About Peninsula Lively Arts
A not-for-profit dance company, Peninsula Lively Arts has served as a home for diverse, inclusive, and dynamic performances and dance education since its founding in 1967. Peninsula Lively Arts is the second longest-running ballet company in the Bay Area, after the San Francisco Ballet. Centrally located in the heart of San Mateo County, PLA has grown alongside our evolving cultural landscape, expanding our vision to embrace a broad array of performances and educational programs.
Our productions go far beyond classical ballet, performed by our anchor organization, Peninsula Ballet Theatre under the artistic director of Gregory Amato, to include hip-hop under the artistic direction of Stuck Sanders, contemporary dance, and an international dance festival, showcasing the Bay Area’s culturally distinctive dance community.
In addition to our performances, Peninsula Lively Arts is home to the Peninsula School of the Arts with five studios where students of all ages (from 3 to 80+) and backgrounds, abilities and aspirations, can explore their passion for dance and to develop their creative skills that will serve them on stage, in the classroom, and in every facet of their lives. We offer up to 100% scholarships as we believe everyone deserves to have access to dance and to creativity.
Who We
Are
Meet our team of staff, board and faculty.
Artistic
Gregory Amato
Artistic Director Peninsula Ballet Theatre
Gregory Amato has a wide breadth of experience in the international world of ballet. Mr. Amato has performed in over 50 countries, including for the Queen of England, two presidents, numerous ambassadors, dignitaries, and prime ministers.
He was selected by New York City Ballet principal dancer Edward Villella to become a founding member of the Miami City Ballet, before performing with the Ballet du Nord in France. He was then similarly chosen by Michael Smuin as a founding member of Smuin Ballet. While dancing there, Michael Smuin created several ballets on Mr. Amato, including "Frankie and Johnny,” and "Cyrano." He also appeared in the movie, "The Fantastics," which Smuin choreographed.
Mr. Amato's primary teacher and inspiration was New York City Ballet soloist Nolan T'Sani. He studied on full scholarship at the San Francisco Ballet School and the Joffrey Ballet School in New York.
Mr. Amato competed and won the gold medal in the Fred Astaire International Ballroom Dance Competition. Despite his impressive ballet career, his personal highlight was his experience as the featured dancer at Carnegie Hall for the 100th Celebration of George Gershwin’s birthday.
Mr. Amato has been the Artistic Director at Peninsula Ballet Theatre and PBT Conservatory since 2017, where he has created over 40 original works, including full-length productions of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Carmina Burana, Carnival of the Animals, and Carmen.
Stuck Sanders
Artistic Director Hip-Hop Productions
Stuck Sanders was introduced to dance at the age of 12 when his mom was looking for a creative outlet for the obviously athletic youngster who was not all that trilled with traditional organized sports. After one hip-hop class he was hooked and headed for a career in the world of art and dance. In just a few years he was performing in the half time shows of the Sacramento Kings basketball games and earning a reputation as a top freestyler where the dancer is encouraged to create new moves and develop a personal style. Soon he was known for his style of Turf Dancing incorporating strong narrative with storytelling and mime and burnished his reputation participating in numerous Battle Dances. At 19 he headed to Los Angeles for more vigorous training in hip-hop choreography. In 2012 he joined Academy of Villains as principal dancer/choreographer where his choreography became known for its strong theatrical flair. There he and Ale Martinez became one of the AOV main dance partners and in December 2015 they formed The Tribe where they could continue to foster the art form and pass on their many talents to new hip-hop artists. As an Independent artist he serves as director of Peninsula Hip-Hop Productions where he brings hip-hop artists from throughout the United States to present the hip-hop dance style in narrative storytelling.
Chloe Watson
Director of Artistic Operations
Chloé Watson was born in Dallas, Texas, where she began her training at the Dallas Ballet Center and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance with a concentration in ballet from SUNY Purchase, where she graduated cum laude. Chloé has danced with American Midwest Ballet and Ballet Vero Beach.
Now in her seventh season with Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Chloé has performed in notable roles such as the title characters in Giselle and Gregory Amato’s Cinderella, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Ana in Mr. Amato’s Ghost Dances, and in Ron Cunningham’s Incident at Blackbriar. Additionally, Mr. Amato has created several premiere works specifically for her.
