FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Robert Burns Lowman, Artistic Co-Director, Oceánica Ballet Inc. info@oceanicaballet.org
Oceánica Ballet Marks Five Years With Studio Showing for Dancers and Families
Company previews new works, announces California Arts Council grants and a November 2026 show
Photo of company dancers Shellie Jew, Alice Wells, Lara Cheng, Edgar Lepe, and Rowan Williams by Vin Eiamvuthikorn
SAN MATEO, Calif. — September 2, 2026 — Oceánica Ballet welcomed dancers and their families to its rehearsal home at the Bay Area Ballet Conservatory on Sunday, August 30, for a celebratory afternoon marking five years since the company’s founding and recognizing the people who have sustained it.
A clear milestone in Oceánica Ballet’s creative momentum is the tenfold growth of audience attendance from the inaugural production of Blue Skies to recent productions of The Headless Horseman & Viva La Vida
"Oceánica Ballet is special because it creates a community where people feel welcome and seen," said Edgar Lepe, Artistic Co-Director. "It matters because art is a very central part of our lives, and we often forget how important it is to have a safe place where you can go dance, be in community, and create."
"We intend to honor the confidence [of our donors and volunteers] by continuing to create ambitious new work, support local artists, bring dance to new audiences, and make the experience of live performance available to more people in our community," said Henry Lowman, PhD, Board Chair.
Inside the rehearsal studio
P1N0CCH10, a retelling of Carlo Collodi's classic tale, explores humanity, artificial intelligence, and our relationship with the natural world. Alice Wells danced the “Blue Fairy Solo,” choreographed by Edgar Lepe. Genesis, choreographed by Robert Lowman, was danced by Shellie Jew as the Puppet with Lara Cheng, Edgar Lepe, Alice Wells, and Rowan Williams in the ensemble.
The rehearsal also included the “Masquerade Waltz” from Carmilla, an adaptation of Sheridan Le Fanu's groundbreaking sapphic vampire novella. Choreographed by Robert Lowman, the excerpt featured Rowan Williams as Carmilla, Shellie Jew as the Countess, Alice Wells as Bertha, and Edgar Lepe as the General.
“[In collaboration with Edgar,] I wanted to choreograph something to do with the human relationship with artificial intelligence," Robert Lowman, Artistic Co-Director, said. “Pinocchio came to mind as the ideal narrative to think about allegorically the human interaction with artificial intelligence and our relationship with nature. For Carmilla, I was looking for a story ballet with queer characters or overtones, and with spooky themes, because that’s what I love.”
What the dancers say
For the artists in the room, the afternoon was a celebration of community.
"The way they tell stories is special — the way they build a world you can step into," said company dancer Marinna Kus. "And the most rewarding thing about Oceánica Ballet is the collaborative process."
"I have never felt so cared for as a human first and a dancer second, which is unusual in performing arts companies," said Patience Gordon. "Really, from the top down, the leadership cares, while still challenging us and giving us opportunities to perform."
Family members in the gathering described a company distinct in its choreography and casting.
What their families say
“It just seems so unique in the movement and the choreography, especially the amount of expressiveness,” said Pam Gard.
"It's wonderful to see a dance company that is so accepting of different body types — not every dancer looks the same, and it makes the pieces so much more interesting," said Ruey Syrop. "You can really see the passion of everyone dancing, and that makes all the difference."
Looking ahead
Leadership used the occasion to announce that Oceánica Ballet is a recipient of both the Impact Grant and the General Operating Support Grant from the California Arts Council, which together will fund Alicia in the Land of Wonders, a new production Lepe has been developing and one he describes as near to his heart. The work is slated for next season. This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.
Before that, the company returns to the stage at College of San Mateo Theatre with Viva La Vida on November 1, 2026, featuring excerpts from P1N0CCH10 and Carmilla.
About Oceánica Ballet
Founded in 2021, Oceánica Ballet Inc. is a San Mateo County–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dance company working to unite people through the shared experience of dance as a reflection of our complex and diverse collective humanity. The company enlivens the San Francisco Bay Area cultural landscape by making professional-level ballet accessible and relatable, creating innovative new ballet-based works and interpreting classics in fresh ways. Oceánica Ballet enriches the careers of locally based, professionally trained dance artists of diverse ages, races, genders, sexual orientations and body types. Artistic Co-Directors are Edgar Lepe and Robert Burns Lowman. Learn more at oceanicaballet.org.