Zohar Update 12.19.2025

[Vivian Sam]

Hello Zohar Community,

We are nearing the end of 2025! Please make sure you check the MindBody website for any scheduling or teacher changes and updates. 

HOLIDAY BALLET SCHEDULE (ATTACHED SCHEDULE)

• Monday, December 22 -- 10:30am Class with Tracy Fuller
  Tuesday, December 23 -- No Classes
  Wednesday, December 24 -- No Classes
  Thursday, December 25 -- No Classes
  Friday, December 26 -- No Classes

TAP with LEE ANN PAYNE

• Monday, December 22nd, 6:00pm class is scheduled as planned.

MODERN with TERESA MALDONALDO-MARCHOK

• Saturday, December 27th, 9:15am class is scheduled as planned.

STUDIO CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY

• Zohar will be closed for Tues., 12.23/ 12.24/ 12/25

JAZZ with DAYNEE

• Class is cancelled on Saturday, Dec. 27th. 

JAZZ with VIVIAN

• Sunday, 12/28/25 @ 9:30am, class is scheduled as planned.

BEGINNING BALLET with JEN AUBRECHT

• Jen will be back teaching the Beginning Ballet class on Sundays beginning January 4th at 11:30a - 1:00pm
• Jen is back by demand. Sign up via the MindBody or Zohar website. 

COMING UP!!!

MUSICAL THEATER WORKSHOP with LEE ANN PAYNE

• Tuesday, Dec. 30th @ 6:00pm - 7:30pm Lee Ann will be teaching the choreography to "Hot Honey Rag" by Chicago, the musical. 
• This class is open to ALL dance levels. This is a very fun class for everyone. 
• Best to register via Zohar's website and not the Mindbody app. 

ARTIST IN RESIDENT: CLAIRE ALEXANDER CONTEMPORARY CLASS

• We’re excited to introduce a new and inspiring class experience at Zohar, led by our Artist in Residence, Claire Alexander.
• Claire brings a rich blend of professional choreography, performance, and teaching to Zohar. She has taught and substituted classes here, presented original work in our Zohar Performance Series, and choreographed for local theaters throughout the Bay Area. This year, Claire is expanding her artistry and pedagogy at Jacob’s Pillow, deepening her approach to teaching dance with a strong focus on nurturing the artist within each student.
• Class Details: Tuesdays, January 6 – March 24, 2026, 7:45–9:45 pm
• Class format: 
  • A contemporary-based technique class for the first hour — focusing on alignment, musicality, and grounded, expressive movement. 
  • A choreographic exploration lab for the second hour — a collaborative space to generate material, investigate connection, and develop a new work together.
• Participants can expect a welcoming, supportive environment that values process over product, while still offering the excitement of working toward a shared artistic goal. The class balances contemporary dance technique with creative freedom, inviting dancers to strengthen their craft while exploring authentic connection, curiosity, and presence in movement.
• The lab would culminate in an optional performance opportunity at the March 28th Zohar Performance Series, featuring a new piece centered on relationship, presence, and co-creation.
• Dancers do not need to commit to the performance in order to take the class; people can join purely for class, for exploration, or for the full creation/performance cycle.
• Anyone can use their Dance Card or purchase a single class for this opportunity. You are not required to take all 12 weeks. Just come and learn about your own artistry and collaborate with the choreographer. Sign up on the Mindbody site.

JAZZ BASICS with JEN CUEVAS

• Our Jazz Basics class is back beginning Thursdays, January 15th @ 7:45p - 9:15pm. 
• Jen Cuevas is back to teach this popular class as she has a break from the stage. So Zohar nabbed her to teach this class because we know how much everyone enjoyed it. This class will only be for 8 weeks (8 sessions). 
• You can use your dance card for this class. Register on the Mindbody site. 

COLLEGE BOUND MUSICAL THEATER AND THEATER STUDENT/FAMILY PREPARATION WORKSHOP (for freshman - juniors in high school) PRESENTERS: VIVIAN SAM & FRANCES DEVLIN - PLEASE SHARE!!!