As a choreographer, Chloé has received commissions from American Midwest Ballet and Ballet Vero Beach. She recently directed her first dance film, Ophelia, which was selected for the Vero Beach Film Festival. Her newest work will premiere with Ballet Vero Beach in 2025.
Léna Alvino
Co-Director, Peninsula School of the Arts
Léna Alvino* is originally from Switzerland. She joined Alonzo King LINES Ballet Training Program in San Francisco, then moved to Santa Barbara, where she danced with State Street Ballet’s Professional Track Program and taught at Momentum Dance Company. She came back to the Bay Area to perform with PUSH Dance Company, eMotion Arts, Ramm Dance, and The DanceWright Project. She is now thrilled to dance with Peninsula Ballet Theatre. Throughout her years at PBT, she is honored to have danced Myrta in Giselle, Rose in The Nutcracker, Fate in Carmen, Fortuna in Carmina Burana, La Catrina in Ghost Dances and Constanza in Mozart's Requiem. She is excited for the performances to come!
Nina Amato
Ballet Mistress
Nina Baratova Amato began her training with the San Francisco Ballet School and continued with Barbara Crockett in Sacramento. She is a former principal with the Sacramento Ballet. While under the direction of Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda, she danced leading roles in such ballets as Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo & Juliet, Nutcracker, Cinderella, Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardee, Les Sylphides, and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as a wide range of contemporary works, many of which were created specifically for her.
She spent a summer studying at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, where she was invited to study on a two year scholarship. Nina was a finalist in the 5th International Ballet Competition in Paris, and was awarded an Emerging Artist Grant from the Sacramento Mayor, and the Metropolitan Arts Commission.
Ms. Baratova Amato is the Owner/Director of Classical Ballet of California in Pacifica, a school with over 200 students, where she has staged numerous productions including Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, La Fille Mal Gardee, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and annual productions of The Nutcracker, incorporating all of the students as well as volunteer members of the community.
As Ballet Mistress of Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Nina Baratova Amato staged a full-length Giselle in 2019. She currently teaches, rehearses, and coaches the company at PBT.
Shannon Schueller
Administrator, Peninsula School of the Arts
Vin Eiamvuthikorn
Photographer
Vin Eiamvuthikorn (www.vuthikorn.com) is a dancer, photographer, videographer, and graphic designer. His inspiration is the movement of the human form as it seeks to convey story and purpose. A retired dancer with Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Vin has been involved in dance for more than two decades. Beyond his final performance in early 2020, he has continued to use his passion for dance along with his skills as a multimedia artist and designer for the past 25 years for the benefit of local dance companies, schools, and performers. He has produced print and online campaigns, video documentaries, dance films, and other visual materials in collaboration with multiple organizations.
Alejandra Martinez
Director and Choreographer,
The Tribe Dance Co., Poise'N Brigade
Alee fell in love with dance at a young age. Her whole family loved to dance, especially her parents. At the age of 15 she joined a dance group in her church and performed at many services. In early 2009 she was introduced to the dance community here in the Bay Area which led her to join a local dance team. In 2011 she auditioned for a professional dance company in San Francisco. She got the opportunity to travel the world and performed on television shows such as AGT, and TruTv’s FAKE OFF. As time went on and she fell more and more in love with her craft, she decided to start her own dance company. She now creates shows for Peninsula Lively Arts and is excited for the new ventures that are coming ahead.
Administrative
Debbie Chinn
Interim Executive Director
Debbie is a seasoned C-suite executive, consultant, and arts leader with over 30 years of experience transforming institutions representing theatre, classical music, contemporary opera, dance, and festivals—driving strategic growth, financial sustainability, and artistic excellence.
As a CEO and Managing Director, she has led a range of distinguished organizations, including TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Opera Parallèle, Carmel Bach Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, California Shakespeare Theater, and Anna Deavere Smith’s Pipeline Girls Project.
She has served on numerous arts and education boards, where she advises on governance best practices, diversity and equity initiatives, and long-term strategic planning.
Debbie is also a published author. Her first book, Dancing in Their Light: A Daughter’s Unfinished Memoir (2022), is being adapted into a film series that explores themes of heritage, identity, and resilience.
