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| PBS Faculty |
Barbara Pontecorvo danced professionally for
twenty years and has taught ballet for most of her
career. She was principal dancer with five ballet
companies, including Dayton Ballet, where she
was also Director of Dayton Ballet II and Associate
Director of the Dayton Ballet School. In addition
to her primary focus at PBS, Barbara is also
Director of Gem City Ballet, and sets the ballets of
Stuart Sebastian on companies internationally.
twenty years and has taught ballet for most of her
career. She was principal dancer with five ballet
companies, including Dayton Ballet, where she
was also Director of Dayton Ballet II and Associate
Director of the Dayton Ballet School. In addition
to her primary focus at PBS, Barbara is also
Director of Gem City Ballet, and sets the ballets of
Stuart Sebastian on companies internationally.
Estelle Bean joined PBS after a long career of teaching at the Eugene Loring School, the
Schwarz School of Dance, Dayton Ballet School and her own Oxford Dance Center, among
others. Miss Estelle trained under such renowned teachers as Eugene Loring, William and
Harold Christensen, Vladamir Oboukov, Muriel Stuart, Anthony Tudor, Edward Caton,
Leon Danieleon and Robert Joffrey.
Lauren Clark began studying at Northeast Ohio Dance with Brenda and Christopher
Stygar. She graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor’s degree in Specialized Studies
in Dance, Physiology and Somatic Studies. She graduated from the University of Akron with
a Master’s in Education. Lauren teaches chemistry at Waynesville High School. She has so
enjoyed dancing for the past two seasons with Gem City Ballet.
Jeri Dickey received her BFA in Dance from Wright State University and has danced
professionally with Los Angeles Ballet and other dance companies in the Ohio Valley Area.
She has received an Emmy award for her choreography for WHIO TV's Summer Nights. Jeri
is now a dance professor at Wright State University. Jeri also semi-annually produces a dance
concert to promote awareness and raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Emily Estes is a former Gem City Ballet member whose training included study at the
Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Virginia School of the Arts and the Joffrey Ballet School. She holds a
degree in Arts Administration/Dance Concentration from Butler University in Indianapolis
where she went on to work as an arts fundraiser and was also a dancer, choreographer and
instructor for the contemporary dance company Motus Dance Theatre. Emily most recently
lived in Boston and was a member of the modern dance company, EgoArt, Inc. in addition to
performing with several other local choreographers and producing her own work. Since
returning to the Dayton area, Emily has been working as a yoga instructor and is very eager
to return to her ballet roots as a faculty member at PBS.
Michelle Goodman earned a BFA in dance from Wright State University and graduated high
school from the Interlochen Arts Academy. She has performed professionally with Walt
Disney Productions, the Dayton Opera, the Sorg and Whitewater opera companies, and La
Comedia Dinner Theater. She has taught at PBS since 1992 and at Wright State University
since 1994, where she is a faculty associate.
Parris Hobbs has danced professionally with the Dayton Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Atrek
Contemporary Dance Company, and Lake Erie Ballet. He was on the faculty of the St. Louis
Ballet and Lake Erie Ballet schools where he taught ballet, boys classes, partnering and jazz.
Additionaly, he taught for Mercyhurst college where he earned his BA in Dance.. He received
his training from Barbara Pontecorvo at PBS, Jon Rodriguez at WSU, and Marcia Dale Weary
at the Central PA Youth Ballet.
Karen Hochwalt began her dancing career in Louisville, Ky. with the Louisville Ballet while
attending high school. She studied at North Carolina School of the Arts, Harkness House
Ballet Co. and finished her education graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance
from CCM, University of Cincinnati. She was also a soloist with the Cincinnati Ballet and the
Cincinnati Opera Ballet. In 1981, Karen taught at the Jon Rodriguez School of Ballet which
later became the Dayton Ballet School, and is currently on staff at Terre's Dance Workshop
and has been an adjunct teaching ballet at Stivers Performing Arts High School since 2006.
She has also been an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor for over 20 years.
Cindy Kaney has danced her entire life and has studied with Ruth Vernon, Irine Fokine,
Alexi Yudenish, and more recently with Jon Rodriguez, Bess Imber and Barbara Pontecorvo.
She has performed in most of the classic repertory, and she was a member of Bess Imber's
Chamber Dance Ensemble.
South African born Celeste Mackenzie danced for 25 years and passed all the Royal Academy
exams including ‘Solo Seal’ and won the Adeline Genee’award. After graduating, Celeste won
a scholarship to the Royal Ballet school in London. She danced professionally for 12 years
with 2 major South African Ballet companies and was Principal dancer for the last 5 years of
her career. Since retiring, Celeste studied Pilates and other forms of exercise and has been
teaching Ballet and Pilates for 16 years. Celeste tries to teach Injury prevention and strength
training to her dancers so her Pilates knowledge is an asset in her classes. Celeste is Director
of Pilates at Xcel Sportsmedicine in Vandalia.
