CLEARLAKE – Dance has long been a part of Lake County arts culture. Louise Coats, a local legend in the Lake County dance community, has been Clearlake’s premier provider of tap, jazz, and ballet instruction for decades. Since Mrs. Coats’ last dance recital several years ago, east Lake County residents have had to travel out of town to find studios that offer training in these specific areas.

Annette Albertson Lee, a graduate of Louise Coats Dance Studio turned award-winning choreographer, pledges to change that. “Growing up in Clearlake was a very positive experience for me, and a big part of that experience was dance,” Lee said.

Former Miss Lake County and Miss Nevada, Lee holds a master’s degree in business administration and has worked in marketing and logistics for the past eight years.

She also has worked with several dance studios in the San Jose area as an instructor, choreographer, staff trainer and curriculum writer.

“Teaching dance to children is my true passion,” she said. “I love it.”

Lee and her new husband, fifth grade teacher Shane Lee, recently moved back to Lake County to be closer to her parents, Bonnie and Jay Albertson.

Though she currently teaches children and adults at Middletown’s Expressive Motion studio, Lee says the Konocti Dance Team will cater to children ages 18 months to 12 years old.

“Right now our No. 1 priority is to provide an affordable, high-quality tap, ballet and jazz dance program for the children of the east Lake County area,” she said.

For more information about Annette Lee and the Konocti Dance Team, please visit www.geocities.com/dance.konocti or call 707.921.9312.

Spring classes are forming now.