Faculty

Guest Faculty, Master Teacher

  Valery Lantratov has had a distinguished career as a dancer in the companies of Vladimir Vasiliev, Maya Plitsetskaya and Ekaterina Maximova and international tours with Rudolf Nureyev.  Most recently he has made international headlines for his role as Czar Nicholas II in a production of the new ballet Rasputin, with Farouk Ruzimatov of the Marinsky Theater (Kirov) and for successful international tours of Don Quixote and original choreography for the annual festival for the goddess Aphrodite in Cypruss.

A graduate of the Moscow Academic Choreographic College, Lantratov was selected as a first soloist with the Moscow Stanislavski Ballet. With the theater he danced principal roles in such ballets as Don Quixote, Copellia and Romeo and Juliet. He has received accolades in the Russian and international press for his strong technique, personality and expressiveness.  

In 1993, Lantratov began working for the Kremlin Ballet. This same year, he formed the Russian National Ballet Foundation. He has toured as a solo guest artist in such countries as Japan, Germany, Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, Spain and the United States. The Russian National Ballet Foundation has toured in Europe, Asia, The Middle East and the United States.

In 1997, Russian president Boris Yeltsin named Valery Lantratov “ People’s Artist of Russia,” the Russian Federation’s highest artistic honor.

Mr. Lantratov holds a teaching certificate Russia's renowned National Academy of Theatrical Arts- GITIS.* For three years, Mr. Lantratov served as a guest instructor at the Boston Ballet.

With his Russian National Ballet Foundation, Lantratov is able to realize his goal of introducing new audiences throughout the world to some of the finest classical works of Russia. “No matter what might happen between the countries in the world, dance can deliver peace, compassion and art—eternal values.”

*GITIS' ballet department was founded in 1946 under A. Gorsky, R. Zakharov and Leonid Lavaovsky of the Bolshoi Ballet with equal state funding to the Bolshoi. It is the only institute in Russiato offer a diploma in choreography and direction for ballet theatre. Its distinguished ballet masters include Vladimir Vassiliev (director of the Bolshoi, retired), Nadja Pavlova (prima ballerina absoluta of the Bolshoi, retired) and Katirina Maximova (prima ballerina absoluta of the Bolshoi, retired). 

Guest Faculty, Master Teacher

 Tauna Hunter is Professor Emeritus and retired Chair of Dance at Mercyhurst University (1994-2019). She began her dance training with Willam F. Christensen and continued at the University of Utah where she earned B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in ballet performance and choreography. She performed as a principal dancer with Ballet West and Dallas Ballet and appeared as a guest artist with Ballet Concerto, Colorado Ballet, David Taylor Dance Theatre, Northern Ballet Theatre (England), The Pavlova Celebration International Tour and numerous regional companies throughout the United States. During her affiliation with Ballet West, she worked under the guidance of Bruce Marks and Toni Lander and received critical acclaim as one of the company’s leading ballerinas. In 1982, she placed as a semi-finalist at the II International Competition in Jackson Mississippi. In 1985, she co-founded DANSOURCE, a national networking and information service that connected dancers and companies for over ten years. As its’ Managing Director, she was highlighted in “Megatrends 2000” and featured in “Success” Magazine as a trendsetter in the future of the arts. Ms. Hunter has appeared in all the major roles of the classical repertoire and has taught for companies, universities and private schools throughout the United States and in England, Canada and China. She has staged numerous full-length classical ballets and choreographed over twenty-five contemporary works. For 10 years she was a Guest Artist in Residence for the Interlochen Arts Academy summer dance program. She has been honored with the Chautauqua Artist Teacher Award, Erie Arts and Culture Life Time Achievement Award, the University of Utah Legacy Award and was highlighted in the July 2017 issue of Dance Teacher Magazine. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Erie Arts and Culture board, where she also acts as chair for the Fund Development Committee. In addition, she also serves on the Advisory Boards of Ballet Concerto (TX) and Dance Now Miami! (FL). In the past she has served on the University of Utah Artistic Advisory Council, the National Association of Schools of Dance board and locally acted as artistic advisor to Lake Erie Ballet for eighteen years as well as serving as President and Chairman of the board for the Erie Dance Consortium (Erie, PA) from 2000-2010. Ms. Hunter has been married to Michael S. Gleason for 34 years and they have a 27-year-old daughter, Caitlin. When she is not teaching, coaching or staging ballets, she enjoys traveling with her family, gardening, golfing and spending the cold months in their peid à terre in Florida. As a breast cancer survivor, she actively supports breast cancer awareness. 

