Robert Guitron has been at the helm of Polaris Dance Theatre since its inception in 2002. He continues to map the organization’s artistic and physical growth. Robert’s career in dance has taken him throughout the world performing and choreographing for many prestigious dance companies and performing arts organizations. Aside from his repertory work, his credits and accolades come from his involvement in many outreach programs, operatic performances, musicals, music videos, and collaborations with corporations, artists and charitable organizations. Robert is passionate about nurturing the next generation of dancers through his signature teaching and guidance. His students have been accepted into both national and international dance companies and colleges, such as Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, KDNY, The Juilliard School, and Batsheva Dance Company. Robert is at his happiest both professionally and personally when he gets to share his life-long passion for dance, music and the arts.
Sara Anderson is the Co-Founder and Director of Programs for Polaris Dance Theatre. Sara hails from Minnesota and received a BFA in Dance and Fine Art from Luther College in Decorah, IA. Sara’s dance career spans more than 20 years and has extensive training in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Hip-Hop. Sara’s professional career led her to dance with companies such as Bodyvox, Portland Opera, Opera Pacific, Minnesota Opera, Utah Opera, American Dance Theatre, Portland Musical Theatre Company, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, St. Claire & Company, Lakewood Musical Theatre Company and Dance CO-Motion. Aside from stage performances, she has appeared in several fitness videos, print advertisements, television commercials and a 32-episode season of the Body Shoppe television series. Additionally, she owns and operates SAgraphics, teaches classes, and resides in Portland with her husband Robert Guitron and their daughter, Xena.
Jenny Dubac is native of Massachusetts, where she started her dance training at the New England Dance Conservatory and the Boston Ballet School. Jenny went on to complete a BFA in Dance from the prestigious Juilliard School in 2004. Upon graduation, Jenny spent several years on faculty at the Milwaukee Ballet School and dancing with City Ballet Theatre. After relocating to Portland, Jenny danced with the Polaris Dance Company from 2009 – 2016. She currently teaches for Classical Ballet Academy, Stites Performing Arts Center, and Polaris Dance Theatre.
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and the daughter of Polaris Dance Theatre founders Robert Guitron and Sara Anderson, Xena Guitron began dancing at the age of four. Xena has extensive training in genres including Contemporary, Ballet, Tap, Aerial, Pointe, and Hip-Hop. As a child, she began her love for dance at Buckman Elementary School under the influence of Chisao Hata and Keith Goodman. As a founding “Polaris Baby”, Xena’s childhood included many cameos in Polaris Dance Theatre productions. In 2013, Xena became a part of the Jefferson Dance Training Program studying with Steve Gonzalez, Melissa St. Claire, and Kristin Bacon. Xena was a founding member of Polaris Dance Theatre’s Junior Company, training and performing under the direction of M’Liss Quinnly for five years. Currently, Xena dances and teaches at Polaris and is studying for her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Portland State University.
Jennifer Lillie began her professional dance training at age 18. Having received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from the University of California at Irvine, she subsequently studied with many teachers and choreographers in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and Japan. She started her tap dance life with Sally Mack in Portland, and continues to study with Sally as well as teach classes through the Sally Mack School of Dance. Jennifer has taken classes with such master teachers as Terry Brock, Brenda Bufalino, Gene Medler, Linda Sohl-Ellison, Fred Strickler, Dianne Walker, and Sam Weber. Under the auspices of the American Tap Dance Foundation in New York City, Jennifer attended training seminars to study the work of the famous tap dance group “The Copasetics.” She is a member of ATDF’s first-ever teacher training cohort, and has received certificates of completion for Levels 1, 2, and 3 Tap Teacher Training Programs.
Thorey Mountain holds a BA Honors in Theatre Dance (Dance Education) from the University of the Arts London and an MPhil in Educational Studies from the University of Birmingham in the UK. She is a Royal Academy of Dance certified teacher. Thorey spent sixteen years as Director of Jazz Dance at two of the foremost vocational classical ballet schools in the UK: Elmhurst School for Dance in Association with Birmingham Royal Ballet and The Dance School of Scotland. She was also a specialist tutor of classic jazz dance at London Studio Centre, one of the leading performing arts colleges in the country. Thorey was a tap coach for the West End production of Billy Elliot and, as a freelance choreographer, has worked in England and Scotland, in Sweden and the USA.
Liz Pettengill has over twenty years of dance and choreographic experience. She has been named Portland, Maine’s Best Dance Performer twice, has performed throughout the country and has been a frequent featured artist with the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Liz has had the great fortune of studying alongside choreographic geniuses such as Savion Glover, Sean Curran and David Dorfman. While her initial dance background stems in musical theater roots from her childhood, she went on to study modern dance techniques and percussive methods at Roger Williams University, where she received her BA in Dance and Performance Studies. Her teaching style blends strong technique and education with elements of improvisation. She strives to ensure that students feel free to be themselves in the classroom as they learn and have as much fun as possible in the process.