JCC Program Supervisor/Dance Director - Esther Katz was trained at The Professional Children’s School in Philadelphia, PA.  She also studied at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Koresh Dance, University of the Arts, and Temple University where she was admitted with a dance scholarship.  Her ballet training includes both the Cecchetti and Vagonova methods.  Her modern dance background is in Graham, Anthony, and Horton.  She was a founding member of the junior dance company, Fusion2. Esther was a company member of LEJA, Dancefusion, and Underground Dance Works, all independent dance companies in Philadelphia. She also demonstrated for Philadanco company classes under Pat Thomas. 

Esther taught ballet and modern dance at The Professional Children’s School for 7 years before moving to Omaha, with her husband Philip Katz, in June of 2003.  When she arrived she performed in various shows around the city.  She taught in the OPS Special Education program for three years before taking over as the Dance Director here at the JCC last year.  She has been teaching ballet at the JCC for the past five years.

Past Assistant Dance Director - Mary Waugh Taylor received her BFA, in Dance, from the University of Utah where she performed with Ballet West She was on contract with Mid-Columbia Regional Ballet Company and Heritage Dance Company. Mary moved to Omaha in 1986 and started her studio, The Dance Centre. She taught and choreographed for the UNO Moving Company, JCC, Omaha Academy of Ballet and South High School.

She lost her courageous battle against cancer in June of 2010. We will miss her dearly, but take solace in knowing that her legacy will live on through her students and all of the lives that she touched.

Tamara Cook Cardin graduated from Webster University in St. Louis, MO with at BFA in Dance. Professionally, she has trained at several Dance Centers including, the Giordano Dance Center, Ruth Page Dance Center and Joel Hall Dance Center. She has performed as a member of Webster Dance Theater, Central Dance Theater, The Moving Company and Dance Chicago.

Tiffany Gray has been teaching at the JCC for four years and dancing /performing for most of her life. She has performed in musicals such as 42nd Street, The Music Man and Camelot. She is a graduate of the University of Nebraska and a former student of the JCC dance program.

Heather Kaslon began her ballet training at the Omaha Theater Company as a child. She continued her training at Creighton University with the Creighton Dance Company where she studied the RAD syllabus. She has also performed with the Omaha Theater Company and Omaha Dance Project. Heather has been teaching for the past 8 years at the Blair Dance Center. She began teaching at the JCC in the Fall of 2008.

Wendy Larson-Cooper brings along with her teaching abilities, the unique understanding of a performing artist. She is a former principal dancer with the Omaha Ballet where she appeared in a variety of works created by many different choreographers. She received her training in Omaha and on scholarship with the School of American Ballet and Harkness Ballet in New York. She has choreographed for high schools and local theatres and also lectures on ballet.  This will be her twenty fourth year on staff at the JCC.

Cheryl Lerner served as the director of the JCC Dance program from 1986–1993. She was previously a dancer and teacher for the Omaha Ballet where she taught levels ranging from pre-ballet through adult. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, she began her performing career with the Wisconsin Ballet. She continued her studies in California with Maria Vegh, and danced with the Marin Ballet Company for three years. She also danced on scholarship with the Houston Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet and Ruth Page Foundation in Chicago.

Gerry Matsunami began her teaching and dance career with Mary Waugh-Taylor. She taught for Ballet Omaha and currently teaches for Premiere and NOVA gymnastics schools. Gerry’s costume talents are often seen on the Omaha stages.  Gerry has been teaching here for the past 9 years.

Lynne Nevin began her dance training in Lincoln with Flavia Water Champe and later continued her studies in Omaha with Valerie Roche. She holds an Associate Diploma through the ISTD Professional Teaching Examinations and has studied the Alexander Technique. She teaches dance at UNL, OAB, The Artery and is teaching artist for Lincoln's Arts Are Basic program.