ACADEMY OF NEVADA BALLET THEATRE
Academy Faculty & Staff
Anna Kristina Lantz
Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre Principal
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Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre Faculty
Shara Bergal
Marcus Bugler
Dianna Crossman
Gail Gilbert
Edith Gillespie
Richard Havey
Annie Hickey
Enrique Lugo
Sara Orrells
Rommel Pacson
Margaret Rampey
Clarice Rathers
Monika Rostomian
Inge Saarsalu
Sue Stigler
Academy Administration
Anna Kristina Lantz
Academy Principal
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Shannon Cangey
Academy Coordinator
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Dawnie Hewlett
Receptionist
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Mary Sarnecchia
Receptionist
Marla Hickman
Receptionist
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Shara Bergal
Shara Bergal is from Chicago where she received her training with Stone-Camryn, Larry Long (Ruth Page Foundation), and the School of Chicago City Ballet (Maria Tallchief). She was the recipient of ballet scholarships at the Interlochen Arts Academy and was an apprentice at the Boston Ballet under the direction of E. Virginia Williams, and later Violette Verdy. Shara studied further in NYC at the School of American Ballet, and with Wilhelm Burmann, Robert Denvers, Floris Alexander and David Howard. Her studies also took her to Paris, where she trained under Gilbert Mayer of the Pairs Opera Ballet and Gerard Wilk (Ballet of the 20th Century, Bejart). Shara has danced with professional companies in Chicago, St. Louis, Denver, Innsbruck, and St. Poelten, Austria, and has worked extensively in Vienna and throughout Western Europe. Shara eagerly draws on her diverse background to instill an enthusiasm for all forms of dance in her students.
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Marcus Bugler
Having a dance knowledge covering a wide range of techniques, Marcus Bugler teaches master classes, gives workshops, adjudicates and choreographs in dance schools, camps and conventions across the country; notably University of Nevada Las Vegas, Lindenwood University, and Utica College as guest faculty. He has taught ballroom dance at Dance Charisma in Las Vegas and has been a guest instructor at the Chatauqua Summer Arts Festival, Marin Ballet, Ballet School of Stamford, Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Eastern Virginia School of Performing Arts, Ballet Tennessee, Miss Linda’s School of Dance, Sawnee Ballet School, Festival Dance Camp at UGA, Exclusively Ballet, Balletfest, Dancentre South, South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theatre, West Coast Dance Explosion, Dance Educators of America and the Academy and professional company of Nevada Ballet Theatre.
Marcus has been a dancer with the Muny Opera in St. Louis; the Harkness Youth Dancers (performing at the White House), The Harkness Ballet, with whom he toured all over Europe, Joffrey II, the Eglevsky Ballet, and the New York Metropolitan Opera where he was a dancer, Dance Captain, Ballet Rehearsal Assistant, and finally Repetiteur in 2001. In 2003 he joined the artistic management team of Cirque du Soleil, opening the production of Zumanity: the other side of Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. Before joining Cirque, he was invited, in 2003 and again in 2008, to Japan to choreograph the dances for the Ongaku-Juku production of the opera Die Fledermaus, and in 2007 for the Saito-Kinen Matsumoto production of Queen of Spades; all conducted by the brilliant Seiji Ozawa. He was also brought in as a guest artist of the Chicago Lyric Opera twice; first as Assistant Choreographer to re-stage the dances in the opera The Great Gatsby, and in 2006, as Choreographer for Robert Carsen’s production of the opera Orfeo.
Marcus teaches privately and internationally and is on staff as dance instructor for the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre as well as guest teacher for the for the dancers of the Cirque production of Viva Elvis. His recent performances on stage include Stepsister and Herr Drosselmeyer in Peter Anastos’ ballets Cinderella and Nutcracker for NBT, and the Widow Simone and Dr. Coppelius in The Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre's presentations of La Fille Mal Gardee and Coppelia.
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Dianna Crossman
Dianna Crossman started dancing at the age of three at her Grandmother’s studio in New Jersey. She advanced her formal training at the Princeton School of Ballet and the New Jersey Ballet School and danced with the Princeton Regional Ballet Company where she danced roles in The Nutcracker from Child to Snowflake to Spanish Hot Chocolate.
At the age of 12 Dianna was accepted into George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet in New York City. A year later she was awarded a full scholarship to Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts, where she studied Ballet, Variations, Bournonville, Modern, Pedagogy, etc. After graduating she returned to New Jersey to perform with the Princeton Ballet Company. On a whim she flew to Las Vegas and within 24 hours landed a spot in Don Arden’s Jubilee. After two years and a lot of costume changes, Dianna decided to hit the road and accepted a job with the International Producer Bill Lloyd traveling to Athens, Greece. The next stop was “Sono Momentaneamente a Broadway,” an Italian musical in which she was a classical soloist.
