Lara Jean Mummert
San Francisco Dance Company
Artistic Director & Choreographer
CHOREOGRAPHERS GUILD
SAG-AFTRA
AEA
DANCEONE JUDGE
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING & EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Fine Arts • Purchase Conservatory of Dance
American Ballet Theatre
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
San Francisco Ballet
Complexions Contemporary Ballet
The A.C.T. Conservatory
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First we would like to congratulate Lara Jean Mummert, winner of the 2025 YAGP OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER AWARD.
At the very young age of 3 Lara Jean stepped onto the dance floor, training in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz. At the age of 9 she was winning dance scholarships around the country and at just age 12 she was an assistant dancer for Brian Friedman, traveling throughout the U.S. She continued her training in most styles, with some of the best artist in the world, Mia Michaels, Gregory Hines, Sonya tayeh, Chris Jacobson, Mandy Moore, and more! Performing their choreography helped Lara Jean understand exactly where she wanted to go in her career. Lara then received scholarships to train with American Ballet Theatre, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, so she moved to NYC at just 13 years old and by 17 she received full scholarship to the top training school in the country, the prestigious Purchase Conservatory of Dance, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Lara Jean during this time was invited to join the Steps Ensemble of New York City as a principal dancer at age 18. From there she went on to train and perform with Hubbard Street, Metropolitan Opera, NYC Ballet and more. After performing in the United States she was invited by STEPS in Italy, a contemporary ballet company, where she choreographed and performed with them for over 6 months. She then went off to tour with Sesame Street, Bruce Springsteen, Darren Criss, Paris Hilton, and many more other fabulous artists. Lara Jean was then asked to choreograph for Bravo Channel and Oxygen Network, as well as the Metropolitan Opera all in the same year, and now, she is choreographing for Cedar Fair Parks Stunt shows with All Wheel Sports, Netflix and the Musical Anastasia (Set to premiere this August).
Choreography credits include: Metropolitan Opera, Bruce Springsteen, Paris Hilton, Darren Criss, oxygen network, Sesame Street, The Netflix Bridgerton Experience, All Wheel Sports, Kings Island Cedar Fair, California’s Great America, Disney and more.
Lara Jean has won 9 “Best Choreographer Awards” in 2025 alone. She is very excited to see what the future holds for herself and SFDC!
Yuka Sugiura
Yuka Sugiura is a Neuroperformance Coach who takes a brain-centered approach to help athletes and dancers enhance flexibility, balance, and strength while optimizing recovery. Her framework assesses and trains brain areas and systems that can significantly impact movement – yet are often overlooked in conventional training and therapy. She has worked with athletes in NCAA programs, USA Gymnastics National and World teams, and multiple Olympians. With a highly specialized and adaptable approach, she equips her clients with tools to support long, healthy careers.
Tori Henwood
Tori Henwood
Victoria (Tori) Henwood began dance journey at the age of 3 at Touch of Class Dance Studio in Broomall, Pennsylvania. She soon started a journey of competitive dance where she got to experience the various different disciplines of dance and take from a variety of teachers in the commercial dance industry. At the age of 13, she moved to Northern Kentucky where she continued her training at Expressions Dance Theatre. She continued to competitively dance and was graciously given the opportunity to attend Kentucky’s Governor’s School for the Arts as a dance study. At GSA, she found her love for contemporary concert dance and decided to pursue her passion into college. Tori attended Wright State University as a dance major from 2019-2023, getting to learn from and dance for some of the most brilliant minds. While in the dance program, she also got to perform in pieces from guest choreographers Kiki Lucas, Stewart Owen’s Dance Company, Elizabeth Ramsey, Allison Reny, and Ray Mercer. She spent 6 seasons as a seasonal performer at Kings Island Theme Park in Mason, OH after officially obtaining her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance in 2023. In January of 2024, Tori made the decision to move to Las Vegas to widen her knowledge and training in the dance industry. Soon after moving to Vegas, she has had the pleasure to work with various event companies and choreographers that opened her up to the incredible dance community that lives within Las Vegas. Since the move, she has completed Rookie Season with the Vegas Golden Knights as a Vegas Viva, been a reoccurring performer for Insomniac Productions, and is beginning her journey with Elemental Dance Company, a contemporary company based in North Las Vegas
Kristin D’Addario
Ballet Teacher
From an age before recollection, when she danced to pop records while her parents prepared Friday night family suppers, the emphasis was always on how the music was made physical. And so it made perfect sense when Kristin would land her first professional role at age 9 in the New York City Ballet production of The Sleeping Beauty — a company known for its representation of music. Of course the company had an affiliated school, the School Of American Ballet, a place where members of the same tribe would obsessively champion the importance of rhythm and harmony, melody and meter. Kristin had to go there. And so she did.
She studied under the likes of Suzy Pilarre (notorious not only for her pedagogical brilliance but also for her cantankerous relationship with live class accompanists, and her fondness of the classical piece “Humeresque”). Her obsession with music was palpable and it was passed on to young Kristin, who was fast becoming a formidable young musical thinker in her own right.