Photography by Rick Klein

Guest Faculty, Master Teacher

Lesley Bories-Scalise, began her dance training in Flint, Michigan under the direction of Gayla Zukevich. At age 12, she was invited under full scholarship, and relocated from home as an international student in residence with the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto, Ontario Canada. She continued her various dance studies under scholarship with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Interlochen Arts Academy, North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Chicago City Ballet School. Lesley was also one of only six students chosen from across the U.S. to attend a six-week summer intensive in New York studying with Suzanne Farrell and Paul Mejia. Profoundly grateful for her formidable early training, Lesley praises her successful career to some of her other masters of classical ballet; Fanchon Cordell, Melissa Hayden, Larry Long, Evelyn Hart, Wilhelm “Willy” Burmann, Karen Kain, Homer Bryant, Michael Vernon, and “Miss O” Betty Oliphant.

Her extensive professional career began with Chicago City Ballet under the direction of Maria Tallchief and Paul Mejia, Ballet Chicago under the direction of Daniel Duell, Dance Theatre of Florida directed by Sean Musselman, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre directed by Patricia Wilde and Terrence Orr. While dancing with Ballet Chicago, she was a soloist guest artist in Ruth Page of Chicago’s production of The Nutcracker, directed by the late Larry Long. Lesley has performed many principal roles, some of which include George Balanchine’s Square Dance, Western Symphony, Jewels, Apollo, The Four Temperaments, and The Nutcracker, Daniel Duell’s Hansel and Gretel, Marius Petipa’s Sleeping Beauty, David Parson’s Hairy Night on Bald Mountain, Lisa de Ribere’s Amazing Grace, and the role of The Sylph in August Bourneville’s La Sylphide. An additional professional opportunity, for which she holds dearly was having the honor of performing at the esteemed Jacob’s Pillow.

Upon retiring from the stage, she has been a ballet educator for more than 20 years. Mrs. Bories-Scalise has served on the teaching faculty of The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Point Park University, New Castle Regional Dance, and Greater York Center for Dance Education. She had the privilege of serving as the lead adjudicator for Ballet Michigan’s production of The Nutcracker. Lesley was formerly the Executive Artistic Director of the Lake Erie Ballet School and Company where she choreographed numerous classical ballets, and contemporary pieces including her full-length production of The Nutcracker. Furthermore, she choreographed a contemporary ballet for Mercyhurst Ballet Theatre, which was chosen to be performed in NYC at the Joyce Theater in 2014 for the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation Celebration awarding over $8 million in college scholarships. Her latest triumph is the commencement of Virtual Ballet Academy, providing dance education and conditioning for all levels and ages. Lesley was on the dance faculty, and the Artist in Residence for the Mercyhurst University Dance Department from 2003-2023. She continues sharing her love for this magnificent art form teaching master classes locally and throughout the U.S.

Guest Faculty, Master Teacher

Matthew Christensen, from Salt Lake City, UT, began his training at 17 with former Ballet West dancer Gary Horton, and continued at the Ballet West Conservatory and the University of Utah, where he was the recipient of the Willam F. Christensen scholarship, majoring in ballet performance. He attended summer programs on full scholarship at Ballet West, LA Classical Ballet, and Boston Ballet. Two of his earliest and most influential teachers were NYCB principal dancer Conrad Ludlow and the late Willam F. Christensen. He has also studied with notable teachers Sharee Lane, Bené Arnold, Attila Ficzere, Devon Carney, Bruce Caldwell, Marc Borchelt, and Mark Lanham. As a principal dancer with Nashville Ballet, he was coached by Royal Ballet first soloist, the incomparable Elaine Thomas.

