en Avant Dance – Academic Year 2022/2023
Mannakin Theater & Dance
invites you to our in-person ballet and dance classes!
Sept 6, 2022 – June 4, 2023
Click below for more information on our summer programming!
Ballet and Folklórico Classes at
en Avant School of Dance – Mannakin Theater & Dance’s academy in East Palo Alto!
1841 Bay Rd
Programming for Ages 2.5-13 Years of Age
Mannakin Theater & Dance is pleased to announce our fall programming in East Palo Alto. Experience dance and theater classes from professional dancers and master teachers in East Palo Alto.
Tuition and Registration
- Tuition is $50/month/child
- Two classes/week is $80/month/child
- Three classes/week is $100/month/child
- Students pay a one time registration/material fee of $100 which includes ballet bag, uniform, and more. Due upon registration. See more below!
Click the button below to register:
Class sizes are limited to 12 dancers. Classes listed are primarily ballet based and incorporate rhythm, tap, storytelling and arts and crafts. This year we are excited to offer Folklórico once/week on Tuesday afternoons!
Strict measures will be in place to ensure student/family safety with respect to Covid-19.
Classes are held at the dance studio at en Avant School
1841 Bay Rd, East Palo Alto, CA 94303
This MTD program is supported by Palo Alto Community Fund, The Atkinson Foundation, Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, Woodland Park Community Foundation, and Dermody Properties to bring your family high level dance training.
New students must pay a registration/material fee of $100 which includes all essential dancing materials including:
- Uniform Leotard
- Ballet Slippers
- Skirt or Tutu (girls)
- Dance Bag
- Tights
- Hair Supplies
Nathan Cottam
Photo by Hans Halberstadt
Nathan Cottam is a dancer and choreographer devoted to welcoming more people into the appreciation and performance of dance and theater arts. Raised in Buffalo, New York and the Mountain West, Nathan was exposed early in life to music and drama, finally joining them together in the study of ballet at Brigham Young University.
After completing a BS in sociology, Nathan went on to earn a Master of Fine Art in Dance from the University of Arizona. He has performed with many companies including Oakland Ballet, Bay Pointe Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre and the Serbian National Ballet in Belgrade. In 2013 Nathan founded Mannakin Theater and Dance to showcase his own choreography and artistic vision. With his company, Nathan has created many new dances, produced three tours of Serbia, and conducted outreach with Syrian and Afghani refugees in Bulgaria and young children in East Palo Alto, CA.
Traci Finch
Photo by Steven Trumon Grey
Traci Finch lives in San Francisco, CA and currently assistant directs and dances with Mannakin Theater & Dance. Traci spent ten years in New York City, dancing with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, New Chamber Ballet, and CelloPointe. Recent projects have included guesting with Les Grands Ballet Canadiens; dancing in Signals from the West, Bay Area Artists in Conversation with Merce Cunningham at 100; and Marco Pelle’s T+I at Lake Tahoe Dance Festival. She has performed classical and neoclassical ballets with Neglia Ballet in Buffalo, NY. Originally from Utah, Traci graduated from Brigham Young University with her BA in Dance.
Traci has choreographed work presented in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Lake Tahoe. She currently teaches at en Avant Dance in East Palo Alto and is guest faculty member at Tahoe Youth Ballet. She has taught around the United States in New York, Utah, California, Nevada, New Jersey, and Montana.
Leah Dorman
Leah Dorman began dancing at the age of 4 at Ballet Petit under artistic director Peggy Peabody. She fell in love with flying around the ballet studio and performing on stage, and has danced and/or taught at the studio ever since. In her teens she expanded her dance repertoire to include modern, jazz, and contemporary classes at Ohlone College, helped choreograph multiple original ballets with BP’s Jr. Company, and began assisting with the 3-4 year old pre-ballet classes. As a student her favorite roles included the Rat Queen in The Nutcracker, the Wolf in Peter and the Wolf, and Stepsister in Cinderella. She has also performed with a few local dance companies including in Mannakin Theater & Dance’s The Nutshell performance in 2020. Leah is thrilled to begin teaching at en Avant School after substitute teaching a few times in fall 2022. When not dancing, Leah can usually be found conducting cell biology research as a data scientist in San Francisco.
Alexis Bartlett
Photo by Chris Rylee
Alexis Bartlett grew up in Sydney, Australia and now lives in the Bay Area, working as an artist, graphic designer, and ballet teacher. Growing up, she danced seriously as a student in the RAD method, and then pursued the visual and graphic arts. She has danced throughout adulthood, and moving to the US has given her the opportunities to rekindle her love of all things ballet. In Summer 2022 Alexis performed the role of Odile in Mannakin Dance’s Swan Lake Suite. She’s very excited to be joining the Mannakin team: to pass along the love of dance to the next generation as well as continuing her own dance endeavors.
Katherine Connors
Katherine (Kat) Connors lives in East Palo Alto with her husband and 2 young ballerinas. Kat first danced ballet at age 3 and later studied ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance for 6 years at BalletNova (formerly known as Arlington Center for Dance) in Virginia. As a camp counselor and tutor, Kat has loved working with kids. She is very excited for her teaching debut with en Avant School for Purple and Mint ballet classes. Kat’s day job is at Stanford Medicine leading a program to engage participants in research. Her hobbies include yoga, family bike rides, community gardening, and vegan baking.
Maria Ramirez
Photo by Jingjing Liu
Maria de los Angeles Ramirez Perez (Angie) was born and raised in San Jose CA. Her love of Folklórico stems from her pride of Oaxacan roots and a passion to preserve, teach and learn of Mexico and its traditions. She has danced Folklórico for the past 5 years. Beginning her Folklórico journey as an undergrad at San Jose State University with Maestra Maria Luisa Colmenarez and Grupo Folklórico Luna y Sol de San José State University where she served as co-secretary and group coordinator for the university group. Angie has since attended various workshops with Danzantes Unidos Festival to expand her knowledge of different regions of Mexico. As well as attending the most recent trip with Festival sin Fronteras (2022) to Oaxaca, Mexico learning dance, instrument, and cuisine of the country.
In the real world, Angie is an undergrad of SJSU with a major in Communication Studies and a minor in Public Health, currently working as a lab technician and towards a second bachelor’s in nursing.
Osvaldo Palomino
Photo by Jingjing Liu
Osvaldo Jesus Palomino Martinez was born and raised in San Jose, CA. His love of Folklórico stems from his pride of Michoacan roots and a passion to preserve, teach and learn of Mexico and its traditions. He has danced Folklórico for the past 5 years. Beginning his Folklórico journey as an undergrad at San José State University with Maestra Maria Luisa Colmenarez and Grupo Folklórico Luna y Sol de San José State University where he served as external marketing lead for the university group. Osvaldo has since attended various workshops with Danzantes Unidos Festival to expand his knowledge of different regions of Mexico. As well as attending the most recent trip with Festival sin Fronteras (2022) to Oaxaca, Mexico learning dance, instrument, and cuisine of the country.
Greyson Gerdts
Bio coming soon
