Bayer Ballet Academy

About us
Faculty
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Contributors

About Us

Inna Bayer founded the Bayer Ballet Academy (BBA) in 2005 to teach the Vaganova method of classical ballet instruction to young students on the Peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bayer Ballet Company (BBC) was launched in 2010 by Ms. Bayer to provide serious, pre-professional performance opportunities for her young dancers and a showcase for their unique blend of classical and character dance.

Bayer Ballet Company is a registered 501©(3) non-profit corporation, tax ID 26-3414450.

Ms. Bayer has led the school through significant growth in just a few years. Her students have been accepted into prestigious summer programs, including those of the Kirov and Bolshoi ballet schools as well as the Royal Ballet School in London, England.

Students in the academy range from age three through pre-professional level. For those interested in pursuing dance careers or those for whom classical training is an end in itself, the BBA offers excellent ballet instruction in a warm and friendly environment. Attention is given to develop each child by focusing on its strength and talent. The detail oriented training students receive perfects their posture, poise and deportment.

Faculty

Inna Bayer
Artistic Director and Founder of Bayer Ballet Academy

Inna has more than 13 years of experience as a professional dancer and 15 years of experience as a Ballet Mistress. She graduated Cum Laude from the State Academy of Choreography and Dance in Voronezh, Russia. She has performed as a soloist with Kiev Classical Ballet Theater (Ukraine). During her artistic career, Inna toured in France, Spain, Germany and Poland as a principle dancer. This impressive career both informs her artistic and technical expertise.

Inna began her teaching career at Bat-Dor dance school where she taught Classical and Character Dance in 1992. Later, she moved to the United States to teach the Character Dance at San Francisco Ballet School. From 2000 until the summer of 2007 Inna was Ballet mistress at Westlake School for the Performing Arts (Daly City, CA). During her tenure there she prepared students for many performances including Nutcracker, competitions and recitals. Some pieces that her students tackled were taken from the great classical Repertoire. Her final year included students participating triumphantly in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (Scotland).

In 2002, American Dance Awards named Inna the "Choreographer of the Year". Inna's students win first prizes at international and regional competitions such as Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), International Dance Challenge (IDC), and American Dance Awards.

At the present time, she continues to teach Summer sessions at San Francisco Ballet School, and directs the Bayer Ballet Academy. Inna founded her school in 2005 out of a passion for Ballet. Students will participate in a yearly culminating final performance and community events.

Inna's students from Israel and the United States have danced in European and American professional dance troupes such as: Batsheva Dance Company (Israel), Ballet Israely (Israel), Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (Israel), Scottish Ballet (Scotland), Compania Nacional de Danza (Nacho Duato Artistic Director), State Ballet of Georgia, Alberta Ballet (Canada), Inbal Pinto Dance Company, Austin Ballet, Boston Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Smuin Ballet, and more. Clearly excellent instruction in ballet and long years of training as well as participation in performances and competitions serve to develop not only dancers but individuals of good character and academic achievement. Many students, who decide not to pursue dance as a professional career, entered the best colleges and universities.

Junna Ige
Instructor, Ballet

Miss Ige is a member of the corps de ballet of Ballet San Jose and joined for the 2008 - 2009 season. A native of Japan, she began her ballet training at Ecole Yokohama and later joined Japan Junior Ballet and Asami Maki School, both in Japan. In 2004, she received a scholarship from the Japanese government to train abroad for two years at the Hamburg Ballet School. There she performed roles in La fille mal gardee, Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty.

Upon graduation from the Hamburg Ballet School, she studied at Staatliche Hochschule Fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst Akademie Des Tanzes from 2006–2007. During that season, she received a scholarship and performed roles in Les Sylphides, Iemple Tänzerin, and Romeo and Juliet with Badisches Staatcheatler Karlsruhe. In the summer of 2007, she danced Concert Balocco, Les Sylphides, and Paella for Dancing 4 AIDS Orphans in Yokohama, Japan. This year (2010) she was a finalist in the prestigious USA International Ballet Competition (USAIBC).

Christie Revel
Instructor of Ballet, Contemporary, Character and Gymnastics

Christie Revel began her ballet training at the age of 4 in South San Francisco, California. She joined Westlake School for the Performing Arts (WSPA) in 2000 under the instruction of Inna Bayer, Malu Rivera Peoples and Tina Fargas. As a principal of their performance program she danced variations in the ballets "Le Corsaire", "Don Quixote", "La Fille mal gardée" and "Paquita".

