Youth company
“We value the unique quality of Presidio Dance Theatre’s artistic and cultural training, with an emphasis on inspiring the next generation of compassionate global citizens.” Isabelle Durant, Vice-President of the European Parliament
Our youth classes are designed for dance enthusiasts ages 5-18 who wish to explore the world of dance and performing arts in an exciting and nurturing environment. PDT is a performance based youth program. We provide local, national, and international performance opportunities, including official SF Sister City Exchanges and UNESCO's International Dance Council's global festivals. Our curriculum excels beyond the state of California’s arts education metrics. We combine the Vaganova ballet curriculum, with classical character, and international folk dance. Our classes also include cultural enrichment, community service, and leadership opportunities. Our students gain training, social support, and cultural literacy, and receive rigorous, high-level dance training in a body-positive, gender and sexuality inclusive context.
We are currently only accepting new students for our Int./Adv. classes. For more information, please email us at info@presidiodance.org or call (415)561-3958 or click below to enroll.
Instructors
Marianna Lobanova
Lead Ballet Instructor
Marianna has over 23 years of experience teaching classical dance. She received her education at the Saratov Choreographic School. In 1980, she graduated from the Pedagogical Department of the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy. In 2000 The Russian Federation Ministry of Culture awarded Marianna Lobanova work the "For Achievements in the Sphere of Culture" Order. For more than 17 years Marianna danced at the Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre (Ukraine). Marianna previously taught at the Kirov Academy, in Washington, DC and City Ballet, in SF. She was awarded YAGP Outstanding Teacher Award in 2019. Marianna has been with PDT since 2022.
LeVander Brown
Strength & Conditioning Coach
LeVander Brown is a head trainer at BayAreaProfessionals and a former college/pro athlete, and has been with PDT since 2005, when he joined as a Youth Company dancer through his participation in DANCEOUT! at Bret Harte Elementary in the Bayview. He remained on full scholarship with PDT and received a full scholarship for football at San Jose State University, becoming the first in his family to graduate from a university. LeVander has remained a beloved member of the PDT community and also performs with the Company.
Deja Hill
Lead Outreach Instructor
Deja Hill was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She has studied different styles of dance since she was four years old, including ballet, modern, lyrical, jazz, and mixed-culture-styles. In later years, she focused her training towards ballet and modern/contemporary. Deja has attended multiple prestigious training programs and was recognized as a California Arts Scholar while attending San Jose State University. Deja began teaching ballet in 2017 and plans to continue her passion for dance by teaching San Francisco’s future generations of dancers. Deja has been with PDT since 2022 and is also a member of the Company.
Traci Finch
Guest Ballet Instructor
Traci Finch is originally from Utah. She graduated from Brigham Young University with her BA in Dance. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Traci performed in NYC, with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, New Chamber Ballet, and CelloPointe. She has presented her choreography in NYC at The Secret Theater and at LeFrak Concert Hall in Queens and at South Oxford Space in Brooklyn. Traci is the Co-Director of Mannakin Dance Theater. Traci has been with PDT since 2019 and also performs with the Company.
Brandon Alexander
Guest Ballet Instructor
Brandon Alexander, originally from Houston, Texas, received his training with Lori Amare and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. He has danced with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Rochester City Ballet, Teater Vanemuine Ballet in Estonia, and Ballet Hagen in Germany. During his career he has danced works by Cayetano Soto, Itzik Galili, Riccardo De Nigris, Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Giorgio Madia, Jamey Leverett, and Silas Stubbs among others. Brandon is currently a dancer with the Smuin Ballet and has been with PDT since 2021.
our students in action
