Lafayette Ballet School is enriched with a diverse faculty committed to the development of student potential and opportunity. All of our teachers and staff come with the express intent to offer the best classes within the most professional and enjoyable framework.
Director
Sandra Peticolas is the creative and driving force to the existence of Lafayette Ballet. The care and vision to 
cultivate a pre-professional school and performing company has been her priority since moving to Lafayette in 1986.
Ms. Peticolas grew up in NJ within the scope of the New York professional dance scene, and its demands for dedication and excellence. She studied at American Ballet Theatre School in NYC under such legendary teachers as Valentina Pereyaslavic and Patricia Wilde. She received a BA in Dance with Highest Honors from Butler University in 1976 and was privileged to work under the Renaissance talents of George Verdak. Mr. Verdak's traditional values in choreography, theatre and presentation, and his rich heritage from the Ballets Russes shaped her esthetics of production.
Ms. Peticolas danced professionally with Chicago Lyric Opera, American Dance Ensemble, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Ballet. She continued her studies in Pittsburgh with Mary Petrov and Kenneth Johnson, and in Philadelphia with Pennsylvania Ballet.
She began teaching at Point Park College in Pittsburgh in 1977 in the Pre-Professional and College divisions. Blessed with a serious group of young students who came daily, she was able to hone her teaching skills in an ideal environment. She also was able to embark on her true love of choreography. From 1980-1986 she taught and choreographed for Virginia Ballet School and Company under the outstanding direction of Oleg Tupine and Tania Rousseau. In 1988, two years after relocating to Lafayette, she opened the school, and in 1989, formed Lafayette Ballet Company as an outlet for the growing talents of the dancers here.
Ms. Peticolas has continued her fascination with the teaching components such as the Vaganova Method at seminars with Jurgen Schneider, and with dynamic muscular control and healthy training methods at seminars by the National Ballet School in Canada. In spring 2009 Ms. Peticolas guest taught at Studio Harmonic in Paris, France. Her opportunities to experience inspiring performances in Europe have enriched her perspecitive, and interest in other cultures, music, art and history color her thematic choices for choreography and the education of her young dancers.
Despite the regional isolation of a midwest university town, Ms. Peticolas urges her dancers in outreach opportunities with summer study, masterclasses, performance trips and an awareness of the big picture, so that their respect for their own efforts, and their awe at the incredible level of the professional dance field are equally balanced and nourished.
Resident Faculty
Lisa Hendrickson received her training at the Lafayette Ballet School, beginning at age 4 in its first year of 
classes - 1988. She also has extensive training from Nutmeg Ballet School, The Rock School, Pennsylvania, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. A long-time favorite of LBC audiences, Ms. Hendrickson has had principal roles in the Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Aladdin, Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelve Dancing Princesses, Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Paquita, Don Quoxote, and Raymonda, Danzas Antiguas, and Farewell.
Ms. Hendrickson has been on the faculty of Lafayette Ballet School since 2005. She continues her guesting with the company, and doubles as company teacher and rehearsal assistant. Ms. Hendrickson is also a faculty member in the music department of Jefferson High School as Artist in Residence where she teaches ballet, ballroom and choreography. There she has been able to introduce the disciplines of the dance world to an entirely new group of students.
Ms. Hendrickson has been a competition ballroom finalist, and has choreographed for several theatrical productions: The King and I, Footloose the Musical, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and for various dance competitions. She holds an Associates degree from Ivy Tech Community College in Computer Design.
Amanda Seidl brings a special insight to the faculty as both a former professional dancer
and a current 
Associate Professor in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences department at Purdue University. Before becoming an academic she danced with the Hartford Ballet in Hartford, CT and with Jeanne Ruddy Dance in Philadelphia, PA. She loves teaching the fun and open-minded students at Lafayette Ballet and she has introduced them to contemporary movements, jazz, and her particular passion for flexibility, both mental and physical. She choreographed pieces for the Trends and Measures of Movement performances in 2007 and 2008, and has guested in LBC productions. Her guidance for young dancers balancing the loads of serious training and academic demands is invaluable.
For the Spring semester 2010 Ms. Seidl spent her sabbatical in Philadelphia and was able to refresh her own technique and joy in movement with frequent classes. Re inspired, she embarks on fresh ways of movement with the students in her contemporary classes.
