Teachers
Daynee Lai-Krauss
Daynee Lai-Krauss
Daynee Lai-Krauss
Co-Founder (with Ehud Krauss)
Co-Artistic & Executive Director
JAZZ
Daynee received her primary training as a dancer and choreographer at Zohar Dance Studio and has performed with and choreographed for Zohar Dance Company since 1983. In New York, she studied at the Martha Graham School, Broadway Dance Center, and with Luigi. She has taught j
Co-Founder (with Ehud Krauss)
Co-Artistic & Executive Director
JAZZ
Daynee received her primary training as a dancer and choreographer at Zohar Dance Studio and has performed with and choreographed for Zohar Dance Company since 1983. In New York, she studied at the Martha Graham School, Broadway Dance Center, and with Luigi. She has taught jazz and ballet in Europe and was a charter and principal dancer with Zohar Dance Company. Daynee’s jazz style is based on Ehud Krauss’s technique that is influenced by Luigi, Graham, and Ballet. When not teaching, Daynee loves spending time with her daughter and granddaughter in SoCal.
Vivian Sam
Daynee Lai-Krauss
Daynee Lai-Krauss
Co-Artistic & Executive Director
JAZZ, MUSICAL THEATRE DANCE
Vivian studied with Hama (Luigi’s protege) in Los Angeles and was his assistant for 5 years. After dancing professionally in Los Angeles, Vivian moved to the Bay Area and started teaching at Zohar. Her shared heritage in the Luigi technique made her a natural addition to Zohar’s d
Co-Artistic & Executive Director
JAZZ, MUSICAL THEATRE DANCE
Vivian studied with Hama (Luigi’s protege) in Los Angeles and was his assistant for 5 years. After dancing professionally in Los Angeles, Vivian moved to the Bay Area and started teaching at Zohar. Her shared heritage in the Luigi technique made her a natural addition to Zohar’s dance family. She left to perform on Broadway in Miss Saigon and continued onto the 2nd National Broadway tour as the Dance Captain/Swing/understudy for Gigi and Ellen. After touring, she settled back in the Bay Area and taught Musical Theater and Dance at The American Conservatory Theater. She has performed throughout the Bay Area (TheatreWorks, Woodminster, AMTSJ) and choreographs for local high school musical productions as well as the first musical for ACT/YC at The Strand (original production of I’m Still Standing). She teaches her private dance clients Musical Theater Dance for pre-screens for college applications/auditions. Her past students: Darren Criss (Glee, etc); Ari’el Stachel (The Band’s Visit & Tony Winner); Laura Corina Sanders (Eastman School of Music; Wolftrap Opera Company; and others. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending her time with her two sons and husband.
Kristine Elliott
Daynee Lai-Krauss
Kristine Elliott
BALLET
Kristine Elliott received her formative ballet training from Richard Gibson. Her professional career began with the Stuttgart Ballet where she danced leading roles in ballets by artistic director and choreographer John
Cranko and toured extensively to Japan, Israel, Europe, and Scandinavia, as well as to Russia and in the United Sta
BALLET
Kristine Elliott received her formative ballet training from Richard Gibson. Her professional career began with the Stuttgart Ballet where she danced leading roles in ballets by artistic director and choreographer John
Cranko and toured extensively to Japan, Israel, Europe, and Scandinavia, as well as to Russia and in the United States. After five years with the Stuttgart Ballet, Kristine joined American Ballet Theatre as a soloist and worked closely with director Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Following her performing career, Kristine now teaches and coaches ballet nationally and internationally. She works with American Ballet Theatre as a guest teacher for the company and for summer intensive programs. Kristine has been associated with Zohar since 1990.
Brooke Wertwijn
Frances Epsen Devlin
Brooke Wertwijn
BALLET
Brooke Wertwijn is a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer in the Bay Area.
