The Performer - Sara Ballard
Born and raised in Seattle, WA. She began taking dance lessons at age two, and for the next 16 years studied French ballet, traditional and rhythmic tap dance, Fosse-jazz dance and modern dance from instructor Susan Wright, a former student of Bob Fosse and dance trainer for Olympic athletes. As a teenager, she worked as a children's dance instructor and choreographer, and won several trophies for her performances in jazz and tap dancing competitions.
In 1999, she was accepted into the renowned art school Oberlin College, studying modern dance and costuming for dance and opera. At Oberlin, she was a member of the Oberlin Dance Company and VIBE Jazz/Tap Company, for which she choreographed solo and group acts. She also worked on the crew of several Oberlin Opera productions as a dresser and costume repair specialist.
Her burlesque career began in early 2004. Before becoming a founding member of Sinner Saint Burlesque, she performed as a member of and choreographer for Burning Hearts Burlesque. She has performed on some of the Northwest's most famous burlesque venues such as the Pink Door, the Columbia City Cabaret, Can Can, the Catwalk, the Rendezvous and the Fenix Underground.
She has also shared the stage with many burlesque greats, including Miss Indigo Blue, Paula the Swedish Housewife, Tamara the Trapeze Lady and Vienna Le Rouge. In 2006, she toured with Burning Hearts Burlesque, strutting her stuff in such places as Los Angeles at the LayerOne Convention, and at the 2006 Miss Exotic World Burlesque Competition closing night gala in Las Vegas, where she was honored to perform in a group act of her own choreography
Sara choreographs all of her own burlesque acts, as well as those of other performers. For SSB, she has created several group acts, including "The Suits Are Picking Up the Bill", "The Labia Limbo", "Mein Herr", "When You Got It, Flaunt It", and SSB's special Halloween rendition of "Thriller".