JENNIFER SHAHANI, Artistic Director, enjoyed a celebrated 16-year career as a professional dancer with Dayton Ballet, Louisville Ballet, and Ballet West. She performed works by renowned choreographers Val Caniparoli, Antony Tudor, Ben Stevenson, John Butler, Paul Taylor, and Frederick Ashton, specializing in soloist roles in contemporary ballets.
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Her repertoire includes featured roles in modern classics such as Lambarena, Tudor’s Echoing of Trumpets, Leaves are Fading, Continuo, Stevenson’s Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Carmina Burana, Taylor’s Company B, and The Dream.
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After retiring from the stage, Jennifer served as Ballet Mistress for Dayton Ballet and Ballet West, and taught extensively with Jacques d'Amboise's National Dance Institute, a non-profit arts education organization that brings children together through inclusive dance and music programs, one of the first of its kind.
As Artistic Director of CDA and California Dance Ensemble, she continues to share her passion and expertise, inspiring the next generation of dancers to embrace a lifelong love of music and movement.
ROBBIN SHAHANI, Executive Director, performed extensively with Houston Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Boston Ballet and Indianapolis Ballet Theatre before distinguishing himself as a character soloist with Ballet West for several years. His favorite roles include Iago in Jose Limon’s Moor’s Pavane, the lead in Antony Tudor’s Continuo, Alias in Eugene Loring’s Billy the Kid, Van Helsing in Stuart Sebastian’s Dracula, and character roles in Peter Anastos’s Peter Pan, Nutcracker and Ben Stevenson’s Alice in Wonderland.
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Robbin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Utah as well as a Master of Fine Arts in Film. He has written, directed and produced numerous documentaries for Discovery Channel, and his award-winning short films have been seen across the country. Robbin’s acclaimed choreography has won numerous awards and has helped dancers place at YAGP, CDC, and Top 3 YAGP Finals.
He was honored to be invited as a Project Tier Choreographer to Regional Dance America’s National Choreography Intensive summer of 2023.