Oakland Ballet School Staff
Joral Schmalle, Artistic Director
Born and raised in Northern California, Joral began his early training in Ukiah with his mother and Nuria Lovett-King. At age eight he received a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet School. He also studied at the School of American Ballet, Ballet Celeste International, and American Conservatory Theatre.
Joral joined the Oakland Ballet Company in 1983, was named Associate Director in 1997, and served as Acting Artistic Director 1999-2000. He has appeared in numerous lead and title roles with the Company, including Billy the Kid (Billy), The Secret Garden (Archibald Craven), Romeo and Juliet (Romeo and Tybalt), Giselle (Albrecht), The Green Table (Death), Scheherazade (The Golden Slave), L’apres-midi d’un faune (the Faun), Le Tren bleu (Beau Gosse) Carmina Burana (principal male), and Coppelia (Franz). In 1993 he was a finalist in the prestigious New York International Ballet Competition. During his career he appeared extensively as a guest artist and was also a member of Smuin Ballet, the Lawrence Pech Dance Company & the San Francisco production of Phantom of the Opera.
Denise Schmalle, Associate Artistic Director
Born in San Francisco, CA, Denise received her ballet training at the Oakland Ballet Academy, under Ronn Guidi. At the age of 16 she was asked to join the Oakland Ballet Company as an apprentice. The following year she joined OBC as a company member.
Denise had the opportunity to perform in the company’s historically significant repertoire, including Billy The Kid, Les Biches, Tenderland, and Bolero, and in Ronn Guidi’s Romeo and Juliet, Secret Garden, and the Nutcracker (Marie, Snow Queen, Sugar Plum Fairy). While dancing with the Company, Denise earned a B.A. from UC Berkeley in International Development Studies. She’s also proud to be an American Ballet Theater NTC Certified Teacher. Miss Denise is the primary teacher of the Oakland Ballet School and enjoys teaching all levels, from Pre-Ballet to the Adult Program!
Esther Cardona
Esther Cardona received her training from the School of Ballet Tucson and the University of Arizona School of Dance, as well as from Ballet San Jose, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, and Bartholin International Ballet Seminar.
She has performed with Ballet Tucson, Paradise Ballet Theater, Oakland Opera, Temescal Labs, the DanceWright Project, and Burklyn Ballet Theater; and has had the pleasure of being a guest artist for several youth ballet ensembles. Favorite roles include Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Medora (Le Corsaire), Swanilda (Coppelia), Snow Queen (Nutcracker), Moth (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and roles in Dark Elegies, Graduation Ball, and Les Sylphides.
Esther began teaching at the School of Ballet Tucson and has more recently been a faculty member at San Francisco Youth Ballet, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Contra Costa Ballet, Diablo Ballet, and Ballet Akademiet Aarhus, a satellite “talent center” for the Royal Danish Ballet School. She prioritizes developing artistry and enthusiasm alongside clean technique and healthy movement habits, especially for young dancers.
Alison Hurley
Ms. Alison Hurley began taking ballet in Toulouse, France, where she was born, continuing her ballet studies (R.A.D. method) with Barbara Gabriel, after moving to the U.S. She began studying jazz and contemporary dance with founding Savage Jazz Dance Company (SJDC) member, Zafra Miriam in 1992, attended several SJDC Summer Intensives, and officially started training with Savage Jazz Dance Company Founder & Artistic Director, Mr. Reginald Ray-Savage in 1994. She joined SJDC as an apprentice in 1995, becoming a Dance Artist in 1996, and growing through the years into SJDC’s Repertory Repétiteur/Stager, Rehearsal Mistress, Training & Education Program Faculty and Administrator, and Associate Artistic Director.
With SJDC, Ms. Hurley has been honored to perform and tour nationally and internationally, be nominated for an IZZIE, and work with such choreographers as Robert Moses, Marni Wood (Martha Graham Dance Company), Alex Sanchez (Broadway veteran), and Endalyn Taylor (Dance Theatre of Harlem, Original Cast of Lion King). She has set SJDC repertory on Oakland School for the Arts (OSA), Oakland Ballet Company, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Menlowe Ballet, and Menlo Park Academy of Dance Summer Intensives and students competing at YAGP, and worked as Rehearsal Mistress for Ms. Karen Brown (former DTH ballerina) and Donald McKayle for his “Ella”.
Ms. Hurley has nearly three decades of teaching experience, including SJDC Intensives and 20 years at Oakland School for the Arts School of Dance, under the direction of Mr. Savage, as Repertory and Coaching Assistant, Teaching Faculty, and Co-Chair.
She is proud of the many accomplishments of her students, some of whom have gone on to dance for, be accepted to, and/or receive scholarships to attend San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Vitacca Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet School, Dutch National Ballet School, ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, Bolshoi Academy in Moscow, Ailey/Fordham, USC Gloria Kaufman School of Dance, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, LINES/Dominican BFA Program, London Contemporary Dance School, The Boston Conservatory, NYU Tisch, San Francisco Ballet School, Janet Jackson, Ariana Grande, and many other dance companies, schools, programs, and Summer Intensives across the globe.
Sherri LeBlanc
Sherri LeBlanc trained at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary. Her professional career started at the age of 17 as an apprentice with New York City Ballet, after which she was invited to join the company where she danced for 6 years. From there she moved to Germany and danced in Dusseldorf, before joining the San Francisco Ballet, where she danced as a soloist for nearly a decade.
She has performed principal roles in numerous ballets and worked with such choreographers as George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Helgi Tomasson, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Lar Lubovich, Mark Morris, Stanton Welch, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, and James Kudelka.
Sherri has taught at several schools and companies over the years as regular and guest faculty, including City Ballet School in San Francisco, Orlando Ballet School and Next Generation in Florida, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and also in California, Contra Costa Ballet, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Oakland Ballet School, Smuin Ballet, Diablo Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet School. She has taught all ages from pre-ballet to adult students, and professionals.
Additionally, she has been called upon to work as a ballet mistress with both Diablo Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, and has served as Associate Artistic Director to the Contra Costa Ballet Foundation for the last three years. She has set works such as “The Nutcracker”, “Swan Lake”, “Paquita”, “Les Sylphides”, “Glazunov Suite” , and “Alice in Wonderland” during this time as well as choreographed short pieces for the school’s student showcases. Sherri holds a BA in Performing Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California.