Peridance offers several Intermediate Ballet class options with different instructors, each bringing their own unique teaching methods and styles. Please review the instructor profiles and class descriptions below to find the instructor who best aligns with your needs and learning preferences.
1. Kate Loh
Kate Loh began her ballet training at the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education and continued her studies in New York City at Studio Maestro, the Joffrey Ballet, and under the mentorship of Nancy Bielski. Throughout her professional career, she has performed a diverse range of classical and contemporary roles with Charleston Ballet Theater, Connecticut Ballet, Staten Island Ballet, Neglia Ballet Artists, and numerous New York City-based dance companies.
Kate currently teaches at Peridance Center, Ballet Arts, Broadway Dance Center, and serves as a company teacher for Ballet Hispanico. Her additional teaching credits include Columbia Ballet Collaborative at Columbia University, the Paul Taylor School, Staten Island Ballet, D'Valda and Sirico Dance and Music Center, and as Ballet Mistress for the New York City-based CelloPointe.
Class Description: Kate's classes are designed to develop strength, coordination, and precision while emphasizing the importance of musicality and artistry in movement. Her teaching approach combines careful attention to detail and precise execution with a positive, encouraging environment that supports every dancer's success.
Schedule: Tuesdays 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM and Thursdays 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2. Greg Zane
Greg Zane has built an extensive career in the performing arts as a dancer, actor, director, choreographer, and teacher. His directorial and choreographic credits include productions at regional theaters and international theatre companies. In 2014, Greg began his association with Lincoln Center Theater's Broadway revival of The King and I as Associate Choreographer to Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli and director Bartlett Sher. He continues to serve as Associate Choreographer for various productions of this show, including the US National Tours, London Palladium production, Tokyo Theatre Orb production, UK Tour, and the current International Tour.
Class Description: Greg's Intermediate Ballet class focuses on strengthening ballet technique through musicality, alignment, kinesiology, and movement dynamics. While introducing more advanced turning and jumping steps, this class works toward refining technique so that the body becomes a means of artistic expression. Prior basic knowledge of ballet technique is required for this class.
Schedule: Mondays 7:15 PM - 8:45 PM and Thursdays 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
3. Graciela Kozak
Graciela Kozak was born in Argentina and trained at the prestigious Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She danced with the Bat-Dor and Bat-Sheva companies in Israel and the Peridance Ensemble in New York. Throughout her career, she has performed works by renowned choreographers including Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, Jiri Kylian, Mark Morris, Igal Perry, Lar Lubovich, and Donald McKayle, among many others. Graciela joined the Peridance Faculty in 1985 and continues to teach the Ensemble and Core of the School at Peridance. She is also a member of the Professional and Junior Divisions faculty at The Ailey School. She has taught classes for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Ballet Tech, Complexions, Donald Byrd, Pascal Rioult, the School of Ballet Hispanico, and Ballett Akademien in Sweden. She has also served as a guest teacher with Paul Taylor Dance Company and Batsheva Dance Company. Ms. Kozak is multilingual, and her classes attract students from all over the world.
Class Description: This class is designed for dancers of all backgrounds who already have a foundational knowledge of ballet. The focus is on correct alignment, musicality, use of space, artistry, and, most importantly, the joy of dancing. Graciela emphasizes injury prevention through proper placement, breathing, dynamics, vocabulary development, and spatial awareness. Her multilingual ability creates a welcoming environment for international dancers of diverse backgrounds.
Schedule: Saturdays 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
4. François Perron
François Perron is a graduate of the Paris Opera Ballet School, where he studied under the direction of Claude Bessy. Before moving to the United States, François danced with La Scala in Milan, where Maurice Béjart invited him to join Les Ballets Du XXe Siècle in Brussels. François has held principal contracts with the Northern Ballet Theatre of England and Ballet Du Nord. He is one of a select few dancers to have performed with all three major ballet companies in New York City. When he first arrived in the United States, François joined the Joffrey Ballet in New York City, where he danced principal roles. He subsequently danced with New York City Ballet for six years and briefly with American Ballet Theatre.
Schedule: Saturdays 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
5. Billy Blanken
Billy Blanken launched his professional career as a principal dancer with the Amy Marshall Dance Company before joining Les Ballets Grandiva. His performance credits include principal guest artist positions with Mobile Ballet, CoDa 21 of San Juan, Catherine Gallant Dance, Atlantic City Ballet, Northwest Florida Ballet, Ajkun Ballet Theatre, the East Village Dance Project, Northeastern Ballet Theatre, isadoraNOW, Ballet Mink Colbert, and numerous other companies. He is a frequent collaborator with Project In Motion and has been commissioned to stage several of his choreographic works with their company. Billy is the original creator, writer, producer, choreographer, and performer of "the intimacies project," created in collaboration with dancer Jordan Marinov, filmmaker Bill Hayward, and the late musician and playwright Anna Elman. In 2016, he founded Sheep Meadow Dance Theatre, where he serves as Artistic Director. Billy has taught at Peridance, Rioult Dance Center, the Jakarta Intercultural School, the National School in Tirana, Albania, Ball State University, Wright State University, Gibney Dance, Northwest Florida Ballet, Logrea Dance Academy, and other institutions.
Class Description: Blanken employs a mindful approach to ballet technique with a focus on body awareness, kinesthetic learning, musicality, and movement dynamics. He cultivates specific ballet qualities including classicism, aplomb, and the use of épaulement to build resilience suitable for dancers at all levels, from recreational to professional. The class is comprehensive yet uncomplicated, with an emphasis on creating efficient movement patterns that support long-term dance development.
Schedule: Wednesdays 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
