Sebastopol Ballet School In The News
The Joy of Dance: Hannah Paddock and the Sebastopol Ballet
by Catherine Hughes, Sebastopol Living, May 2025
On a weekday afternoon in Sebastopol, as Gravenstein Highway South fills with parents taxiing their children to after-school activities, a small plaza comes alive with unusual energy. Children arrive at a modest storefront tucked between other businesses, their bodies electric with anticipation, ballet slippers stuffed into backpacks alongside homework and snacks. Inside Sebastopol Ballet, owner Hannah Paddock adjusts the volume on a digital playlist as the studio hums with preparation—not for stardom or perfection, but for something more important to Hannah: the simple joy of dance.
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Ballet lovers flock to book launch and dance preview
by Sonoma West Times & News, November 7, 2017
Dancers with the Sebastopol Ballet company performed several pieces from “The Nutcracker” at a book launch event for Barbara Baer, author of the newly self-published novel, The Ballet Lover, at the Sonoma Wine Shop/La Bodega on Sunday, November 5. The Sebastopol Ballet will perform the perennial holiday favorite on the weekend of Dec. 15-17 at Analy High School.
Baer, who lives in Forestville, will host discussion at the Occidental Center for the Arts on Nov. 19 of her semi-fictionalized work, which focuses on the controversial moment that Baer witnessed as a reporter, when Rudolf Nureyev failed to catch his partner Natalia Makarova at a Paris performance and allowed her to crash on stage.
Sebastopol Ballet owners talk about ‘The Nutcracker’
by Sonoma West Times & News, December 3, 2013
Sebastopol Ballet has been a triple partnership for 21 years, co-owned by Sue Borgeson, Paula Martens and Lois Hartman. Sue is the artistic director for The Nutcracker, and she is assisted by Paula and Lois in all aspects of the production, a family tradition since 1991.
Where do The Nutcracker’s dancers come from and how are they chosen?
Most dancers are students of the Sebastopol Ballet. The cast is completed by parents in the party scene, alumni dancers and, of course, our stellar guest artists. We cast all who audition and re-define and sometimes create parts to accommodate changes from year to year.
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Sebastopol Ballet gets new studio in time for ‘Nutcracker Ballet’
by Kimberly Kaido-Alvarez, Sonoma West Times & News, November 2, 2011
After 19 years at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, Sebastopol Ballet School now has its very own dance studio.
“It all happened very quickly,” said Director Susan Borgeson, who along with others in the organization, often dreamed of having a space dedicated just to dance.
Juggling schedules, especially during the busy rehearsal season before the annual “Nutcracker” performance, was often a challenge for students and teacher alike.
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Four dancers from the Sebastopol Ballet Company moving on
by Kimberly Kaido-Alvarez, Sonoma West Times & News, June 15, 2011
Four dancers from the Sebastopol Ballet Company will be moving on after a grand finale performance during the 19th annual Spring recital.
The show that will feature the talents of about 80 local ballet students from preschool to high school, is scheduled to take place at Analy High School on Saturday, June 18 at 3 p.m.
Senior dancers and 2011 high school graduates, Amy Ebright, Jessica Reynor, Simone Evett and Kaitlin Nulton plan to challenge themselves with a selection of classical dances from “La Bayadere,” before switching their focus to collegiate endeavors.
“They’re all beautiful dancers and very committed,” said Instructor and Co-Director of the Sebastopol Ballet Company, Susan Borgeson.