Faculty Pics and Bios

Directors

Margaret Swarthout
Artistic Director

Margaret Swarthout, born in Sydney, Australia, was admitted at a young age to the Royal Ballet Company in London, England, where she danced for nine years. As a soloist, she worked closely with many of the 20th century’s greatest choreographers, including Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, George Balanchine, John Cranko, Dame Ninette de Valois and Madame Nijinska, and danced with such notables as Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.Mrs. Swarthout’s teaching career began in 1966 when she joined the faculty of the Harkness House for Ballet in New York City, at the time one of the world’s most respected dance training facilities. After moving to the Bay Area, she became affiliated with the Marin Ballet in 1975, first as a Master Teacher and Coach, and then as Artistic Director. Mrs. Swarthout has served as personal coach to dancers at the international ballet competitions in Jackson, Mississippi, and her record of placing dancers in the profession is exceptional. Over sixty graduates from her training program can be found in the ranks of ballet and dance companies throughout the United States.

In 1996, Mrs. Swarthout, along with her team of teachers, was invited to become the founding faculty of Marin Dance Theatre. Since MDT opened its doors in 1996, each year one of our senior dancers has been the recipient of the prestigious award given by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. Sixteen MDT graduates have joined professional dance companies, including San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Louisville Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Fort Worth/Dallas Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Ballet Florida, Richmond Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet.

Lynn Cox studied under such noted teachers as Erik Bruhn, Francoise Martinet, Alfonso Cata and Robert Barnett.  She was recognized by the National Federation of Music Clubs and received the first place honor in their ballet division.  Ms. Cox went on to dance professionally with the Atlanta Ballet for several years, performing such classics as Serenade, Sleeping Beauty, Carmina Burana, Raymonda, Allegro Brilliante and The Nutcracker.  She previously held the position of Ballet Mistress for two regional companies and was the Pre-Professional Division Head for the Marin Ballet. She is currently the resident choreographer and Associate Division Young Dancer Division Head at Marin Dance Theatre.  Ms. Cox is a vital part of MDT’s training program. She is skilled as a teacher on all levels: she now oversees and trains the faculty, with Mrs. Bassing, creating an atmosphere for all the dancers that is both developmental and consistent. She  has received numerous awards for her outstanding choreography.

Vicki-Marie Bassing grew up in San Francisco studying with Harold Christensen, Bill Christensen, Roberta Meyer, Richard Gibson, Robert Del Oro,  and Alan Howard.  She was also trained in the Cecchetti and RAD techniques.  As a child she performed with The Bolshoi, Kirov, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and San Francisco Opera Ballet Companies.  Vicki was Northern California Gymnastic Champion while in Middle School.  She also skated with Holiday on Ice and coached the skaters in ballet while on tour.   

She has been teaching and choreographing for young dancers in the Bay Area for over twenty years, as well as choreographing for youth and adult musicals.     She has coached and choreographed for dancers competing in the Miccabi Games, with the dancers receiving Gold and Silver medals. 

Ms. Bassing has worked closely with Lynn Cox, developing a strong program for Marin Dance Theatre’s Young Dancer Division, giving the students  the technique and foundation necessary to begin the more advanced training in the Senior Levels.

She delights in bringing the technique of ballet to students of all ages and abilities in a way that allows them to experience the joy and magic of the art of ballet.

Nancy Gallenson was trained in Marin County by Leona Norman and danced professionally with Ballet West under the direction of William Christensen. For over 25 years she has taught a successful adult ballet program at leading dance facilities in the county including 10 years at her own school. Her uniquely designed ballet training program for adults and teens provides the student a learning atmosphere that is supportive, demanding, and fun. In the words of one of her longtime students: "Nancy awakens the passion of dance in me and continues to nurture my love for ballet through her enthusiasm for teaching.  In my constant pursuit for balance, she gives me the confidence to let go of the barre."

Erica Rose Jeffrey was originally from Missoula, Montana,  studied dance at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, graduating as valedictorian before joining Ballet Internationale. After dancing professionally for several years, she attended Indiana University on full academic and artistic scholarships as a Wells Scholar and graduated with degrees in Ballet and Mediation & Conflict Resolution.  Erica studied dance and performed in India and West Africa and also  created the conflict resolution education program through dance, Moving Toward Peace. She is currently teaching, choreographing and performing in the Bay area and is the Co-Director for the dance company Counterpointe. Since moving to San Francisco she has performed with groups such as the Marin Theatre Company, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, and Robert Moses “Drafts.” She has choreographed new works for: the Retail Dance Festival, Women on the Way Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Collaborate! Dance and Music, Counterpointe’s annual “Works in Motion” at the ODC Theatre, the Sausalito Art Festival, the Monterey Choreographer’s Festival, San Jose Danceworks, the Marin Choreographers’ Collective, Marin Dance Theatre, Belvedere Recreation Center, and Roco Dance and Fitness.

Erica also teaches for the San Francisco Ballet Dance in Schools and Communities program in the public schools.  Most recently she has been a guest teacher for the Stern Grove Kids’ Day Program and has toured to China as part of a cultural exchange for the Olympics.

                     Faculty and Staff

Erica Allen

Erica Allen began studying ballet at the age if eight in Tempe, Arizona. She moved to Marin County to study with Margaret Swarthout. She has worked with Melinda Darlington-Bach, Lynn Cox, Val Caniparoli, Benjamin Harkarvy, David Palmer and Lawrence Pech. Erica is now a proud faculty member of Marin Dance Theatre.

Erin Derstine received her dance training at the School of the Salt Creek Ballet in Westmont, IL. She attended the University of Chicago (UC) on full-tuition academic scholarship and upon graduation was initiated into the academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa. While in school, she danced for several smaller companies and eventually joined Hubbard Street 2 in 1999. After two years she was promoted to the main company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where she danced for another five years until moving to the bay area last August. With HSDC, Erin performed the works of numerous national and international choreographers including Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Trey McIntyre, Marguerite Donlon, Daniel Ezralow, Lar Lubovitch, Christopher Bruce, Susan Marshall, David Parson and Alex Ketley, among others. Her exposure to such a diverse repertoire of movement and ideas has greatly informed her work as a dance instructor and choreographer. She started teaching in 1998, and has been on faculty at the Lou Conte Dance Studio (home of HSDC) and at other Chicagoland schools. Most recently Erin was on faculty at ODC in their youth contemporary program and was a guest artist with the company for their spring season at YBCA. This fall, she will be choreographing a piece for their youth group, the ODC Dance Jams.

Brigid Hoag began her career in her native New Orleans and went on to dance with both ballet and modern dance companies in the United States and Canada. While living in New York, she danced with Peridance Ensemble and taught at the Peridance Center. In the Bay Area, she performed with the San Francisco Opera Ballet and with a variety of independent choreographers. Ms. Hoag’s teaching and dancing have taken her to such places as the Juilliard School, Israel and Korea and she now enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with all her students from pre-ballet to pre-professional at Marin Dance Theatre.

Pamela Martin holds a Master of Music Degree in orchestral conducting from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Pamela was the Assistant Conductor for the Cleveland San Jose Ballet now Ballet San Jose for four years. Pam has conducted for Oakland Ballet, and is presently the assistant conductor of the Vallejo Symphony and is a regular guest conductor with the Master Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra.

Pam has extensive experience as a dance pianist having played for San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Austin, Marin Ballet and for Marin Dance Theatre since the beginning.

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