Four years later, sufficiently forged in the way of musicality and dance, Kristin, like any good apprentice-turned-heroine, ventured outward into the wider world where she was recruited by Miami City Ballet (an organization equally obsessed with music and movement, and as such, deeply appreciative of Kristin’s ever-deepening skill set).
Kristin would steadily rise in the ranks at Miami City Ballet until a chance encounter with Alonzo King would change everything. The great director / choreographer challenged the bourgeoning heroin to deepen her sense of self and to formulate a unique voice as a ballet dancer. A new forging experience awaited.
She would sign a contract with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens followed by CORE Performance Company, all in the pursuit of sounding a unique voice in the world of ballet. These institutions would push Kristin to reevaluate her relationship with music, throwing her off-balance in the way that every deep-seeker wants — in a way that strengthened her grasp of the entire enterprise.
A formed artist, worldly and strong, Kristin resolved after her many campaigns to return home — to bring her strengths back to the forthcoming generation of ballet dancers, and to infuse appreciation and mastery of music, movement, and uniqueness of expression with Generation Alpha through her classes and choreography.
Peter Doll
Ballet Teacher
Peter was born in Ithaca, NY and began his study of classical ballet with his mother and aunt at the Ithaca Ballet. He continued his training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary, and at Miami City Ballet School with Truman Finney and Carter Alexander. He was also awarded a full scholarship to Boston Ballet School’s summer intensive.
As a professional dancer, Peter performed with Miami City Ballet, Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Nouveau Colorado (now Wonderbound), and as a guest artist with many regional companies on the east coast. After relocating to Atlanta, Peter transitioned into teaching full time, and taught students of all ages at Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education, Georgia Ballet School, Impact Dance of Atlanta and Studio 23.
Since joining the faculty of Los Gatos Ballet in 2017, Peter has taught levels 2-8, and co-staged The Nutcracker, Cinderella, & Sleeping Beauty, as well as co-creating work for Beyond & Voyage de Danse.
He became Chairman of Faculty in 2021, and was appointed Director of Los Gatos Ballet School in 2022. Mr. Doll also attended Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Teacher’s Workshop in the summer of 2022 to study the renowned syllabus created by Marcia Dale Weary.
Guest Teachers & Choreographers
Allen Genkin
Allen Genkin is a professional ballroom dancer and choreographer. He started his dance career at the age of 12 competing in many competitions in the USA and internationally. He was ranked in the top of the USA and top 100 in the world in his age group at the time. When he turned 20, life changed for him, and took a turn into the entertainment industry of dancing. He appeared on TV shows like Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and most recently on Mira quin Bailer. He currently teaches and choreographs at many different dance conventions in the USA. He also choreographed dances for celebrity singers in Mexico. He loves dancing and sharing his love with so many talented artists and students worldwide! He always says to do what you love and do it with all your efforts, results will eventually come!
Allen is also the founder of @sweat_dancefit on IG. Sweat DanceFit is the ultimate dance fitness workout for people to get fit, feel great and break a sweat. Follow Allen on IG @allengenkin to learn more about his life!
Erik Jimenez
Born and raised in Southern California, Erik is a self-taught dancer/educator with over 20 years of professional experience. He started dancing on his high school’s dance team and eventually coached that same team to 100+ national championship titles over 12 years! Upon graduating at UCI with a degree in Criminology/Law & Society, he started working at the Disneyland Resort as a parade dancer, and eventually made his way to the mainstage shows as an AGVA performer. He toured the country with Sesame Street Live and has danced for Nickelodeon, American Idol, Demi Lovato, and Anika Noni Rose. He has danced on stages all over the world with Norwegian Cruise Lines and is currently an Install Creative Supervisor for the company, teaching new casts to live the life he loved for so long. Recently, he worked with Broadway legend Patt Wilcox as her associate choreographer for NCL’s brand new show, Revolution! A musical tribute to Prince. He is currently working towards his teaching credential in secondary dance education and is a substitute teacher for multiple school districts in the Bay Area.
Rory Freeman
Rory Freeman has toured with many productions across the nation as well as performing on television favorite The Ellen Degeneres Show. Most recently, he had the honor of performing in Sonya Tayeh’s first full length show in New York City called “You Still Call Me By Name.” You may have seen him as a Featured Dancer on the hit television shows America’s Got Talent Season 11. Rory has worked with some of the top music artists such as: Taylor Swift, Paula Abdul, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and Jack Wagner. Music video credits include: Taylor Swifts’ “Shake it Off’ and Paula Abdul’s’ “Check Yourself”. In 2014, he was part of the skeleton crew to create a number as part of the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Olympics. Rory is blessed to have been able to perform all over the world with the world renowned dance company, MOMIX. Before his career started he proudly earned his BFA in Modern Dance from SUNY Purchase (NY) in 2010. This gave him the opportunity to perform pieces by Bill T. Jones, Paul Taylor, Bella Lewitsky, and Luca Veggetti. At the age of 18, he received the prestigious Silver Award in Modern Dance from the National Foundation for Advancements in the Arts (NFAA). Rory is a part of the faculty and judges for various national conventions and competitions. He has taught & choreographed at numerous studios across North and South America. Rory is also the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Move: The Initiative, a Dance Intensive based in Rhode Island.