Jennifer Beamer Fernandez is a graduate of the University of Utah with a BFA in Ballet Performance. She attended UCSF medical school and was a founding member of the Dance Medicine and Prevention Clinic in San Francisco. She performed on scholarship with Rick Odums in Paris, France for two years and toured with various choreographers throughout France, Morocco, Egypt and Japan. Upon returning to the Bay Area, she joined Liss Fain Dance and is now enjoying her seventh year performing with the company. Off season, Jennifer enjoys living in LA with her husband, Jorge, working as a Certified Athletic Trainer and dancing in music videos and television/film. She also directs the international touring and development of Liss Fain Dance. Jennifer expresses deep thanks to Stefan Wenta for his masterful teaching.
Mira Cook was born in Austin, Texas where she studied and performed with Ballet Austin and the Austin Dance Ensemble. She went on to join City Ballet of San Diego, dancing lead roles in "The Rite of Spring" and Balanchine's "Rubies." Mira's choreography has been performed by City Ballet of San Diego, The Austin Dance Ensemble and SUSHI Performance and Visual Art. She moved to San Francisco in 2007 to pursue contemporary dance and has performed with Double Vision Dance and Intermedia, Capacitor, and Brooke Broussard. Mira sings with a women's a cappella choir and writes music of her own playing solo shows in the bay area. She also enjoys making dance films and is co-director of the international dance-film project, Trans-Continental Dance Collaborative.
Jeremiah Crank began his dance training in his hometown of Flint, Michigan and has since studied at the American Dance Festival, Grand Valley State University, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, as well as The University of Michigan, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Art's in Dance Performance. In addition to dance training he also has studied and performed classical voice, music theory and musical theater. After years of education and professional performance in Michigan, he recently moved to the Bay Area to advance his career in Dance. He has danced the role of the Cavalier with the Nutcracker Ballet Theater and Peninsula Ballet Theater; Prince Charming in Snow White with the Kansas Regional Ballet; and appeared as a Guest Artist with Peter Sparling Dance Company and Opera Grand Rapids. He is also currently a member of Leyya Tawil's Dance Elixir and recently returned from a tour to New York and teaching a master class in contemporary technique at Middlebury College in Vermont. This is Jeremiah's first season with the Liss Fain Dance Company.
Heather Daane trained and performed with Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland, Oregon. As a scholarship student at SUNY Purchase, she performed principal roles in Balanchine's Serenade, Gerald Arpino's Valentine, Nicolo Fonte's Accidental Signals, and Nijinkska's Les Noces. She has performed the roles of Dew Drop, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. Ms. Daane has performed internationally in Kazuko Hirabayashi's Fausto in Mexico City, in the 4th International Choreography Contest New York-Burgos in Spain, and in the Hong Kong International Festival of Dance Academies. Ms. Daane most recently performed with Ajkun Ballet Theater in New York City. Her choreography, Dissolving Shadows, has been featured at Dance Theater Workshop in NYC and she was awarded the Bert Terborgh Dance Award in 2006. This is Heather's second season with Liss Fain Dance.
Kai Davis began dancing at The Ruth Page School of Dance in her hometown of Chicago under the direction of Larry Long. She also studied with The Joffrey Ballet School, Lou Conte School (home of Hubbard Street) and The Rock School of Pennsylvania. In 1996 at the age of 17, Kai was offered a contract with The Boston Ballet where she danced for 5 years. She performed many of the classics including Swan Lake, La Bayedere and friends in Don Q. Kai continued to expand her classical repertory while dancing with Ballet San Jose, appearing in many Balanchine works. In 2003, Kai moved to Canada to dance with Ballet British Columbia. Her four years there included taking part in the creation process with director John Alleyne. She also performed many more contemporary works such as Twyla Tharp's 9 Sinatra Songs and Baker's Dozen, Agnes De Mille's Rodeo and Paul Taylor's Co B. Kai moved back to the Bay area in 2007. She teaches at Western Ballet and San Francisco Dance Center; she is very excited and thankful to work with Liss Fain.
