Faculty & Staff
Professional, experienced, nationally recognized artists and teachers of children.
Rob Flax (music teacher) is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator from Evanston, IL with a playful heart and an open mind. He has performed locally, nationally, and internationally with groups of many different styles, including opening for B.B. King and Tower of Power, collaborating with dancers and filmmakers (including work on the soundtrack of James Franco’s film As I Lay Dying), and several original projects. Rob is a recent graduate of the New England Conservatory, where he received a master’s degree in Contemporary Improvisation. Rob currently teaches both group and private lessons in the greater Boston area, as well as accompanies dance classes at Boston Conservatory. He joined the YAP faculty in 2012. http://www.robflax.com
Patrick Ferreri (dance instructor) – is a dancer, teacher, explorer who holds a BFA in dance from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as well as a 200-hour yoga certification from the Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in New York City. Patrick believes that learning occurs best in conversation, and has led conversations at New York University, Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y, the Overlook International Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Isadora Festival in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Jane Weiner’s Hope Stone, Inc in Houston, TX, ODC Dance Center in San Francisco, CA, the Contemporary Dance and Fitness Center in Montpelier, VT and at community centers and universities around the country through his work with David Dorfman Dance. He joined the YAP faculty in 2008 and is currently performing in Emursive and Punchdrunk’s Off-Broadway production of Sleep No More.
Terrence Karn (Music Director/instructor) In 1971 began his career as dance musician at The Minnesota Dance Theatre, as a dancer with The Andahazy Ballet, and a performer at The Minnesota Renaissance Festival. In 1976 he moved to Houston, TX to work at The Texas Renaissance Festival and began a long standing career as a world music and dance artist in Houston area schools. Terrence has served as an accompanist and Character Dance teacher at the Houston Ballet Academy (1988-2007); Resident Musician in the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Houston (1999-2007); and Resident Musician in the Department of Dance at Denison University (2007-2011). This summer he will return to the Bates Dance Festival for his 16th year as the Musical Director for the Youth Arts Program and will return to the American Dance Festival for his 5th year as an accompanist. Currently he is the dance accompanist for the Dance Minor Program at UW-Eau Claire and the co-director of Gypsy Dance Theatre. Terrence has composed numerous works for dance companies on planet earth, and has played for over 17,527 dance classes & counting.
Yvonne Hernandez is a dance artist, IIN Health Coach, CPT, and has been a company member and rehearsal director with Jennifer Archibald’s Arch Dance Company since 2010 with whom she has taught and performed internationally at various venues and festivals. Yvonne began her performing career in San Diego, CA. serving as Eveoke Dance Theatre’s Concert Company dancer, choreographer, teacher, and youth performing group director. In San Diego Yvonne she also set numerous works for the San Diego Symphony, Cal State San Marcos, the Conservatory at Canyon Crest Academy, and worked collaboratively with local companies. She is a graduate of the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has served on the faculty of the Youth Arts Program since 2007.
Annalyn Lehnig (theatre and storytelling teacher) earned her BFA in theatre with an emphasis on original work from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. In New Orleans, she worked as a teaching artist and administrator with YAP Program Director, Dana Reed, to develop and promote Hope Stone Kids New Orleans, an arts outreach program that provides high quality artistic learning. As a founding member of the Heart Hustle Collective, she has created and produced three original pieces, The Circus LoveSick (San Diego, CA), Mimicry (San Diego, CA) and Quinta Essentia (San Diego, CA). Annalyn currently resides in Brooklyn.
Dana Reed is thrilled to be back at the Bates Dance Festival this summer to rejoin the YAP team. She has been involved with YAP since 2002 and took a couple summers off to start a family. Dana currently lives in New Orleans, LA where she is Executive Director of Upturn Arts; whose mission is to provide “Arts for All”. The Youth Arts Program and community inspired Dana’s career path and opened many doors of opportunity. Dana is looking forward to sharing this experience with her daughter, Abhaya.
Priscilla Rivas (Acting Director, dance & visual arts instructor) is the Artistic Director of the Colombian Folkloric Ballet and a performer with Gypsy Dance Theatre. She is actively involved in teaching dance to children in urban areas. Priscilla holds a BS degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Houston and a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from University of St. Thomas. She has been a classroom teacher for 8 years and is now an Assistant Principal at an inner city elementary school in Houston, Texas.
Dance Education Interns who are college students majoring in dance education get hands on training and provide support in the classroom.
Qualified teen assistants support classroom activities and learn from YAP faculty/staff.
