Owner/Artistic Director Eva Coomer (ARAD Solo Seal)
Eva's dance training was conducted through the Royal Academy of Dance, London. She completed all ballet examinations receiving Honors in Advanced and the Solo Seal Award earning her Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD). Eva has completed her Certificate in Dance Teaching Studies through the RAD, London and also became an affiliated member of the Australian Teachers of Dancing syllabus. As a dance teacher Eva has been responsible for teaching, developing and entering students for examinations, competitions and performances in a range of dance areas including Ballet, Progressing Ballet Technique, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern and National Character.
In 2015 Eva was certified to teach Progressing Ballet Technique, a Ballet cross training program designed by her former Ballet teacher, Marie Walton-Mahon. The program uses pilates techniques in a series of exercises designed to create correct muscle memory for the advancement of the students Ballet technique. For the past 10 years Eva has been implementing the program into the curriculum of her students seeing great technical improvement and awareness while also significantly limiting the risk of injuries.
Masters of Arts Management
University at Buffalo, New York
Bachelor of Education & Teaching/Fine Art
University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
1st Class Honors
Certificate in Cultural Studies/Fine Art
Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, Nagoya, Japan
DANCE TEACHING EDUCATION
Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies
Royal Academy of Dance, London
Curriculum: Syllabus (Part 1 & 2), The Healthy Dancer, Planning for Effective Teaching, Practical Teaching, The Freelance Dance Teacher: Continuing Professional Development Plan.
National Certificate in Dance Performance (Ballet & Contemporary) New Zealand School of Dance, Wellington, New Zealand
Eva has been the director and coach of three ballet competition companies, training students in examinations in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, while also coaching students aged 9-19 and choreographing routines for international competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), American Dance Competition/International Ballet Competition (ADC/IBC), and Universal Ballet Competition (UBC).
Eva's students are consistently recognized with top awards, qualifying for finals (both soloists and ensembles) as well as acceptance into ambassadorship programs and partial and full scholarship awards to prestigious summer intensives throughout the country.
Students trained by Eva have moved on to attended year-round positions at San Francisco Ballet School, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Oklahoma University, Joffrey Ballet New York, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Washington Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Ballet West, Dayton Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet.
Isabelle Wilwayco
Isabelle Wilwayco is a professional dancer born and raised in Austin, Texas. She began her ballet journey at Texas Academy of Ballet, where she trained under Eva Coomer from age nine before continuing her pre-professional studies at Ballet Austin. While studying at Ballet Austin Academy, Isabelle performed featured roles in company productions, including Clara and Marzipan corps in The Nutcracker.
Isabelle later joined the Professional Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, where she performed alongside the company in Swan Lake, debuted new roles in the world premiere of Sleeping Beauty, and performed in George Balanchine's "Coppélia," "The Nutcracker," and "The Four Temperaments." She also premiered new works choreographed by company dancers. Today, Isabelle performs professionally with Dayton Ballet alongside her partner, Maxwell Peters.
Isabelle successfully completed her Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) examinations through the Advanced level. Her previous teaching experience includes Texas Academy of Dancing, Dayton Ballet, British Dancing Academy in Washington as well as guest choreography for Coomer Classique's Opus 2026 production. Isabelle is passionate about inspiring the next generation of artists and driven by a lifelong love of movement, Isabelle teaches a variety of dance styles and recently began offering yoga classes to students of all ages and levels.
Maxwell Peters
Maxwell Peters began his ballet training in Seattle, Washington, where he was taught by his mother at the British Dancing Academy, a ballet school established by his grandmother in 1973. Max completed his Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing examinations from Primary to Advanced 2 level.
At age 16, he moved to Massachusetts to pursue pre-professional training at Boston Ballet while attending Walnut Hill School for the Arts. He later continued his dance education at San Francisco Ballet School under Patrick Armand and spent the following season in the professional Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet with his partner Isabelle Wilwayco.
Maxwell's previous teaching experience includes Dayton Ballet and British Dancing Academy as well as guest choreography for Coomer Classique's Opus 2026 production.
He is currently a professional dancer with Dayton Ballet and is excited to share his passion for dance with the next generation of artists. In addition to teaching ballet, he will also be sharing his passion for Yoga as a newly certified (RYT 200) instructor.
Ruth Arnold
Ruth Arnold is a dancer born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ruth began her training at Beyond the Barre, where she trained under Eva Coomer from the ages of fourteen to seventeen. After high school, Ruth went on to continue her training at The Milwaukee Ballet.
Ruth began her teacher training assistant teaching under the direction of Eva Coomer and is passionate about nurturing an uplifting environment and bettering the dance community for future generations of dancers. Her previous teaching experience includes teaching ballet, contemporary, and conditioning at Fresh Coast Dance studio, TBEY Arts, and Milwaukee Ballet.
In addition to teaching Ruth has choreographed contemporary solo work for Coomer Classique students competing at Youth America Grand Prix and ADC/IBC. She has also choreographed solo and group works for TBEY's "A Journey Through dance" and Fresh Coast Dance's competition team.
Ruth is passionate about injury prevention and teaching correct methods for body strength and recovery. Ruth is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and loves teaching conditioning and stretch classes. Ruth is excited to be joining the Coomer Classique faculty this season!