Erin Wheeler, a native of Dayton, began her ballet career at the age of five. Wheeler was a
member of Gem City Ballet, until 1998. She is a 2002 graduate of Ball State University with a
degree in Dance Performance, and a minor in Dance Education. In California, she was a
principal dancer with Metropolis Dance Theatre, a professional contemporary dance company
based in Los Angeles.
Pianists: John Rippin, Bernadette O'Connor, Cris Sidell
School Administrator: Sue Hanes
Schwarz School of Dance, Dayton Ballet School and her own Oxford Dance Center, among
others. Miss Estelle trained under such renowned teachers as Eugene Loring, William and
Harold Christensen, Vladamir Oboukov, Muriel Stuart, Anthony Tudor, Edward Caton,
Leon Danieleon and Robert Joffrey.
Lauren Clark began studying at Northeast Ohio Dance with Brenda and Christopher
Stygar. She graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor’s degree in Specialized Studies
in Dance, Physiology and Somatic Studies. She graduated from the University of Akron with
a Master’s in Education. Lauren teaches chemistry at Waynesville High School. She has so
enjoyed dancing for the past two seasons with Gem City Ballet.
Jeri Dickey received her BFA in Dance from Wright State University and has danced
professionally with Los Angeles Ballet and other dance companies in the Ohio Valley Area.
She has received an Emmy award for her choreography for WHIO TV's Summer Nights. Jeri
is now a dance professor at Wright State University. Jeri also semi-annually produces a dance
concert to promote awareness and raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Emily Estes is a former Gem City Ballet member whose training included study at the
Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Virginia School of the Arts and the Joffrey Ballet School. She holds a
degree in Arts Administration/Dance Concentration from Butler University in Indianapolis
where she went on to work as an arts fundraiser and was also a dancer, choreographer and
instructor for the contemporary dance company Motus Dance Theatre. Emily most recently
lived in Boston and was a member of the modern dance company, EgoArt, Inc. in addition to
performing with several other local choreographers and producing her own work. Since
returning to the Dayton area, Emily has been working as a yoga instructor and is very eager
to return to her ballet roots as a faculty member at PBS.
Michelle Goodman earned a BFA in dance from Wright State University and graduated high
school from the Interlochen Arts Academy. She has performed professionally with Walt
Disney Productions, the Dayton Opera, the Sorg and Whitewater opera companies, and La
Comedia Dinner Theater. She has taught at PBS since 1992 and at Wright State University
since 1994, where she is a faculty associate.
Parris Hobbs has danced professionally with the Dayton Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Atrek
Contemporary Dance Company, and Lake Erie Ballet. He was on the faculty of the St. Louis
Ballet and Lake Erie Ballet schools where he taught ballet, boys classes, partnering and jazz.
Additionaly, he taught for Mercyhurst college where he earned his BA in Dance.. He received
his training from Barbara Pontecorvo at PBS, Jon Rodriguez at WSU, and Marcia Dale Weary
at the Central PA Youth Ballet.
Karen Hochwalt began her dancing career in Louisville, Ky. with the Louisville Ballet while
attending high school. She studied at North Carolina School of the Arts, Harkness House
Ballet Co. and finished her education graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance
from CCM, University of Cincinnati. She was also a soloist with the Cincinnati Ballet and the
Cincinnati Opera Ballet. In 1981, Karen taught at the Jon Rodriguez School of Ballet which
later became the Dayton Ballet School, and is currently on staff at Terre's Dance Workshop
and has been an adjunct teaching ballet at Stivers Performing Arts High School since 2006.
She has also been an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor for over 20 years.
Cindy Kaney has danced her entire life and has studied with Ruth Vernon, Irine Fokine,
Alexi Yudenish, and more recently with Jon Rodriguez, Bess Imber and Barbara Pontecorvo.
She has performed in most of the classic repertory, and she was a member of Bess Imber's
Chamber Dance Ensemble.
South African born Celeste Mackenzie danced for 25 years and passed all the Royal Academy
exams including ‘Solo Seal’ and won the Adeline Genee’award. After graduating, Celeste won
a scholarship to the Royal Ballet school in London. She danced professionally for 12 years
with 2 major South African Ballet companies and was Principal dancer for the last 5 years of
her career. Since retiring, Celeste studied Pilates and other forms of exercise and has been
teaching Ballet and Pilates for 16 years. Celeste tries to teach Injury prevention and strength
training to her dancers so her Pilates knowledge is an asset in her classes. Celeste is Director
of Pilates at Xcel Sportsmedicine in Vandalia.
Erin Wheeler, a native of Dayton, began her ballet career at the age of five. Wheeler was a
member of Gem City Ballet, until 1998. She is a 2002 graduate of Ball State University with a
degree in Dance Performance, and a minor in Dance Education. In California, she was a
principal dancer with Metropolis Dance Theatre, a professional contemporary dance company
based in Los Angeles.
Pianists: John Rippin, Bernadette O'Connor, Cris Sidell
School Administrator: Sue Hanes
Photos: Jeff Sabo