Gustafson Dance
The Official School of State Street Ballet
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Allison Jones Gustafson -- Director | Rodney Gustafson -- Artistic Director of State Street Ballet Rodney Gustafson is a former member of the American Ballet Theatre in New York City. He has also been a member of the Geneva Ballet in Switzerland and the Cleveland Ballet. Mr.Gustafson has worked directly with Mikhail Baryshnikov, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Anthony Tudor, Glen Tetley, Alvin Ailey, and Rudolf Nureyev. Mr.Gustafson has a BS in Business Administration from the University of Arizona,and an MA in Business Administration from Antioch University,where he recently received the highly-regarded Horace Mann Award. Mr.Gustafson directs Santa BarbaraÕs only fully professional ballet company, State Street Ballet, now in its eleventh year.
Other Instructors Tara Adams Marina Fliagina Rodney Gustafson Megan Matthieson Alyson Matoon Gary McKenzie Mairead Bower Thompson Kirsti Westdahl Dana Young |
After receiving her BA in Foreign Languages from Southern Methodist University, Ms. Gustafson earned her MA in Sociology from the University of Arizona. Her strong belief that a dance studio should provide a healthy environment where both learning and personal growth can occur stems from her academic research concerning the connection between the environment of the dance studio and a dancer's self-esteem. Ms. Gustafson has many years experience teaching ballet to all levels of children and adults. Currently, she is the chair fir Regional Dance America/Pacific. Ms. Gustafson continues her work as a college level professor of Sociology. Ms. Gustafson is also the Director of the Dance Camp, a unique cultural summer dance camp for children which integrates the musical and visual arts.
Ms. Comella received her training mainly from California Ballet, New West Ballet, San Diego City Ballet,and United States International University(San Diego,CA) where she received a BFA in Dance. She has performed throughout California,as well as Utah, Mexico, London and Taiwan. In 1994, she became a founding member of State Street Ballet,dancing principal roles for six years,as well as teaching in the school. Since 2001, Ms.Comella has been the Assistant School Director, Summer Mini Camp Director, and Co-Director of State Street Ballet Young Dancers.She has been sharing her love of ballet as an instructor for over 20 years.