Peter Hershey

Beginning III & Intermediate

Peter Hershey began his dance training at the Seiskaya Ballet Academy in St. James, New York at age eleven.  He attended high school at the Nassau B.O.C.E.S. Cultural Arts Center while training at the School of American Ballet, and went on to attend The Juilliard School under the artistic directorship of Benjamin Harkarvy.  Peter also received mentorship from New York-based teachers Francis Patrelle and Johan Renvall.

As a member of Ballet San Jose for twelve seasons, Peter was best known for dancing the role of Johnny in Dennis Nahat’s Blue Suede Shoes.  His repertoire also included the Champion Roper in Rodeo and Prince Alexis in The Nutcracker, as well as soloist roles in works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Jessica Lang, Donald McKayle, Dennis Nahat, Twyla Tharp, and Stanton Welch.  In addition to his work with BSJ, Peter was most recently a closing member of Company C Contemporary Ballet, where he was featured in works by Charles Anderson, Maurice Causey, Susan Jaffe, Charles Moulton, and Yuri Zhukov.

When not performing, Peter enjoys teaching ballet for many schools throughout the Bay Area, and is thrilled to be rejoining the faculty of Western Ballet.  His class combines a wide range of influences from his training and career, resulting in a unique and modern approach to the art form.  Peter is known for his musical sensibility, attention to movement dynamics, and compassionate teaching style.