While at the University of Utah, Matthew quickly rose to the performance-level Utah Ballet, where he had the opportunity to perform the wedding pas de deux from Paquita, Act III; Michael Smuin’s Romeo and Juliet, balcony pas de deux and Eternal Idol, pas de deux; and Violette Verdy’s Divermento. He also had the privilege of performing in original choreography by Conrad Ludlow, Attila Ficzere, Darrell Yeager, and Bruce Caldwell. Additionally, Matthew was asked to perform the role of the Sugar Plum Cavalier as a guest artist in various productions of The Nutcracker throughout the Intermountain West while at the University of Utah.

Matthew’s first professional contract, after five years of intensive ballet training, was with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, where he was requested as the Lead Cavalier in the Rose Adaigo by both Tatiana Pali, Varna gold medalist, and former Boston Ballet principal dancer Karen Scalzitti in their performances of The Sleeping Beauty. He was coached for the part by Russian prima ballerina Irina Kolpakova; he later performed in a gala to honor Kolpakova, sharing the stage with notable dancers including Evelyn Hart from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Rex Harrington from the National Ballet of Canada, Amanda McKerrow of ABT, and Damian Woetzel from New York City Ballet, among others from the Paris Opera Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and Kirov Ballet. With Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Matthew also toured Alberto Alonso’s Carmen in the United States and throughout Taiwan, and performed in the world premiere of artistic director Eldar Aliev’s 1001 Nights. He was coached by Aliev in the role of Von Rothbart in Swan Lake, for which he was famed at the Kirov.

After two seasons at Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Matthew joined Eugene Ballet/Ballet Idaho. The company toured extensively throughout the Intermountain West and the Pacific Northwest regions, and he was promoted to principal dancer in his second season there. Matthew had the opportunity to dance principal roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as originate roles in contemporary repertoire by artistic director Toni Pimble and guest choreographers.

Matthew and his wife, Jennifer McNamara, joined Nashville Ballet in 2001, where they often danced together. He has been noted for his exquisite partnering skills and effortless male technique in performances of Prince Désire in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, the Sugar Plum Cavalier in The Nutcracker, The Golden Slave in Dennis Spaight’s masterpiece, Scheherazade, the Warrior in Salvatore Aiello’s The Rite of Spring, and the title roles in Paul Vasterling’s Romeo and Juliet and Robin Hood.

In 2005, he received the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Fellowship in Dance. He was on the faculty of the Ensworth School of Dance, a guest teacher for the Vanderbilt Dance Program, and has taught master classes throughout the Southeast and Intermountain West. For the past five years, Matthew has been the ballet master for Centennial Youth Ballet and the primary upper division teacher for Metro Nashville Parks’ Dance Division; he is passionate about providing a high-quality classical ballet education to all students, regardless of socio-economic status or long-term career goals. He has staged The Nutcracker; Giselle, Act II; Swan Lake, Act II; Paquita, Act III; and the dream scene from Don Quixote, in addition to choreographing original works for his students. Matthew is delighted to be moving to Erie, and will be joining the faculty of Mercyhurst University as an adjunct professor of dance.

Guest Faculty

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Rachel Bodi is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Ballet 314 in St. Louis, Missouri. Rachel began her training at Pittsburgh Youth Ballet and Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh before beginning her professional career in 2008 in the 2nd Company at Nashville Ballet. She has continued her professional career in St. Louis since 2011. 

Rachel previously performed with Missouri Ballet Theatre, Common Thread Contemporary Ballet, Nashville Ballet 2, and as a guest artist with Texture Contemporary Ballet. Since founding Ballet 314 in 2019, Rachel has co-choreographed original works both alone and in tandem with Artistic Director Robert Poe, most notably premiering Ballet 314’s adaptation of the classic The Nutcracker & the World’s Fair; also co-authoring this story as a children’s book and interactive ebook. Other original works include Chocolat, llama llama and friends, Assemblé, and our newest "Dance the Story" program in collaboration with Sheldon Concert Hall. Each of these children’s educational programs highlight literacy through the arts. Rachel is presently adjunct faculty of Fine Arts at Missouri Baptist University, and has enjoyed a dance teaching career since moving to St. Louis. She leads classes at dance studios throughout the St. Louis region.

