and Doris Humphrey. She returned to teach with Miss Hermene in 1937 after a knee injury ended her professional dance career. They taught ballet and modern dance, which was unheard of at the time. Miss Jo taught and choreographed for the Schwarz School and Dayton Ballet for over 30 years and continued as an administrator until her retirement in 1984.
Lt. Col. Fred Shadle selflessly volunteered his time to all manner of arts organizations. He served the Pacific Region of Regional Dance America for many, many years as Historian, attending every Festival (by car) with his beloved wife Jean. He was our advocate and adored the hard work of all of the dancers, encouraging the success of each of them.
Lt. Col. Fred Shadle selflessly volunteered his time to all manner of arts organizations. He served the Pacific Region of Regional Dance America for many, many years as Historian, attending every Festival (by car) with his beloved wife Jean. He was our advocate and adored the hard work of all of the dancers, encouraging the success of each of them. Col. Fred volunteered for Sacramento Ballet (a founding company of our region) for decades. In his later years, he would be the first person in the theater, making coffee and filling water bottles. Every ballerina who was ever presented flowers by the distinguished Colonel will never forget that thrill.
Patricia Stander trained in Rhodesia and England at the Royal Ballet School and was a graduate of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music L.R.A.M. She danced with the Royal Ballet, London Festival Ballet and Roland Petit. Her own illustrious career as a dancer led to a second equally notable career as teacher and coach.
Patricia Stander trained in Rhodesia and England at the Royal Ballet School and was a graduate of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music L.R.A.M. She danced with the Royal Ballet, London Festival Ballet and Roland Petit. Her own illustrious career as a dancer led to a second equally notable career as teacher and coach. She also worked in film. Ms. Stander served RDA/P for many years as Artistic Director of Dance Peninsula Ballet.
Ron Cunningham’s dance experience includes several classical, contemporary and modern dance companies as well as Broadway productions. His choreography career developed as resident choreographer for Boston Ballet. His original works are in the repertory of Dance Theatre of Harlem, ABT II, Joffrey II, New York Dance Theatre, New Jersey Ballet, Washington Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Tampa Ballet, Ballet Mississippi, Alabama Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Austin, Ballet Arizona, Southwest Ballet, Richmond Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre.
Cunningham has received two National Endowment Fellowships, and Choreography Fellowships form the states of Massachusetts, Maryland, and California. He holds a B.S. Degree in Marketing from Roosevelt University and has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of California/Davis campus.
Ron Cunningham’s dance experience includes several classical, contemporary and modern dance companies as well as Broadway productions. His choreography career developed as resident choreographer for Boston Ballet. His original works are in the repertory of Dance Theatre of Harlem, ABT II, Joffrey II, New York Dance Theatre, New Jersey Ballet, Washington Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Tampa Ballet, Ballet Mississippi, Alabama Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Austin, Ballet Arizona, Southwest Ballet, Richmond Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre.
Cunningham has received two National Endowment Fellowships, and Choreography Fellowships form the states of Massachusetts, Maryland, and California. He holds a B.S. Degree in Marketing from Roosevelt University and has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of California/Davis campus.
Cunningham and his wife Carinne Binda were Artistic Directors of Sacramento Ballet for 30 years. Under their leadership the company achieved national recognition for its diverse repertory and community engagement. Cunningham created or staged over 50 of his original works for the Sacramento Ballet from classics to contemporary works. In addition, he and his wife added 18 Balanchine masterworks to the repertory and dozens of the most sought after contemporary choreographers in the nation. He is a strong advocate of the regional dance movement and was the Ballet Alliance Festival Artistic Director in 2018. He currently serves as a Ballet Alliance Ambassador.
Jeffrey Gribler began dancing at age 7 in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. His 10 years of study at the Schwartz School of the Dance included six years of performing experience with the Dayton Ballet. In 1975, at the age of 17, he was offered an apprenticeship with Pennsylvania Ballet. He joined the Corps de Ballet in 1976 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1982.
Mr. Gribler has an extensive repertoire of both classical and modern works. He has danced leading roles in numerous ballets by George Balanchine, including Prodigal Son, Bugaku, The Four Temperaments, Agon, Who Cares?, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His roles in contemporary works include Paul Taylor’s Arden Court and Company B, Merce Cunningham’s Arcade, William Forsythe’s Steptext and Love Songs, Kevin O’ Day’s Col Legno and Lar Lubovitch’s Concerto 622 and Waiting for the Sunrise.
Jeffrey Gribler began dancing at age 7 in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. His 10 years of study at the Schwartz School of the Dance included six years of performing experience with the Dayton Ballet. In 1975, at the age of 17, he was offered an apprenticeship with Pennsylvania Ballet. He joined the Corps de Ballet in 1976 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1982.
Mr. Gribler has an extensive repertoire of both classical and modern works. He has danced leading roles in numerous ballets by George Balanchine, including Prodigal Son, Bugaku, The Four Temperaments, Agon, Who Cares?, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His roles in contemporary works include Paul Taylor's Arden Court and Company B, Merce Cunningham's Arcade, William Forsythe's Steptext and Love Songs, Kevin O' Day's Col Legno and Lar Lubovitch's Concerto 622 and Waiting for the Sunrise.
He has also danced leading roles in classical repertoire, such as Siegfried and Benno in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, Franz and Dr. Coppelius in Coppelia, a Stepsister in Cinderella, and Mercutio in John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet.
Mr. Gribler was Ballet Master for Pennsylvania Ballet from 1986 to 2014. He rehearsed the children who appear in the company's annual production of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. He has choreographed several works for Shut Up and Dance, the annual benefit for MANNA, and Cricket Dances, which was performed by Pennsylvania Ballet in October 1998. He has staged works by Lynne Taylor Corbett and Peter Martins around the United States and Europe. Mr. Gribler retired from the stage in June 2001, after 26 years of performing.
Terri Miley was a staff scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Eastern Washington for 34 years, as a mathematician working in data management and environmental modeling. Her interest in musical theater and dance drew her to Mid-Columbia Ballet, where she has served as a board member for 38 years. Deeply committed to The Ballet Alliance and its mission of educating tomorrow’s dancers, Terri has been the Parliamentarian of The Ballet Alliance since 1996. She has served TBA as its Festival Treasurer for the past 12 years, and has been on its scholarship committee for the past 10 years. She is a touchstone to the Artistic Directors, as someone who does not have artistic opinions and maintains a succinct view of the larger — usually financial — picture. Through her dedication to the finances, governing rules, and distribution of scholarships, Terri has made an impact on the future of The Ballet Alliance that is invisible, yet extraordinary.