Jessica Hamblen-Klepper

Ballet, Modern

Ms Hamblen-Klepper began her classical training at the Atlanta School of Ballet, under the direction of Robert Barnett and Andrea Pell. In addition to Mr. Barnett and Ms. Pell, her teachers there included Maniya Barredo, Gaynor Grange, Stanislav Issaev and modern technique with Carl Ratcliffe and Alex Pelham. While in Atlanta she performed in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and David Lichine’s Graduation Ball. In 2000, Ms. Klepper received her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. There her primary influencing teachers included Kitty Daniels, Pat Hon, Wade Madsen, Magali Messac, Terry Sparks, Llory Wilson, and Deborah Wolf.

Since 2002, she has taught ballet and modern dance at the Maple Valley School of Ballet. Ms. Klepper’s works have been performed by Olympic Ballet Theater, Atlanta School of Ballet summer workshop, Maple Valley Ballet, and Chimera Dance Theater. In 2005 she became the director of Maple Valley School of Ballet.

Ms. Hamblen-Klepper’s teaching philosophy centers around finding the balance between respect for one’s body and it’s individuality, while fulfilling the demands and rigors of classical ballet.