Zohar Update 1.5.2026

[Vivian Sam]

Dear Zohar Community,

Happy New Year!!! We hope everyone had a lovely holiday break. 

Please remember to regularly check the Zohar Mindbody site for any updates to instructor assignments or class schedules.

• CONTEMPORARY with 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 (age group: Teens & Up)

  • 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.

• POP-GROOVE with CHRISTINE BAKER
  • This class is so popular and dancers are asking for more. Christine is available to teach her Pop Groove class again on Saturday, January 10, 2026 @ 11:15am - 12:45pm
  • Please register via the Zohar website as this is not a regularly scheduled class. 
  • Sign up and enjoy because Christine will not be available again until the Spring!!!!

• 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
  • 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 - 8:30 pm
  • Help us welcome the incredibly popular Dance Podcast: The Ballet Help Desk. The co-founders, Jenny and Brett, will be offering their first LIVE talk session. The Ballet Help Desk was born out of two moms who spent years trying to figure out how to support their dancing kids. From the competition circuit to ballet training to their professional careers, we stumbled along trying to support our kids in the best way we knew how. After several years on this path, they are ready to share what they have learned with you!
  • As parents, you play a crucial role in supporting your dancer's ballet path and we know navigating the world of ballet training can be challenging. The Ballet Help Desk is here to help. 
  • This event will be hosted by Dawn Sue. You can find her at Zohar as Ballet sub teacher, carpooling as a mom of three, more carpooling as a mom of a "bunhead", and at Zohar taking ballet classes.  

• SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE (SDI) JUNE 15 - 19
  • SDI will be 5 days of dancing beginning Monday, June 15 - Friday, June 19. 
  • 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 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)

Stay safe and dry. Give yourself plenty of time while driving to Zohar with the wet roads.

With gratitude,

Vivian Sam & Daynee Lai-Krauss