We are pleased to offer an exciting Jazz curriculum developed by Michele Bachar Mendicelli, our Jazz Director and a Westside Ballet alumna. Jazz dance can be an important part of a dancer’s education, and we encourage our students to participate in this program.

Michele Bachar Mendicelli performed in many of Westside’s ballets, and later expanded her dance training to include jazz, hip hop and contemporary at the EDGE Performing Arts Center in Hollywood. From there she went on to dance professionally, most recently with the Francisco Martinez Dance theatre.

Michele is also a choreographer, creating numerous ballet, jazz and contemporary pieces for a variety of productions. She currently teaches ballet and jazz in our children’s division, and choreographs the jazz pieces for Westside Ballet’s annual Spring Performance as well as for the Summer Intensives. You will find her full biography here.

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Jazz Classes*
Jazz A – Level 2/3/3+ (minimum age: 8 years old) Saturday  1:00-2:15pm
Jazz B – Level 4/4+ Thursday   5:45-6:45pm
Jazz C – Level 5 to 7 Thursday  6:45-7:45pm

*Dancers are encouraged to enroll in Ballet classes while taking Jazz. Dress code: Leotard and tights OR Jazz shorts and t-shirt. Black jazz shoes. (Ballet slippers acceptable for evaluation class.)