Guest Faculty

Anna is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she trained at the Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh. During the summers, Anna continued her training at Boston Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, and Ballet West and expanded her performance experience as an apprentice with the Charlotte Ballet at the Chautauqua summer program.

In 2018, Anna graduated from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Arts Management. During her time at Indiana University, Anna performed soloist and principal roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Divertimento No. 15, and La Source, as well as the principal role of Giselle and Bournonville’s Flower Festival In Genzano.

Anna danced with Ballet Arizona for the 2018-2019 season under the direction of Ib Andersen and had the opportunity to perform soloist roles such as Princess Florine and the Songbird Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty.

She joined Miami City Ballet under the direction of Lourdes Lopez as a corps de ballet dancer in 2019. Anna has since performed in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Jewels along with Ratmansky’s Swan Lake and Jerome Robbins’ I’m Old Fashioned. 

Guest Faculty, Yoga

Maggie believes the fire and breath of yoga kindle the spark of light, love and truth so our hearts shine brightly and grow in love. She passionately seeks to help others find that spark, burning off the layers that keep us from connecting to ourselves and others.

Growing up in the North Hills area of Pittsburgh, Maggie fell in love with yoga at ballet school. As a thirteen year old dancer who could not touch her touches or come close to doing a split, finally learning the connection between breath, stretch, balance and strength was invaluable! Coming full circle and bringing yoga to ballerinas has been a highlight of her career. She continued dancing and practicing yoga while earning degrees in French Literature and Classics from Penn State, and a Masters in K-12 Education from the University of Pittsburgh. She taught high school and middle school for Fairfax County Public Schools before becoming a stay at home mom. While staying home with her three daughters, Maggie served on the Manor Recreation Board, organizing holiday parties, events and tee-ball leagues for the community. She continues to help with the elementary school PTO.  

When the Yoga Flow Irwin studio opened, she began practicing regularly again and found a spiritual haven with immense physical benefits.  

Longing to return to the field of teaching, Maggie earned her Yoga Alliance certification at Yoga Flow and began teaching yoga/ballet/movement classes. Maggie loves kids of all ages and they love her. It was always a career goal to teach younger students and adults. This is truly a dream to combine so many experiences and skills for a unique classes. She instructs strong classes on breathing and stretching techniques through fun movement and play, empowering students to love themselves, others and yoga!    

Guest Faculty

 Haylie, originally from Mt. Pleasant, PA, began her dance training with Laurel Youth Ballet of Greensburg. With the school, she performed leading roles including the title role in Cinderella, Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, and Odile in Swan Lake. She was invited to perform with Texture Contemporary Ballet under Alan Obuzor for their 2013 New Years’ Opening Night production. Haylie then went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Dance at Mercyhurst University where she performed repertoire such as George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco (First Violin), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), The Dying Swan, and The Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy) under the direction of Tauna Hunter. She also performed numerous soloist roles created by Melissa Bobick, Tauna Hunter, Michael Gleason, Jon Lehrer, and Rick McCullough. While at Mercyhurst, she also performed with SoMar Danceworks under the direction of Mark and Solveig Santillano, Lake Erie Ballet Theater under direction of Lesley Bories-Scalise, and Cleveland Ballet Conservatory under direction of Kerry Skuderin. In 2014, Haylie competed at the Youth American Grand Prix Finals in New York City. She choreographed works for the Mercyhurst Dance Outreach Team which were performed throughout the Erie region. Upon graduating, Haylie attended medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA and is joining the UPMC Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency program Class of 2025. Her goal is to continue training young dancers with a focus on proper musculoskeletal utilization and injury prevention.