Ellen Bauer Biography

Ellen Bauer began her dance training in San Rafael, California at Marin Civic Ballet; later renamed Marin Ballet. Her dance career has included performing experience in New York and Canada as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. The recipient of a full scholarship to the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Ellen traveled to New York to study and perform with such notable teachers and choreographers as David Howard, Douglas Wassel, Marjorie Mussman, Melissa Hayden, Helgi Tomassen, Lynn Simonson, Lee Theodore, Joyce Tristler, Louis Falco and Milton Meyers. In New York, she joined The American Dance Machine, performing in New York and Japan, and was invited to perform and teach at Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal Dance Center when it opened an additional training facility in Toronto, Canada. Since returning to the Bay Area, she has performed with Ann Garvin Productions, San Francisco Jazz Dance Company, San Francisco Dance Theater, San Francisco Moving Company, and as a guest artist at the College of Marin.

While dancing with the San Francisco Jazz Dance Company, Ellen performed at the National Jazz Dance Conference in Chicago. Ellen has taught extensively throughout the Bay Area at many dance studios as well as at public and private schools. In the past few years, she has explored the creative expression available through the art of choreography, and has created ten major works as a faculty member at the College of Marin from 2001 to 2005. Ellen taught jazz at Happy Feet during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, returning in 2006 to teach intermediate and advanced jazz. Ellen’s student’s are in awe of her undying energy. To watch Ellen teach is to observe a true master who brings joy and electrifying energy to her students. Her choreography is dynamic, clever and fun and she is enjoying the creative process which choreographing provides. Ellen joyfully anticipates continuing to explore her voice through the art of dance.