Originally from Minnesota, Brooke trained at Ashley Ballet Arts Academy directed by Ashley Burkland. She graduated from the University of Utah School of Dance with a B.F.A. in Ballet, Ballet Studio Teaching Certificate, and Business Minor. Brooke was a
BALLET
Brooke Wertwijn is a freelance dancer, teacher, and choreographer in the Bay Area.
Originally from Minnesota, Brooke trained at Ashley Ballet Arts Academy directed by Ashley Burkland. She graduated from the University of Utah School of Dance with a B.F.A. in Ballet, Ballet Studio Teaching Certificate, and Business Minor. Brooke was a member of SALT Contemporary Dance’s Pre-Professional Training Company directed by Courtney Mazeika and a Trainee at Ballet Idaho. She was a Company Artist with San Jose Dance Theatre for the 2022-2024 seasons and was the Academy Director in 2024. She choreographed and directed a brand-new, full-length production of The Little Mermaid and co-directed the 59th Annual San Jose Nutcracker. She has performed internationally in the Czech Republic, South Korea, and Italy.
Brooke is currently dancing with Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble and recently performed with eMotion Arts Dance.
Brooke has taught at schools in Minnesota, Utah, Idaho, and California. She is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Her choreography has been presented at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, Cathedral Dance Festival, American College Dance Association’s Northwest Conference, SHAPE Choreography Festival, University of Utah Ballet Showcase, and The Ballet Alliance Festival.
Brooke loves to share the joy of dance through teaching, performing, and choreographing.
When not dancing, she enjoys spending time gardening, reading, and crocheting.
Amrita Jade
Frances Epsen Devlin
Brooke Wertwijn
BALLET
Amrita began her early ballet training at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill in North Carolina before moving to the Bay Area, where she continued her studies with Agape Dance Academy, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and Los Gatos Ballet. Throughout high school, she trained under Anton Pankevich, whose mentorship helped refine her classical
BALLET
Amrita began her early ballet training at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill in North Carolina before moving to the Bay Area, where she continued her studies with Agape Dance Academy, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and Los Gatos Ballet. Throughout high school, she trained under Anton Pankevich, whose mentorship helped refine her classical technique and artistry.
She also attended summer intensives at Carolina Ballet, Joffrey Academy, Silicon Valley Ballet, San Jose Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and Joffrey Ballet school.
Amrita went on to pursue her passion for both the arts and sciences at the University of Utah, earning dual degrees in Ballet and Physics. During her time there, she fostered her love of choreography and contemporary ballet, presenting original works in performances at the School of Dance and throughout the Salt Lake City arts community.
After graduation, she joined Grand Kyiv Ballet on tour, performing Swan Lake in cities across the West Coast. She has since returned to the Bay Area, where she continues to take daily classes at Zohar Dance Company, develop independent creative projects, and share her love of movement with students.
Outside the studio, she enjoys fashion, photography, music, and riding motorcycles — interests that inspire her artistry and sense of expression both on and off the stage.
Frances Epsen Devlin
Frances Epsen Devlin
Frances Epsen Devlin
ACTING/VOCAL TECHNIQUE/VOICE COACH
Frances Epsen-Devlin has been teaching Singing, Musical Theater, Acting and Voice & Speech while directing the Spring Cabarets at American Conservatory Theater since 1997. Frances has toured nationally and performed regionally in musicals and plays with A.C.T., Pasadena Playhouse, Houston Grand Opera, and
ACTING/VOCAL TECHNIQUE/VOICE COACH
Frances Epsen-Devlin has been teaching Singing, Musical Theater, Acting and Voice & Speech while directing the Spring Cabarets at American Conservatory Theater since 1997. Frances has toured nationally and performed regionally in musicals and plays with A.C.T., Pasadena Playhouse, Houston Grand Opera, and more. Frances holds a B.S. in Theater/Vocal Performance from Northwestern University and an MFA in Acting from A.C.T.
