Stephanie Orza, Teacher, started training at the age of 7 with the San Francisco Ballet School as a scholarship student, studying intensively there for 10 years. Her teachers included Irena Jacobson, Lola De Avila, Helgi Tomasson, Pascal Leroy, Kathleen Mitchell, Shannon Bresnahan, Mikko Nissinen and George Esquivel. In her time there she performed in productions such as La Bayadere, Giselle and The Nutcracker, as well as SFB School performances Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations and Four Temperaments, The Sleeping Beauty, and Paquita. In 2003, she moved to Basel, Switzerland to dance with the Ballet Basel Company, performing Romeo and Juliet as well as Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and Who Cares?. Stephanie moved back to the United States in July 2004 and guest-danced with the Inland Pacific Ballet in Arturo Fernandez’s production of Dracula. She joined the Company as a Principal dancer in 2005 and danced under the direction of Victoria Koenig for seven seasons. Stephanie’s dancing career has inspired her to choreograph as well. She choreographed Breathe for the Northwest Fusion Dance Company in 2012, as well as Finding Peace for Chaffey College (2008) and Love can Damage your Health (2011), Tolerance (2010), The other side (2010), and selected pieces of The Nutcracker for Inland Pacific Ballet. Stephanie began her teaching career in 2005 with Inland Pacific Ballet Academy. In summer 2011, Stephanie moved to Portland, Oregon. She has taught at Allegro Dance Studio, Polaris Dance Theater, Bodyvox, and Center for Movements Arts. Stephanie is currently on staff at Westside Dance Academy, Bodyvox, and The Portland Ballet.
