Written in 2016:

Katherine Orloff received her classical dance training at the Contra Costa Ballet Centre under the direction of Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong.  There she danced lead roles from The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake, and had the privilege of training with such world-renowned guest instructors as Michael Smuin, Violette Verdy, and Suki Schorer.  Ms. Orloff received additional training at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, North Carolina School for the Arts, and the University of California, Irvine, where she was a double major in Dance and English.  While attending UCI, she had the great honor of studying with Mr. Donald McKayle, ultimately performing the original lead role in “ASH,” Mr. McKayle’s response to the events of September 11th.  Upon graduating from UCI, Ms. Orloff joined Company C Contemporary Ballet, where she performed works by Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, and Antony Tudor.  A guest artist with Sacramento Ballet, Peninsula Ballet, and Berkeley City Ballet, Ms. Orloff has also worked independently with Amaranth Contemporary Dance Company, based in Richmond, Virginia.  Additionally, Ms. Orloff holds a Level One Certification in the Elemental Body Alignment System, a somatic movement practice developed by Mr. Scott Putman.  No longer a full-time performer, Ms. Orloff has devoted much the last decade to dance education.  Most recently, she was on faculty at California State University, East Bay.  A Lecturer in Ballet Technique, Ms. Orloff also taught the course “Theatre Arts and Social Change,” a class examining the relationship between social justice and the arts.  Ms. Orloff holds a BA in English from UC Irvine, as well as an MA in Liberal Arts from Stanford University.  Having always found that her artistic and academic interests drive and complement one another, Ms. Orloff is a strong advocate for interdisciplinary education and is thrilled to be joining the faculty at the Contra Costa School of Performing Arts.