Sandra Tanner Mack
A.A. Drama, College of Marin
B.A. Dance, University of California, Irvine
M.F.A. Dance, New York University
Sandra trained with the San Francisco Ballet and later at Marin Ballet. Her studies continued to include modern, jazz, musical theater dance and acting while completing her degrees. She also has a decades long yoga practice which informs her teaching by focusing on form, alignment, injury prevention and muscle recovery.
Prior to teaching at College of Marin, Sandra was Assistant Professor of Dance at Wright State University in Ohio. During her tenure, the dance department grew from 10 to 40 majors, and she was instrumental in creating a dance scholarship partnership with the Dayton Ballet, which is still thriving today. Sandra has choreographed dozens of fully produced musicals, operas and operettas for colleges, theater, opera companies and for Dayton Ballet II.
The scope of Sandra’s teaching experience at College of Marin is diverse, including; ballet, contemporary/modern dance, conditioning for dance and choreographing for performance. Working with stage director James Dunn, at the College of Marin, Sandra has created choreography and musical staging for many theatrical productions.
Years of experience have deepened my dedication to communicate the joy of creativity through the act of dancing, be it in the classroom or on the stage. What I have to offer as a teacher and choreographer goes beyond technical skill: I strive to excite and inspire, but always with the goal to do this with great humanity and sensitivity to everyone. —Sandra Tanner Mack
David Alonzo Jones
MA, Mills College
David holds an MA in dance from MillsCollege. He began his studies at the University of Oregon where he performed with the Ballet Company. In the Bay Area, his mentors were Gwen Lewis and Ed Mock. He has been influenced by such noted jazz specialists as Gus Giordano and Joe Tremaine. He has worked with the Village People, Taj Mahal, Luciano Pavarotti, Leontyne Price, Talley Beatty and Harold Nicholas of the famed Nicholas Brothers. He also worked with the cast of the Las Vegas spectacular Jubilee, and performed with the San Francisco Opera productions of Lost in the Stars and Aida. He has been a guest instructor for both the Dance Masters of America and the National Association of Dance Artists, and is a professor of Dance at the College of Marin. He has been published nationally and internationally. His original musical Viva Cuba was performed in New York City in 2008. Visit David Alonzo Jones personal web site.
Alan Scofield
Alan Scofield is a nationally respected master teacher and choreographer in contemporary dance, modern jazz and ballet. His musicality and repertory residencies with Les Ballet jazz du Montreal, San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Moving Company, Marin Ballet, Sacramento Ballet and Richmond Ballet of Virginia brought him acclaim and national attention. Currently, he is a very popular contemporary jazz teacher at ROCO Dance, Mill Valley with a passionate following. Alan co-founded Young Imaginations, Northern California’s acclaimed arts-education agency that has kept music and dance alive in the public schools for twenty nine years. Through Young Imaginations, Alan has proven to be an innovator in the field of arts integration. Educators, businesses and youth groups have enthusiastically sought his creative approach to curriculum and training prizing his highly creative teaching. For college level students, his teaching and stage work at College of Marin has provided students a pathway to the professions of dance education and performing. His master classes, including his original studio course, Musicality for Dancers, are acclaimed for their ability to merge classical technique with performance expression.