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Adam LeJeune – Receptionist


Adam LeJeune has been active in the arts since they could hold a pencil. Most of their early years were spent drawing and painting, and when kindergarten began, so did an interest in dance. They received three years of ballet training in New Orleans, where they participated in productions like The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. Their artistic interests later moved to acting, directing, and writing. They studied theatre extensively at Golden Valley High in Bakersfield, as well as Boise State University. As times changed, so did Adam's focus, and a Theatre major became a Biology major. Adam now has more than three years’ experience in the veterinary field. Times and focuses changed once more, and Adam moved to Humboldt County in September 2016 to focus on a novel that has been in progress for more than fifteen years. They love working in the arts once more, and couldn’t be happier!    

Staff

Eliza Klinger – Managing Director, Development, and Marketing


Eliza joined the NCD family as the Managing Director in 2016, by way of.  She comes  of Minneapolis, where she worked as a Video Lead recording forensic interviews at a Children’s Advocacy Center (CornerHouse).  Prior to working in the non-profit sector, Eliza was a director, teacher, and performer in Portland, Oregon.  Eliza worked with Artists Rep, Portland Center Stage, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Many Hats Collaboration, Tightrope Theatre, Staged! Musical Theatre, and Polaris Dance Theatre, to name a few favorites. 


In 2011, Eliza received an Outstanding Leading Actress Drammy Award and an Outstanding Ensemble Drammy for her performance in Songs for A New World co-produced by Staged! and Miracle Theatre. As a director, she has staged traditional, devised, and adapted works in both professional and academic settings.  Her favorite role to date was a Dot in Sunday in the Park with George. 


Eliza has taught voice, movement, clown, and mask courses for Rutgers University, the Universidad Autonoma de Hidalgo in Mexico City, Pacific University, and Cumberland County College in New Jersey. She holds an M.F.A. in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre from the Dell'Arte International School in Blue Lake, CA and a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. 


NCD is proud to employ a fine staff of full and part time artists and executives to manage the Company, Studio, Boutique, and Productions.


Meet our Instructors HERE

Meet our Board of Directors HERE

Gina Grebe – Educational Outreach Coordinator


Gina grew up in San Jose, CA and from 3rd grade to junior high, she took dance classes to include Acro, Street Jazz, and Jazz.  Gina took a year off from class at the beginning of high school, missed it, and decided to never go a year without dancing again.   At her high school, Gina took a mixed-style dance class, she choreographed for and danced in several musicals, and performed with the Baile Folklorico club.  Gina returned to studio classes at the age of 17 to finally take ballet – a style which previously she had seen as too pink and stiff.  Ballet quickly turned from a “necessary evil” in Gina’s mind to a style she truly enjoys.  

 

Gina attended Humboldt State University and graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Dance Studies.  While at HSU, Gina enjoyed dancing every day of the week with classes in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and various world styles.  Gina has danced in several concerts, including a solo in A Day With Rain, a piece she co-choreographed as a trio between a dancer, her shadow, and her imaginary shadow friend.  Gina’s original choreography, Off Duty, was a funky rhythm study accompanied by a live beatboxer, and was selected for HSU’s Spring Concert in 2012.   Gina has been teaching various styles of dance to various ages since 2011 and is currently teaching at North Coast Dance in Eureka, CA.  In 2013, Gina started a worship dance ministry at her church, teaching a mixed-technique class and developing choreography for the Worship Dance Team.  


Linda Maxwell, Artistic Director



Linda fell in love with dance and ballet at the age of 3 ½.  Her earlier training was at a private studio, supplemented by summer ballet programs. She has a BFA and MFA in Dance from UC Irvine.


Linda was program head and taught a variety of classes at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California, including Dance Appreciation, modern, ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, floor-barre, folklorico, performance skills and dance performance.


Currently, Linda teaches ballet, jazz and tap at Humboldt State University where she has taught for the past twelve years.  Her work is seen regularly on the HSU Spring dance concerts.


In addition to her work at the college level, she has worked with civic ballet companies and had her works adjudicated on gala National Regional Ballet Festivals. She spent several years as John Travolta's private dance instructor.  She has choreographed musicals for various venues including PCPA, the American Melodrama Company and locally, the Ferndale Repertory Theater and the Cinco de Mayo Festival in Ferndale.  


Professionally, she has performed with Calpulli Danza Mexicana, a folklorico dance company in New York City.  In Humboldt County, in addition to Humboldt State, she has taught dance at College of the Redwoods, Ferndale Elementary and High School, and Studio of Dance Arts in Eureka. She is a certified floor-barre instructor.  


Linda considers herself to be a continuous student of dance, spending her summers studying dance in New York City.


Rima Greer – Costume Department Head and Marketing


Rima grew up in the Los Angeles area.  She started ballet and music studies at age 3, and sewing at age 6.  She performed as a soloist with the Main Street Ballet, and American Ballet of California, where she also began designing costumes.  In 1987, she was cast in the international touring show Campanile, where she performed, choregraphed, composed and arranged scores, and headed their costume design and production.  Rima toured with Campanile for nearly 20 years, performing across the US, Canada, and Asia, as well as doing outreach for the Orange County Center for the Performing Arts, and the Ventura County Arts in Schools programs.   She also participated in Campanile's marketing program, attending booking conferences, preparing marketing materials, and running a radio campaign for the show's final CD, which charted in the top 10 in its class on release, immediately before the show's retirement in 2006.


After graduating summa cum laude from CSU Dominquez Hills with a degree in French and Communications, Rima also pursued a sucessful career in the film industry as a talent agent, participating in nearly a thousand deals, and nearly 70 completed feature films and television programs.   She is a published author and columnist, and a self-described "compulsive entrepreneur," owning a talent agency, a retail store, and a publishing company.  