In 2007 Christie was a delegate to "Youth America Grand Prix" (YAGP) for her ballet solo variation "Odalisque." She has received numerous prestigious awards for dance performances in both local and international competitions, and has performed many lead roles in WSPA's Nutcracker. She has trained in ballet, modern, character, jazz, tap, hula and Tahitian. Christie is currently a member of San Jose State University’s Modern Dance Company (UDT). In 2010 and 2012 her UDT performance pieces qualified for the "Gala" at the American College Dance Festival (ACDF). Christie has choreographed contemporary pieces for YAGP as well as for Bayer Ballet Academy’s semi-annual performances.

While training at WSPA Christie taught pre-ballet and tap, and in 2009 Christie taught Tahitian Cardio at San Jose State University. Christie is a fourth year student at San Jose State University where she continues to pursue her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance. In fall of 2008 and again in spring of 2009, Christie received the Legacy Scholarship Award in the name of Harriett Ann Gray, an award given to a promising freshman dance major. 2012 is Christie's fifth year teaching at Bayer Ballet Academy.

Christina Wood
Instructor, Pre Ballet

Christina Wood began dancing at age 3, training at Westlake School of the Performing Arts (WSPA) for 14 years. Under the instruction of Inna Bayer, Malu Rivera-Peoples and Cristina Fargas she rose to the rank of principal dancer, performing various leading roles in ballets, including the Sugar Plum Fairy in the WSPA dance company's "Nutcracker". As a member of WSPA's performance program Christina has performed both locally, nationally and internationally.

She studied in a wide array of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, character, hip-hop, hula and Tahitian styles. A respected dancer among her peers, Christina was voted WSPA's Outstanding Student of the Year in both the Junior and Senior levels. In 2004 Christina was awarded 2nd place for her performance of a contemporary solo at the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP). This same year she was runner up for Dancer of the Year at the American Dance Awards (ADA).

Christina began training to become a dance teacher at age 12 by volunteering as a teacher's aide at WSPA. In the summer of 2006 Christina was hired to teach ballet-tap and hula classes to the younger students at WSPA. While continuing to teach and dance for WSPA Christina attended San Francisco School of the Arts High School. Here she received additional dance training and graduated in 2008. She is currently teaching Tahitian dance at Nemenzo Polynesian Dance Group in Daly City, CA and attending Skyline College, focusing her studies on early childhood development. Christina's repertoire includes variations and excerpts from classical ballets, such as "La Bayadère", "Sleeping Beauty", "Le corsaire", "Don Quixote", "Paquita" and "Nutcracker".

Erin (Armstrong) Micek
Instructor of Ballet

Erin (Armstrong) Micek has been instructing students of all ages in classical ballet for 12 years. She received her ballet training from Houston Ballet Academy under directors Clara Cravey and Steve Brule, Ballet Idaho Academy of Dance, and from renowned coaches such as Maria T. Vegh, former co-director of Harkness House in New York City.

Erin has performed professionally with the Eugene Ballet Company/Ballet Idaho, Drop Dance Collective, the Margaret Wingrove Dance Company and multiple independent choreographers, performing various classical, contemporary and modern dance roles. Some of her former students have been accepted as students at prestigious schools throughout the country or moved on to professional careers of their own in ballet and modern companies. As she teaches and choreographs, Erin continues to work at instilling both the discipline and the love of the art of ballet into the lives of her students.

Olga Kofman
Instructor of Gymnastics for Ballet Teacher

Olga began her rhythmics gymnastics career when she was 5 years old. She has 12 years competition experience and holds a masters degree in rhythmic gymnastics. Her accomplishments include being a winner of multiple international competitions, including Champion of South Russia. She has been a medalist in various Russian gymnastics championships, a former student of School of Olympics Reserve and 1998-1999 national team member of Bulgaria.

Olga has extensive experience working with children as a coach of rhythmic gymnastics and was the Director of, "Children's Education Project" at Sohnut and cofounder of a special fitness school where young mothers exercise together with their babies.

Phebe Wusan
Pianist

A cum laude graduate of SBC, Singapore Bible College, majoring in piano performance. Phebe had a musical childhood. Growing up as rehearsal pianist of first Opera company ever in Indonesia while she was 15 years of age, performing with many choruses, amateur and professional, pianist of the winners of vocal division of S'pore National Music competition, and many other major events in both Indonesia and S'pore, including events broadcasted on national TVs.
Photo by Paul Tumason

As a ballet accompanist, she has worked with a lot of different ballet figures, both international and from around the Bay area, who have ties with ABT, New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Fransisco Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Hamburg Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet Theatre and School, Romanian National Opera, Singapore Dance Theatre, Liaoning Ballet and many others. Beside playing for ballet classes, she also accompanies recitalists, the most recent one was performed in Victoria Concert Hall in S'pore.

