Directors: Kathleen Noblin

Kathleen Noblin, Executive Director/ Founder

Ms. Noblin founded the Ballet Academy Ventura in 1992. The school has successfully trained students for the finest professional summer programs in the U.S. and Europe. Graduates have received scholarships to Columbia University, UCLA, Cal State, BYU, and University of Southern California. Jazmine Quezada, 18 yrs old, has been accepted into professional level of San Francisco Ballet’s School on full scholarship. Her sister, 16-year-old Julie Quezada, has also been accepted on full scholarship to San Francisco Ballet’s School. Summer intensive students, Greta Pankratz and Audrey Flynn: New York City Ballet’s School of American Ballet, Alyssia Troutman: Joffrey Ballet – New York, Jasmine Duncan: San Francisco Ballet, Natalie Burkhart: Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet and Ella Hoyt: Joffrey Ballet Chicago. Other acceptances have been from American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, State Street Ballet and Boston Ballet to name a few.

Ms. Noblin founded the Ventura Country Ballet (VCB) in 1998 and has served as Executive Director since its inception. VCB presents Tchaikovsky’s beloved The Nutcrackeras well as a Spring Ballet annually. Ms. Noblin directs the Ventura County Ballet’s Therapeutic Dance for Children and Educational Outreach for elementary and middle school students in Ventura County and the annual Nutcracker program for the Ventura County Hospital Pediatric Oncology Unit. She has directed collaborations with New West Symphony, Ventura Music Festival, Ventura County Master Chorale, Museum of Ventura County, San Buenaventura Foundation for the Arts, National Charity League, Working Artists Ventura (WAV) and Focus on the Masters. Ms. Noblin, UCLA graduate, holds a B.S. in Sciences and Nursing from UCLA and credentials, is a Certified Public Health Nurse and holds a credential in Health and Development from UCLA postgraduate. Ms. Noblin has participated in Ventura’s cultural landscape as a member of the Ventura Cultural Planning Steering Committee. In 2008, Ms. Noblin received the Mayor’s Arts Awardfrom the City of Ventura as Arts Educator of the Year. She worked with Arts Live Advisory Council which is directed at strengthening local arts organizations through training and audience development, fund development, marketing, strategic planning, and planned giving.