2020/2021 CORE FACULTY
About Our Core Faculty
Evergreen City Ballet’s 2020/2021 Core Faculty consists of the Artistic Director, School Principal, and a small group of instructors who are committed and dedicated to providing the highest quality dance education to all of our academy students. Each instructor is passionate about instilling ECB’s core values of excellence, integrity, discipline, respect, inclusiveness, professionalism, and teamwork. ECB’s unique dance curriculum offers a rigorous, well-rounded, and holistic approach to learning and development. Core Faculty instructors may periodically rotate within their designated levels, at the discretion of the Artistic Director and School Principal, to ensure that ECB delivers a comprehensive and dynamic learning experience. Each instructor is available for one-hour coaching or private session to work with a student one-on-one and help advance their technique and artistry. At ECB, our goal is to help each student learn, grow, and thrive.
NATHAN COOK
Interim School Principal
principal@evergreencityballet.org
Nathan Cook began his ballet training at the age of four at Washington Contemporary Ballet in Tacoma, WA, where he studied classical and contemporary ballet under the direction of Kay Englert. He has studied a wide variety of other dance styles including modern, tap, jazz, and flamenco. He received further training from Spectrum Dance Theatre and Pacific Northwest Ballet, where he spent four summers dancing on merit scholarship.
Over the years, Mr. Nathan has studied with many notable directors and instructors including Peter Boal, Vicki Pulkinen, Eva Stone, Sonja Dawkins, Donald Byrd, Bruce Wells, Timothy Lynch, and Stephanie Wood. As a professional dancer and guest artist he has had the privilege of working with esteemed choreographers such as Adam Miller, Julie Tobiason, Jennifer Porter, Eva Stone, and Stanko Milov. Major roles danced by Mr. Cook include Peter Pan, Hilarion, Franz, Sugar Plum Cavalier, Prince Charming, Prince Ivan, and Nick Bottom to name a few.
Mr. Nathan recently retired as the Director of Washington Contemporary Ballet and is currently dancing with Khambatta Dance Company. He is taking on the role of Interim School Principal at Evergreen City Ballet for the 2020/2021 School Year.
CHARMAINE BUTCHER
Rehearsal & Programs Coordinator
rehearsal@evergreencityballet.org
Charmaine Butcher is a dancer, teacher, and creative artist based in Seattle, Washington. She received her formative dance training at Evergreen City Ballet. She has also attended the Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, The Juilliard School, and DanceWorks Chicago summer dance programs. Ms. Charmaine graduating high school with an Associate's Degree in 2012 and furthered her dance education at LINES Ballet's Training Program in San Francisco. Since returning to Seattle, Ms. Charmaine has worked with choreographers Amy J Lambert, Petra Zanki, and Cameo Lethem. She has also performed with Coriolis Dance and the Seattle Opera.
"Charmaine Butcher’s dazzling presence on stage is only outmatched by her exquisite movement quality, a technical talent who shines equally in balletic sections, punchy jazz and goofball comedy" — CityArts
While nurturing her desire to perform, she simultaneously developed her unique approach to teaching. Driven by her training, education, and experience, Ms. Charmaine believes that a student's physical ability is only defined by the fullness of their spirit. Primarily teaching contemporary ballet, she is dedicated to the development of the individual, regardless of perceived limitations. She believes in empowering students to trust in their unlimited physical, intellectual, and emotional potential. She inspires her students to practice and apply the important values they learn from dance throughout their personal and professional lives.
JENNIFER PORTER
Student and Pre-Professional Programs
Level IV and V/VI
Performance Division
Advanced Ballet
Jennifer Porter grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. She trained with Ballet West and First Chamber Dance Company and attended high school at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts. She began her professional career dancing with The Washington Ballet in Washington, DC and then with Pacific Northwest Ballet where she performed works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Kent Stowell, Jerome Robbins, Nacho Duato, and many others.
