Geraldine Grace Johns RAD RTS

Geraldine Grace Johns was born in Wellington, New Zealand and began her ballet training at the age of four at the Deborah Hale School of Dance and Katie Haines De Vere Academy of Dance. Geraldine was the first recipient to win a scholarship at the Alana Haines Australasian Awards in1989 and studied full time at the New Zealand School of Dance in1990.

Geraldine auditioned for and won the role of Jammes, touring throughout New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Korea in Ken Hill's Original Phantom of the Opera from1993. In1998 she moved to London and began studying with the Royal Academy of Dance while teaching in the Greater London Area and Surrey County. In 1999 she then moved to Japan and taught for the Kudo School of Ballet in Yokohama.

Geraldine then completed her studies under Paula Hunt ARAD in Wellington and ran her own Royal Academy of Dance School in Auckland from 2001 to 2007. Wishing to spread her wings once again, Geraldine accepted full time study at the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in NYC. She completed the two-year course; after which, was asked back on staff to teach in the dance department from 2009.

Following graduation from the NP, she worked in theatre and film in NYC, including the acclaimed Godlight Theatre Company in 2011, as a member of the company. Her last performance was in 2016 alongside past and present members of the Martha Graham Dance Company in special performances, which honored Deborah Zall.

Geraldine opened Grace Ballet New York in 2016. In 2020 Geraldine moved to Los Angeles during Covid and opened Grace Ballet Los Angeles in September 2021.

Geraldine has guest coached and taught Master Classes in Toronto for the Canadian Royal Academy of Dance Dance Challenge 2018, 2019 and 2020 and was a guest coach and Master Class teacher for the USA Royal Academy of Dance Challenge in Long Beach, California 2019 and 2020.

Geraldine is a contractual Practical Teaching Supervisor for the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies with the Royal Academy of Dance and was an approved tutor for the Assistant Teacher Award. Geraldine is also a Silver Swans licensee teaching students over 55 years of age.

Geraldine is an ongoing co-author for wikiHow on learning Classical Ballet Technique and was voted on Expertise.com as one of 11 Top Ballet Schools in the greater Los Angeles area for 2021, 2022 & 2023.

Grace Ballet was handpicked from 180 vetted and reviewed dance schools in the Los Angeles area. Out of 24 finalists, Grace Ballet was voted number one for best ballet classes by DistinguishedTeaching.com for 2024.

Geraldine is a member of the International Dance Council - CID and holds a certification in Lead Safety in Child Care and in California Child Abuse Mandated Reporting.

Geraldine has had a children’s book dedicated to her by her past student Rachel Garnet, Ballet is for Everyone.

Grace Ballet is honored to be selected by The Nutcracker!, a renowned professional touring company, as the host studio for their youth cast at the Wiltern Theatre for December 2024 and the 2025 season.

Grace Ballet is accredited A+ with the Better Business Bureau®

Lynne Schabhetl 

Lynne graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance from Dean College in 2013. During her time at Dean, she was inducted into the Society of Leadership and Success, spearheaded two academic enrichment programs, and was an active member of both the hip hop and Women's Step teams. She also attended the prestigious Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive, expanding her training in Horton technique.

Lynne’s training spans a wide range of styles, including Horton, Limón, ballet, contemporary, jazz, musical theater, hip hop, and tap. Her choreography, Raven Like a Writing Desk, was selected for presentation at the American College Dance Festival Association in 2014. Following graduation, she began teaching throughout Southern Maine while serving as choreographer-in-residence for IndieDance Works, a modern dance company in Portland, during the 2014–2015 season.

After relocating to Los Angeles in 2015, Lynne trained and performed with the company Academy of Villains for two years before shifting her focus fully to dance education. With over 15 years of teaching experience, she has led classes, repertory work, and dance camps, and continues to foster a love of movement in the next generation of dancers.