Bios

Elizebeth Randall Rains

Elizebeth Randall Rains is a mama, dancer, and educator who grew up dancing in Santa Cruz. Her wonderful teachers included Ruth Fisher, Valentina Belova, Vicki Bergland, Rebecca Blair, Cathy Warner, and Sara Wilbourne. Elizebeth trained and performed professionally in the Bay Area with Paufve Dance, Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Paco Gomes & Dancers and Liss Fain Dance. She is currently dancing with Cid Pearlman and MoveSpeakSpin while also pursuing a certification in Somatic Dance Education with Bill Evans. Elizebeth has an extensive teaching background that includes Boston Ballet School, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, San Francisco State University and numerous studios and public schools. She is currently on faculty at Cabrillo College, Saint Mary's College and Motion Pacific. Elizebeth absolutely loves teaching adult ballet classes and is honored to be collaborating with Laurel, Lila and Jenny to support and grow the community built by our extraordinary teacher, Rebecca Blair.

Lila Salhov

Lila Salhov has a BFA in dance from The Boston Conservatory. She performed with The Windhover Dance Company in Boston, JD Dansefolk in New York City and, locally with MoveSpeakSpin. She has been on faculty at the Marymount School and Ballet Hispanico in Manhattan and currently teaches at Los Gatos Ballet. Lila is a certified teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT). Her choreography has won multiple awards at YAGP. Her students have continued dancing in top college dance programs, as well as dancing commercially, on Broadway, and in companies.

Laurel Shastri

A lifelong love of learning, science, and dance inspires and motivates Laurel Shastri (MS in Geology). She is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique. She is a dancer with MoveSpeakSpin, a contemporary dance company directed by Karl Schaffer. She is also a teaching artist who inspires students —as well as educators—to learn, move, & think differently about science, language arts, & dance. Her work is featured in Claudia Cornett’s college text 'Creating Meaning Through Literature & the Arts.’ She has worked with Arts Council Santa Cruz County, Montalvo Arts Center, Tennessee Art Commission, & ArtsBuild. She served 25 years at Ballet Tennessee, as Associate Director, company dancer, grant writer, & faculty. She was honored to receive Ballet Tennessee’s Dance Alive Legacy Award.

Jenny Bennett

Jenny Bennett has had a love for ballet her whole life! She started dancing at 2 years old and never stopped. She grew up in Southern California and started her early training until the age of 14 with Joanna Santor with whom she found her love and joy of ballet. From there she went on to study under full scholarship with Patrick Frantz, former premier danseur with the Paris Opera Ballet. At the same time she was asked to study with Stanley Holden. During the summers she studied at Virginia School of the Arts, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, and the Westside School of Ballet. She also danced professionally for Pasadena Dance Theater under the direction of Cynthia Young. She continued her training under Diane Cypher and Rebecca Blair. She is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique. She loves being a mom to her two kids, Ruby and Kalé, surfing and working with youth in a local non-profit. And now she is excited to pass on the gift of ballet with students and see the joy that comes from dance as they are grow in their skill.

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