Staff--Alexandra Scool of Ballet, Chesterfield, Missouri

Faculty and Staff

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	Alexandra Zaharias is the founder and director of the Alexandra School of Ballet and was the Artistic Director of the Missouri Concert Ballet prior to founding Alexandra Ballet in 1984. She received her early training in St. Louis from Isabella Rainford, and continued her studies at the School of American Ballet in New York City under the legendary George Balanchine. She also attended the National Academy of Ballet, under the direction of Thalia Mara. In 1991, Alexandra received a Hellenic American Achievement Award. “Miss A” was honored in 1999 by the Arts & Education Council of Greater St. Louis, and was a St. Andrews Ageless-Remarkable 2009 honoree. She has been the Artistic Director of full length productions of Alice in Wonderland, Coppélia, Les Sylphides, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Giselle, Paquita, and The Nutcracker. Alexandra is Past President of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters, has served as a dance panelist for the Missouri Arts Council and the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, is Past President of Regional Dance America/Mid-States, and served as Historian for its National Board.
	Norma Winslow Gabriel holds a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah and a Master of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University. She has performed with Ballet West, the Dallas Ballet, Repertory Dance Company of the Southwest, Dancers Unlimited, Missouri Concert Ballet, and Mid America Dance Company. Since 1984 she has taught at the Alexandra School of Ballet where her courses include ballet, modern dance, and character dance. As Ballet Mistress for the Alexandra Ballet Company since 1986 to the present, Ms. Gabriel rehearses the Company in major productions, as well as restaging works from repertoire and co-choreographing lecture-demonstrations.
	CiCi Houston received her training as a scholarship student from Theresa Lee Crawford in Detroit, Michigan, the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and the Virginia School of the Arts under the direction of Petrus Bosman and David Keener, augmenting studies at summer programs in Houston, Boston, Cleveland, and Italy. She has been a company member with St. Louis Ballet, Dances Patrelle and ATREK, as well as a guest artist internationally, performing principal roles in classical and neo-classical ballets and new works by notable present-day choreographers. In 2004, Ms. Houston joined the faculty of Alexandra School of Ballet and holds the position of Associate Director for the Company. In addition to teaching numerous classes and overseeing rehearsals, she also choreographs original works for Alexandra Ballet.
	Octavio Nieto-Jacobo is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. He studied a variety of dance styles including Mexican folklore, Spanish/Flamenco, tap, jazz, ballroom, and modern. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dancing in London, as well as the American Ballet Center (Joffrey Ballet School), David Howard Studio, and the New York Conservatory of Dance. While at Mexico’s national dance company, C.N.D./Inba (then under the supervision of Alicia Alonso), he was taught by teachers from many different countries including France, Russia, England, the United States, and Argentina. Mr. Nieto-Jacobo has taught in a variety of cities throughout the U.S. and Mexico and has been an instructor in the Missouri Folk Arts Program. Mr. Nieto-Jacobo joined the faculty in 2010, teaching Men’s and Pas de Deux classes.
	Rebecca Malinski studied with Sandra Kunz, Alumna of Alexandra Ballet in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Ms. Malinski performed as a soloist and toured nationally with her Company. Later she served as instructor teaching ballet, modern and jazz. She has attended master classes and workshops with Ballet Magnificat! and Sabrina Gidley, among others. Under the guidance of Alexandra Zaharias since 2006, she received extensive training in the school’s syllabus and teaches Pre-Ballet, Beginners and Adult Classes.
	Lauren Hoesly received her dance training from Jane Nygood Plum in Normal, Illinois, Peoria Ballet under the direction of Mary Price Boday, and attended summer programs including The Rock School, Joffrey Midwest, Houston Ballet and David Howard workshops. At seventeen she became a member of Ballet Chicago’s studio company, gaining full immersion into the repertoire of George Balanchine. After a year, she was invited to join the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School as a member of their trainee program, performing with the company in a wide range of ballets. She has been a soloist with the Illinois Ballet and Peoria Ballet, and taught at their respective schools. In 2011, she joined the faculty of Alexandra School of Ballet and holds the position as Assistant Ballet Mistress for the Company. She also teaches for the St. Louis City Public Schools at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School.