Jennifer Hintz is a 2008 graduate of Lafayette Ballet School. Lafayette audiences have appreciated her power and presence in roles as the Ice Crystal, Queen Rat, Coffee, Waltz of the Flowers, and Chocolate in The Nutcracker as well as soloist roles in Ebbtide, Don Quixote, Hungarian Dances, Paquita, Raymonda, Danzas Antiguas, Divas Dance Dvorak, and Thus Sang the Children.
Ms. Hintz has studied in summer sessions at the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet Internationale, Indianapolis, as well as ABT Midwest, and has participated in the Youth America Grand Prix regional competitions for 2 years. Her talents in photography and design have brought her the prestigious National Scholastic Art and Writing Prize awarded in 2008 and admission to the Herron School of Art of IUPUI Indianapolis where she is currently studying. A sense of drama enhances her art and photography, and she often uses dancers from the company as her subjects.
Cathe
rine Lewis Shukle
Catherine saw her first production of the Lafayette Ballet Nutcracker when she was eight years old, and—enthralled by the music, costumes, and graceful discipline of the dancing--she told her mom, “I want to be a part of that!” And, so, Catherine danced at LBS from the age of nine to age eighteen, steadily progressing through the ranks of Lafayette Ballet Company in productions such as the Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter and the Wolf, Peter Pan, and Alice and Wonderland. Catherine began teaching pre-ballet at LBS when she was still in high school, and became a faculty member in January of 2004.
In the past five and a half years, Catherine has taught in the pre-ballet through Beginning 1&2 levels, beginning pointe, and adult ballet. Catherine holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Purdue University and has spent the last two years teaching Introductory and Accelerated Composition at Purdue.
Catherine holds a M.A. degree in English Literary Studies and is on the full-time English faculty of Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis. In both the academic classroom and ballet studio, Catherine loves watching her students grow, absorb, and become passionate about their disciplines; as an instructor, she does her best to encourage creativity, help build self-confidence, and maintain that ever-fragile balance between discipline and sheer fun.
Guest Faculty
Alicia Whitehead-Canterna has a diverse background in both classical and contemporary work. She danced from 2006-2009 with CityDance Ensemble Washington D.C. performing works by Paul Taylor, Jane Dudley, Sophie Maslow, Larry Keigwin, Kate Weare, and Christopher K. Morgan as well as international choreographers from Chile, Brazil, and Isreal.
Alicia trained and graduated from the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. where she studied under Nikolai Morozov and Mme. Morkovina. She began her training at age 9 at The Ballet Center of St. Louis. At age 15, Alicia joined the St. Louis Ballet as an apprentice, dancing the classical repertory and developing a deep appreciation for the classical traditions and training.
From 2000-2002 Alicia attended Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, on scholarship, pursuing a BA in Dance Performance while honing skills in modern and choregraphy. Ms. Canterna danced and choreographed for American Dance Artists, in Baltimore, Maryland from 2003-2005 touring nationally. She has taught and coached for numerous dance academies nationally and internationally. She has taught at King's Academy in Amman, Jordan; was Artistic Director of the Dance School at the Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park, Maryland; and teaches for the CityDance School at Strathmore.
Alicia Canterna currently dances with Christopher K. Morgan, Resident Choreographer of CityDance at Strathmore, for Fall 2011. She will be choreographing for the CityDance Conservatory Pre-Professional Program in their 2011-2012 Season. Alicia also teaches at the Edna Lee Dance Studio and Design in Motion in Baltimore and is a certified Pilates Instructor through Excel Movement Studio.
Natalia Charova is Director of Ballet Programs at the Koresh Dance School in Philadelphia and also teaches at numerous schools throughout Pennsylvania and across the country. After graduating from the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Natalia continued as a soloist and dancer, first in the Ukraine and then in the US, retiring from the Pennsylvania Ballet in 2005 to concentrate on teaching.
Her extensive teaching experience ranges from schools as Dance Elite, Fedicheva Ballet Company, Marcia Hyland School, Ballet NJ and Children's Ballet Theater of Philadelphia. She has also staged numerous productions such as Paquita and Swan Lake for Dance Elite.
Madame Charova has been associated as a guest artist and faculty with Lafayette Ballet since
1994. She taught a summer intensive workshop in 2011.
Jane Hachiya-Weiner has been a vital part of the Indianapolis dance community since 1985 when she joined Indianapolis Ballet Theatre.
Ms. Hachiya-Weiner is originally from Japan where she was one of the Principal Dancers of the Hirofumi Inoue Ballet Company, in Tokyo. Her rich repertoire of the classics : Swan Lake (Odette/Odile), Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Pas de Quatre , and her opportunities to work with the most famous partners and mentors of her time (Anton Dolin, David Wall of the Royal Ballet, Michael Birkmeyer of the Vienna State Opera Ballet and Cyril Atanasoff and Patrick Dupond of the Paris Opera), give her a breadth of respected expertise in this genre.
