The Team

In 2019, Conrad received an MA in Theatre Practices from Artez Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (NL), where he was a recipient of the Artez Scholarship. In 2015, he earned a BFA in Dance from Belhaven University (USA), where he was awarded the Belhaven Dance Scholarship.

Over the course of his training, Conrad studied ballet under the tutelage of Caleb Mitchell (Houston Ballet), Ravenna Tucker (Royal Ballet), Laura Morton (Milwaukee Ballet), and of course his mother (San Francisco Ballet), among others.

As a performer, Conrad has danced with a variety of project-based companies, including Bal Malhada and Hao Expression, engaging in a wide spectrum of contemporary and classical repertory. His performance experience includes works by Donald McKayle, David Bintley, Sung Yong Kim, Laura Morton, Caleb Mitchell, Cynthia Newland, Robert Wesner, and Augusto Da Silva, among others. Alongside his performing career, he has developed an extensive body of independent choreography. His work has been presented at festivals such as Regional Dance America and The Young (Belgium), and staged in theaters throughout the Netherlands and California, reflecting a choreographic voice that bridges European and American influences.

Since returning to Santa Cruz in 2021, Conrad has been an active force in the region’s dance community. He has staged beloved classics such as The Nutcracker while also creating original works, including his new adaptation of Appalachian Spring (2023). Also in 2021, he became Director of Agape Dance Academy, guiding the studio’s artistic and educational vision, and he acquired the studio in 2026, further solidifying his long-term commitment to cultivating dance in the community.

In 2024, through Santa Cruz Dance Theater, Conrad founded the Composers’ Forum, a year-round program in which he mentors a select group of students from the Santa Cruz area. Through this initiative, he leads emerging artists through the process of choreographic creation and composition, fostering the next generation of dance makers with an emphasis on craft, collaboration, and artistic voice.

Conrad Useldinger | Artistic Director

Melanie Useldinger | Chair of the Board

Melanie Useldinger brings over thirty years of experience in classical ballet education, performance, and artistic leadership to her role as a board member of Santa Cruz Dance Theatre. A dedicated advocate for excellence in dance training and performance, she has directed and choreographed numerous full-length ballets, including The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

As the Artistic Director of Agape Dance Academy from 2012 to 2025, Melanie has founded and operated multiple classical ballet studios in Santa Cruz, California, fostering strong technical foundations and a deep appreciation for the art form. She continues to mentor emerging directors and contributes to the broader dance community through choreography, Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) coaching, and community-based productions.

Melanie’s training includes scholarship study with San Francisco Ballet, the Banff School of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Ballet, and participation in the New York City Ballet Summer Intensive. She is deeply versed in both Royal Academy of Dance and Vaganova training methodologies. Her professional performance experience includes work with San Francisco Ballet under Director Michael Smuin and has had the great honor of performing at the War Memorial Opera House.  She also danced professionally with Dance Theatre of Kansas, and San Jose Dance Theatre. Melanie has recently expanded her work to Northern California, founding Ballet Chico and co-directing Sierra Pointe Ballet’s premier production of The Nutcracker. She continues to cultivate the next generation of dancers through exceptional technical training and strong artistic development.

Through her service on the board, Melanie is committed to supporting Santa Cruz Dance Theatre’s mission to enrich the community through high-quality dance education and performance.

Board of Directors

Marc Freed | Vice President & Secretary

Kathy Sherman | Chief Financial Officer

Kathy Fitzgerald Sherman is a retired attorney, entrepreneur, author, personal development seminar leader, and computer scientist. In 45 years of pre-retirement life, she learned to problem-solve, manage, sell, organize, and—in general—herd cats, while constantly learning new skills. Although not formally trained as an accountant, Kathy owned three small businesses for which she kept her own books and for fifteen years was treasurer of a condominium homeowners association that had no books when she joined. That, and her legal representation of and sale of computer systems to numerous startups, has equipped her to shepherd Santa Cruz Dance Theater through its start-up phase as its first Chief Financial Officer. She looks forward to continuing in that role as Santa Cruz Dance Theater grows.

Kathy is an avid and enthusiastic hiker, is a committed amateur photographer and videographer, and aspires to someday complete a memoir.

Laura Kreuger | Director of Patron Experience

Laura L. Kreuger, MBA, is a Silicon Valley real estate executive and entrepreneur, serving as Executive Director of Asset Locale and Principal Director of Kreuger Properties. She holds an Executive MBA from Santa Clara University and focuses on real estate investment, property management, and strategic growth.

Laura’s connection to Santa Cruz Dance Theater began through her daughter’s training and performance experience, which inspired her to support organizations that foster artistic excellence and youth development through dance. As a board member, she is passionate about strengthening community support for the arts and helping expand opportunities for the next generation of dancers.

Javonne Kreuger | Director of Fundraising

Javonne is a Bay Area business owner with more than 40 years’ experience in real estate investment and community leadership. She has long been dedicated to supporting youth arts and education, including directing and producing numerous large-scale children’s musicals while her daughters were active in ballet and theater.

Her volunteer leadership includes serving as chair of a major nonprofit fundraising committee with more than 100 volunteers and president of a high school parent guild. Today, she leads the SCDT Parent Guild and serves on the fundraising committee. With four grandchildren involved in dance, she is passionate about building strong, supportive communities for dancers and their families.