Currently, she runs her own piano studio with many talented students, and works for Ballet San Jose and Stanford Dance Dept.

Christine Wood
Administrative Assistant

Guest Teacher

Gennady Seluzky, Kirov Ballet—Ballet Mister and former Principal Dancer, professor of Academy of Russian Ballet "AJ Vaganova" Sankt-Peterburg, Russia. (2008)

Lynne Charles—A member of Hamburg Ballet, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, and Ballet National de Marseille Roland Petit. Celebrated Guest Artist with Kirov Ballet, Dresdener Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Finnish-Ballet, and Malmot Ballet-Sweden. (2009)

Margarita Yussim—An internationally renowned teacher whose experience includes 22 years at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. (2010, 2011, 2012)

Amparo Brito—Former National Ballet of Cuba, Prima Ballerina, Master Instructor. (2008, 2011)

Ivan Goliandin—Graduated with Honors as a teacher/choreographer from the Moscow Ballet Academy (Boshoi Ballet Academy) in Moscow, Russia. After dancing professionally for many years internationally. He continues his education and received a Diploma of higher education with a specialization, in Classical, Character, Pas de deux and Ballet Repertoire teaching for all ages and levels.
Goliandin’s experiences as a professional dancer and Master Teacher has both educated and inspired young dancers in Italy for years.(2012)

Nikoloz Makhateli—His education in dance extends to the highest qualification as Ballet Master Choreographer in Kirov Ballet, St. Petersburg. He obtained a Master’s Degree as Teacher/Repetiteur of Repertoire/Choreographer, and is an expert in the full Vaganova syllabus, the entire Petipa repertory.

He has toured extensively as a principal dancer with Tbilisi’s National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Georgia: France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia Poland, Australia, Singapore and many others.(2012)

Job Opportunity

Join our Staff

Contributors

Elena Zabelina—Photography www.ezphotoweb.com

Maxim Panchenko—Photography www.maxpan.smugmug.com

Olga Solonnikova—Web design www.osolonnikova.com

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About us Faculty Job Opportunity Contributors	About Us Inna Bayer founded the Bayer Ballet Academy (BBA) in 2005 to teach the Vaganova method of classical ballet instruction to young students on the Peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bayer Ballet Company (BBC) was launched in 2010 by Ms. Bayer to provide serious, pre-professional performance opportunities for her young dancers and a showcase for their unique blend of classical and character dance. Bayer Ballet Company is a registered 501©(3) non-profit corporation, tax ID 26-3414450. Ms. Bayer has led the school through significant growth in just a few years. Her students have been accepted into prestigious summer programs, including those of the Kirov and Bolshoi ballet schools as well as the Royal Ballet School in London, England. Students in the academy range from age three through pre-professional level. For those interested in pursuing dance careers or those for whom classical training is an end in itself, the BBA offers excellent ballet instruction in a warm and friendly environment. Attention is given to develop each child by focusing on its strength and talent. The detail oriented training students receive perfects their posture, poise and deportment.

	Faculty Inna Bayer Artistic Director and Founder of Bayer Ballet Academy Inna has more than 13 years of experience as a professional dancer and 15 years of experience as a Ballet Mistress. She graduated Cum Laude from the State Academy of Choreography and Dance in Voronezh, Russia. She has performed as a soloist with Kiev Classical Ballet Theater (Ukraine). During her artistic career, Inna toured in France, Spain, Germany and Poland as a principle dancer. This impressive career both informs her artistic and technical expertise. Inna began her teaching career at Bat-Dor dance school where she taught Classical and Character Dance in 1992. Later, she moved to the United States to teach the Character Dance at San Francisco Ballet School. From 2000 until the summer of 2007 Inna was Ballet mistress at Westlake School for the Performing Arts (Daly City, CA). During her tenure there she prepared students for many performances including Nutcracker, competitions and recitals. Some pieces that her students tackled were taken from the great classical Repertoire. Her final year included students participating triumphantly in the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (Scotland). In 2002, American Dance Awards named Inna the "Choreographer of the Year". Inna's students win first prizes at international and regional competitions such as Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), International Dance Challenge (IDC), and American Dance Awards. At the present time, she continues to teach Summer sessions at San Francisco Ballet School, and directs the Bayer Ballet Academy. Inna founded her school in 2005 out of a passion for Ballet. Students will participate in a yearly culminating final performance and community events. Inna's students from Israel and the United States have danced in European and American professional dance troupes such as: Batsheva Dance Company (Israel), Ballet Israely (Israel), Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company (Israel), Scottish Ballet (Scotland), Compania Nacional de Danza (Nacho Duato Artistic Director), State Ballet of Georgia, Alberta Ballet (Canada), Inbal Pinto Dance Company, Austin Ballet, Boston Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Smuin Ballet, and more. Clearly excellent instruction in ballet and long years of training as well as participation in performances and competitions serve to develop not only dancers but individuals of good character and academic achievement. Many students, who decide not to pursue dance as a professional career, entered the best colleges and universities.

