Youth Program Faculty
Alexi Zubiria – Artistic Director
Alexi Zubiria has danced with ballet companies worldwide including the International Ballet of Caracas, San Francisco Ballet, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 1982 he competed in the II U.S. International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, winning a Silver Medal. Mr. Zubiria brings a wealth of experience and a passion for teaching of the highest standards to Western Ballet.
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Astrid Arvelo
Pre Ballet IV, Ballet II & Ballet IVb – VII
She formally began her ballet studies at the age of 12 at the integral school of Terpsicore Dances. At the age of 15 he entered the Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas directed by Bailarina y Maestra Zhandra Rodríguez and Alfred Bordeianu debuting with two choreographies from his repertoire. Sin Bacilar (by Maestra María Rovira) and Los Colores de mis cinco amores (H.R.) . In 2016 she joined as a permanent artistic staff of the Company and debuted as a soloist in the Ballet Coppelia and the Ballet Don Quixote, choreographic version Master: Laura Fiorucci intrepretando: Aurora, friends of Kitri, Dríadas, Queen of Dryads and Mercedes.
Alejandro Gomez
Ballet IVb – VII
Alejandro Gomez began his studies at the Instituto Superior de Danza in Caracas, Venezuela. He then joined the Ballet Nacional de Caracas where he danced to an array of choreographies by Vicente Nebrada. Mr. Gomez toured throughout South America, the Caribbean, the United States, and Europe. Mr. Gomez later came to the US and since then, he has danced with several companies. As a choreographer, he has created several pieces for Island Moving Company and various dance schools.
Daiane Lopes da Silva
Contemporary
Daiane Lopes da Silva is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and artistic director of Kinetech Arts, where she works on the intersection of dance, science and technology. Her work has been performed in Brazil, France, Belgium, Greece, Germany, Italy, and the U.S.A. As a dancer, she has performed with KUNST-STOFF dance company, Labayen Dance, Lisbon Dance Company, Little Seismic Dance Company, Robert Moses’ Kin, and in works of Sara Shelton Mann.
Alison Share
Assistant to the Artistic Director
Alison Share was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She trained at Western Ballet studying with Mark Foehringer, Marny Trounson, and Alexi Zubiria. After graduating, Alison danced with Peninsula Ballet Theatre for three years before returning to Western Ballet as a teacher and a dancer with Western Ballet Company where she has performed works by Vicente Nebrada, Yanis Pikieris, and Alexi Zubiria. She is currently dancing and teaching at Western Ballet as the Assistant Artistic Director.
Mariia Sotnikova
Contemporary
Mariia Sotnikova is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Vladivostok, Russia. For 15 years, she danced professionally with KAURI, a contemporary dance company based in her hometown. During her time with KAURI, Mariia became a staff teacher and a head of the youth and teens division at their school, teaching contemporary, jazz and contact improvisation to both: adults and children. Her work has been performed in Russia, China (Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai) and the US.
Eileen Zubiria
Ballet III & IVa
Eileen Zubiria received her ballet training in Marin County, California, studying at Marin Ballet, Dance Theater Seven and with Christine Walton. She danced with Oakland Ballet from 1995 through 1998, where she was a soloist and participated in three national tours. . In In 2006 she returned to Oakland Ballet to perform in The Nutcracker, and in 2009 she performed in the Western Ballet Spring Gala and The Nutcracker.