Dianna spent the next ten years performing throughout Europe and Asia as a featured dancer in shows such as The Lido in Paris, The Crystal Room in Tokyo, and Masquerade in Mexico. She even sailed around the world performing on the Royal Viking Sky.
Dianna has appeared as a dancer in national commercials, TV Shows, movies and music videos. She has choreographed for major Industrial shows such as Kodak, Coca-Cola and Nike. Dianna has a loving husband Jim and two beautiful children and is thrilled to be working with the dedicated students at Nevada Ballet Theatre.
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Gail Gilbert
Gail Gilbert received her high school diploma in Modern Dance from the North Carolina School of the Arts. Moving to New York City, she joined the Parsons Dance Company at its inception in 1985, and spent the next 9 years touring with the company. After leaving Parsons Dance she divided her time between teaching dance, setting Parsons’ works on a variety of dance companies around the world, and choreographing her own works for colleges, universities and dance companies.
Gail has taught modern dance technique at the University of Minnesota, Wesleyan University, Brown University, Rutgers University, Harvard, and the University of Iowa. From 1991 to 1994 Gilbert was the dance and program coordinator for the New Arts Festival in Ft. Myers, Florida. From 2000-2003 she was the Artistic Director for the Taos Dance Festival where her own ensemble of dancers were the Company-in-Residence. Other summer festivals include Dance Aspen, Jacob’s Pillow, The Jillana School, Humbolt Dance Festival, and the American Dance Festival.
She served as Choreographer-in-Residence for Santa Fe’s Moving People Dance Theatre from 2000-2005 and returned to choreograph Stirring which premiered in June 2010. Gail has also collaborated as choreographer with diverse organizations as the Big Apple Circus and Signature Theater Company, working with distinguished directors including Guy Caron, Michelle Barrett, Tony Walton, and Joseph Chaikin.
In 2010 Gail choreographed two new works for Nevada Ballet Theatre: The Song of the Nightingale for its production Brave New World and Swing’n Mid Mod for A Choreographer’s Showcase, the company’s annual collaboration with Cirque du Soleil.
Gail currently performs the role of the Nursemaid in Cirque du Soleil’s production of “KA” at the MGM Grand Casino, in Las Vegas, NV.
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Edith Gillespie
Edi Gillespie began studying dance at a very young age. Her New York-based training includes the Joffrey School of Ballet, Eglevsky School of Ballet, Phil Black Dance Studio, Henry LeTang Dance Studio and Hofstra University. She has danced professionally in Las Vegas and abroad. Edi has been fortunate enough to have worked with professionals such as Leon Varkas, international producer Bill Lloyd, Feld Productions and Siegfried & Roy. Edi has taught at all stages of her career and spent time volunteering as an instructor at Family-to-Family. This work allowed her the pleasure of introducing the world of dance to young children of all social levels. She has instructed children at schools such as Alexander Dawson and Merryhill. Edi’s teaching experience includes pre-dance, ballet, tap, jazz and conditioning. Edi is very excited to be a part of the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre and is very pleased to be given the opportunity to share her love of dance.
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Richard Havey
Richard Havey comes to Nevada Ballet Theatre from UNLV, after having been the Artistic Director of the Zurich Tanz Theater School in Switzerland. He began his dance training with Ballet in Northern California. He then went to the Gus Giordano Dance Center in Chicago on a full scholarship, studying all forms of dance. He later became a soloist for the Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and was trained as a teacher in Jazz techniques. He has taught throughout America and performed with many contemporary companies around the world: Le Ballet “Why Not in Paris, Danny Burczeski Dance in New York, Dance Kaleidoscope Indianapolis and First City Dance Theater in Florida just to name a few.
Richard also taught an educational Program about dance around America with Sam Watson called Jazz Tour. This program went to Performing Arts Schools as well as private schools with master classes, a lecture demonstration about choreography and dance in the world today. Later this was funded to enter into University programs. Later he went on to perform for the Watson Dance Company.
Richard also studied the art of Chinese Medicine in the form of body therapy, and now incorporates this in his teaching techniques. He is a certified Zen Shiatsu Therapist. To add to his credits in bodywork he studied a form of three-dimensional movements called Spiral Dynamiks, which he studied and practiced in Zurich Switzerland.
Richard continues to teach Master Classes and Choreograph around the world and is a guest teacher as well as performer at the University of Arizona in Tucson for the National Jazz Showcase. He is furthering his studies in body therapy with voice and movement as well as TCM.
