Ginger Leishman – ballet technique classes

Ginger began her dance training at the age of three from numerous studios including Center Stage and the Dance Club.  She also trained in the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum where she received high merits and distinction in each level from Pre-Primary through Advanced Two.  At age fourteen Ginger began her training with Jennie Creer-King at Classical Ballet Academy where she was able to work with many incredible teachers and choreographers including Attila Ficzere, Victor Plotnikov, and Romi Beppu. At Classical Ballet Academy she danced the role of Gretel in Hansel and Gretel in 2007 and 2008 as well as Snow Queen, Spanish, and Chinese in the Nutcracker.

Ginger received her BFA in Ballet with emphases in Performance, Teaching, and Character Dance from the University of Utah in 2013.  During her time at the University of Utah she was a member of Utah Ballet and Character Dance Ensemble, which provided her with the incredible experience of working with world renowned choreographers as well as training and performing in San José, Costa Rica; Kiev, Ukraine; and Seoul, Korea while representing the Ballet Department. She performed and choreographed in most of the student concerts for both the Ballet and Modern departments and was awarded departmental scholarships for each semester at the University.

After Graduating, Ginger traveled the world dancing for Disney Cruise Lines on the Disney Wonder.  She performed various roles including the Lion King Pas De Deux dancer, a Cinderella Waltz dancer, an Aladdin Harem dancer, a Ribbon dancer for Pocahontas, and a Spanish Web dancer as one of Tarzan’s monkeys.

As Miss Spanish Fork 2009, Ginger promoted and raised money for Art Programs in local schools with her outreach program, Excelling with the Fine Arts. She continues to stay involved in the community by promoting, choreographing, and performing in local concerts, festivals, and musicals. Ginger has taught at numerous studios throughout Utah including Wasatch Arts Center, Salt Lake City Ballet, and Park City Dance Academy. She is currently an instructor at Ballet West Academy and is the Dance Coach at Nebo Gymnastics where she has choreographed State winning floor routines for the past ten years.

Ginger married her best friend Lane Leishman in 2016 and they are enjoying living in Provo and sharing wonderful adventures together. Teaching is one of the most rewarding experiences for Ginger, she loves to see the progress of each student throughout the year. She is excited to teach at Utah Valley Homeschool Dance Academy and loves to build confidence and strength through ballet technique for each student as they pursue their individual goals in life. 

 

Tara Eyre – Tap Classes/Administrator

Tara Eyre received her BA in Dance and MA in Dance: Research and Pedagogy from BYU. She spent her time at BYU on scholarship with the BYU Folk Dance Ensemble and traveled the world with them.  She taught folk, tap, education, and world dance classes starting her Sophmore year and thoroughly enjoyed 13 years of teaching at BYU (as a student and then as Adjunct Faculty).

Tara is currently Production Director of World Folkfest. For the past 6 years she has choreographed and coordinated Opening and Closing numbers for over 250 International and local dancers each summer – and makes them look amazing. She is a driving force behind the Festival and coordinates all performances, tech crew and staging for the entire week of World Folkfest.

You can catch her performing with Foot Poetry, a professional Tap company , when she isn’t running her 3 busy children to their many activities.

As a homeschool mom, Tara knows the value of a fabulous education and firmly believes that movement training gives students wings to fly. She is passionate about creating a program that serves the students, meeting them where they are and then providing a way to build confidence in life through movement.