	Junna Ige Instructor, Ballet Miss Ige is a member of the corps de ballet of Ballet San Jose and joined for the 2008 - 2009 season. A native of Japan, she began her ballet training at Ecole Yokohama and later joined Japan Junior Ballet and Asami Maki School, both in Japan. In 2004, she received a scholarship from the Japanese government to train abroad for two years at the Hamburg Ballet School. There she performed roles in La fille mal gardee, Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty. Upon graduation from the Hamburg Ballet School, she studied at Staatliche Hochschule Fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst Akademie Des Tanzes from 2006–2007. During that season, she received a scholarship and performed roles in Les Sylphides, Iemple Tänzerin, and Romeo and Juliet with Badisches Staatcheatler Karlsruhe. In the summer of 2007, she danced Concert Balocco, Les Sylphides, and Paella for Dancing 4 AIDS Orphans in Yokohama, Japan. This year (2010) she was a finalist in the prestigious USA International Ballet Competition (USAIBC). Christie Revel Instructor of Ballet, Contemporary, Character and Gymnastics Christie Revel began her ballet training at the age of 4 in South San Francisco, California. She joined Westlake School for the Performing Arts (WSPA) in 2000 under the instruction of Inna Bayer, Malu Rivera Peoples and Tina Fargas. As a principal of their performance program she danced variations in the ballets "Le Corsaire", "Don Quixote", "La Fille mal gardée" and "Paquita". In 2007 Christie was a delegate to "Youth America Grand Prix" (YAGP) for her ballet solo variation "Odalisque." She has received numerous prestigious awards for dance performances in both local and international competitions, and has performed many lead roles in WSPA's Nutcracker. She has trained in ballet, modern, character, jazz, tap, hula and Tahitian. Christie is currently a member of San Jose State University’s Modern Dance Company (UDT). In 2010 and 2012 her UDT performance pieces qualified for the "Gala" at the American College Dance Festival (ACDF). Christie has choreographed contemporary pieces for YAGP as well as for Bayer Ballet Academy’s semi-annual performances. While training at WSPA Christie taught pre-ballet and tap, and in 2009 Christie taught Tahitian Cardio at San Jose State University. Christie is a fourth year student at San Jose State University where she continues to pursue her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance. In fall of 2008 and again in spring of 2009, Christie received the Legacy Scholarship Award in the name of Harriett Ann Gray, an award given to a promising freshman dance major. 2012 is Christie's fifth year teaching at Bayer Ballet Academy. Christina Wood Instructor, Pre Ballet Christina Wood began dancing at age 3, training at Westlake School of the Performing Arts (WSPA) for 14 years. Under the instruction of Inna Bayer, Malu Rivera-Peoples and Cristina Fargas she rose to the rank of principal dancer, performing various leading roles in ballets, including the Sugar Plum Fairy in the WSPA dance company's "Nutcracker". As a member of WSPA's performance program Christina has performed both locally, nationally and internationally. She studied in a wide array of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, character, hip-hop, hula and Tahitian styles. A respected dancer among her peers, Christina was voted WSPA's Outstanding Student of the Year in both the Junior and Senior levels. In 2004 Christina was awarded 2nd place for her performance of a contemporary solo at the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP). This same year she was runner up for Dancer of the Year at the American Dance Awards (ADA). Christina began training to become a dance teacher at age 12 by volunteering as a teacher's aide at WSPA. In the summer of 2006 Christina was hired to teach ballet-tap and hula classes to the younger students at WSPA. While continuing to teach and dance for WSPA Christina attended San Francisco School of the Arts High School. Here she received additional dance training and graduated in 2008. She is currently teaching Tahitian dance at Nemenzo Polynesian Dance Group in Daly City, CA and attending Skyline College, focusing her studies on early childhood development. Christina's repertoire includes variations and excerpts from classical ballets, such as "La Bayadère", "Sleeping Beauty", "Le corsaire", "Don Quixote", "Paquita" and "Nutcracker". Erin (Armstrong) Micek Instructor of Ballet Erin (Armstrong) Micek has been instructing students of all ages in classical ballet for 12 years. She received her ballet training from Houston Ballet Academy under directors Clara Cravey and Steve Brule, Ballet