Staff

FOUNDER

A dedicated advocate for excellence in dance training and performance, Melanie has directed and choreographed numerous full-length ballets, including The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

As the Artistic Director of Agape Dance Academy from 2012 to 2025, Melanie has founded and operated multiple classical ballet studios in Santa Cruz, California, fostering strong technical foundations and a deep appreciation for the art form. She continues to mentor emerging directors and contributes to the broader dance community through choreography, Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) coaching, and community-based productions.

Melanie’s training includes scholarship study with San Francisco Ballet, the Banff School of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Ballet, and participation in the New York City Ballet Summer Intensive. She is deeply versed in both Royal Academy of Dance and Vaganova training methodologies. Her professional performance experience includes work with San Francisco Ballet under Director Michael Smuin and she’s had the great honor of performing at the War Memorial Opera House.  She also danced professionally with Dance Theatre of Kansas, and San Jose Dance Theatre. Melanie has recently expanded her work to Northern California, founding Ballet Chico and co-directing Sierra Pointe Ballet’s premier production of The Nutcracker. She continues to cultivate the next generation of dancers through exceptional technical training and strong artistic development.

OWNER/DIRECTOR

In 2019, Conrad received an MA in Theatre Practices from Artez Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (NL), where he was a recipient of the Artez Scholarship. In 2015, he earned a BFA in Dance from Belhaven University (USA), where he was awarded the Belhaven Dance Scholarship.

Over the course of his training, Conrad studied ballet under the tutelage of Caleb Mitchell (Houston Ballet), Ravenna Tucker (Royal Ballet), Laura Morton (Milwaukee Ballet), and of course his mother (San Francisco Ballet), among others.

As a performer, Conrad has danced with a variety of project-based companies, including Bal Malhada and Hao Expression, engaging in a wide spectrum of contemporary and classical repertory. His performance experience includes works by Donald McKayle, David Bintley, Sung Yong Kim, Laura Morton, Caleb Mitchell, Cynthia Newland, Robert Wesner, and Augusto Da Silva, among others. Alongside his performing career, he has developed an extensive body of independent choreography. His work has been presented at festivals such as Regional Dance America and The Young (Belgium), and staged in theaters throughout the Netherlands and California, reflecting a choreographic voice that bridges European and American influences.

Since returning to Santa Cruz in 2021, Conrad has been an active force in the region’s dance community. He has staged beloved classics such as The Nutcracker while also creating original works, including his new adaptation of Appalachian Spring (2023). Also in 2021, he became Director of Agape, guiding the studio’s artistic and educational vision, and he acquired the studio in 2026, further solidifying his long-term commitment to cultivating dance in the community.

In 2024, through Santa Cruz Dance Theater, Conrad founded the Composers’ Forum, a year-round program in which he mentors a select group of students from the Santa Cruz area. Through this initiative, he leads emerging artists through the process of choreographic creation and composition, fostering the next generation of dance makers with an emphasis on craft, collaboration, and artistic voice.

SPECIALTY INSTRUCTOR

Anton Pankevich received his ballet training at Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia and later on went to study at School of American Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. Has danced with New York City Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Royal Ballet of London, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Ballet San Jose. Has worked as a ballet master and a guest teachers with: English National Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Wiesbaden Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet and Leipzig Ballet.

SHOW COORDINATOR | POINTESAFE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR

Hannah has been teaching at Agape since 2021 after training there throughout her youth. In 2024, she became one of the only PointeSafe certified instructors in Santa Cruz County, and ensures that all students begin their pointe training with safety and longevity in mind.

POINTESAFE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR

Raina began dancing in the small town of Grass Valley, California, and continued her training at Capitol Ballet Company in Sacramento under the direction of Stuart Carroll and Sharon Newton. She also attended summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, and LINES Ballet, and studied with the dance faculty at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. As a performer, Raina has danced with numerous companies, including Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Alma Esperanza Cunningham Movement, eMotion Arts, Tandy Beal & Company, and Move Speak Spin, among others. She has taught at several schools, including Motion Pacific, Elaine’s Dance Studio, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center. She is a certified Pointe Safe Teacher through SF Performing Arts Physical Therapy, and currently serves as the Director of the Youth Ballet Company at the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center. 

INSTRUCTOR

Juliana Davis joined Agape in 2024 and quickly became a beloved pre-ballet instructor. With her energetic and caring approach, she creates a joyful and nurturing environment where young dancers develop a love for movement. Her passion for teaching and dedication to her students make her an invaluable part of the Agape team.

INSTRUCTOR

Riley is a teacher of ballet and pilates to youth and adults in Santa Cruz County and is excited to help dancers create strong foundations and confidence. She trained and taught at Santa Cruz Ballet Theater before starting to teach at Agape. Currently studying sociology, computer science, and dance in school, she hopes to apply this to developing ways to make dance and education more accessible, empowering, and inclusive for communities.

PRE-BALLET INSTRUCTOR

Olivia joined Agape Dance Academy in 2018 and has been a beloved teacher ever since. She teaches pre-ballet classes with a gentle and quiet style that creates a calm and nurturing environment for young dancers. Her patience and warmth make her classes a favorite among students, fostering a love for ballet from the very start.