Category: Dance Instructor

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Sarah Baltazar

Sarah Baltazar began her dance training at the tender age of three in the small town of Boulder City, NV. She graduated as a dance major from Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts, and began her dance career in both teaching and performing. Sarah danced for Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA from 2013-2017 before moving to the Pacific Northwest. She currently teaches Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, and Contemporary for multiple studios in the Portland and Vancouver areas, and truly loves working with all ages of dancers who share the love of this craft.

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Carlyn Hudson 

Carlyn Hudson is the co-founder of SubRosa Dance Collective and Independent Choreographer hailing from Nyack, New York. Her early dance education focused in Classical Ballet and Jazz, before studying at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2008. Carlyn teaches Classical Ballet and Pointe in both Washington and Oregon states while producing original works of contemporary dance. She has been an instructor at EDA for 10 years. 

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Chelsea Beyer

Chelsea Beyer has been dancing at EDA since she was 3, training in every type of dance she could and competing on Evergreen’s competition team. Not only does she currently take ballet at Evergreen, she also dances at her school, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics. EDA is like a second home for Chelsea and she wouldn’t choose any other place to spend her time and watch her students grow. She has been teaching at EDA for 4 years. 

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Martin Ervin

Marty Ervin started training with Columbia Dance in 2005 and was a performing member of Columbia Dance Academy from 2006-2008. He attended Young Americans College of Performing Arts. Marty has toured with the Young Americans performing company throughout the United States and Japan. He returned to Vancouver looking forward to sharing his knowledge and passion for dance with the community. Marty is currently teaching at a number of studios in Vancouver and Portland. He has had multiple performing companies, as well as competitive teams, and is looking forward to continuing to branch out and teach more people in the community. He has been teaching at EDA for 13 years. 

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Russell Capps

Russell Capps began his dance training with Eric Hyrst of London’s Royal Ballet. His early studies embraced performing with the Jefferson Dancers. Intense training developed great respect and deep discipline for the art while working with distinguished choreographers. Russell enjoyed a dance career for more than 30 years with several notable ballet companies including Oregon Ballet Theatre, Nevada Dance Theatre, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Oregon, Eugene Ballet, and Pacific Ballet Theatre. He performed many principal and soloist roles. Russell’s choreographic achievements include The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and neo-classical and modern ballets. He has been with EDA for 6 years. 

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Jackie Genis

Jackie grew up in Seattle and began dancing at age 7. She received her classical ballet training and performing experience with Pacific Northwest Ballet on full scholarship under the direction of Janet Reed, Melissa Hayden, and Kent Stowell & Francia Russell. After leaving dance to start a family, earn a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, and a CPRW credential in resume writing, Jackie returned to dance in 2008 and quickly found renewed joy in her deep connection to the art form. Jackie’s teaching journey began in 2021 in Camas at Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio. In July 2022, she joined Evergreen Dance Academy. In September 2023, Jackie also joined the Pre-Ballet faculty at Oregon Ballet Theatre. Her dedication led to performing again and a chance to engage her choreographic skills on three of her EDA students for a Poetry Moves celebration in collaboration with Artstra at Magenta Theatre. Jackie’s instruction is continually evolving. She adores each one of her students, as watching them bloom as dancers is joyous.