Tracy Fuller
Lee Ann Payne
Frances Epsen Devlin
BALLET
Tracy Fuller is originally from Denver, Colorado and has been dancing professionally for ten years. She trained at Boston Ballet and Colorado Ballet and began her career in Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company. In her time with the company she had the opportunity to perform in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake and Septime Weber’s
BALLET
Tracy Fuller is originally from Denver, Colorado and has been dancing professionally for ten years. She trained at Boston Ballet and Colorado Ballet and began her career in Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company. In her time with the company she had the opportunity to perform in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake and Septime Weber’s Alice in Wonderland among many others. During the Pandemic she co-founded Fermata Ballet Collective based in Eugene, Oregon. Tracy joined San Jose Dance Theater in 2020. While at SJDT she has had the opportunity to perform as Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and many new works by Michael Pappalardo, Mark Foehringer and Linda Hurkmans. She has also had the opportunity to perform with Opera San Jose in Dido and Aeneas and West Side Story. She is currently freelancing in the Bay Area and working with many companies like Peninsula Ballet Theater & Mark Foehringer Dance Project San Francisco. In addition to dancing she teaches weekly at Los Gatos Ballet ages 4 to adult!
Lee Ann Payne
Lee Ann Payne
Lee Ann Payne
TAP
Lee Ann Payne (Zohar’s Tap Teacha!) is a local theatre director and choreographer, Lee Ann choreographed ANYTHING GOES (Hillbarn Theatre, TBA award choreography, SFBATCC Best Production), THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (South Bay Musical Theatre, TBA award nominee choreography), ME AND MY GIRL (Jewel Theatre), and productions at numerous venues in the Bay Area.
Charles Torres
Charles Torres
BALLET
Charles was born in Mesa, Arizona. He began his ballet training under Judy Churma and Florence Davich. Charles received full scholarships to San Francisco Ballet School, Cleveland Ballet School,
Royal Danish Ballet School Workshops, School of American Ballet, Arizona State University, and has earned his Bachelor’s Degree and Master’
BALLET
Charles was born in Mesa, Arizona. He began his ballet training under Judy Churma and Florence Davich. Charles received full scholarships to San Francisco Ballet School, Cleveland Ballet School,
Royal Danish Ballet School Workshops, School of American Ballet, Arizona State University, and has earned his Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from St. Mary’s College. His wide range as a performing artist encompasses the contemporary
works of Balanchine and other 20th century choreographers as well as the full-length classics.
Charles currently is a guest artist, teacher, and ballet master in demand throughout the country. Since 1998, Charles has been a principal guest artist with several Bay Area companies; Peninsula Ballet
Theatre, Diablo Ballet, and with Company C under Charles Anderson. He has danced or created principal roles for Smuin Ballets/S. F. for internationally renowned choreographer and director Michael Smuin. These include “Cyrano”, “Q. a. V.”, “Carmina Burana”, “Starshadows”, “Bouquet Pas de Deux”, “Christmas Ballet” and the memorable “Pierrot” in “Hearts”. In
December of 1996 Smuin Ballets/S.F. performed at Carnegie Hall for Ira Gershwin at 100-A Celebration at Carnegie Hall; broadcast on PBS National Television. In addition to his work with Smuin Ballets/S.F. he danced as a principal with Ballet West Arizona, Ballet Austin, The Carlisle Project, Chautauqua Ballet under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, and with the Sacramento Ballet (as Principal Dancer and Ballet Master). He also is a frequent guest artist with several companies in the Los Angeles and bay area.
