Meet Helen Nasillski | Director of Silver Lake Ballet School

We had the good fortune of connecting with Helen Nasillski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Helen, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I hadn’t really thought about starting my own business. I had danced in companies around the world but I also received all my formal teaching credentials from The Royal Academy of Dance in UK prior to moving to the US. Before starting a family I had been teaching at various schools in L.A., most notably Westside Academy of dance. Once my son was in pre-school and I had a new baby, I wasn’t working outside the home. I asked his pre-school if they’d like me to teach a little movement class for my son’s class. They loved the idea, and we pushed aside the tables and chairs and had a little creative dance class once a week. Eventually other parents caught wind of what was happening and also wanted this for their children. I then discovered that the pre-school which is a Jewish Community Centre in Silver Lake, had a real dance studio on their premises, so as my classes started to grow, I moved my classes into the more formal setting. As the children grew and moved on from the Pre-school, many wanted to continue their ballet journey and so every year I was adding on classes to accomodate them. Before I knew it, I had a school!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I learned to dance in UK, I only went because my friend did. I was 11 and had to go in a 6 year old class because that’s the way it worked back then. My friend eventually dropped but I kept going. It wasn’t easy as both my parents worked full time so I had to take 2 trains and then walk about half a mile (with my sister). I don’t feel I was a natural dancer; I loved it, but had to really work at it. When I got to the age where one has to make a decision to pursue it full time or not (around 13), my parents felt it wasn’t a viable career and so dissuaded me from auditioning for ballet school. I went to a College to become a tri-lingual secretary instead. My boyfriend at the time (later to become my husband), encouraged me to go back and audition for ballet shool – I thought it was crazy, I was 19 by then and felt that ship had sailed. However I took his advice and actually got in! The ballet mistress told me my turn out was average, my turns were not good and my beats needed work, but they felt that I had great determination and took correction well! I was in!!
It was a great lesson in just going for something and not second guessing the outcome.
I went on to dance and teach and feel incredibly lucky to do so.

I try to buoy my students up as they go through that difficult teenage time, especially in these days of social media. I always have found solace in a dance studio and I hope they find it a safe space too.

It was difficult during covid, but the students perservered. Before the lockdown we were in the final stages of a show about Beatrix Potter; we ended up filming it on zoom and presenting it as a zoom show. The following year I filmed each class in a different outdoor setting; hilltop, woods, beach. I called the show Out of the Box – it was a creative challenge for me, something I had never done before, but I found it very exhilerating and rewarding, as did the children. It ended up being a wonderful experience and a lovely show presented as a short film.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The beach would be the first stop, especially if they were coming in from Europe. I like the beach by the Annenberg Beach House, El Porto to watch the surfers or Ocean Park for that quintessential L.A. beach madness! Before heading to the beach we’d pick up some fantastic sandwiches from La Gjusta in Venice; I particularly like the vegetarian one, but I know people who rave about the brisket sandwich. They also have a charming shaded patio which feels as if you are in Tuscany. There are so many great art galleries and museums in L.A.; I would do a whole downtown experience with the Broad, Mocha or Japan America museum. And being downtown would of course have to stop for a bite at the Grand Central Market, or if in Little Tokyo at Suheiro cafe for a nice bowl of ramen.
I also really enjoy the different bars in L.A., I live in Highland Park and can walk to so many good ones – we would start out for a reasonably priced cocktail on the pation of La Cuevita, or a more upscale experience at Checker Hall or Good Housekeeping. I also love the bowl shaped gin and tonics at La Otono. Dinner at Hippo or Cafe Birdie.
A visitor should also not miss out on the taco trunks in my neighbourhood – cheap and delicious.
I am also within walking distance of York Blvd where there are some great little boutiques. We would start off with a yoga class at Highland Park yoga, grab a coffee at Collage and then stroll along checking out Dotter, Mi Vida and all the other great shops.
After a week of these kind of activities, I would take them for a spa experience at a Korean spa like WiSpa or a more upsclale one like Olympic Spa.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The Silver Lake Independent Jewish Community Centre was run at the time by Ruthie Shavit. She really believed in my programme and felt that it enhanced the community and so championed me. At one point a gym club wanted to take over the studio space and offer their own classes, but Ruthie insisted it stay as it was under my tutelage. She is no longer Director there, but the relationship with the JCC has continued.

I also have been lucky within the community; such a lovely group of parents and students who have always been so supportive. This was especially evident during covid when many stuck with me through zoom classes – there were students dancing in their kitchens, bedrooms and garages!

As my own children grew, the business became somewhat of a family business with them all chipping in to help me at showtime. The shows used to be held in the local Church hall; my son, Tristan would run the sound board, my daughter, Bianca who also danced in the shows was essential to every step of the perfomance, jumping in to understudy whenever necessary and at whatever level, and generally do whatever I needed. My husband Alan Katz filmed the whole show and produced it.

As the business grew I took on another teacher, Cindy Hygate. With Cindy we took the school to a whole other level both in the caliber of classes and in creating spectacular shows. She was indeed my right hand woman for about a decade.

Website: silverlakeballetschool.com

Instagram: mshelenssilverlakeballetschool