ARB Position: Summer Intensive Guest Faculty

Ana Varona has been a movement/dance instructor and bodyworker for over 30 years. Ana had the good fortune of studying under Zena Rommett in NYC in the 1980’s and was a member of her first Floor Barre instructor certification class. She has taught at the Omega Institute, the NY Open Center, the San Francisco Dance Center, and on the faculty of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, PR. Ms. Varona is a long-time licensed massage therapist and movement re-education specialist now practicing in the Princeton area. She holds a BS degree in kinesiology and an MA in wellness and health promotion.

Michael Crawford is from Takoma Park, Maryland. He began dancing with prestigious schools, including the Maryland Youth Ballet and Kirov Academy, with summer intensives at The Rock School and San Francisco Ballet on full scholarships. In his senior year, he was accepted into the Kennedy Center’s Master Class Series, where he trained and performed with top international companies. Mr. Crawford then moved on to the Washington Ballet where, in their top training program, he performed with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Upon graduation, he went on to study and perform in the Professional Division of The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. After Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jose Mateo Ballet, Ballet Memphis, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. At these companies, he performed several ballets as a principal artist. He has been privileged to work alongside top productions, such as “Guys and Dolls,” “West Side Story,” “Show Boat,” and other musical performances at The Kennedy Center, as well as touring many other international stages. He has also worked guestings with The Washington National Opera, Adam Miller Dance Project, Kinetic Dance Works, Brooklyn Ballet, and Ballet Neo.

While signed with New York Model Management, Mr. Crawford had the honor to
internationally known campaign. He has walked in several seasons of NYC Fashion Week. He also appeared in the feature film “Step Up” and can be seen on television in ABC’s production of “Forever.” Michael is also an award-winning teacher and choreographer. He has been teaching and choreographing nationally and internationally for over 10 years. He has coached many prize-winning students for competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix. Some of his students have gone on to prestigious college programs, top dance companies, and leading Broadway performers. Michael is on faculty at many studios including Broadway Dance Center and STEPS on Broadway in NYC.

Kai Davis trained at The Ruth Page School of Dance under the late and great Mr Larry Long in her hometown of Chicago, IL. Ms. Davis also studied at The Lou Conte School of Dance (home to Hubbard Street) along with full summer scholarships to The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet and The Joffrey Ballet. 

Kai’s professional career began in 1996 with The Boston Ballet. During her 5 seasons there she performed corps and soloist roles in many of the Vaganova classics including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Giselle & La Bayadere.

Ms Davis also worked with Ballet San Jose for two seasons where she had the opportunitiy to delve into Balanchine roles like  Polyhemnia in Apollo & the jumping girl in Who Cares. 

She then moved to Vancouver, Canada where she was offered a contract with Ballet British Columbia. There she spent 6 years performing in contemporary pieces by James Kudelka, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato & creating work for the company alongside the Artistic Director at that time, John Alleyne.

After retiring from the stage in 2010, Kai moved to San Francisco to teach for the Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program. During her 10 years in the Bay Area, she taught ballet & pointe technique for the BFA Dance Program at The Dominican University of Marin, for the Advanced Ballet Program for Ruth Asawa School of the Arts & company class for both Smuin SF Ballet & Oakland Ballet.

Kai now resides in Montclair, New Jersey where she is adjunct faculty for the dance program at Montclair State University.

Jessica Totaro is a Contemporary and Choreography Skills teaching artist from Asbury Park, NJ.  She received her BFA in dance from Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts. She is the founder and Artistic Director of the Movement Arts Project; a student-based, educational dance company based in Brielle, NJ that focuses on preparing students who want to further their education at a collegiate level. Jessica is currently a teaching artist for Derling Dance Arts, 10 Hairy Legs and Dance New Jersey’s Young Audiences. Jessica was featured in Dance Studio Life Magazine for her choreography methods and program. She continues to teach master classes and choreograph throughout the tri-state area at various studios and performing arts schools. Her teaching method is to not dictate but guide each dancer deeper into their own creative ability and communicate authentically through movement.