Sara Cramer, Director and Owner
Ballet, Pointe, and Student Development Program
Sara began dancing at the age of 5 and studied classical ballet with Doreen Gilday for over 10 years. [Miss Gilday studied under such renown masters as Mikael Mordkin, Michel Fokine]. She also studied with Barbara Remington (NYC Ballet), Robert Joffrey (Joffrey Ballet), and Pacific Northwest Ballet, among others.
Sara has been teaching on Bainbridge since 1989, previously teaching with Princeton Ballet, Belle Mead Ballet, and River Ballet Company. She has performed and stages numerous productions such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and various versions of The Nutcracker.
Sara is approaching the 20 year anniversary of running BB Dance, and her mission has stayed the same from the beginning. Sara believes in offering a technically precise ballet education to any person who wishes to learn.
Nicole Romine
Ballet, Pointe more about her at www.nicoleromine.com
The ballet was her first true love. She attended Walnut Hill School of the Arts and also trained extensively under the brilliant Meredith Baylis at the Joffrey in New York. Her career began at the Stuttgart Opera House dancing the role of Carlotta Grisi in Pas de Quatre and Balanchine's Tarantella under the direction of Richard Englund.
Stage. Film. Television. For over 25 years Nicole Romine has been directing and choreographing to international acclaim. Her work has been seen on five continents. She has inspired a diverse range of artists from Broadway to disadvantaged youth. She has had the honor of working with such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Alexander Godunov, Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor
(AIDS Benefit), Helgi Tomasson (former artistic director San Francisco Ballet), Patricia McBride, and Janet Jackson, to name a few.
She is currently the artistic director for a brand new not-for- profit called Ser Arte. Under development, Ser Arte is a group of diverse artists coming together to create world class performance art that explores beauty and life as a work of art in progress.
Her first film 'ing' was awarded the Grand Prix at the XXVI Asolo International Art Film Festival in Italy and Best First Film at the International Film Festival South Africa.
Nicole st laurent
Tap, ballet, Pre-levels
Nicole St. Laurent is a professional dancer and teacher born and raised in New England. This past year she was under contract with Mystic Ballet, a contemporary ballet company redefining the textbook definition of traditional technique in Mystic, CT. Nicole received her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance and performance studies with focus in the postmodern movement at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI in the spring of 2022. Under the direction of Cathy Nicoli, Nicole also received a double minor in videography and film, combining her interests, and diving into the world of screendance. Nicole began her dance journey at the age of 3 at Susan Winter’s Dance School in Raynham, MA. She then studied at The GOLD School under the direction of Rennie Gold, where she was a member of the Project Moves Dance Company, a non-profit, pre-professional contemporary company focusing on social justice. Between her time with Project Moves and the Roger Williams Dance Theatre, Nicole has had the opportunity to work with and perform works with a multitude of talented artists, including Tyce Diorio, Teddy Forance, Sean Curran, and Christina Robson. Nicole is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Bainbridge Ballet students and teachers this season! She looks forward to a rewarding and growthful experience for teachers and students alike!
Hailey bender
Hip Hop, Musical Theater
As long as I can remember, I’ve been a dancer. Even before my first ballet and tap combo class at 6, I seemed to want to dance through every corner of life. This path has led me through jazz, contemporary, modern, hiphop, musical theatre, and everything else the dance world has to offer. I’ve learned from many different instructors and have pulled my inspirations from various different schools—from studies and performances with local studios to masterclasses with Joffrey, the Royal Ballet, ICDH, and more. I love not only the art of dance itself, but also the beauty and creation of choreography and teaching. This passion of teaching also led me to become a yoga instructor. I’m so excited to be joining this studio and am looking forward to sharing my love of dance!
Oksana Sherbina, Stage Manager
Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet
Oksana grew up on Bainbridge Island. She began her dance studies Bainbridge Ballet. She performed in Nutcracker, highlighting in roles from party guest to Sugarplum.
Dance team was also a big part of Oksana’s journey; she performed group and solo pieces in ballet, lyrical, jazz & contemporary. Attending summer programs from Summer Dance Lab in Walla Walla to Joffrey Summer Dance Intensive in New York became a regular part of her arts education. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2020 with a BFA in Dance. Her paper on Michel Fokine was voted best paper in the dance department!
Oksana expresses her voice through the movements she makes, and encourages her students to do the same.
Maureen Wheeler
Ballet, Pointe
A Massachusetts native, Maureen began her ballet training at Boston Ballet at age 5. She studied with Violette Verdy, Patricia McBride, and Jaques Cesbron at Indiana University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in ballet. She performed with the Baltimore Opera Company, Washington National Opera, and Central City Opera and has been teaching and choreographing for the past 23 years. She was the director of the ballet program for 12 years at Arabesque Dance Studio in Columbia Maryland before moving to Bainbridge Island with her husband and 3 children in 2016. She has choreographed and directed numerous ballets such as Cinderella, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Snow White as well as an annual production of the Nutcracker. She is extremely excited to have the opportunity to share her passion and knowledge of ballet with the students of Bainbridge Ballet.
Nick wheeler
Ballet, Partnering
Nick began his ballet training at the Baltimore School for the Arts under the direction of Sylvester Campbell. After graduating from high school he moved to Germany where he danced at the Hoechster Ballet and in Brussels at the Ballet Contempary de le Brussels. He has danced with the Richmond Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Fort Wayne Ballet, and Elliot Felds Ballet in New York City. He received his undergraduate degree from the School of Music at Indiana University and his Masters Degree in Physical Education and Exercise Science from McDaniel College in Maryland. He also performed with the Baltimore Opera Company and the National Opera Company in Washington D.C.. He has taught dance for over 30 years. He began teaching Physical Education and Health for Baltimore City Public Schools. In 2016 he moved with his family to the Pacific Northwest. He has taught for Seattle Public Schools and most recently is teaching for the Bainbridge Island School District. He enjoys working with children and is very excited to have the opportunity to work with the students at Bainbridge Ballet.
Colleen Kinnon,Substitute
Pre Ballet and Youth Classes
Colleen studied with Diane Lauridsen and taught at Lauridsen Ballet Centre in Torrance, California, while performing with the South Bay Ballet from 1984 to 1995. Since becoming a busy parent of dancers and finding herself back in a ballet studio, she has enjoyed working in the office, volunteering at Nutcracker performances, and now teaching the pre-level and A level ballet classes. Colleen also works as a substitute para-educator for Bainbridge Island School District and in maternal/infant health as a lactation consultant. She loves kids, teaching, being outdoors, travel and the arts.