Idaho Academy of Dance, and from renowned coaches such as Maria T. Vegh, former co-director of Harkness House in New York City. Erin has performed professionally with the Eugene Ballet Company/Ballet Idaho, Drop Dance Collective, the Margaret Wingrove Dance Company and multiple independent choreographers, performing various classical, contemporary and modern dance roles. Some of her former students have been accepted as students at prestigious schools throughout the country or moved on to professional careers of their own in ballet and modern companies. As she teaches and choreographs, Erin continues to work at instilling both the discipline and the love of the art of ballet into the lives of her students. Olga Kofman Instructor of Gymnastics for Ballet Teacher Olga began her rhythmics gymnastics career when she was 5 years old. She has 12 years competition experience and holds a masters degree in rhythmic gymnastics. Her accomplishments include being a winner of multiple international competitions, including Champion of South Russia. She has been a medalist in various Russian gymnastics championships, a former student of School of Olympics Reserve and 1998-1999 national team member of Bulgaria. Olga has extensive experience working with children as a coach of rhythmic gymnastics and was the Director of, "Children's Education Project" at Sohnut and cofounder of a special fitness school where young mothers exercise together with their babies. Phebe Wusan Pianist A cum laude graduate of SBC, Singapore Bible College, majoring in piano performance. Phebe had a musical childhood. Growing up as rehearsal pianist of first Opera company ever in Indonesia while she was 15 years of age, performing with many choruses, amateur and professional, pianist of the winners of vocal division of S'pore National Music competition, and many other major events in both Indonesia and S'pore, including events broadcasted on national TVs. As a ballet accompanist, she has worked with a lot of different ballet figures, both international and from around the Bay area, who have ties with ABT, New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Fransisco Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Hamburg Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet Theatre and School, Romanian National Opera, Singapore Dance Theatre, Liaoning Ballet and many others. Beside playing for ballet classes, she also accompanies recitalists, the most recent one was performed in Victoria Concert Hall in S'pore. Currently, she runs her own piano studio with many talented students, and works for Ballet San Jose and Stanford Dance Dept. Christine Wood Administrative Assistant Guest Teacher Gennady Seluzky, Kirov Ballet—Ballet Mister and former Principal Dancer, professor of Academy of Russian Ballet "AJ Vaganova" Sankt-Peterburg, Russia. (2008) Lynne Charles—A member of Hamburg Ballet, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, and Ballet National de Marseille Roland Petit. Celebrated Guest Artist with Kirov Ballet, Dresdener Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Finnish-Ballet, and Malmot Ballet-Sweden. (2009) Margarita Yussim—An internationally renowned teacher whose experience includes 22 years at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. (2010, 2011, 2012) Amparo Brito—Former National Ballet of Cuba, Prima Ballerina, Master Instructor. (2008, 2011) Ivan Goliandin—Graduated with Honors as a teacher/choreographer from the Moscow Ballet Academy (Boshoi Ballet Academy) in Moscow, Russia. After dancing professionally for many years internationally. He continues his education and received a Diploma of higher education with a specialization, in Classical, Character, Pas de deux and Ballet Repertoire teaching for all ages and levels. Goliandin’s experiences as a professional dancer and Master Teacher has both educated and inspired young dancers in Italy for years.(2012) Nikoloz Makhateli—His education in dance extends to the highest qualification as Ballet Master Choreographer in Kirov Ballet, St. Petersburg. He obtained a Master’s Degree as Teacher/Repetiteur of Repertoire/Choreographer, and is an expert in the full Vaganova syllabus, the entire Petipa repertory. He has toured extensively as a principal dancer with Tbilisi’s National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Georgia: France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia Poland, Australia, Singapore and many others.(2012) Job Opportunity Join our Staff Contributors Elena Zabelina—Photography www.ezphotoweb.com Maxim Panchenko—Photography www.maxpan.smugmug.com Olga Solonnikova—Web design www.osolonnikova.com Back to top>>
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