Brittain Jarrett Jackson is from Washington, D.C. and began dancing at the Duke Ellington School for the Arts. He has also trained and been awarded scholarships to Washington Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Dance Institute of Washington, the Northwest Professional Dance Project (NWPDP), and the Ailey School. Brittain continued his studies at the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance and graduated in May 2006. He has worked with renowned artists Christian Holder, Kevin Wynn, Troy Powell, Jaqulyn Buglisi, Cornelius Carter, Thaddeus Davis, Sarah Slipper, Steve Gonzalez, Fidel Garcia, Meagan Williams, Ted Kivitt, Kazuko Hirabayashi, Fabian Barnes, and Louis Johnson. Brittain is also a founding member of the PC, the performing dance company of NWPDP. Before joining Tania Pérez-Salas Compania de Danza in 2006, Brittain was a member of Buglisi/Foreman Dance and the Stephen Petronio Dance Company (Apprentice). Brittain joined Liss Fain Dance in 2008.
Bethany Mitchell was raised in Mission Viejo, California. She began her training at the Ballet Conservatory of Saddleback Valley under the direction of Alan McCarter and Marie Barnett. She continued her training at the Ballet Pacifica Conservatory where she performed in works such as Choo-San Goh's Unknown Territory and Molly Lynch's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Bethany spent summers attending the Milwaukee Ballet School, Sacramento Ballet, and the Craft of Choreography on full scholarship. She has performed with Ballet Pacifica, State Street Ballet, and City Ballet of San Diego performing soloist roles in ballets such as Robert Sund's Alice and Wonderland and Elizabeth Wistrich's Strawfeet and The Nutcracker. This is Bethany's second season with Liss Fain Dance.
Dexandro Montalvo started dancing hip hop at the age of 14. He has appeared on television shows on MTV and BET. He also appeared on "Protagonistas de la Musica" on Telemundo as a staff choreographer, and danced on "Good Day New York" on Fox. Dexandro's choreography appeared in music videos played on MTV and BET and appeared in the movie "Saturday". His choreography has been showcased at the Dance Theater Workshop in New York and is currently teaching at LINES ballet and ODC. He received his BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase, then began dancing for the Liss Fain Dance Company. This is Mr. Montalvo's second year with the company.
Daphne Zneimer comes from Los Angeles, CA, where she has danced with Los Angeles Classical Ballet and Aeolian Ballet Theatre. She appeared in "A Folk Tale" with The Royal Danish Ballet. Ms. Zneimer has also studied summers at American Ballet Theatre School, the Kirov Academy, Boston Ballet School, the Joffrey Ballet School, and LINES Ballet School. Daphne graduated from the Hartt School Dance Degree Program, where she studied Ballet Pedagogy. She has been featured in many works at the Hartt School, including major roles in La Bayadere, Le Corsaire and Sleeping Beauty. She also performed the title role in Jean Grand-Maitre's Romeo and Juliet. In college Daphne danced with the Adam Miller Dance Project. This is Ms. Zneimer's second season with Liss Fain Dance.
The Dancers
Mira Cook was born in Austin, Texas where she studied and performed with Ballet Austin and the Austin Dance Ensemble. She went on to join City Ballet of San Diego, dancing lead roles in "The Rite of Spring" and Balanchine's "Rubies." Mira's choreography has been performed by City Ballet of San Diego, The Austin Dance Ensemble and SUSHI Performance and Visual Art. She moved to San Francisco in 2007 to pursue contemporary dance and has performed with Double Vision Dance and Intermedia, Capacitor, and Brooke Broussard. Mira sings with a women's a cappella choir and writes music of her own playing solo shows in the bay area. She also enjoys making dance films and is co-director of the international dance-film project, Trans-Continental Dance Collaborative. 
Jeremiah Crank began his dance training in his hometown of Flint, Michigan and has since studied at the American Dance Festival, Grand Valley State University, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, as well as The University of Michigan, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Art's in Dance Performance. In addition to dance training he also has studied and performed classical voice, music theory and musical theater. After years of education and professional performance in Michigan, he recently moved to the Bay Area to advance his career in Dance. He has danced the role of the Cavalier with the Nutcracker Ballet Theater and Peninsula Ballet Theater; Prince Charming in Snow White with the Kansas Regional Ballet; and appeared as a Guest Artist with Peter Sparling Dance Company and Opera Grand Rapids. He is also currently a member of Leyya Tawil's Dance Elixir and recently returned from a tour to New York and teaching a master class in contemporary technique at Middlebury College in Vermont. This is Jeremiah's first season with the Liss Fain Dance Company.