Rima joined North Coast Dance in 2012 as head of the costume department.  She also produces the annual Zombie Ballet, and in 2015 she co-produced NCD's original production of the Wizard of Oz.  She has choreographed variations for Zombies and Nutcracker.  Separate from, but with the participation of NCD, she also co-produces  Dancing Stars of Humboldt.  This is the most fun she's had since...ever.

Leslie Lewis – Costume Construction & Administration


Leslie's been dressing up her entire life.  A self-described Maker in all media, she has studied art and design at Mendocino College, and made costumes for countless historic re-enactors (including herself.)


Leslie specializes in 3 dimensional costume pieces such as hats, masks, gloves, and especially critter feet, earning her the unoffical title of "Pawmaster" in the NCD costume shop.


Leslie also holds the distinction of "Sewing Machine Whisperer," and maintains all of NCD's costume shop equipment.

Elizabeth (Beth) Poston – Bookkeeper


Elizabeth Poston started her ballet training at the age of 8.  She has had the pleasure to study with many wonderful teachers right here at North Coast Dance.  Elizabeth is part of the Company, and has performed dream roles such as: Snow Queen, Rose Queen, Marzipan and Butterfly in North Coast Dance’s lavish Nutcracker.  She has also had the opportunity to appear as Glinda the Good Witch, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty’s Forest Fairy, and various other roles for NDC’s seasonal Spring Concert.  Elizabeth trains here, teaches here (Ballet 1), and works behind the scenes as NCD’s Bookkeeper.  She thanks her lovely family: husband Matthew, and their two children Grace and Evan for their unending support!!  

Sandy Sanderson - Building Maintenance Coordinator and Receptionist


Sandy was born and raised on the east coast, and her two greatest loves have always been animals and the great outdoors.  She spent several years working on a ranch in New York State as well as assisting at the local animal clinic.  After a tour with the USMC, Sandy continued her education in Southern California and later began her adventures with the Forest Service, fighting fires and patrolling lakes & rivers.   She also implemented the 1st Volunteer Program for the Shasta Lake Ranger District. She took that experience to the Sequoia Park Zoo, where she coordinated volunteers for a variety of annual Events.  Her fondest memory of her time at the zoo is the 30-year friendship she had with Rosie, the black bear that was born and raised there.  She now expresses her love for all bears by portraying the Bear that jumps out of the box in the annual production of NCD’s Nutcracker.



Melody Collver - Education Director & Company Member

Melody started her dance career in 2012 as a young adult after attending a North Coast Dance spring show. Since then, she has taken classes in styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, tap, and swing. She has performed in Humboldt State University's fall dance program multiple times, as well as in a variety of shows at NCD including: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Les Sylphide, Stars & Stripes, The Wizard of Oz, Rodeo, and Alice in Wonderland. She began teaching the beginning adult ballet class and now teaches the Intro to Ballet and Pre-Pointe Ballet classes. Whether teaching or taking class, Melody hopes that dance will continue to be a part of her life for many years.

Brandi Lawson/Receptionist/Administrative Assistant


Brandi was born and raised here in the heart of the redwoods. She has always had a love of nature and the outdoors, and has reveled in being surrounded by so much natural beauty in this area. Brandi has always had a passion for arts of all kinds, from music to movies, books, crafts, etc. She has had many different career idea changes from wanting to be a Veterinarian as a child to Dental Assistant and she graduated from CR with her Associate of Science Degree and Dental Assisting certificate. However, all of that changed once more, in 2016 when she welcomed her daughter, Marlee, into the world. Focus shifted and she desired to spend as much time as possible with her. When her daughter was old enough she put her in a starting ballet class, which then led to discovering NCD and a renewed passion of the arts. And the rest was history.


Lori Knowles - Costume Construction


Lori is delighted to have joined NCD in 2018. She has an A.A. In Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute Of Design and Merchandising, and has worked with several fashion designers through her free-lance business. Lori’s been sewing since childhood, her dolls needed to be fashionable, right? 


Lori is the author of two pattern making textbooks, and taught pattern making at a Community College in the Bay Area before moving to the gorgeous Pacific Northwest.


When Lori is on her own time, she makes Victorian and Edwardian clothing reproductions. She is so excited to add dance costumes to her repertoire!

Stephanie Hiscox - Donation & Volunteer Coordinator


Stephanie was born and raised here in Humboldt County. She went to College of the Redwoods and then realized she loved working with people and went into banking. When her oldest daughter was born she knew that there was nothing she wanted more than to spend her time with her helping her grow, which continued with her younger two children. She spent those early years helping on the leadership team with a local group for mothers, volunteering in the classroom and being active in her church. She has always had a strong love for dance and was thrilled when her oldest daughter wanted to start dancing at NCD. It was a natural fit to put her love for working with people and helping children together to start volunteering and then working at North Coast Dance as the Donation and Volunteer Coordinator.  

Daphne Endert - Receptionist/Administrative Assistant


Brandi was born and raised here in the heart of the redwoods. She has always had a love of nature and the outdoors, and has reveled in being surrounded by so much natural beauty in this area. Brandi has always had a passion for arts of all kinds, from music to movies, books, crafts, etc. She has had many different career idea changes from wanting to be a Veterinarian as a child to Dental Assistant and she graduated from CR with her Associate of Science Degree and Dental Assisting certificate. However, all of that changed once more, in 2016 when she welcomed her daughter, Marlee, into the world. Focus shifted and she desired to spend as much time as possible with her. When her daughter was old enough she put her in a starting ballet class, which then led to discovering NCD and a renewed passion of the arts. And the rest was history.