Rodney Gustafson Artistic Director
Rodney Gustafson's vision, energy and mastery of the classics are propelling State Street Ballet to explore new and untapped areas of entertainment.Gustafson holds an undergraduate and master's degree in business, enhanced by a successful dance career with American Ballet Theatre. He continues his association with American Ballet Theatre as a coordinator for their national education program. As a dancer with American Ballet Theatre, Gustafson worked with many of the greatest dancers of ourtime including Mikhail Baryshnikov and famous choreographers like Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins and Antony Tudor. He also appeared in the films Turning Point and Nutcracker (Baryshnikov) and several Live from Lincoln Center productions. During his tenure as Artistic Director for State Street Ballet, he has created several full-length ballets for the company, including Romeo and Juliet, NutCracker, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Cinderella.

Sophie Monat, Ballet Mistress
Sophie Monat was born in London, England, and began her professional career in Europe where she danced with the Lille Opera Ballet in France and the National Ballet of Portugal. Following eight years as Ballet Mistress of the New Jersey Ballet, she moved to California and helped Rodney Gustafson establish State Street Ballet. Monat is currently on the faculty of California State University Long Beach Dance Department and for eight years was the Director of the Classical Dance Department at the Orange County High School of the Arts. Monat guest teaches extensively and has taught, choreographed and staged a wide range of classical and contemporary ballets for ballet companies, universities and professional schools throughout the USA.

Maria Fliagina, Ballet Mistress
Born in Russia, Maria Fliagina graduated with distinction from the Perm State College of Choreography in Russia. In 1990, she was admitted to the Moscow State Theatre Kremlin Ballet where she worked with the renowned Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maximova. She has performed roles in many famous classical ballets and has toured internationally with the Russian Imperial Ballet, Moscow Classical Ballet, and the Moscow Festival Ballet. Fliagina joined State Street Ballet as a dancer in 1998, and was promoted to Ballet Mistress for the 2000-2001 Season. In addition to her duties as Ballet Mistress for the company, she continues to appear in character roles such as the Nanny in Robert Sund's Alice in Wonderland, and the Nurse Maid in Rodney Gustafson's Romeo and Juliet.

Gary McKenzie, Ballet Master
Gary McKenzie is a California native. He received his primary training from Marguerite Phares, Vladimir Luppov, Alonzo King, and at Harkness House under David Howard in New York. While his performing career was primarily with Ballet Florida, he was also a member of Southwest Ballet, San Diego Ballet, and a founding member of State Street Ballet. McKenzie has choreographed several ballets, including choreography for Opera Santa Barbara.

Mark Somerfield, Production Manager/Lighting Designer
Mark Somerfield is the Production Manager for the Department of Music at the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as Resident Lighting Designer for Opera Santa Barbara and State Street Ballet. Other credits include The Guthrie Theatre, New York City Opera, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Provincetown Theatre Company, Pennsylvania Stage Company, the Santa Fe Opera, Virginia Stage Company, Cincinnati Ballet, Pennsylvania Dance Theatre, American Music Theatre Festival and the Adriatic Music Festival in Termoli, Italy. He holds a BFA from Penn State and an MFA from The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

William Soleau, Choreographer
William Soleau has worked as a principal dancer in both ballet and modern companies with choreographers such as Antony Tudor, John Butler, Alvin Ailey, Toer Van Shayk and Grey Verdon. While dancing with Finis Jhung's Chamber Ballet USA in New York City, Soleau created his first work, Isle, which became an instant success. In 1987, he gained international recognition for his full evening work Universe for the Shanghai Ballet of China during its first International Shanghai Arts Festival. He soon stopped dancing and began to devote himself entirely to choreography. Mr. Soleau has over seventy ballets in the repertoires of many companies including Ballet British Columbia, The Icelandic Ballet, Ballet de Montreal, Louisville Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Ballet Austin and Ballet Florida. Soleau set his award-winning multimedia ballet Starry Night on State Street Ballet during their 1999 season. During the spring of 2003, he created a world premiere ballet titled Airwaves for the company.

Christinia Giannini, Costume Designer
Christina Giannini has designed costumes for the best ballet companies throughout the world, including such legendary dance troupes as Agnes DeMille Heritage Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, New York City Ballet and many others. Her design work also includes set design in productions such as State Street Ballet's Carmen that is touring nationally.