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Annie Hickey
Annie Hickey began dancing at the age of four and added theatre to her repertoire by the age of twelve. Her passion and talent for the performing arts led her to Michigan State University where she received her BA in Theatre with a Specialization in Dance in 2005. While at Michigan State she danced with the Repertory Dance Company, was a company member of Summer Circle Theatre, received her Elementary Certification in Labanotation, and was a board member and instructor for the Orchesis Dance Board and studied Theatre in London with the Study Abroad Program. She also had the opportunity to attend a seminar given by Twyla Tharp. Upon graduation, she went to work for Interlochen Center for the Arts where she served as an Acting Instructor, Dance Captain, Assistant Choreographer, and Choreographer. In 2006, she left her Michigan roots and moved to Las Vegas with her husband. In addition to teaching dance for the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre she also works as an Instructional Aide for the Las Vegas Day School, and is Co-Owner and Director of Star Arts LLC.
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Enrique Lugo
For over 27 years, Enrique Lugo has enjoyed a successful career as a dancer, choreographer, instructor and performer. Born in Mexico City, he has been greatly influenced by the Mayan, Aztec and Spanish cultures which comprise his background. Classically trained in the Vaganova (Russian) method, Enrique began his professional career as a dancer with the prestigious Guadalajara Ballet. In 1982, he assumed the role of Assistant choreographer to Milton Guio, which afforded him the opportunity to work with notables such as Freddy Rodriguez and Yanco Innone among others.
As an integral part of the popular TV program, “Siempre en Domingo” Enrique directed several shows for the broadcast including the 1989, 1990 and 1991 Miss Mexico Pageant as well as special programs that included entertainers Julio Iglesias and Jose Luis Rodriguez.As the choreographer for the hit production show “Fashionistas,” at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Enrique’s choreography resulted in the “Best Choreography Award” in 2005 and recognition as one of “Las Vegas' 10 Best Shows” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. During the course of his career, Enrique has received the rare opportunity to work with some of the world’s greatest entertainers including Tracy Ullman, Angela Lansbury and Stevie Wonder, as well as famed choreographer Debbie Allen. As a teacher and choreographer throughout the country, he continues to establish himself in the ever-changing world of entertainment through his work on music videos, commercials and television.
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Sara Orrells
Sara Orrells (nee Jordan), was born in Scarborough, UK where she attended Susan Richard’s Ballet School. She was admitted to the Northern Ballet Schoolin Manchester, UK, where she graduated with their accredited diploma, qualified to teach in a variety of styles of dance. She then taught in local schools both in Italy and England before embarking on a career as a showgirl. After several years working as a bluebell with the renowned Lido in Paris, France both as soloist and principal, she came to Las Vegas to work in Jubilee! in Bally’s casino and hotel. It was while working there that Sara first became involved with the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre. There she became involved in teaching the Royal Academy of Dance method to the younger generation, and assisting with the Outreach programs. She worked for the Academy for four years before returning to England to marry and have her son. Sara is happy to be back at the Academy where she can once again help children discover the joy of dance.
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Rommel Pacson
Rommel Pacson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography from Towson University, MD. He has performed extensively all over the world in a wide variety of dance fields. He began his dance career performing at King’s Dominion in Richmond, VA and King’s Island in Cincinnati, OH. He moved on to Orlando, FL, dancing at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT Center as a World Dancer and as a Kid of the Kingdom at the Magic Kingdom. While living in Chicago, he toured Japan as a dancer with Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago, and was a Principal Dancer with River North Dance Company. While living in LA, he performed with Louise Reichland Dancers, opened Disney’s California Adventure as a dancer/stuntman, toured with "The King and I" starring Debbie Boone, and danced in the 2001 Grammy Awards with Madonna. In NYC, he danced and toured with Chen and Dancers and appeared in the Broadway Production of "The King and I." And in between, he performed with both Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, was a featured performer for Disney Production’s Italian premiere of Pocahontas in Rome, Italy, guessed in Coppelia with the Charleston Ballet, WV and with the Metropolitan Ballet in Washington DC.
While living in Las Vegas, Rommel was in the original cast of EFX at the MGM Grand, Country Tonight at the Aladdin, Notre Dame de Paris at the Paris, and A New Day with Celine Dion at Caesar’s Palace. He has also tried his hand at acting, appearing in Take Me Out and Bent at Las Vegas Little Theater, GUM and The Mother of Modern Censorship at CSN, and The Dog Lady and The Man Who Turned Into a Dog with Asylum Theaters. His latest credits include Peanut Man in The Art of Prostitution, Indio in West Side Story, and in the ensembles of Thoroughly Modern Millie, All Shook Up and Damn Yankees. He was dance coach for the Cirque du Soleil LOVE at the Mirage. His choreography credits include The King and I with Signature Productions and Willy Wonka with PSFX Productions. Not included are the numerous commercial and industrial shows he has performed with various production companies including CHAZZAM, Chicago Tourists Bureau, Amtrak, Met Life, Noni Juice to name a few.
