Kit Ashleigh-Dean
Kit Ashleigh-Dean received her earliest dance training at Juline’s School of Dance in Modesto, California. At age seven, Ms. Ashleigh-Dean began a strict program of classical ballet with Edna Austin at Ballet Arts of Modesto, continuing there until graduating from high school. Ms. Ashleigh-Dean was a member of Modesto Children’s Ballet Theater for six years and a principal dancer for five years. In addition to her ballet training, Ms. Ashleigh-Dean studied modern dance with Lori Bryhni from ages fourteen to eighteen. Her dance training was supplemented through summer programs across the United States, which included opportunities to study with world-class teachers including Jillana, Joanna Berman, Evelyn Cisneros, and Violette Verdy.
Ms. Ashleigh-Dean received her BFA in Dance from the University of California at Irvine. Her teachers and choreographers include Donald McKayle, Danilo Radojevic and Alonzo King. While at UCI, Ms. Ashleigh-Dean was introduced to the Pilates technique and its benefits to the dancer’s body. Ms. Ashleigh-Dean graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCI with a double emphasis in Dance Performance and Dance Education.
After graduation, Ms. Ashleigh-Dean continued her study of ballet at Oakland Ballet, San Francisco Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, among others, and began performing regularly as a freelance artist. She also became a certified teacher of the Pilates method during this time. After twenty-two years dancing on stage, twelve spent dancing principal roles, Ms. Ashleigh-Dean felt called to follow her true passion of teaching and directing young students. She began teaching full time in 1996 at Jensen’s School for Performing Arts and Alyce Porter Dancers (the future location for SBDC). In 1999, Ms. Ashleigh-Dean founded South Bay Dance Center, and in 2004 established the company, South Bay Ballet Arts, named in honor of her teacher Edna Austin, and Modesto Ballet Arts.
Ms. Ashleigh-Dean and her husband, Joe, have three young boys, Johnny, age 6, Matthew, age 4 and Joey, age 1. She lives with her family and two dogs, Clara and Charlie, in San Jose.
Other Instructors:
Erin Armstrong
Sarah Busby
Gabriela Castro
Elizabeth Dickey
Jazon Escultura
Jennifer Evans
Susan Gelman
Nhan Ho
Anna Le
Erica Pacheco
Missy Schipper
Jessica Thompson
Alexandra Venter
Yu Xin
Jill Yager-Rumpf