• Saturday, February 7, 2026; 3:00pm - 5:30pm
• This workshop offers a wealth of information for families with high school students interested in pursuing musical theater or theater in college. The instructors will cover essential topics, including timelines, summer intensives, résumé formatting, prescreen preparation, and much more. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear directly from parents and former students who have gone through the process.
• This Info session will give:
  1. An awareness of University Performing Arts Training Programs.
  2. An overview of the preparation and training for College Auditions.
  3. An understanding of the difference between a BA and a BFA program.
  4. An overview of prescreen submissions, live auditions, the Unifieds…and much more.
  • Vivian Sam & Frances Devlin will be presenting a lot of material that you can take home. There will also be a Q&A with former high school students who are now in college with their theater or musical theater department.
  • Link: https://zohardancecompany.org/college-bound-workshop

ZTalk #3 : ZOHAR WELCOMES THE POPULAR PODCAST "THE BALLET HELP DESK"

• Saturday, April 18, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
• We are excited to welcome Ballet Help Desk as the featured guests for ZTalk #3. this widely followed podcast was created by two dance moms, Brett and Jenny, who spent years navigating how to best support their children through competitions, ballet training, and professional pathways. Like many families, they learned through experience, quesitons, and trial and error, and now they are ready to hsare what they have discovered along the way.
• This ZTalk marks their first live presentation. We invite dance parents, parents of dedicated ballet students, ballet instructors working with young dancers, and studio directors to join an open and honest conversation about what this journey really looks like for families. Brett and jenny will explore how parents are processing the demands, decision, and opportunities that arise along the ballet path. 
• Our host, Dawn Sue, will lead the conversation. Dawn is also a dance parent with a teenage daughter currently in the ballet circuit, bringing a relatable and informed perspective to the discussion. Brett and Jenny will offer insight into both professional ballet trajectories and collegiate options, helping families better understand the range of possibilities available.
• For those who want a preview, we encourage you to listen to the Ballet Help Desk podcast to hear conversations shaping ballet communities not only in the United States, but around the world.

SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE (SDI) JUNE 15 - 19

• SDI will be 5 days of dancing beginning week of June 15th.
• Times: MONDAY - THURSDAY, 10:30am - 5pm/ FRIDAY, 10:30 am - 3:30pm
• Dance Classes will consist of: Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theater Choreography, Tap, Contemporary, and Modern.
• This week long intensive is recommended for anyone who is wanting to dive deep into various genres of dance with strong foundational technique being taught by our professional instructors. If high school students are needing to gain more experience prior to their college auditions, this is a great opportunity. We also welcomed adult dancers who are interested in developing greater body awareness and the alignment necessary for healthy, sustainable dancing.
• "This past summer I took the week-long dance intensive at Zohar. The intensive was a huge factor in the start of my dance training and I'm super grateful to have had the opportunity. Being able to take smaller classes with only the other people in the intensive was super helpful to be able to get more individual and personalized training. I appreciated that the intensive included multiple styles of dance to be able to start building my skills in multiple areas. I felt very supported by the instructors who were very helpful and gave helpful feedback in correcting techniques. Having this opportunity was extremely helpful in giving me a start to my dance journey, I only would recommend taking more classes following the intensive!" ~ Carter N. (sophomore @ Cornish College of the Arts, MT major)

A VERY BIG THANK YOU!

Zohar would like to thank those who have donated to the studio during the Annual Appeal. Your donation is essential to sustaining the vibrant arts programming that our Bay Area community relies on. Your support allows us to continue offering high-quality dance, music, and theater experiences that change lives across generations.

Your donation directly supports:

• High school students preparing for college and careers in the performing arts through rigorous training, mentorship, and guidance.

• Our senior community, who continue to thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally through dance, music, and theater.

• A welcoming, creative space where the arts remain accessible, relevant, and transformative.

Zohar is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN: 77-0427930, and every contribution—large or small—helps ensure that the arts remain alive, impactful, and available to those who need them most.

If you haven't donated, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Together, we can keep Zohar creating, inspiring, and serving our community. You can use the Paypal Giving Fund to avoid fees: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/68410 

Happy Holidays,

Vivian Sam & Daynee Lai-Krauss