Faculty Spotlight: Jenna Marie

As we continue to celebrate BBT's 40th Anniversary, we are delighted to share thoughts and memories from the generations of BBT faculty members, current and past.

Is there a faculty member you'd especially like to hear from? Submit your faculty questions and requests to info@berkeleyballet.org.

I first came to BBT when I moved to the Bay Area in 2019. I met Robert Dekkers during a company class in NYC. His energy immediately resonated with my heart and soul. I knew I had to make a huge shift artistically, and having visited the Bay Area a few times, I knew exactly the direction I needed to go. He was so generous with his time and welcomed me into the BBT community with open arms and opportunity. I performed in BBT’s Nutcracker season as a guest artist and really got to know the dancers and community on a personal level. It was such a huge moment in my career. BBT has made my transition to the Bay Area seamless.

I started as a guest artist and teacher at BBT and am now a Faculty member for the Youth Division. I'm also a Post:ballet dancer/artist.

I like to approach my teaching always with an open heart and mind. I am a forever student, and I really love to learn from teaching. I gain a lot of knowledge within the process of giving and receiving. I do believe that “Dance comes from the people and should always be delivered back to the people,” Alvin Ailey.

I believe that BBT is different from other organizations in the approach. At BBT, dance is inclusive and for everybody. This means we dance to bring ourselves closer to one another to create a safe space for community and lasting relationships beyond the studio.

One of my favorite memories was creating in quarantine with the Post:ballet dancers and BBT students. We created a wonderful dance film around the snow scene in "The Nutcracker," and it was such a fun process in the wake of a pandemic. It was really well received, and I think it resonated with so many people because we were able to capture a classic piece and really recreate it into something relatable and relevant.

BBT IS AWESOME!!!!! Thank you so much for welcoming me with open and generous arms.

Jenna Marie with Babatunji Johnson in Rightfully Ours, directed by Dekkers and San Francisco Girls Chorus' Valerie Sainte-Agathe, choreography by Dekkers, photo by Alexander Reneff-Olson

Sugarplum in BBT The Nutcracker photo by Michael Wells