Jan Hurst, Artistic Director of Columbia Dance, has devoted the greater part of her life to the study of ballet and its related fields. Among her significant teachers were: Willam Christensen, Mattlyn Gavers, Finis Jhung, Toni Lander, Gordon Paxman, and Anatole Vilzak. She began her dance training in Portland, Oregon with Maria and Serge Dare. Jan earned both her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees in Ballet from the University of Utah with honors, with an emphasis on teaching and choreography. Among her more notable career positions are faculty member of the School of the San Francisco Ballet, Chairperson of the Department of Dance at William Woods College, Director of the School and later Artistic Director of the Lexington Ballet, guest Artistic Director of the Springfield Ballet, Visiting Professor of Dance at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and dance faculty for the Kentucky Governor's School of the Arts. Jan won the 1976 Utah Bicentennial Choreographer's Award and a National Association of Regional Ballet Monticello Scholarship. She has received numerous choreographic grants as well. She joined Columbia Dance as Artistic Director in July 1996. Jan delights in sharing her wealth of knowledge of dance with her students.
Liz Borromeo has extensive training in both Modern Dance and Ballet, beginning with the Bella Ruska Ballet School in Rota, Spain. She worked there as a performer, teacher and choreographer. She has danced at Old Dominion University in Virginia, North Carolina Dance Force, and at the College of William and Mary. Liz received her BFA from William and Mary in 1995, with studies in modern dance, ballet, composition, education, dance and music history, Alexander and Graham technique. In addition, she aided in designing outreach programs for local public schools in the Williamsburg, Virginia area with the Multicultural Performing Arts Society. She has also worked extensively in physical therapy as a Medical Exercise Specialist, and in training body mechanics and exercise techniques to patients. She enjoys sharing her passion for the art of dance with people of all ages through teaching, choreographing, fostering creativity in others, and performing.
Zachary Carroll is from Tucson, Arizona, he received his early training from George Zoritch and the National Ballet School in Toronto, Ontario. He has been a soloist with Oregon Ballet Theatre, Oklahoma Festival Ballet and Ballet West, as well as performing as a guest artist with Minnesota Dance Theatre and Ballet Arizona. Zachary has worked with many choreographers and toured throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.