Ms. Jennifer was the Artistic Director of Ballet Bellevue for three years where she created two original full length ballets, The Snowman and Firebird. She has also created other contemporary works including With Remorse, Velvet Romance, Disconnected, Duet, and Childish Things. She has also created works for The Katy Hagelin Dance Project, Inception Dance Theater, and Burmer Music. Her choreographic works has been praised and recognized nationally and internationally. Ms. Jennifer's work for Burmer Music titled Sacred and Profane was highly acclaimed and her piece Vim was recently performed in Croatia.
In February of 2017, she won 1st Prize at The Rocky Mountain Choreography Festival in Utah for her piece Duet. She was invited to return and present a full evening of her choreographic works. In October of 2017, she brought with her ten dancers to perform her original choreography, including a selection of shorter works and Firebird, her modern day ballet interpretation of the Russian fairy tale of the same name. Her dances and dancers were well received by an enthusiastic audience at Peery's Egyptian Theater, a 800-seat theater in Ogden, Utah.
In addition to choreography, Ms. Jennifer has been teaching for 20 years and has enjoyed working with not only professional dancers, but students and non-dancers. She has taught all over the state choreographing musicals, graduation dances, and the occasional flash mob. Ms. Jennifer loves coaching, mentoring, and nurturing in her students the passion for dance, which she has celebrated her whole life.
DEAN SPEER
Student, Pre-Professional, and Open Adult Programs
Level IV and V/VI
Performance Division
Floor Barre & Stretch (Fridays evenings)
Dean Speer is thrilled to be joining the ECB Core Faculty. He brings over four decades of teaching experience in ballet, pointe, variations, contemporary (the Martha Graham Technique), and character. Most recently he was the guest teacher for Company Class of Ballet Bellevue and NW Dance Intensive. Mr. Dean is the Founding Director of Chehalis Ballet Center (dba, SW WA Dance Center), was the AD of Chattanooga Ballet, and he currently teaches at dance studios across the Greater Seattle area. Mr. Dean's hobbies include singing, reading, enjoying the great NW, rubbing the tummy of his kitty, and sampling yummy treats. Dean is also the author of the acclaimed book, On Technique (University Press of Florida, 2010), and of All Steps Considered.
EMILY COELLO
Pre-Professional and Advanced Ballet Programs
Level V/VI
Performance Division
Advanced Ballet
Bio coming soon!
PERRY BEVINGTON
Early Childhood, Student, and Open Adult Programs
Creative Movement
Level I, II, III, IV, and V/VI
Open Adult Ballet (Intermediate/Advanced, Monday evenings)
Floor Barre & Stretch (Tuesday evenings)
Perry Bevington was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. She started dancing at age four with her twin sister, where they received early training at Ballet Etudes in Mesa, Arizona. Ms. Perry had the opportunity to participate in multiple performances ranging from Nutcracker to original contemporary works.
At age sixteen, she relocated with her family to Washington State where she and her sister enrolled with Pacific Northwest Ballet under full scholarship. She has attended summer intensive programs with PNB, School of American Ballet, and Oregon Ballet Theater. Ms. Perry's professional training has also included work and performance opportunities with PNB's Professional Division Program, Cincinnati Ballet, and Nevada Ballet Theatre. Over the years, her favorite roles have included Twyla Tharp’s Sweet Fields; Tall Fairy in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Dew Drop Fairy in the Nutcracker; Winter Fairy in Cinderella.
Ms. Perry enjoys teaching younger level students at Evergreen City Ballet and is very excited to be a part of their foundational training.
AVA (COBB) CARVER
Early Childhood, Student, and Open Adult Programs
Creative Movement
Level I, III, and III
Open Adult Ballet (Intermediate, Sundays at noon)
Ava (Cobb) Carver began her dance training at the age of ten in Renton, Washington at Evergreen City Ballet under the careful direction of Kevin Kaiser and Louise Nadeau. In 2014, she was accepted into the School of Ballet Arizona where she spent two years in Ballet Arizona’s Studio Company under the leadership of Carlos Valcárcel.