Heather Daane trained and performed with Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland, Oregon. As a scholarship student at SUNY Purchase, she performed principal roles in Balanchine's Serenade, Gerald Arpino's Valentine, Nicolo Fonte's Accidental Signals, and Nijinkska's Les Noces. She has performed the roles of Dew Drop, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen in Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. Ms. Daane has performed internationally in Kazuko Hirabayashi's Fausto in Mexico City, in the 4th International Choreography Contest New York-Burgos in Spain, and in the Hong Kong International Festival of Dance Academies. Ms. Daane most recently performed with Ajkun Ballet Theater in New York City. Her choreography, Dissolving Shadows, has been featured at Dance Theater Workshop in NYC and she was awarded the Bert Terborgh Dance Award in 2006. This is Heather's second season with Liss Fain Dance.
Kai Davis began dancing at The Ruth Page School of Dance in her hometown of Chicago under the direction of Larry Long. She also studied with The Joffrey Ballet School, Lou Conte School (home of Hubbard Street) and The Rock School of Pennsylvania. In 1996 at the age of 17, Kai was offered a contract with The Boston Ballet where she danced for 5 years. She performed many of the classics including Swan Lake, La Bayedere and friends in Don Q. Kai continued to expand her classical repertory while dancing with Ballet San Jose, appearing in many Balanchine works. In 2003, Kai moved to Canada to dance with Ballet British Columbia. Her four years there included taking part in the creation process with director John Alleyne. She also performed many more contemporary works such as Twyla Tharp's 9 Sinatra Songs and Baker's Dozen, Agnes De Mille's Rodeo and Paul Taylor's Co B. Kai moved back to the Bay area in 2007. She teaches at Western Ballet and San Francisco Dance Center; she is very excited and thankful to work with Liss Fain.
Brittain Jarrett Jackson is from Washington, D.C. and began dancing at the Duke Ellington School for the Arts. He has also trained and been awarded scholarships to Washington Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Dance Institute of Washington, the Northwest Professional Dance Project (NWPDP), and the Ailey School. Brittain continued his studies at the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance and graduated in May 2006. He has worked with renowned artists Christian Holder, Kevin Wynn, Troy Powell, Jaqulyn Buglisi, Cornelius Carter, Thaddeus Davis, Sarah Slipper, Steve Gonzalez, Fidel Garcia, Meagan Williams, Ted Kivitt, Kazuko Hirabayashi, Fabian Barnes, and Louis Johnson. Brittain is also a founding member of the PC, the performing dance company of NWPDP. Before joining Tania Pérez-Salas Compania de Danza in 2006, Brittain was a member of Buglisi/Foreman Dance and the Stephen Petronio Dance Company (Apprentice). Brittain joined Liss Fain Dance in 2008.
Bethany Mitchell was raised in Mission Viejo, California. She began her training at the Ballet Conservatory of Saddleback Valley under the direction of Alan McCarter and Marie Barnett. She continued her training at the Ballet Pacifica Conservatory where she performed in works such as Choo-San Goh's Unknown Territory and Molly Lynch's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Bethany spent summers attending the Milwaukee Ballet School, Sacramento Ballet, and the Craft of Choreography on full scholarship. She has performed with Ballet Pacifica, State Street Ballet, and City Ballet of San Diego performing soloist roles in ballets such as Robert Sund's Alice and Wonderland and Elizabeth Wistrich's Strawfeet and The Nutcracker. This is Bethany's second season with Liss Fain Dance.
Dexandro Montalvo started dancing hip hop at the age of 14. He has appeared on television shows on MTV and BET. He also appeared on "Protagonistas de la Musica" on Telemundo as a staff choreographer, and danced on "Good Day New York" on Fox. Dexandro's choreography appeared in music videos played on MTV and BET and appeared in the movie "Saturday". His choreography has been showcased at the Dance Theater Workshop in New York and is currently teaching at LINES ballet and ODC. He received his BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase, then began dancing for the Liss Fain Dance Company. This is Mr. Montalvo's second year with the company.
Daphne Zneimer comes from Los Angeles, CA, where she has danced with Los Angeles Classical Ballet and Aeolian Ballet Theatre. She appeared in "A Folk Tale" with The Royal Danish Ballet. Ms. Zneimer has also studied summers at American Ballet Theatre School, the Kirov Academy, Boston Ballet School, the Joffrey Ballet School, and LINES Ballet School. Daphne graduated from the Hartt School Dance Degree Program, where she studied Ballet Pedagogy. She has been featured in many works at the Hartt School, including major roles in La Bayadere, Le Corsaire and Sleeping Beauty. She also performed the title role in Jean Grand-Maitre's Romeo and Juliet. In college Daphne danced with the Adam Miller Dance Project. This is Ms. Zneimer's second season with Liss Fain Dance.