In addition, she is developing a series of art books that champion immigrant storytelling and cross-cultural arts initiatives, including Year of the Dragon: A Colorable Graphic Memoir (2024) and Polynesian Nights (publishing date: 2026).
Jonathan Moscone
Consulting Producer
A born and bred San Franciscan, Jonathan Moscone is an theater director, producer and arts consultant. He most recently served as the Executive Director of the California Arts Council. Prior, he served for 7 years as Chief Producer of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and for 15 years as Artistic Director of California Shakespeare Theater. He is the first recipient of the Zelda Fichandler Award, given by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation for “transforming the American theater through his unique and creative work.”
Jonathan currently serves on several boards, including The Roxie Theatre and Chinese Culture Center in San Francisco and is the President of the board of a The Tent, a new theater company in New York City. He received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama, his BA from Williams College, and lives in San Francisco with his husband, Darryl Carbonaro and their dog, Lucy and cat, Turtle.
Jon Finck
Press, Media and Communications
His credits include work for the Kennedy Center’s Alliance for Arts Education; the National Symphony Orchestra under then-music director Slava Rostropovich; Detroit’s Michigan Opera Theatre, Dayton Opera and Orange County’s newly-formed Opera Pacific. In 1989, Lotfi Mansouri, a longtime colleague invited Jon to join San Francisco Opera as head of press and communications for several seasons and, after a hiatus working freelance, was invited by David Gockley to re-join the company in 2008. Jon’s advocacy of the San Francisco Opera Guild was recognized with the Star of Excellence Award in 2013.
His private practice clients have included the San Francisco Symphony; Opera Parallele; Music at Kohl Mansion’s chamber music season; Broadway and off-Broadway touring productions including Dame Edna, John Leguizamo and Eddie Izzard among others; cabaret shows with such celebrities as Rita Moreno, Patti LuPone, Betty Buckley, Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Laine Kazan, and Paula West; the re-launch of the JCCSF; and several ballet companies including American Ballet Theatre, Smuin, Oakland, San Jose, Cleveland, Joe Goode, Margaret Jenkins, Robert Moses’ Kin, Eifman Ballet, and the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival.
Jon resides in San Francisco’s Noe Valley with his family.
Audelia Rendon
Senior Accountant
Jen Tait
Interim Facilities and Rentals Manager
Jen Tait is the Interim Facilities and Rentals Manager at Peninsula Lively Arts. Prior event experience in the arts includes Presidio Theatre in the Presidio National Park, SFMOMA (San Francisco Modern Museum of Art), YBCA (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts) and the Arts & ideas Series at the JCCSF (Jewish Community Center of San Francisco). She has a BS degree in architecture from University of Virginia and MFA in filmmaking from SFAI (San Francisco Art Institute). She is a singer (www.joujousings.com) and has a passion for events and people. Jen deeply appreciates those who are dedicated to the arts, enjoy intergenerational and international community, and lead with the heart. She finds this at PLA.
Board Of Directors
Susan Condon
President
Susan Condon, a lawyer for the past 30+ years, has been involved in Peninsula Lively Arts for the past decade and was a member of the Board for six years before becoming Board President in 2024. Susan is passionate about all forms of dance from classical ballet to more contemporary forms, such as hip hop. Her goal is to build a community inclusive of the many dance traditions of our neighbors here on the Peninsula and provide a center where all cultural forms of dance are welcome.
Jenny Collins
As a Principal Administrative Business Partner at Genentech, Jenny Collins supports a Vice President, Senior Director, and a dynamic team of 220. She often describes her work as "wrangling cats in a catnip factory."
Jenny joined the Peninsula Lively Arts Board of Trustees in February of 2017, bringing with her a deep passion for the arts. She's spent a lifetime celebrating dance by exploring ballet, tap, jazz, tribal/fusion belly dance, African dance, and, for the past 15 years, hula. She believes dance should be accessible to all, whether through quality instruction, scholarships for those in need, or by curating a season of performances that engage, inspire, and enrich the community. She is honored to support Peninsula Lively Arts in its mission to celebrate movement, creativity, diversity, and inclusion in the performing arts.