In 2016, Ms. Ava joined Ballet Arizona’s Professional Company under the direction of Ib Andersen. During her time at Ballet Arizona, she had the opportunity to perform in many critically acclaimed ballets such as George Balanchine’s Square Dance and Western Symphony, and the U.S. premiere of Napoli, a classic August Bournonville ballet. Additionally, she performed world premieres by choreographers Ib Andersen and Nayon Iovino.
She joined NWA Ballet Theatre as a Principal Dancer in 2018 under the direction of Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye. At NWA Ballet Theare, Ms. Ava has performed principal roles in original contemporary pieces and full length premieres of ballets, including Cinderella, by Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye. She has had the opportunity to also perform Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez, a work by the critically acclaimed Chicago-based choreographer Stephanie Martinez.
Ms. Ava strives for excellence both in her artistry and technique. She loves to use dance and tell stories that audiences can connect with and enjoy. She is recently married and thrilled to be back in the Pacific Northwest.
MARIO MANANSALA
Homeschool and Student Programs
Homeschool Ballet
Level I, II, III, and IV
From a young age, Mario Manasala has always loved moving to the beat of the music. Mr. Mario has found his passion for dance while dancing various shows with Momentum Dance Ensemble. He has danced with Moscow Ballet (on full scholarship) and Evergreen City Ballet. He has also attended summer dance intensives at Evergreen City Ballet, International Ballet Theater, Momentum Dance Ensemble. Mr. Mario has been accepted into the Oregon Ballet Theater and Joffrey Ballet School summer intensive and year-round program both on a partial and full scholarships.
He has worked with Deborah Hadley, Julie Tobiason, Louise Nadeau, James Moore, Jonathan Poretta, Kyion Gaines, Eva Stone, Lindsi Dec, and Karel Cruz from Pacific Northwest Ballet. He has also participated in local events such as BoostMeUP, Dance to Make a Difference, Continuum Dance, and many more. Mr. Mario has performed as a Guest Artist for several performing groups and projects around the Seattle area.
SERENA MARTIN
Student Programs
Level III and IV
Bio coming soon!
MIRANDA CHANTELOIS
Early Childhood and Student Programs
Preschool Dance Enrichment Series
Parent & Tot
Creative Movement
Level I, II, and III
Miranda Chantelois has performed in the works of nationally renowned artists Kyle Abraham, Sidra Bell, Amy O’Neal, and Bennyroyce Royon, as well as contemporary ballet and modern works by Jason Ohlberg, Deborah Wolf, Marlo Martin, Walter Kennedy, and others. A graduate of Cornish College of the Arts (BFA in Dance), she is Autism Movement Therapy®, Youth Protection Advocates in Dance®, Progressing Ballet Technique®, and Pilates Mat certified with training in Brain Compatible Dance Education, preschool enrichment, Dance for PD®, and physically adaptive dance.
Ms. Miranda currently teaches for the STG Dance for PD® and Dance With Life creative aging programs working with seniors and adults with disabilities. She is a performer for Marlo Martin’s company take3 dance project and instructor for dancers of all ages and abilities in the Greater Seattle area. Ms. Miranda is also a writer and frequently contributes to SeattleDances.come and Huffington Post affiliate The Mighty.
She is thrilled to be joining the team at ECB and can't wait for the year ahead!
ANDI MARTIN
Early Childhood and Student Programs
Parent & Tot
Creative Movement
Advisory Board, On Maternity Leave
Ms. Andi has been part of Evergreen City Ballet since its inception in 1994. She began as a student under founding Artistic Director Wade Walthall. As a Company Dancer at ECB, Ms. Andi has performed principal roles in full length ballets including Cinderella, and Sugarplum Fairy and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. She also performed in Amsterdam and Austria with the Salzburg Ballet.
After returning stateside and recovering from an injury, Ms. Andi began instructing and working as Ballet Mistress at ECB for 10 years. During this time, she also pursued a Montessori teaching certification and began classroom instruction in Washington State.
Ms. Andi enjoys teaching both in the studio and in the classroom, implementing Montessori principles with all of her students. She recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy named William, a bundle of joy and a wonderful addition to the Evergreen City Ballet family!