The Board of Directors is responsible for the oversight of the Orange County Ballet Theatre.  Its members are comprised of individuals with diverse skills, each contributing and offering guidance to the OCBT in core areas.

 

Dmitri Kulev

2012-2018 Youth America Grand Prix “Outstanding Teachers” Award

Dmitri Kulev received his fine arts diploma from the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow, Russia where he trained with the distinguished teacher Peter Pestov. After graduating in 1992, he was invited to join the Bolshoi Ballet Theatre under the direction of Yuri Grigorovich. During this time, he performed in over 12 countries including France, Greece, Egypt , Japan, England and the US. After touring the US,  Mr. Kulev decided to stay and join Ballet Arizona. Since then he went on to perform as a principal dancer with the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Ballet Concerto.

As a teacher, Mr. Kulev possesses a charismatic teaching philosophy that leaves students eager to return each day. He focuses on core strength and technique in the Vaganova method. Inspired by his own teacher, teaching legend, Pyotr Pestov, Dmitri inspires students to give their best in class each day.

As a private coach, many of Mr. Kulev’s dancers have won top honors and grand prizes in prominent local, national and international ballet competitions; and received scholarships to elite professional and collegiate training programs from American Ballet Theatre, Royal Ballet School, The Bolshoi Academy, San Francisco Ballet Program, Indiana University, Boston Conservatory and others.

 

Jennifer Kulev

2012-2018 Youth America Grand Prix “Outstanding Teachers” Award

Jennifer Langenstein Kulev retired from her professional career as a principal dancer with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT). During her seven seasons with PBT, she danced the lead roles in the company’s classical ballet productions and worked with and performed the repertoire of  many distinguished choreographers such as Glen Tetley, Dwight Rhoden, Kevin O’Day, Derek Deane and Lynn Taylor-Corbett.

Ms. Kulev received her early training from Harvey Hysell and Maestro Vincenzo Celli in New Orleans then later trained at the School of American Ballet as a scholarship student where she studied under famed teachers Antonina Tumkovsky, Alexandra Danilova and Andrei Kramarevsky. After returning to her home state of Texas, she studied with Madame Krassovska in Dallas and with Ballet Concerto director Margo Dean in Fort Worth. During her eighteen plus summer performances with Ballet Concerto, she had the unique opportunity to work with and dance works by Luis Montero, Bruce Marks, Michael Vernon and Fernando Bujones.

Ms. Kulev’s performing repertoire includes the principal roles in Giselle, Coppelia, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly, Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella, Dracula and Cleopatra, and Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Valse Fantasie, Jewels and Serenade among others. Prior to dancing with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, she danced with the New Orleans Ballet, Dallas Ballet and Fort Worth Dallas Ballet. Ms. Kulev focuses on precise technique, turnout and artistry in her class.

 

Kay Du Fernandez

Member since 2011

Having grown up dancing and passionate about the performing arts, Kay Fernandez is honored to be on the Board of OCBT. Currently a Vice President of Strategic Business Development at Konica Minolta in New York, when residing in Laguna Beach, Kay’s three young daughters attended DKCBA. She was delighted to find a ballet school that focused on technical mastery while fostering the individual success of the younger dancer.

 

 

 

Michele Marra Mann

Founding Member

As a founding member of OCBT, Michele Mann had the pleasure of watching her daughter grow from a 4-year old baby ballet student to an accomplished dancer. With Dmitri and Jennifer’s exceptional Russian teaching, along with their encouragement and motivation, Mrs. Mann’s aspiring ballerina was a featured dancer at the Boston Conservatory and was a trainee at Nashville Ballet.  Mrs. Mann’s fundraising and organizational skills have been an invaluable contribution to OCBT.

 

 

 

Victor Zaldivar

Member since 2011

Victor Zaldivar is the father of two professional dancers. While searching for Russian-style training for their son, the Zaldivar family “found” DKCBA just as the Kulevs were completing their move from Pittsburgh to California and starting their careers as instructors. Mr. Zaldivar is Director of Sales and Marketing for Hydraulics Group, Filtration Group.

 

 

 

Perry Langenstein

(Not pictured)

Member since 2006

 

 

 

Andrei Dokukin

(Not pictured)

Member since 2011

Andrei Dokukin is the President and chief physician of Proprius Health Medical Group. He danced with both Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow and ABT New York.