Ballet Faculty

Denise Rinaldi – Co-Artistic Director, Performing Company, BA, FCUSA, FISTD, Conservatory Director

Ms. Rinaldi holds her Fellowship, (passed with distinction) in Cecchetti USA and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and is a member of Cecchetti International. The Fellowship is the highest teaching qualification awarded. She is Chair of the Board of Directors for Cecchetti USA. In addition, Ms. Rinaldi is an examiner for the organization and travels around the country evaluating students in this capacity. Her training began with Carol Garland, whose Cecchetti background emphasized pure classical styling. She received her degree in Theater from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she studied with many fine dance teachers. She received private coaching both as a dancer and a teacher from Sheila Darby, FISTD, head and founder of Cecchetti USA. In 1983, she set her first choreography, (on Goleta Civic Ballet) and won the NARB Monticello Scholarship to the Craft of Choreography conference from the Pacific Region. She has been a Director for Santa Barbara Festival Ballet for over 30 years. 

La Sra. Rinaldi posee un Fellowship ( grado adquirido con distinciones) en Cecchetti USA y la Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing y es miembro de Cecchetti Internacional. El Fellowship es la certificacion de enseñanza mas alta que se otorga. La Sra. Rinaldi es Presidenta de la Mesa de Directores para Cecchetti USA. Ademas, la Sra. Rinaldi es una examinadora para la organizacion y viaja alrededor del pais evaluando estudiantes en esta categoria. Su entrenamiento empezo con Carol Garland, cuyo enfasis en Cecchetti era puramente estilo clasico. Recibio su titulo en Teatro en la Universidad de California en Santa Barbara, donde estudio con maestros de danza muy reconocidos. Recibio entrenamiento privado como bailarina y como maestra con Sheila Darby, FISTD, fundadora de Cecchetti USA. En 1983 creo su primera coreografia en Goleta Civic Ballet y gano la beca NARB Monticello a la conferencia del Arte de Coreografia de la Region del Pacifico.

Valerie Huston – Co-Artistic Director, Performing Company, BFA, Dance Faulty UCSB, Resident Choreographer

Valerie is a member of the dance faculty at the University of California at Santa Barbara. She received a B.F.A. degree from the ballet department at the University of Utah and has been a Santa Barbara resident for more than 30 years. From 1977 to 1985 she was the founder and artistic director of The Valerie Huston Dance Theater which toured regionally and received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. She has received a lifetime achievement award in dance from the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance and also serves on the Board of Directors of the Ensemble Theater Company of Santa Barbara. Her work Bobby Sings for Nine was recently selected for performance on the RAD/Pacific dance festival in Bremerton, WA.

Valerie es miembro de una facultad de danza en la Universidad de California, Santa Barbara. Recibio un titulo de B.F.A de el departamento de ballet en la Universidad de Utah, y ha sido residente de Santa Barbara por mas de 30 años. De 1977 a 1985 fue fundadora y directora artistica de el Valerie Huston Dance Theater, que hizo tours regionales y recibio apoyo del National Endowment for the arts. Ha recibido un reconocimiento al merito en danza por Santa Barbara Dance Alliance y tambien da sus servicios en la mesa directiva del Ensemble Theater Company de Santa Barbara. Su trabajo Bobby Sings for Nine, ha sido recientemente seleccionado para ser actuado en el Festival de Danza en RAD/Pacific en Bremerton, WA.

Office Staff

Teresa Johnson