Faculty
Robin Sherertz Morgan
Founder & Director Emeritus
Ms.Morgan began her training with the original San Diego Ballet and later was awarded a full Ford Foundation scholarship to the School of American Ballet. She performed with the New York City Ballet under the direction of George Balanchine, toured with the NYCB Lecture Ensemble under the direction of Suki Schorer and performed in the Virgin Islands with Helgi Tomasson and Kay Mazzo’s NYCB Troupe..
Returning to San Diego she developed her reputation first as a notable dancer and later as a teacher for many local studios. She served on faculty for the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Chula Vista and Rehearsal Assistant for San Francisco Ballet’s many SD productions of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. Ms.Morgan has choreographed and taught masterclasses at other studios, summer programs, universities as well as for an NBC TV movie. She was also honored by the SD AreaDance Alliance for her leadership in the dance community.
In 1989 she opened the San Diego School of Ballet and in 1991 Ms. Morgan founded the current San Diego Ballet company. Students of SDSB have been the top winners at many YAGP, CA Classics and other competitions as well as joining professional ballet companies around the world. Many students have used their training for college scholarships and others have danced for the grace, discipline, and health benefits the art form provides.
karen foster
School Director
Miss Karen owned and taught at her studio in Melbourne Australia for over 27 years and is a member of The Australia Cecchetti Dance Society. Later she moved to San Diego while her daughter, Chelsy Meiss danced with the San Diego Ballet. With her vast knowledge and experience of running a studio, she was hired to become General Manager of both San Diego Ballet and San Diego School of Ballet while continuing her passion of teaching tap, jazz and ballet. Miss Karen is now the Director of San Diego Ballet School.
Javier Velasco
Ballet
Javier Velasco has supplied dances for productions at the La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, and had a longstanding relationship with the San Diego Repertory Theatre, where he has staged and/or choreographed productions of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, CABARET, SUDS, EVITA, HAIRSPRAY, TOMMY, IN THE HEIGHTS,THREE PENNY OPERA, VIOLET, and many others. He has enjoyed many long creative relationships, having worked with: Luis Valdez on the 20th Anniversary production of ZOOT SUIT, BANDIDO, and CORRIDOS; composer Steve Gunderson on the premieres of SUDS (NYC) DIXIE HIGHWAY, BACK TO BACHARACH AND DAVID (NYC) the dance/theatre piece THE BRONTES/SECRET PLEASURES, SECRET TEARS, EVERYBODY’S TALKIN: THE MUSIC OF HARRY NILSSON, and most recently 33 1/3 HOUSE OF DREAMS; and Douglas Jacobs and Sam Woodhouse, founding directors of the San Diego Rep. He currently serves as artistic director of the San Diego Ballet, having created over 125 original pieces for the company since its inception, including: 10 pieces in collaboration with acclaimed pianist and composer David Burge, full length productions of ROMEO ET JULIET, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT”S DREAM, THE JUNGLE BOOK, DON JUAN, GISELLE: and the company’s signature piece, the sizzling MAMBOMANIA. His ballet set to the poems of Kenneth Fearing, LOVE: 20 CENTS THE FIRST QUARTER MILE, was given the award for Best Choreography by the San Diego Area Dance Alliance, the third time he was honored by the organization. As the director of SDB, Mr. Velasco has a commitment to the creation of new work. His ballet company annually commissions scores by composers from every genre. His evening of ruminations on the biblical SONG OF SONGS (Song of Solomon) featured ballets to original scores by by ethnomusicologist Yale Strom and the acclaimed jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson. Mr. Velasco wrote and directed THE TOUGHEST GIRL ALIVE, which premiered at Moxie Theatre and had a successful run at the New York International Fringe Festival. Mr. Velasco was part of the San Diego Foundation’s inaugural Creative Catalyst consortium, which allowed him to create the feminist musical, ETERNALLY BAD based on goddess myths from antiquity.
Igor Yurlov
BALLET
Igor trained at the Moscow Academic Choreography School at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia under personal guidance of Prof. Pestov & Peter Antonovich from 1971-1979: In 1981 he joined the Bolshoi Theatre and worked with the great masters of ballet: Galina Ulanova, Asaf Meserer, Maya Plisetskaya, Mikhail Lavrovsky, Yuri Vladimirov, Shamil Yagudin and Natalia Bessmertnova. He danced for 18 years in leading roles with the Bolshoi and touring company in more than 50 countries. He currently lives in San Diego teaching, coaching and offering masterclasses.
Stephanie Maiorano
BALLET
Stephanie Maiorano began her classical ballet training in San Diego at Southern California Ballet, under the tutelage of Ahita Ardalan (Paris Opera Ballet) and Sylvia Palmer Zetler (National Ballet of Canada). While a student there Stephanie performed principal roles in ballets including Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Paquita, Coppelia, as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Also, during her early training, she received her Chechetti diploma with honors. Stephanie’s training continued as a member of the Houston Ballet Studio Company. From there she came home to California and joined the San Diego Ballet under the direction of Javier Velasco and Robin Morgan in 2007 and has performed principal roles in various ballets including: Romeo et Juliet, Firebird, The Many Loves of Don Juan, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Jungle Book, and The Seven Beauties. Stephanie was featured in the San Diego Union Tribune under Notable San Diegans, and frequently makes guest appearances in schools and companies in California and Mexico. She has been teaching for the past 11 years and is the Artistic Director of the San Diego Ballet Pre-Professional Summer Intensive.
Marshall Whiteley
Ballet
In 2020 Marshall moved back to the west coast to be closer to his immediate family, and currently works around San Diego under various contracts teaching, creating, and performing. 22-23 marked his first season with the San Diego Ballet, where he performed a wide range of roles in a variety of styles. He looks forward to whatever comes next.
Emily Banuet Fiol
PBT-Progressing Ballet Technique
Emily began her ballet training at a young age and in 2014 she joined The San Diego School of Ballet under the direction of Robin Sherertz Morgan. After completing her training with the school Emily joined The San Diego Ballet Company. In 2023 she became a Certified Teacher of PBT-Progressing Ballet Technique.
Kathleen Love Gómez
Ballet
Kathleen joined The San Diego School of Ballet under the direction of Robin Sherertz Morgan at a young age and trained until she graduated High School. Kathleen is a Special Education Teacher and currently teaches Ballet A.
Gabby Banuet
Progressing Ballet Technique & Office support
Began her ballet training at Giselle Dance Academy in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, under the guidance of María Dolores Anaya. She continued her studies at Ballet del Mar with Alfredo Blancarte Hernández, where she later performed, taught, and choreographed.. She earned national recognition for her choreography, including first place awards. Her repertoire includes leading roles in works such as Les Sylphides and La Fille Mal Gardée, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, and many more. She expanded her training internationally through intensive study with teachers from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Gabriela has taught at schools throughout San Diego county, before joining the faculty of San Diego Ballet School. She holds a degree in Business Administration and, in 2023, became a Certified Teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT).
