Faculty

Santa Rosa Dance Theater faculty members have many years of professional experience, both performing and teaching.

• Tamara Statkoun (Artistic Director)
• Gina Ness
• Connee Lutz
• Bernadette Alverio
• Stephanie Romano

Tamara Statkoun (Artistic Director)
Ms. Statkoun received her training at the famed Vaganova Ballet Academy and was a principal dancer with the Maly Ballet Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia.   She also danced and toured with the Kirov Ballet and with the Kremlin Ballet of Moscow.   Honored Artist of Russia, Ms. Statkoun danced numerous leading roles during her 20 years as a professional.   She holds a Masters Degree in Choreography and Ballet Technique from St. Petersburg State Conservatory.

Gina Ness
Ms. Ness received her early training in San Francisco and was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship to study at the San Francisco Ballet School at age 15.   She also studied under scholarship at Harkness House in New York City. Ms. Ness went on to a 13-year career with the San Francisco Ballet Company including 2 years as a soloist and 9 years as a principal dancer.

Connee Lutz
Ms. Lutz began her dance training with Merriem Lanova in San Francisco.   Over the years she has studied ballet, character, modern dance and flamenco.   She holds a BA degree in Fine Arts from Sonoma State University.

Bernadette Alverio
Ms. Alverio is a choreographer, dance educator and performer whose background includes hip hop, jazz, ballet, African dance, Afro-Cuban dance, modern dance and contact improvisation. She is currently the director of Expressive Motion Modern Dance Company.

Stephanie Romano
After performing with Oakland Ballet Company and Eglevsky Ballet, Ms. Romano worked as a lead dancer on Royal Viking Cruise Line.   She now combines her unique background in classical ballet, jazz, tap and character dance to stage theater productions for circus troupes, dance bands and vocal groups as well as choreographing musicals for schools and theater companies around the bay area.