INSTRUCTORS
Esther Hansen
Interim Artistic Director
Mendocino Ballet Company
Esther Hansen, an accomplished dance instructor, choreographer, and dancer, will take on the role of Interim Artistic Director at Mendocino Ballet starting January 1st, 2025. A former student of the ballet company, Hansen has spent the past two years back at the studio. She brings a wealth of experience in ballet, contemporary dance, and Pilates to her new position, having taught students of all levels and created standout choreography, including the piece “Waiting for Daylight” for Mendocino Ballet’s “Dance Classics”. This work was selected for performance at the Regional Dance America National Festival.
Hansen was trained in both the Vaganova and Cecchetti ballet technique. At 16 she was accepted and trained by the American Ballet Theater for their summer intensive program. She also attended class at the Santa Rosa Dance Theatre and was awarded the Helen Cochran Scholarship for Dance in Sonoma County. Esther went on to dance with Artesan Dance Company, a startup dance company with a fusion of contemporary and modern dance styles. The company was born in Redding CA, but went on to perform in Paris, France, as well as Jacob’s Pillow at the Inside Out Summer Dance Festival. In 2019 Esther received her certification in Pilates through the Long Beach Dance Conditioning program in Orange County, with a special focus on biomechanics and therapeutic movement.
In her new role, Hansen aims to continue inspiring and educating dancers, while nurturing their creative potential. With a certification in Pilates and a focus on biomechanics, she is dedicated to providing a comprehensive, holistic approach to dance education. Her philosophy emphasizes collaboration, self-expression, discipline, and the freedom that dance offers.
Esther will be continuing to teach the Corps and Company dancers in Ballet and Contemporary, and ballet classes for the Apprentice I & II, Beginning I & II levels, as well as the Adult Ballet class on Tuesdays.
Trudy McCreanor
Retired Artistic Director
Mendocino Ballet Company
Ms. McCreanor is Founder and past Artistic Director of Colorado West Ballet and Performing Arts Center. Trained in Pittsburgh with Charlotte Mady, she also studied with Barbara Weissberger of the Pennsylvania Ballet and Ballet Master, George Zoritch. She was awarded a full scholarship to the North Carolina School of the Arts at the age of 14 and went on to study dance and theatre arts at Stephens College, the University of Missouri and at Columbia College on full scholarship for artistic merit and academic achievement. She also studied with masters Luigi and Gus Giordano in Jazz technique, Finus Jhung and David Howard in Classical Ballet, and Michael Kravitz in Modern Dance, among others.
Ms. McCreanor was hired in July 2001 to direct the Mendocino Ballet Company and create the Mendocino Ballet School where she has implemented a comprehensive, professional Classical Ballet training program for the serious dancer and a multi-discipline recreational dance program including ballet, tap, jazz, modern and contemporary dance, character dance, creative dance, and more for students of all ages from 3 through adult. She retired as Artistic Director this last year, December 31, 2024. She continues to serve the dance community by teaching corps and company class, doing choreography for select pieces, and being President of the Regional Dance America (RDA) Pacific region here on the west coast.
Morgan Cummings
Morgan Cummings is 31 years old and has been dancing with Mendocino Ballet since she was 8. She trained at summer intensives with the Sacramento Ballet, City Ballet of San Francisco, Bossov Ballet in Maine, and American Ballet Theater in New York City.
She has been teaching for the Mendocino Ballet since 2011, and enjoys helping her students to improve their skills and understand steps as well as choreographing some of the dances they perform in Nutcracker and our Spring show. She will continue to teach the Apprentice I & II class on Fridays in our Art of Classical Ballet program as well as the Intermediate Ballet recreation class weekly on Thursdays.
Jessica Howlett
Jessica Howlett has been studying ballet and modern dance since she was six, with training in both Vaganova and Royal Academy of Dance methods. She has studied all over the country with teachers such as Robert Guy Desrosiers, Jillana, and Violette Verdy, and in the Bay Area with Wendy Diamond, Kaori Ogasawara, and Nicole Liboiron.
Jessica is teaching the following classes in our Art of Classical Ballet Program: Beginning I & II, Apprentice I, and Corps and Company classes.
Gwen van Wyk
Gwendolen has been dancing since she was three years old and has spent most of her life immersed in the art. She trained at Lakeport Dance Center under Antoinette Goetz, where she not only learned valuable lessons but also found lifelong friendships and a true passion for dance.
While earning her AA in Theater from Mendocino College, Gwen continued performing in both dance and theater productions, deepening her love for the art and the power of teamwork. She believes dance is transformative—not just for the body, but for the mind and soul.
Gwen is currently teaching Pre-ballet, Intro to Ballet I, Tap/Ballet, and Contemporary dance classes this session.
Paloma Rodriguez
Paloma has been teaching with the Mendocino Ballet for the last few years. Her joy and enthusiasm for dance and creative movement is contagious. She also collaborates with the Dance program at Mendocino College and has a passion for dance theatre . She has choreographed several works for both film and stage on dancers in the college program and dancers here at the Mendocino Ballet.
Paloma will be teaching our Intro to Ballet II class for 7-8 year olds on Wednesdays. This class is designed for the dancer who is interested in moving into our Art of Classical Ballet Program in the fall.
STUDENT TEACHERS
Reagan Frost
Reagan is 15 years old and has been dancing with the Mendocino Ballet since she was 3 years old. She is now in the Company and has been a student of the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive in San Francisco the last two summers. She is excited to be teaching our upcoming dancers, and share her love of ballet.
Reagan is continuing to teach the Pre - Ballet for 3-5 year olds as well as the Intro to Ballet II class, for 6-8 year olds, both on Thursdays.
Jocelyn Torres
Jocelyn is 16 years old and has been dancing with the Mendocino Ballet since she was 3 years old. She enjoys teaching and passing along her love of ballet and creative movement to the students in her classes. She is excited to teach this summer at our Summer Dance Camp!
Jocelyn is continuing to teach Pre - Ballet for 3-5 year olds as well as the Intro to Ballet I class, for 5-6 year olds, on Fridays.