Darlene Castro-Easterling, Executive Director | Pilates/Tap

Ms. Easterling brings to "Teen Dance Company" an extensive background in dance education and production. Trained in all styles, she claims Tap Dance as her field of expertise. She taught dance and exercise for the Fremont Unified School District for 15 years. Ms. Easterling was the Founding Director for the 18-year successful corporation, Dance ‘n’ Such, Inc. During this time, she produced several shows and developed a number of award winning performance teams. Throughout the Bay Area, Ms Easterling is noted for her tremendous dedication to and support of dance education for youth. She is deemed a positive role model for teens and has mentored several dancers into professional careers.

Mark Foehringer | Artistic Director
Read about the Mark Foehringer Dance Project

Hailed by San Francisco Chronicle as "an inventive choreographer with a great company", Mark Foehringer is the artistic director of Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF, a San Francisco based contemporary ballet company founded in 1996. Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF has been presented throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, in Aruba, and in New York City. Since his 1996 US debut, he has emerged as a choreographer of richly layered, often witty and unfailingly musical works.

Mark Foehringer has been acknowledged by various awards, most recently receiving the Fulbright award to hold a 4 month residency with Ballet Nacional del Peru and National Ballet School in Lima, Peru in August 2007. Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF has been chosen to represent the United States at the Danzas Nuevas in Lima, Peru in June 2008 and has also been selected to create a new work for the San Francisco International Arts Festival 2009 in collaboration with Ballet Nacional del Peru.

Foehringer's work has been supported by numerous grants including Zellerbach Family Fund, In performance series of Fort Mason Center, Arts Council of Silicon Valley, Peninsula Community Foundation, Until There's a Cure, Helen Bing Music Series, Valley Foundation of Silicon Valley, Community Foundation of Silicon Valley, California Arts Council, Council for Cultural Exchange of Scholars/Fulbright Program and US Embassy in Lima, Peru.

Creating over 50 dances works, Foehringer's work has been characterized by its several collaborative projects with visual artists such as Matthew Antaky, scenic designer Peter Crompton, costume designer Susanna Douthit and musicians such as San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and composer Jack Perla. Foehringer has also collaborated with West Bay Opera and San Francisco Conservatory of Music and has created many site specific dance works.

Along with Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF, he presents an annual dance festival in celebration of National Dance Week every April. 30 companies perform at this free outdoor event.

Foehringer held the positions of Artistic Director and resident choreographer of Western Ballet in Mountain View, CA for 10 years. During his directorship he developed a strong classical and contemporary repertoire for Western Ballet as well as brought in some of the most sought after talent in the region and in the country to guest with the company.

Foehringer grew up and had his initial training in San Paulo, Brazil. He went on to further train and to perform in New York, London and San Francisco. He became a member and toured wuth Cisne Negro Dance Company throughout Brazil and Europe for 10 years. He later served as assistant director.

Mark has served on the advisory committee for Bay Area Celebrates National Dance Week since 2003.

Heather Cooper | Contemporary

Heather Cooper graduated with a BA in dance from UC Santa Barbara in 1993. Afterwards, she moved to New York to pursue her career in dance. She apprenticed with Muller/The Works and performed with Sensedance, Kim T Davis Dance, and JoAnna Mendel-Shaw. In 1998, along with Mara Williams, Ms. Cooper opened Adage School of Performing Arts in Milpitas. There, Heather taught ballet, modern, and jazz to students of all ages and levels. Adage was home to the Adage Repertory Company, which Heather and Mara Williams co-directed. Adage also housed Kim T Davis Dance, which Heather was a founding member. Heather is proud to be a founding and current member of this dance company. Since 1993, Ms. Cooper has been a faculty member at San Jose State University. She has taught all levels of ballet, modern, and production. In addition, she directs the student choreography concert and choreographs for the University Dance Theater. Last fall Heather also began teaching at West Valley College. Heather is a founding member of sjDANCEco, a south bay contemporary dance company. She is also currently working on her Masters of Arts in Dance from Cal State Long Beach, and expects to graduate in the spring of 2008.

Brian Fisher | Modern

Brian Fisher received a BFA in dance from New York University.Since moving to San Francisco,he has appeared in works by numerous Bay Area choreographers including Brenda Way,KT Nelson,Sonya Delwaide,Amy Seiwert,and Robert Moses.He has been a company member or guest artist for ODC/San Francisco,Berkeley Ballet Theatre,Peninsula Ballet,Diablo Ballet,the San Francisco Opera, and Anima Mundi among others.He has appeared on Broadway and International tv specials.In 2001,Brian, along with Brandon Freeman,was awarded an Isadora Duncan award for ensemble performance.This year marks his 11th year in association with the Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF.

Mandy Moore | Contemporary/Jazz

Mandy is an exciting, emerging choreographer and performer whose work has been seen on television, in film and on the concert stage. In addition to being the choreographer for "American Idol" Season 6, she was a guest choreographer on FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 3 and has been asked to choreograph on the Australian version of the hit show this spring. As a performer, Mandy has appeared on numerous television shows, including "Malcolm In The Middle," "That 70's show", and "The Drew Carey Show". Film credits include "A Time For Dancing", and "Austin Powers." Mandy travels nationally and Internationally to teach and choreograph for companies, private studios and independent performers.