Lisa Barretta is a talented performer, an experienced teacher, and a lifelong student of dance. Her extensive training began at Santa Clara Ballet under the direction of Benjamin Reyes and Josefa Villanueva. While studying Jazz and Tap at Marie Stinnett Dance for some twenty eight years, Lisa began choreographing, teaching classes and helped initiate the Creative Movement Plus program.

Lisa taught Correlation of the Arts at Monta Vista High School. She has also worked with the Campbell Union and Cambrian School Districts in bringing dance into the classroom. Additionally, she has worked with San Jose Children’s Musical Theater’s Conservatory of Performing Arts, Harker Academy, Leigh High School, Valley Institute for Theater Arts, Theater Artists Institute, at AMTSJ and the Summer Music Theater Conservatory; a joint project of Broadway By The Bay and Notre Dame De Namur University.

As a performer, Lisa started her career as a child in a featured role in the West Valley Light Opera production of George M. Then followed three years with Great America, a role in an NBC/Hallmark industrial production and a nomination for a Ginny Award for Best Dancer in Brigadoon with San Jose Civic Light Opera. She was a featured dancer in “An Evening with Rich Little” and for two and one half years was a Repertory Show performer with Princess Cruise Lines.

Lisa is married to Joe Barretta and the mother of two girls, Joli and Caryn. This year marks her 20th year teaching at the studio.