Faculty Spotlight: Lindsay Leonard

As we continue to celebrate BBT's 40th Anniversary, we are delighted to share thoughts and memories from the generations of BBT faculty members, current and past.

Is there a faculty member you'd especially like to hear from? Submit your faculty questions and requests to info@berkeleyballet.org.

I first came to BBT in August 2015.

I met Marie Morrow Wright while teaching adult drop-in Ballet classes at 9th Street Dance in Durham, NC, before relocating to the Bay Area. Marie connected me with Ms. Deborah and the rest is history!

Over the last 6 years, I’ve taught We Dance Together, Pre-Ballet (all ages), and Boys Dance. I also had the opportunity to teach youth and teen contemporary for past summer camps.

I approach teaching and in-studio work as an opportunity to empower dancers, broaden community, and foster a love of movement and creativity. I believe in giving space to connect and learn the fundamentals via free play and task-based games that engage students through exploration. I aim to create a safe environment where our youngest dancers build confidence, social skills, body control, and spatial awareness. I hope the awareness they gain extends through kindness beyond the classroom and back into the community.

Being a dance teacher means being a part of the fabric of many schools. We cross-pollinate and learn from each place and experience. Over the years, I’ve been honored to be a part of the Bay Area fabric and teach alongside notable faculty at BBT, ODC, Alameda Ballet Academy, and RoCo Dance. I have felt aligned at all schools in the shared spirit of dance being for all bodies. These organizations have a welcoming-all invitation at their core that roots them together, and across the Bay.

Each class is a celebration with my BBT community. I have many fond memories over the years with students, teaching assistants, and staff—from seeing eyes widen with wonder and excitement; to watching a dancer have an ah-ha moment or overcome fears; to the first time a dancer skips; to witnessing dancers helping and collaborating with each other; to the smiles and excited shares with family after class; and all the details and excitement of their first costume and performance.

Photo by BBT

Photo by Lindsay Leonard

Photo by Lindsay Leonard