Olympic Ballet School

Olympic Ballet THEATRE

FACULTY

Performance opportunities with a carefully designed curriculum and a nurturing faculty are vital to the students’ progression, and are what make Olympic Ballet School a professional-quality school...

creative director

Artistic Director - Oleg Gorboulev

Oleg Gorboulev received his ballet training from the National Ballet School of Uzbekistan. Upon graduation, he worked with Moscow Classical Ballet in Russia, with whom he toured internationally. Oleg came to the USA in 1995 to dance with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre. He was invited to
...read more Oleg Gorboulev received his ballet training from the National Ballet School of Uzbekistan. Upon graduation, he worked with Moscow Classical Ballet in Russia, with whom he toured internationally. Oleg came to the USA in 1995 to dance with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre. He was invited to join Pacific Northwest Ballet where he reached soloist rank. Oleg most recently danced as a founding member of Los Angeles Ballet and with Seattle Dance Project.

creative director

Artistic Director - Mara Vinson

Mara Vinson is from Redondo Beach, California. She trained at Palos Verdes Ballet, the Kirov Academy, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. She joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 1999. She was promoted to corps de ballet in 2000, to soloist in 2004, to principal
...read more Mara Vinson is from Redondo Beach, California. She trained at Palos Verdes Ballet, the Kirov Academy, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. She joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 1999. She was promoted to corps de ballet in 2000, to soloist in 2004, to principal in 2007 and is currently a free-lance guest artist. Her repertoire includes great classics such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Romeo and Juliet and Nutcracker as well as many Balanchine ballets. Mara has performed for many renowned choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Merce Cunningham, Nacho Duato, Mark Morris, Kevin O'Day, Jerome Robbins, Kent Stowell, and Twyla Tharp. In 2008, Vinson was named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch."

creative director

Krissy Girardi

Krissy Girardi began dancing with Edna Austin, at Ballet Arts of Modesto in California. Soon after, she started commuting to the Bay Area to study with San Francisco Ballet and Contra Costa Ballet. At 16, Krissy moved to Seattle to study with Pacific Northwest Ballet. At 16, Krissy moved
...read more Krissy Girardi began dancing with Edna Austin, at Ballet Arts of Modesto in California. Soon after, she started commuting to the Bay Area to study with San Francisco Ballet and Contra Costa Ballet. At 16, Krissy moved to Seattle to study with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Once graduated from high school, she moved to Reggio Emilia, Italy, where she performed with the Associazione di Balletto Classico, under the direction of Marinel Stefanescu and Liliana Cosi. Since returning to Seattle, Krissy has also performed with ARC Dance Company. Through her many years of training and performing, she has become knowledgeable in a variety of dance forms including: ballet, modern, jazz, character, and tap. She has been teaching many of these dance styles to all ages in the Seattle area since 1997.

creative director

Christine Hamstra

Christine has been dancing for more than ten years and has studied ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, and lyrical dance. She joined Olympic Ballet Theatre as a company dancer in 2008 and has since danced many roles in company performances including Giselle,
...read more Christine has been dancing for more than ten years and has studied ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, and lyrical dance. She joined Olympic Ballet Theatre as a company dancer in 2008 and has since danced many roles in company performances including Giselle, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, and Carnival of the Animals. She participated in the Regional Dance America/Pacific festivals in 2009 and 2010 and performed there – including a solo role in Kiyon Gaines new work According-ly. Most recently she was seen performing in the All 4 1 Seattle dance festival. Christine joined the Olympic Ballet faculty in 2010 and is excited to continue sharing her love of dance with her students.

creative director

Karen Herr

Karen Herr enjoys a long history with Olympic Ballet. She received her training at the school and was a charter OBT company member. She went on to dance with David Taylor Dance Theatre in Denver and Nandanco in Norwich, England. Prior to her performing career she earned
...read more Karen Herr enjoys a long history with Olympic Ballet. She received her training at the school and was a charter OBT company member. She went on to dance with David Taylor Dance Theatre in Denver and Nandanco in Norwich, England. Prior to her performing career she earned a BA in English Literature from Pacific Lutheran University, followed by an MFA in Ballet Teaching/Choreography from the University of Utah. She has taught ballet and other dance forms for more than fifteen years, working with dancers of all ages and abilities. She joined our faculty in 2007.

creative director

Daniel Wilkins

Daniel Wilkins graduated from the School of American Ballet, danced professionally with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Donald Byrd/The Group, Complexions, and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. Wilkins formed DASSdance in 1996, creating his signature All-Terrain style of dance in
...read more Daniel Wilkins graduated from the School of American Ballet, danced professionally with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Donald Byrd/The Group, Complexions, and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. Wilkins formed DASSdance in 1996, creating his signature All-Terrain style of dance in a multi-media arena. Wilkins has collaborated with Diane von Furstenberg on six full-length works which premiered at DvF-The Theater in NYC. Wilkins recently premiered his seventh work with DASS, Fighting Water, at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (LHPAC) in Seattle. The performances of Fighting Water have led to an artistic partnership with the LHPAC. Wilkins has connected to the community with his works through partnerships with Read Across America, Real Change and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. Wilkins has been a featured artist with OBT for many years. He has brought an extraordinary background in ballet and an entirely new form of contemporary dance to our students since 2002.