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Margaret Rampey
Margaret Rampey received her BFA in Ballet from North Carolina School of the Arts. She also holds certification as a teacher of Kundalini Yoga, and is a Reiki Master. Margaret has pursued intensive studies in other mind/body awareness and therapeutic techniques, including Alexander Technique, Zena Rommett’s floor barre, release technique, and massage therapy. All of these experiences have helped create a well-rounded approach to Pilates philosophy and technique, with equal ability to meet the needs of students of all levels. She is a Polestar Pilates Instructor, certified in Pilates fitness and rehabilitation since 1998. Margaret is a professional dancer, singer, songwriter, and actress for whom Pilates was instrumental in her recovery from various injuries, including back, knee, and shoulder. Whether you are a professional couch surfer, serious dancer or athlete, or somewhere in between, Pilates can help! And it’s a lot of fun, too!
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Clarice Rathers
Clarice Geissel-Rathers enjoyed a 20 year dance career with Nevada Ballet Theatre beginning in 1983. She retired from the company as a Principal Dancer in 2004. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, Clarice joined the Arizona Ballet Theatre as a soloist and later became a member of Ballet West. She has worked under several renowned choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, Toni Launders, Anton Dolin, Vassili Sulich and James Jeon. Clarice’s repertoire includes Harald Lander’s Études, and George Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, Serenade, Symphony in C and Concerto Barocco. She has danced numerous principal roles including Odette/Odile in Louis Godfrey and Denise Schultz’s Swan Lake, and Aurora in Sleeping Beauty as well as leads in Carmina Burana, Anna Karenina and Paquita. Clarice is a past recipient of the Governor’s Arts Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts.
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Monika Rostomian
Monika Rostomian began teaching ballet at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in New York in 2001. She came to Nevada Ballet Theatre from Russia where she received her training in the Vaganova method at the St. Petersburg (Kirov) Ballet Academy under the tutelage of famed prima ballerina Natalia Dudinskaya. Monika has performed throughout Europe, Asia and North and South America as soloist with many ballet companies, including Moscow Festival Ballet and Ballet of Russia. During her career she had also served as ballet mistress and choreographer. Monika later graduated from the Moscow State Institute of Theatrical Art and was awarded its coveted teaching diploma. Her teaching skills encompass all levels of ballet and character dance, ranging from five year old beginner to advanced-professionals. Monika also qualifies in special training for figure skaters and in dance therapy for the physiological rehabilitation of children. She is dedicated to the highest standards of excellence in every aspect of her teaching.
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Inge Saarsalu
Inge Saarsalu is from Tallinn, Estonia. She graduated from the Tallinn Choreographic School and then danced as a soloist and principal with the Estonia National Opera, eventually rising to the rank of prima ballerina. Inge spent one year working with the Kirov Theater Ballet in Russia. She was a third prize winner at the 1976 National Ballet Competition in Moscow and is the recipient of a People’s Choice Award of Estonia. Ingo taught at the Tallinn Ballet Academy for 8 years and was a repetiteur for the Estonia Theater Ballet, where she worked with all levels of students on both classical and contemporary repertoire. Inge also spent several seasons with the company and as a faculty member with the Joseph and Loretta Law Academy of Colorado Ballet.
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Sue Stigler
Sue Stigler began training in ballet, tap and jazz as a young child in Orange County, California. She studied under Christine Shaffer, Suzie Cable, Kristin Potts and Crystal Chambers along with attending various conventions throughout the United States. Sue had the opportunity to compete in numerous local, regional and national dance competitions and worked in the Entertainment Department at Disneyland. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Fullerton, as a Communications major and Dance minor. As an instructor, Sue has specialized in teaching the very young students the joy of dance. She brings many years of teaching experience in both Orange County and in Las Vegas. Sue is thrilled to work with the students of the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre and share her love of ballet, tap and jazz.
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Shannon Cangey
Shannon Cangey first appeared on stage at age six and worked across the country as a professional singer/dancer before joining Nevada Ballet Theatre in 2007. Her training included scholarships to ballet workshops at Butler University’s Jordan Academy of Dance, Musical Theatre intensives at Ball State University, ballet with Belinda Stanley of the Royal Ballet, tap with Don Emmons, and workshops at London’s National Theatre. She studied Theatre/Dance at Missouri State University, completed her Dance degree at UNLV, and obtained her Master’s degree at Regis University in Education, allowing her to teach Secondary Dance, Theatre, and English. Shannon’s first love is musical theatre, and her favorite roles include Fiona in Brigadoon, Guenevere in Camelot, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, and performing with Mel Tillis, Rip Taylor, and Debbie Reynolds.
