Ballet Etudes Artistic Staff

Marnell Himes-Ushijima, Artistic Advisor and Founding Member, With over 40 years experience training dancers and teachers of the highest caliber, Ms. Himes-Ushijima is a leader in classical dance.  She is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Cecchetti Branch, Cecchetti USA and Cecchetti Council of America.  Ms. Himes-Ushijima received her training at the National Ballet School in Toronto, Canada and has extensive professional performing experience. Marnell travels throughout the United States and internationally to teach master classes and as an Examiner for the Cecchetti USA.  Ms. Himes-Ushijima's students have gone on to train with well known ballet companies such as American Ballet Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Jose Ballet, and Miami City Ballet to name a few.  Ms. Himes-Ushijima has also trained teachers who work in university dance departments, own their own dance studios and direct ballet companies.  Ms. Himes-Ushijima is Director Emeritus of Huntington Academy of Dance and continues to serve Ballet Etudes as an advisor.

Kimberly McEachern is the Owner and Artistic Director of Huntington Academy of Dance and the Director of “DANCE HB!” for Huntington Beach Parks & Recreation.  She is the former director of Newport Dance Academy.  Ms.  McEachern received her training from Brenda Joyce, Marnell Himes, Gary Joyce, and Rebecca Wright of ABT.  Ms. McEachern received a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 2000 and holds her Licentiate certification with Cecchetti USA.  Ms. McEachern is a member of Cecchetti USA's western committee and serves as part of the leadership for the organization.  As a teacher and choreographer, Ms. McEachern and her students have won numerous top awards at both local and national competitions.  She recently accepted an award from the Allied Arts Board for Excellence in Arts Administration.  Ms. McEachern enjoys teaching and coaching students and is committed to promoting classical ballet in Orange County!

Sean Crawford, has a bachelor's degress in dance from the University of California, Irvine.  She received her Associate teaching certification with Cecchetti USA in 2008.   Ms. Crawford's early training began in Santa Barbara with Bob and Carol Hanlin at the Goleta Civic Ballet School.  She trained at several other schools including Westside Academy of Dance, Houston Ballet Academy, Chicago School of Ballet and Joffrey Ballet of New York City.  Ms. Crawford's performing experience has taken her all over the US and has given her the opportunity to work with several artists such as Yvonne Mounsey, Rosemary Valaire, Maria Talchief, Allegra Kent, Melissa Hayden, and Jacques d'Amboise.  Ms. Crawford's teaching experience began at an early age with Santa Barbara Ballet Center and eventually took her to New York to pursue a career in dance.  Ms. Crawford's scope of ballet training ranges from French, Russian, and Cecchetti methods.  Ms. Crawford is thankful and proud to be part of Huntington Academy faculty and Ballet Etudes productions.

Sasha Gilger is thrilled to be actively involved in Ballet Etudes as a rehearsal assistant and production director! As a student at Huntington Academy of Dance for over 20 years and a member of Ballet Etudes' productions. Under Marnell Himes-Ushijima's guidence, Sasha began teaching at HAD nearly 10 years ago and recently obtained her Associate teacher certificstion through Cecchetti USA. Sasha graduated summs cum laude in 2008 from USC with a Batchelor of Arts in Theater and Enviromental Sciences. While at USC, she performed in severl School of Theater productions and was fortunate to be selected to choreograph a full dance accompaniment to the Greek tragedy, "Agamemnon." Sasha is currently in her second year of law school at USC, but still finds time to do the teaching she loves. She continues to teach at HAD, heading up the maiden year of the studio's Musical Theater Performing Troupe. "Alice in Wonderland 2012" is Sasha's first directing experience and she could not be more thrilled for the opprotunity. Sasha is grateful to spend the pleasent break from studying by continiuing to share the love of dance with the upcoming generation of ballerinas!  

Gary Joyce, received his early training from Richard Adama and Marnell Himes in Orange County. He went on to attend the San Francisco Ballet School. At eighteen he joined American Ballet Theatre II, and began a thirteen-year career of dancing with the companies of Nevada Dance Theatre, Keil Ballet and Munich Ballet.  He has performed numerous solo and principle roles and also has two film credits with appearnaces in "Six Weeks" and "Footloose." Mr. Joyce is currently teaching at Dwyer Middle School in Huntington Beach. He is also a faculty member of Huntington Academy of Dance and coaches Ballet Études' company dancers.

Julie Ertl, Artistic Director, trained at the Houston Ballet Academy and received a dance scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance. While at the University, she was a member of the Dance Repertory Theater and danced as an extra with Ballet Austin. Since moving to California, Ms. Ertl has performed in several community theater projects, including "Cole", "Annie" (Lily St. Regis), "42nd Street", (Peggy Sawyer), and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". She served as choreographer for the theater department at Hope International University from 1996-2000. Shows include: "Perfectly Frank", "Kiss Me Kate", "He Loves Me", and "Into the Woods". Ms. Ertl holds her Associate certification with Cecchetti USA and has completed the Grade 9 ballet exams. She is currently on staff at Huntington Academy of Dance, and Ballet Études is pleased and honored to have her as our Artistic Director!