Laura Bernasconi
Laura Bernasconi began her classical ballet training with Paul E.
Curtis Jr. and Shawn Stuart in her home town of Los Gatos, California.
Greatly influenced by teachers Richard Gibson, Maria Veigh, Benjamin
Harkarvy, Kristine Elliot, Milton Meyers, David Howard and Robert
Joffrey, Laura was educated on scholarship at schools of the San
Francisco Ballet, Cleveland Ballet and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
Laura danced the works of Hans Van Manen, Milton Meyers, George
Balanchine and Martin Schlaepfer in New York City and in Europe and
performed Classical Odissi Temple dance with the Jyoti Kala Mandir
College of Indian Dance in India and the US. Ms. Bernasconi
choreographed and performed the “Dance of Salome” for the Bruckner
House Orchestra in Linz, Austria, "At Shiva's Feet" with Labayen Dance/SF at the
Cowell Theater in San Francisco, "Suite Simone" and "Nina in India"
for the RAW series at the Garage Artspace, "Sensory Transcendence" for
the PILOT series at ODC Dance. She re-staged the opera “Aida” for the
dancers of Ballet Deutche Oper am Rheim at the LTU Arena in
Düsseldorf, Germany and co-choreographed and performed "Raga",
an Acro Yoga Dance dance duet at Dance Mission Theater.
Under the mentorship of Enrico Labayen, Laura is rehearsal director, founding member and performer of Labayen Dance/SF and an international guest teacher for Netherlands Dance Theater, Dutch National Ballet, Scapino Ballet, the Henny Jurriens Foundation, La La La Human Steps, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, ODC Dance, Smuin Ballet/SF, the Austrialian Dance Theater, and for Carte Blanche, the National Contemporary Company of Norway. As a certified Sivananda Yoga and Acro Yoga Teacher, Shi'atsu Massage Therapist, Wellnes Instructor and practitioner of the Alexander Technique, Gyrotonic©, Thai Chi and Thai Massage, Laura fuses the healing and performing arts to raise funds in Amsterdam and SF for such organizations as Mama Cash, the Africa Yoga Project and the Ama-Foundation through her Healing Arts Celebration- a gathering of artists of movement, music, nutritional foods, touch and aroma therapies. Laura has recently returned from Europe to the SF Bay Area to teach for LINES Ballet, ODC Dance, and the South Bay Dance Center. She will choreograph and perform with Carlos Venturo and Dance Through Time and continue to collaborate with Labayen Dance/SF.
Coming this fall, Laura also will be giving a Teacher's Training Course in her own style of ballet. If interested, please contact her at LauraBisme@gmail.com
References: Gary Feingold, Samuel Wuersten, Martin Schlaepfer, Ton Simmons, Ed Wubbe, Glenn Edgerton, Bruno Heyndricks, Stephen Shropshire, Alonzo King, Maurice Causey, Andre Gringas, Enrico Labayen, Cathy Sharp, Michele Pogliani, Massimo Molinari, Medhi Walerski, Alexander Ekman, Ederson Xavier, Yannis Adoniou, Mauricio Oliveira, Heather Ware, Kevin Cregan, Hope Miller, Brett Conway, Rupert Tookey, Augusta Moore, Elvia Marta, Marina Hotchkiss, Cecilia Fusile Burke, Noah Gelber, Sanja Maier Hasagic
Jekyns Pelaez
Jekyns Pelaez began his studies at Incolballet in his birthplace of Cali, Colombia. He danced with Ballet De Cali, Ballet Arizona, Chautauqua Ballet, Ohio Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley and others before joining Diablo Ballet and the San Francisco Opera. He has also toured extensively throughout the United States, Alaska, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba (XIII Festival de Ballet de la Habana), Thailand, and appeared at the International Children’s Festival. His repertoire as principal dancer includes The Nutcracker, Carmen, Cinderella, Lilac Garden, Rodeo, Giselle, Don Quixote, Carmina Burana, Serenade, La Fille Mal Gardee, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Flames of Paris, Napoli, Le Corsaire, Esplanade, and Sleeping Beauty. Since joining Diablo Ballet in 2003, he has danced roles in The Magic Toy Store, Carmen, Amadeus, La Vivandiere Pas de Quatre et Pas de Six, Lady of the Camellias Pas de Deux, They’ve Lost Their Footi ng, Walk before Talk and Who Cares? Mr. Pelaez appeared as a non-competing partner at the 2006 International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. In addition, he has been featured in the "Dance Bag" article in Pointe M agazine and will appear in the soon to be released film "Hanging Out Hooking Up Falling In Love". His website is jekyns.com.
Charles Torres
Mr. Torres was born in Mesa, Arizona. He began his ballet training under Judy Churma and Florence Davich. From there he received full scholarships to San Francisco Ballet School, Cleveland Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet School Workshops, School of American Ballet, Arizona State University, and recently earned his Master’s Degree in 21st Century Leadership from Saint Mary’s College. His wide range as a performing artist encompasses the contemporary works of Balanchine and other 20th century choreographers as well as the full-length classics. Since 1998, Mr. Torres has been a principal guest artist with several bay area companies: Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Diablo Ballet, and with Company C under Charles Anderson. He has danced or created principal roles for Smuin Ballets/S. F. for internationally renowned choreographer and director Michael Smuin. In addition to his work with Smuin Ballets/S.F. he danced as a principal with Ballet West Arizona, Ballet Austin, The Carlisle Project, Chautauqua Ballet under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, and with the Sacramento Ballet (as Principal Dancer and Ballet Master). He also is a frequent guest artist with several companies in the Los Angeles and bay area, including appearing with the San Francisco Opera Ballet as a principal guest artist. He has danced principal roles in Rubies, Allegro Brillante, Donizetti Variations, Scotch Symphony, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and the son in Prodigal Son. Full length classics include Romeo and Juliet, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Cinderella, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, La Fille Mal Gardee and Swan Lake.