Chris Vettel
Charles Torres
ACTING/VOCAL TECHNIQUE/VOICE COACH
Chris Vettel - A performer and teacher for over thirty-five years, Chris grew up in the shadow of New York City, on the north shore of Long Island, in the small village of Oyster Bay. Receiving his master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music in Vocal Performance, he sang for four seasons with the Opera
ACTING/VOCAL TECHNIQUE/VOICE COACH
Chris Vettel - A performer and teacher for over thirty-five years, Chris grew up in the shadow of New York City, on the north shore of Long Island, in the small village of Oyster Bay. Receiving his master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music in Vocal Performance, he sang for four seasons with the Opera Company of Boston, its touring branch, Opera New England, and with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (in the final concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein). His musical theater performing credits include National Broadway Tours (Annie, Sunset Boulevard), the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Santa), Off-Broadway (Cactus Flower, Wanda’s World), at many regional theatres across the U.S. (Papermill Playhouse, Goodspeed Musicals, Stages St. Louis, etc.) and in the Bay Area (TheatreWorks, San Jose Rep, Berkeley Rep, San Jose Stage, etc.) As a teacher, he has been a private voice instructor for forty years, was on the faculty of the State University of New York, taught musical theatre workshop for ACT’s ‘Young Conservatory’ and has, for the past eight years, taught in the music department at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.
Virginia Bock
MODERN
Jordan Dennen
MODERN
Jordan holds a BA in Dance Performance & Choreography from Hope College in Holland, MI, where she studied across dance styles with department founder Maxine Debruyn (1927-2020), Matthew Farmer, Dr. Linda Graham, Steven Iannacone, Anne-René Petrarca, Julie Powell, Sharon Wong, and others. She began teaching early on in her dance care
MODERN
Jordan holds a BA in Dance Performance & Choreography from Hope College in Holland, MI, where she studied across dance styles with department founder Maxine Debruyn (1927-2020), Matthew Farmer, Dr. Linda Graham, Steven Iannacone, Anne-René Petrarca, Julie Powell, Sharon Wong, and others. She began teaching early on in her dance career, while performing with the Ballet 5:8 School of the Arts Company in Chicago, IL. She taught, choreographed, performed and directed during her time at Hope College, with an emphasis in ballet and modern techniques. Jordan has lived in the Bay Area for the past decade, where she has taught at Dance Connections Palo Alto, performed and taught with LiV Dance Collective in San Jose, and created dance programming for a local nonprofit’s summer camps. Jordan imbues her teaching with a deep joy, and a belief in the power of dance to heal, connect, and ground us.
Teresa Maldonado-Marchok
Teresa Maldonado-Marchok
MODERN
Cecile Peraire
Teresa Maldonado-Marchok
MODERN
Daniel Gautier
ACCOMPANIST
A gifted artist, Daniel infuses his contemporary music with a holistic theme. In addition to accompanying the modern classes at Zohar, Mr. Gautier devotes his time to writing music and painting. He has presented works fusing his music, painting and love of dance at Zohar. He is currently a regular class accompanist for Zohar Dance Studio, Western Ballet, and Stanford University.
Ehud Krauss
Founder 1946-2016
Ehud Krauss, 70, beloved Palo Alto dance teacher and Founder and Artistic Director of Zohar School of Dance passed away at his home on October 15, 2016.
Ehud Krauss was born and raised on a Kibbutz in Israel. Ehud was a member of the Israeli Olympic Volleyball team when a back injury led him to discover his passion for dance. Ehud studied dance with Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Robert Joffrey, Gus Giordano, and Luigi in New York, and performed as a soloist and principal dancer in Europe, Canada, and the United States. An accomplished performer and choreographer, Ehud has been a fixture in the bay area dance community since the mid-1970's.
Ehud started teaching in local high schools and community colleges and founded Zohar School of Dance in Palo Alto in 1979. A gifted choreographer, Ehud’s innovative jazz works inspired and moved audiences with their beauty and range. Always forward thinking and wanting to bring the dance community together, he began Dance Mosaic, an annual summer dance festival bringing all dance forms together on a single program. It was during this time that Ehud’s true vision of making dance available to all that he began the outreach program IndepenDANCE for children in East Palo Alto that had no afterschool programs. That program, which began with 30 middle school-aged girls being bussed to Zohar’s dance studio on California Avenue, soon expanded to 6 elementary schools in East Palo Alto with Ehud building a dance studio with sprung-wood floors at each site. At its peak, IndepenDANCE was at 3 high schools, 2 middle schools, and 10 elementary schools and included 4 instructors with classes in East Palo Alto, Redwood City and San Jose. Never shying away from a challenge, Ehud worked with the most serious offenders in Juvenile Hall and taught Juvie Jazz at both Santa Clara County and San Mateo Juvenile Halls. His influential work led to the development of a course at Stanford University entitled “Dance in Prisons” and provided graduate students with first hand exposure to the Hall, teaching dance to youths that have never had formal dance lessons, and hearing about their stories.
