Bernadette Torres

Ms. Torres’s expertise includes over 20 years of combined professional performance and teaching experience in Europe and the United States. Ms. Torres studied ballet at the San Diego School of Ballet and San Diego Academy of Ballet, as well as, at American Ballet Theatre- New York, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet where she was offered a year- round scholarship, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Additionally, she was offered a spot as a trainee with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. Ms. Torres competed in the Youth America Grand Prix Finals-New York and the World Ballet Competition Finals-Orlando, coached by Ahita Ardalan of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo and the Paris Opera Ballet.

She received her first company contract at age 17 and quickly rose through the ranks to Principal by the age of 22. Her repertoire includes Kitri in Don Quixote; Gamzatti, Nikiya, Three Shades in La Bayadere; Lucy in Dracula; Sugarplum, Snow Queen, Dewdrop, and Arabian in The Nutcracker; Waltz Soloist in Les Sylphides; Rosa in Flower Festival in Genzano; Grand Pas Classique; Odette, Odile, Pas de Trois, Big Swan, Princess in Swan Lake; Raymonda in Raymonda; Fairy Godmother in Cinderella; Sleeping Beauty and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty; Medora, Gulnare, and Odalisque in Le Corsaire; Esmeralda in La Esmeralda; Paquita in Paquita; Princess in Firebird; Soloist in Napoli; Concerto Barocco; Serenade; 27’52 by Jiri Kylian, other works by Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, Terence Marling, Greg Sample; and several other original classical, modern, and contemporary works.

Ms. Torres has been a dancer, dance captain, and assistant choreographer with the San Diego Opera, working with the company for over 10 years in the operas Tannhauser, Aida, Romeo and Juliet, Rigoletto, Turandot, Samson and Deliah, Ballo, Don Quixote, La Traviata, and La Cenerentola. As a guest dancer, she performed in several international galas within the United States and Europe, receiving the “Riconoscimento al Talento” and the “Riconoscimento alla Carriera” awards in Italy.

She studied under and worked with Dame Sonia Arova, Thor Sutowski, Ahita Ardalan, Ilya Kuznetcov, Robin Schertz Morgan, Edward Ellison, Jean Isaacs, John Malashock, Maxine Mahon, Maxim and Sylvia Tchernychev, Nancy Raffa, Leslie Brown, Sally Rojas, Barbara Bears, Lauren Anderson, Claudio Munoz, Jillana, Maria Tallchief, Kyra Nichols, Arnaldo Angelini, Carlos Gacio, Linda Denise Fisher Harrell, Glenn Edgerton, Taryn Kaschock Russell, Terence Marling, Peter Chu, Keturah Stickann, Kenneth Von Heidecke, and many more.

A natural born leader, mentor, and businesswoman, Ms. Torres founded two business. Happy Hour Pilates and Wellness where she is currently the Owner, and the Torres Di Dio Ballet Program where she was the Artistic Director. As a dance instructor, Ms. Torres has a well- known reputation for her care of each dancer, as well as her attention to detail, communication, adaptability, patience, and command of the studio. She has choreographed several original works for various dance companies, schools, and competitions, and has been a guest judge in Italy and the USA. Her students have gone on to place in competitions like the Youth America Grand Prix and have earned spots in BFA programs and top tier dance schools around the world.

Ms. Torres received her Pilates Certification from BASI (Body Arts and Science International) Pilates, completing the Comprehensive Teacher Training Course under BASI founder, Rael Isacowitz. Ms. Torres’s expertise includes Pilates for the Overweight Client, Pilates for the

Rehabilitating Client, Pilates for the Mature Client, Pilates for Scoliosis, Pilates for Kids, Pilates for Men, The F2 System, and the APPI (Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute) Mat Course, a rehabilitation Pilates based program. Ms. Torres is active in the Pilates community having attended several conferences, workshops, and events, such as, BASI LFTL 2019 and the PMA Conference 2019. In 2020, she was asked to join the BASI Systems team as an affiliate and consultant. Additionally, she holds a certification in Pilates for Dancers, Pilates for Pregnancy and Beyond, Pilates for Injuries and Pathologies, Progressing Ballet Technique, the Royal Ballet School Teacher Training- Continuing Education Webinars, Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/ AED from the American Red Cross, and is a NASM-CPT. Additionally, Ms. Torres earned her Masters in Pilates from BASI Pilates.

Furthermore, Ms. Torres received her AA in Accounting with Honors from Southwestern College and her BS in Business Administration-Management from San Diego State University. Utilizing her business credentials, she is an artistic and business consultant for dance studios.