Connie Desautels
Connie literally brings a lifetime of dance experience to her leadership role at Peninsula Lively Arts. Although ballet is her first love, she's also studied tap, jazz, belly dance, and hula! She first joined Peninsula Ballet Theater as an adult student several years ago and became a member of the Board of Trustees in February of 2017. She believes dance should be made accessible to all, through quality instruction, scholarships for those in need, and by curating a season of performances that engage, inspire, and enrich the entire community.
In addition to her dance and performance experience, Connie has extensive leadership and management experience in business enterprises including Xerox Corporation, Capcom Entertainment, and Sega Enterprises.
Connie is honored to help support Peninsula Lively Arts in its mission to celebrate movement, creativity, diversity, and inclusion in the performing arts, and looks forward to working with the staff and students.
Jan Mendez
Sophia Gao
Cheng (Sophia) Gao is a creative and results-oriented data science and analytics leader with 12+ years of experience turning data into impactful actions. Currently a staff data science manager at Google. Sophia said her involvement with Peninsula Lively Art (PLA) began with her belief in the enriching power of art for physical and mental well-being. Inspired by PLA's performances, Sophia encouraged her daughter to take pre-ballet lessons at PLA.
Jeff Stoll
Growing up in the Seattle area, Jeff has always been a fan of the arts, especially music and dance, as well as a techie nerd. He has fond memories of his mother, father, and brother all playing instruments and got his first taste of theater as part of his high school technical crew. Jeff also has a B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College and a Ph.D. from Boston University focusing on robotics and controls in surgery. He is currently the Chief Product Officer at Esperto Medical, where he is working to develop the next generation of critical care patient monitoring. Prior to this he built a robot exoskeleton for stroke patients, developed tests for transplant patients, created new forms of medical imaging, and designed a breathalyzer for covid. Overall, his passion is helping teams succeed, making things work, and helping people live better lives either through health or artistic inspiration. Jeff is the husband of Yuki Horiguchi and the father of Leo and Audrey, a student at Peninsula School of the Arts of 8 years.
Angelica Beas
Angelica grew up in San Mateo County and has been working as a tax accountant for the past 11+ years, specializing in nonprofit, small business & individual tax. She is passionate about dance, having performed with Ballet Folklórico for a couple of years as a teenager, then dabbling in salsa and tap dance as an adult. Dance is her favorite form of art because of the meaning behind it—whether cultural or other—and because it is so good for the body and mind. She is excited to join PLA in its mission to bring diverse dance performances and education and performances to the community and her own mission is to support PLA in any way that she can.
Sneha Patel
Sneha is a people and culture leader with over 15 years of experience in HR leadership, organizational development, and team growth across both global companies and early-stage startups. She currently serves as Head of HR for a California-based mid-sized company and has held leadership roles at Audible (an Amazon company), Flatiron Health, Wix, and Apollo Global Management. She is passionate about building inclusive, values-driven workplaces.
A recent transplant to the Bay Area, Sneha previously lived in New York City for over a decade, just steps from the Theater District and minutes from Lincoln Center, where she developed a deep appreciation for the performing arts and their power to connect and inspire. Though not a dancer herself, she’s excited to support Peninsula Lively Arts’ mission and help make the arts more accessible to diverse audiences.
Debbie Chinn
Ex-officio
Debbie is a seasoned C-suite executive, consultant, and arts leader with over 30 years of experience transforming institutions representing theatre, classical music, contemporary opera, dance, and festivals—driving strategic growth, financial sustainability, and artistic excellence.
As a CEO and Managing Director, she has led a range of distinguished organizations, including TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Opera Parallèle, Carmel Bach Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, California Shakespeare Theater, and Anna Deavere Smith’s Pipeline Girls Project.
She has served on numerous arts and education boards, where she advises on governance best practices, diversity and equity initiatives, and long-term strategic planning.
Debbie is also a published author. Her first book, Dancing in Their Light: A Daughter’s Unfinished Memoir (2022), is being adapted into a film series that explores themes of heritage, identity, and resilience.
In addition, she is developing a series of art books that champion immigrant storytelling and cross-cultural arts initiatives, including Year of the Dragon: A Colorable Graphic Memoir (2024) and Polynesian Nights (publishing date: 2026).