Zohar Update 8.6.2025

[Vivian Sam]

Hello Zohar Community,

SAVE THE DATE. SATURDAY, SEPT. 27, 2025 GET YOUR TIX NOW!!!

• Hear her story -- ZTalk with Kristine Elliott.
• You may have taken her ballet classes at Zohar. You may have had her student, Jasmine Jimison (principal dancer at SFBallet) near you at the barre taking Kristine's class. 
• From the world’s grandest stages to the heart of South African townships—come and listen to Kristine Elliott and how she uses dance to create opportunity, diversity, and change.
• Her work with the Gugulethu Ballet Project earned her the 2022 Dance Teacher Award.
  
• Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/z-talk-kristine-elliott-tickets-1555133479099?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
• There will be a special Q&A session with our guest, giving you the rare chance to ask your own questions and hear her insights firsthand. This exchange is more than conversation--it's part of the rich oral tradition through which dance history, wisdom, and artistry are passed from one generation to the next. 

BALLET with MONDAYS & FRIDAYS

• Beginning Monday, September 8th, Ballet at 10 am will be taught by Brooke Wertwijn. Friday classes, beginning September 12th will be taught by Tracy Fuller. 
• Most of you know Brooke. Here's a little something about Tracy: Tracy Fuller is originally from Denver, Colorado and has been dancing professionally for ten years. She trained at Boston Ballet and Colorado Ballet and began her career in Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company. In her time with the company she had the opportunity to perform in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake and Septime Weber’s Alice in Wonderland among many others. During the Pandemic she co-founded Fermata Ballet Collective based in Eugene, Oregon. Tracy joined San Jose Dance Theater in 2020. While at SJDT she has had the opportunity to perform as Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and many new works by Michael Pappalardo, Mark Foehringer and Linda Hurkmans. She has also had the opportunity to perform with Opera San Jose in Dido and Aeneas and West Side Story. 

BEGINNING BALLET (SUNDAYS)

• Class will be taught by Nicole Khoo this Sunday, September  7th @ 11:30 a.m.
• A little bit about Nicole: Nicole Khoo moved to the Bay area in April 2022. She has enjoyed having the opportunity to perform in several productions with Western Ballet, San Jose Dance Theatre, Oceanica Ballet and New Ballet San Jose.
  Growing up in Singapore, she started in Chinese Dance, and completed the vocational levels with the Royal Academy of Dance and Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dance under Mr. Donato C. Ferrer and Mr. Antony Tay. She then joined Singapore Ballet’s pre-professional program under Mr. Janek Schergen.
  She danced soloist and lead roles with Tampa Ballet Theatre for 2 seasons, then moved to The Georgia Ballet for 4 seasons where she learnt to appreciate the Cuban style of training. In her dance journey, she has enjoyed performing a myriad of classical and contemporary works, including Paquita, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Carmen, Giselle, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, Una Danza Para Ti, Haydn.

THANK YOU AUGUSTO SILVA

• We want to Thank Augusto Silva for being a part of the Zohar teaching staff. We want to sincerely thank him for the energy and artistry he has shared with our students. We wish him well on his future endeavors and pursuits. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

With appreciation,

Vivian Sam & Daynee Lai-Krauss

[Vivian Sam]

Apologies: Ballet with Brooke and Tracy are at its usual time: 10:30 am. 

Best,

Vivian Sam