Julie Smith-Simpson, a Southern California native, has been teaching ballet in Reno, San Diego and Miami for the past 25 years. She completed levels 1-6 in the Russian Vaganova Teaching Methodology of Pedagogy and attends teaching workshops in New York, Florida, and Nevada annually. She has danced and trained with renowned instructors such as Valeri Tchekachev, Finis Jhung, John White, John Magnus, and David Howard.

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Ms. Simpson began her professional career in dance with Concert Dance Theatre at the age of 13 just outside of Los Angeles. She trained and travelled extensively with JoAnne Warner (of Ballet de Monte Carlo) and the Regional Concert Ballet Company of Los Angeles. She received scholarships for the Craft of Choreography founded in accordance with the Pacific Regional Ballet Association and later trained on a jazz scholarship with Dupre Dance Academy studying with acclaimed teachers as Bill Goodman, Jackie Sleight, Carol Connor, and Delores Terry. Ms. Simpson has toured

professionally in the US, Japan, France, and Spain where she spent a year with La Scala Ballet. She has performed solo roles in many classical ballets including Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Pas de Quatre, and Giselle.

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She moved to Reno, NV to complete her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature with a minor in Anthropology from UNR, while performing in the “Hello Hollywood Hello” show. She danced and taught for Margaret Banks with the Nevada Festival Ballet alongside teaching all levels of ballet at the University of Nevada Reno with Barbara Land.

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When her family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, it gave Ms. Simpson the opportunity to teach ballet at F.I.U. Florida International University, Miami. It also gave her the chance to work with the illustrious Cuban, Magda Aunon and the Fort Lauderdale Ballet.

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While living in San Diego, Julie continued her Vaganova training with Valeri Tchekachev of North County Classical Ballet. She also taught at the Carlsbad Dance Centre, in California, which gave her the opportunity to teach, choreograph, and direct many ballets including Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Red Shoes.

 

Since returning to Reno in 2017, she has enjoyed teaching all levels of ballet classes including Pointe at the Conservatory of Movement and Dancin’ Performing Arts. Along with ballet, Julie is a certified yoga Instructor and ACE personal trainer. Teaching ballet and fitness has become a never-ending passion in her life and her personal goal is to never stop learning the art, both physically and mentally.