After coming to this country, Ms. Hachiya-Weiner danced with Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet Ensemble before coming to Indianapolis. She danced extensively with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre under its founder, George Verdak, and subsequently Dace Dindonis and finally Eldar Aliev (Ballet Internationale, Indianapolis). From Limon, to Balanchine, to Verdak, Ms. Hachiya-Weiner personified the artistic versatility as well as classic virtuosity of a true ballerina, and the Indianapolis public supported her warmly.
In addition, Ms. Hachiya-Weiner is educated in several of the most celebrated training techniques:RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) syllabus and the Vaganova (Russian) syllabus. Ms. Hachiya-Weiner is an ABT® Certified Teacher who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level
3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She began her teaching in her native Japan and has been the principal of the Academy of the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, has taught at Jordan College of Fine Arts of Butler University as well as Jordan Academy of Dance, and currently is the Associate Artistic Director of the Ballet Theatre of Carmel.
We welcome the expertise and refinement that Ms. Hachiya-Weiner will bring to her workshop sessions in Pointe Technique and Classical Repertory and Variations for the more advanced students.
rained in China at the Dance Institute of Beijing. She was soloist and ballerina in the Chinese Central Ballet Company from 1978-1992, touring the US, Russia, France, Belgium, Tunisia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Holland. Her roles included the classics of Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, and Giselle, as well as specifically Chinese productions of the Red Detachment of Women and the Maid of the Sea. Ms. Han began teaching at the Chinese Central Ballet Company in 1992. Ms. Han has taught for the Colquitt County Arts Center in GA, and the Edmonton Chinese Ballet Group, and she began teaching at Lafayette Ballet School in 2004. Her exquisite presentation of the technique, and her calm and refined manner have endeared her to her elementary and advanced students. Ms. Han has recently relocated to Minneapolis, and we hope to continue to have her superb insights in future visits to Lafayette Ballet.
Frank Weiner has a long tradition in Indianapolis, dancing and teaching.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Africa, Mr. Weiner trained in ballet at the Studio School of Dance in Massachusetts with Dede Guercio-Renko. He continued his studies in dance at the State University of NY at Purchase, and at the New York School of Ballet. Mr. Weiner danced with the Hartford Ballet performing classical roles in Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, Nutcracker and Carmina Burana, and the riveting solo role of the Moor, in Jose Limon's The Moor's Pavane. While in Hartford, Mr. Weiner also danced with Works Contemporary Dance Company.
It is during his seven seasons with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre that the local public could appreciate his wide range of roles. Spartacus, Spring Waters, the Moor in The Moor's Pavane, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and the Snow King and Drosselmeyer in the Nutcracker, all came during that time.
Frank Weiner, then reinvented his stage persona with Dance Kaleidoscope, under David Hochoy, and took on contemporary roles, as well as performing in Indianapolis Civic Theatre Productions. A respected member of the Jordan Academy of Dance faculty for many years, Mr. Weiner now teaches for the Ballet Theatre of Carmel.
It is a privilege to have Mr. Weiner come to Lafayette Ballet and share his experience in the theatre of dance, as well as conducting classes in Partnering and Repertory.
Roberta Wong is an adjunct faculty at Butler University and, Anderson University. Her teaching experience encompasses the University of Indianapolis, Indiana University at Bloomington, the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre Academy and the Madame Walker Urban Life Center, and Jordan Academy of Dance.
Ms. Wong trained in southern California under Haneke Lohse, Katie Heil and Margarite Phares, and attending summer sessions with San Francisco Ballet, Marin Ballet and Boston Ballet. Ms. Wong, who started performing as an apprentice with Boston Ballet, went on to dance many years with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, and then Dance Kaleidoscope, under David Hochoy. rehearsal director and company teacher, Ballet Hysell, Gregory Hancock Dance Theater and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show, as well as appearances in Yuletide Celebration with the Indianapolis Symphony.
Ms. Wong is uniquely experienced in both the classical and the contemporary idioms, and her ability to elicit new movement styles and exciting qualities from classically trained students is invaluable. Ms. Wong just finished a workshop in Amsterdam in the Limon technique with some of the leading influences of European modern training.
Ms. Wong conducts workshops for the company dancers and apprentices at Lafayette Ballet in Graham and Limon technique, as well as explorations of their expressive potential.
