Instructors

Megan Skinner (she/her/hers):               Owner & Director; Instructor for Ballet IV, Ballet V, Ballet VI, Adult Ballet, Pointe/Variations, Beg/Int & Int/Adv Character Dance 

Megan Skinner grew up at the Corvallis Academy of Ballet, studying under Jutta Hardison and Catherine Levi, as well as working as a teaching assistant and performing with Willamette Apprentice Ballet. She received additional training at the Academy of Colorado Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy at Vail. Megan danced professionally with Colorado Ballet before entering the Ballet Department at the University of Utah, where she danced with and/or choreographed for Utah Ballet, the Character Dance Ensemble, and Eastern Arts. In 2003, Megan received her BFA in Ballet, with emphases in Performance, Teaching, and Character Dance. Megan became a staff member for Oregon State University’s Physical Activity Courses (PAC Program) in September 2015, teaching three levels of Ballet Technique for undergraduate & graduate students and OSU Faculty. In addition to being the Director of the Corvallis Academy of Ballet and Willamette Apprentice Ballet, Megan has choreographed numerous musicals and operettas for Albany Civic Theatre, OSU Theater, Corvallis Community Theatre, Majestic Education, and the Corvallis School District. Megan has been teaching at the academy since 2003.

*

*

Kristin Jones: Ballet I Intermediate, Ballet II, Ballet III, Ballet VI, Pointe/Variations, Modern Dance Level II, Adult Ballet

Kristin Jones began her dance training with Corvallis Academy of Ballet and Willamette Apprentice Ballet in Corvallis, OR. After graduating from Crescent Valley High School, she went on to study at the Prestigious Butler University Department of Dance. While studying there, she participated in two international performing tours to Russia and Poland. In 2008 Kristin graduated cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance and high departmental honors; following graduation, she danced with Ballet Austin in Austin, TX. While there, in addition to dancing with the company, she served as a production assistant and an instructor at Ballet Austin Academy. Kristin also danced for seven seasons with Kim Robards Dance in Denver, CO, as well as serving on the faculty of The Academy of KRD as a ballet and modern dance instructor. Her dance mentors include Jutta Hardison, Catherine Levi, Michelle Jarvis, Derek Reid, Susan McGuire, Marek Cholewa, Stephen Mills, Michelle Martin, Kim Robards, and many others. Kristin taught two and three-week summer residencies at the Corvallis Academy of Ballet for three consecutive summers before joining the CAB faculty in September 2017. She was named a Resident Choreographer for Willamette Apprentice Ballet in the summer of 2018.

*

*

Maddie Koegler: Preballet I, Preballet II, Ballet I

Maddie Koegler began her dance training at age four at Corvallis Academy of Ballet, studying under Jutta Hardison, Megan Skinner, and Kristin Jones. She completed fourteen years of ballet, eleven years of character dance, and three years of modern dance training. Maddie was a member of Willamette Apprentice Ballet for six years and, after graduating from Crescent Valley High School, she danced with Oregon State University’s ballet performance group, through the PAC Program. Maddie frequently performed with the Corvallis Community Band as a CAB & WAB dancer, she has both performed in and choreographed for the Corvallis edition of Mike Barber’s Ten Tiny Dances, and she danced roles in Eugene Ballet’s Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella. Over the years, Maddie performed every child role in Eugene Ballet’s The Nutcracker, from Baby Mouse to Waltz of the Flowers. Maddie earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Oregon State University in 2023 , majoring in BioHealth Sciences with an option in Pre-Medicine, a minor in Chemistry, and a certificate of Medical Humanities. In addition to teaching at CAB, Maddie works as an Emergency Department Medical Scribe at Good Samaritan Hospital  and she is a Lifeguarding Program Assistant at Osborn Aquatic Center.

*

*

Mimi Chen- Chinese Dance Teacher

Mimi Chen: Chinese Dance, Ballet V, Ballet VI, Adult Ballet 

Mimi Chen has over 25 years of experience in choreographing and teaching various styles of dance, including ballet, modern, jazz, musical theater and Chinese dance. She has a BFA and an MFA in Dance from the University of Arizona, and she was awarded the Creative Achievement Award from the School of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona. Locally, Mimi has choreographed for Majestic Education, Corvallis Community Theater, the Arts Center “Globetrotters” program, and she has been a frequent Guest Choreographer with Willamette Apprentice Ballet. Mimi has choreographed and staged numerous Chinese dance pieces for Oregon State University’s annual China Night, working with dancers from Corvallis Academy of Ballet and Willamette Apprentice Ballet, as well as working with non-dancers from OSU, Franklin School, Corvallis Chinese School and Willamette Chinese School.

*

*

Jessica Hovermale: Modern Dance Level II

Jessica Hovermale began her dance training at Corvallis Academy of Ballet, studying with Jutta Hardison and Megan Skinner. She then danced for over eight years at Modern Dance Technique under the direction of Donna Blatt-Irvin, studying Graham, Limon, and Horton Techniques. Jessica recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from the honors college at the University of Oregon where she received her BA in Dance and BS in Planning, Public Policy, and Management with a minor in Nonprofit Administration and a certificate in Teaching Dance. While in college, she studied contemporary, ballet, African, contact improvisation, improvisation, hip-hop, and choreography. She defended her honors thesis by exploring how choreographers develop, communicate, and embody their movements. She has trained and performed at programs with NW Dance Project, the Carmel Dance Festival with Ballare Carmel, Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, Openspace, Flockworks, and Fermata Ballet Collective. This summer Jessica received her teaching certification in the Danceability method with Danceability International. She has choreographed and performed in performances around Corvallis and Eugene and loves connecting with individuals in the dance community through movement and arts administration work. Jessica works for the City of Eugene’s Cultural Services Department and the South Corvallis Food Bank.

*

*

Makaylah Harris:     Ballet I, Modern Dance Level I

Makaylah Harris, a Corvallis high school senior, has been dancing with the Corvallis Academy of Ballet since she was five years old. Makaylah has been a Teaching Assistant at CAB for the last three years; she enjoys seeing the young students grow their love for dance. As a dancer with Willamette Apprentice Ballet (the nonprofit performing branch of Corvallis Academy of Ballet), Makaylah has frequently performed in Making Spirits Bright at the Majestic Theater, and she has been featured as a choreographer and/or dancer three times in the Corvallis productions of Mike Barber’s Ten Tiny Dances. Makaylah has also performed various student roles in Eugene Ballet’s The Nutcracker and  Talmi Entertainment’s Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet. This past summer, Makaylah attended Joffrey West Summer Dance Intensive, where she enjoyed studying ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and more. Makaylah intends to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance, post- high school.

*

*

David Feinberg: Accompanist

David Feinberg started as a dance accompanist at Oregon State University in 1976.  Aside from a few years off, he continued playing for OSU dance classes until his retirement in 2020. In addition to numerous ballet, modern, and jazz classes, Dave has also accompanied workshops by national dance figures such as the Paul Taylor Dance Company, 5 x 2, Bill Evans, and Daniel Nagrin. 

“I have two goals when playing for a class.  First,  find the music in the dance as the exercise is marked. Second, support  the students’ dancing with rhythm, phrasing, and emotional energy.”