Artistic Director

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JULIE TOBIASON, T.U.P.A.C. Ballet Director, Ballet Instructor

Julie Tobiason is from Lyndhurst, New Jersey. She studied ballet at the Studio Workshop and on scholarship at The School of American Ballet. Ms. Tobiason joined Chicago City Ballet in 1983 and danced under the direction of Maria Tallchief and Paul Mejia. She joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in 1986 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1992, under the direction of Francia Russell and Kent Stowell. Ms. Tobiason has danced many varied roles, which include Juliet, Swanhilda, Cinderella, Hermia, Agon and Jardi Tancat.

Ms. Tobiason has performed pieces by Fredrick Ashton, George Balanchine, Kent Stowell, Nacho Duato, Val Caniparoli, Mark Dendy, Donald Byrd, William Forsythe, Maureen Whiting, Paul Taylor and Lynne Taylor-Corbet. Ms. Tobiason has been a guest teacher, dancer and choreographer at various ballet schools and companies throughout the U.S. In addition, she has taught as master teacher for the Regional Dance America Festival, has worked as ballet master for PNB and in the PNB School Outreach program. She has taught as guest teacher at PNBS since 1996 and joined the faculty in 2002 teaching ages 7-adult and company classes. Her film work includes “Nutcracker the Movie”, the role of Hermia in the BBC production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, featured artist in the KCTS production of “Inside Pacific Northwest Ballet”.   

Ms. Tobiason has also choreographed for Arc Dance productions, Evergreen City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Seattle International Dance Festival, and the independent films, “The Dark Horse” and “Expiration Date” which had its theatrical release in 2006.   She is formerly co-founder and co-artistic director of Seattle Dance Project, a modern and contemporary dance company, which premiered in January 2008. 

While directing Seattle Dance Project Ms. Tobiason has planned and implemented successful public speaking and fundraising events, managed major donors (over $10,000) and sponsors, managed dancers and choreographers, managed grants, negotiated artistic fees, built annual budgets and cash flow budgets, assisted with marketing, public relation and social media campaigns, rehearsal direct and assist, created master class workshops, worked with artistic collaborators for new work productions, produced six repertory programs with 15 world premieres, 5 local premieres and an evening length modern dance production based on the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice.   Ms. Tobiason is currently teaching and  in June 2018 received  her undergraduate degree in business management at University of Washington, Foster School of Business. Ms. Tobiason lives in Seattle Washington with her husband and three children.   

ERRICKA TURNER, T.U.P.A.C. Multicultural Dance Director,  Ballet Instructor 

Erricka Turner has performed with Poetry+Motion, 5th Avenue Theatre (Hello Dolly), Village Theatre (Showboat), Chamber Dance Company, Intiman Theatre (Black Nativity, Mary, Angel), Seattle Opera (Un Ballo En Maschera, Rigoletto, and Florencia of the Amazons), Sankofa Theatre (Maafa Suite), Oakland Ballet, and Spectrum Dance Theater. She is Miss October in Project Ensemble’s 2000 Black Ballerinas of the 20th Century Calendar. She received her BFA in Ballet Education with honors from The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, and her MFA in Dance from The University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Erricka is a ballet, jazz, and creative movement instructor at SOAR Academy, Tacoma, WA. She has choreographed, taught, and lectured at 2016 Jack and Jill of America Honoree Ball, Seattle Chapter, Broadway Performing Arts Center (11 Days of MLK, Jr.), Harlequin Theatre (Soul on Fire, Let the Good Times Roll), Spectrum Dance Theater, Northwest Tap Connection, ARC Dance Productions/ARC School of Ballet, Tacoma School for the Performing Arts (SOTA), Allegro Performing Arts Academy, Ensemble Ballet Theatre, Evergreen City Ballet, Rainier Dance Center, Northwest Dance Intensive, Irene’s School of Dance, Evergreen State College, University of Washington, and other venues throughout the Northwest. 

Fatimah is an African Dance Teacher with over 35 years of Western and Central African dance experience. She has taught and danced both Nationally and Internationally.  The Rhythms ‘n Rituals brand includes lifestyle strategies that empower Holistic Health.   Fatimah has taught and facilitated dance and innovative entrepreneurial strategies to fund our life callings.  She shares the rituals associated with the dances and guides her students in realizing the ancient connections with current life trends. Her legacy is to share the medicine of the dance and how it relates to everyday living, while creating a platform for cultural lifestyle strategies and socialization through the arts.

HEATHER ARNESTON, Ballet Fusion.   Heather Arneson is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and actress, working mainly in the South Sound. Ms. Arneson has been teaching dance for several years and has extensive training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, and tap. Ms. Arneson is currently rehearsing for The Nutcracker with Ballet Northwest. Other dance credits include Handel's Messiah and The Nutcracker with Ballet Bellevue, as well as performances with Katy Hagelin Dance Project and Relay Dance Collective. Her most recent stage credits include Footloose and The Little Mermaid at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Ms. Arneson holds a Masters in Education and loves sharing her passion for the performing arts with the community.  

DAVIONE GORDON, Dancer and Singer