With his constant desire to grow as a teacher, Ehud taught children with special needs. He had a special gift of making everyone feel as though they could dance. No matter what the disability… sight, hearing, wheelchair-bound, Autism or Downs Syndrome, Ehud would work his magic and make even the observer participate. These programs exemplify Ehud’s vision and commitment to serving the community through dance and sharing the splendor of dance.
Zohar Dance Studio under the direction of Ehud and his wife Daynee, has brought the joy, artistry and spirit of dance to the community through classes in jazz, ballet, and modern dance in Palo Alto since 1979. The studio continues to offer adult classes with the Bay Area’s finest teachers committed to providing professional dance instruction and the opportunity to perform. Students range from beginning aspiring artists and dedicated amateurs to professional dancers all enjoying the splendor that dance brings.
In his spare time, Ehud loved to fish, bike and spend time with Daynee and their daughter, Maile. Ehud is survived by his wife, Daynee and daughter, Maile. And in Israel his sister, Michal Sadur and brother, Nir.
Ehud Krauss
Past Instructors
Lisa Burnett
Marilyn "Marny" Trounson
Marilyn "Marny" Trounson
MODERN
Lisa holds an MA in dance education from Stanford University under the tutelage of Inga Weiss and an MFA degree in dance from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts under the tutelage of Larry Rhodes. She has studied and performed with Doug Varone & Dancers and Aaron Osborne. In addition to her teaching at Zohar, she has a p
MODERN
Lisa holds an MA in dance education from Stanford University under the tutelage of Inga Weiss and an MFA degree in dance from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts under the tutelage of Larry Rhodes. She has studied and performed with Doug Varone & Dancers and Aaron Osborne. In addition to her teaching at Zohar, she has a private pilates practice and teaches Pilates through the HIP program at Stanford. Lisa has been blessed to be teaching modern at Zohar since 1986 and has great appreciation for the community that has come together through her class.
Marilyn "Marny" Trounson
Marilyn "Marny" Trounson
Marilyn "Marny" Trounson
BALLET
"Marny" Marilyn Trounson was born and raised in San Francisco. She danced professionally with the Royal Ballet. In addition to performing soloist and principal roles, she had roles created for her by Sir Kenneth MacMillan and Sir Frederick Ashton. Marny is a gentle and caring instructor providing dancers with a nurturing environment to practice and grow.
Adriee Wong
Marilyn "Marny" Trounson
Adriee Wong
CONTEMPORARY (past instructor)
Adriee began dancing at age 4 thanks to her parents starting her off in pre-school ballet. From there she took off dancing in full stride throughout her grade school years performing and choreographing jazz, lyrical, and contemporary pieces. Next she leaped over to San Diego to earn her bachelor's degrees in
CONTEMPORARY (past instructor)
Adriee began dancing at age 4 thanks to her parents starting her off in pre-school ballet. From there she took off dancing in full stride throughout her grade school years performing and choreographing jazz, lyrical, and contemporary pieces. Next she leaped over to San Diego to earn her bachelor's degrees in Dance and Biology (Separate degrees. However, wouldn't it be such an interesting combined major?) at UC San Diego while dancing with Ascension Hip Hop and Finesse Dance Company. She took a break from dance to earn her dental degree in Detroit but soon resumed teaching while completing her dental residency in Oklahoma City. Adriee loves how dance brings people of all backgrounds together and she strives to create a welcoming space for all dancers of all levels.