Our Artistic Team

Marta Hazekamp-Stovin was born and raised in Silverton Oregon by a family of artists; her father John is a sculptor and carpenter, mother Pat Hazekamp is a retired art and drama teacher of the Silver Falls School District, and her older brother Earl Hazekamp, is also a fine artist with a focus in ceramics. Marta lives in Silverton. Her favorite things in life are teaching, performing (any form), dancing, listening to live music, arts & crafts, playing with animals and children, holding babies, traveling, friends, gardening, and a good piece of prime rib. Marta is also a certified CPR and First Aid Instructor with the American Heart Association.    

Dance

Marta started ballet lessons at the age of eight with Elaine Unger of Unger Academy of Ballet in Silverton, and studied the internationally recognized syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dancing (now known as Royal Academy of Dance. See www.rad.org.uk/), based out of London, England and affiliated with the Royal Ballet Company. It is through Mrs. Unger that Marta obtained her first experiences teaching at the age of 14, both as an assistant and then later on her own. Through the R.A.D. syllabus, Marta passed all of the children’s level examinations with flying colors and went on to complete the Major Examinations for levels Pre-Elementary, Elementary, and Intermediate I and II (note: these were the names at the time, which have now changed). Although she studied the Advanced levels I & II, due to a severe knee injury at the time, she was unable to complete the exam. However, to continue her studies with the R.A.D., Marta entered the R.A.D. teachers program and is a registered member.  Although Marta teaches an R.A.D. based syllabus, she doesn’t currently enter students into the exams.

Marta performed in countless dance performances growing up, through her hometown dance studio and elsewhere in the community. She attended several intensive summer dance programs including Whitman College’s Summer Dance Lab (see www.whitman.edu/summer_dance  Affiliated with the Joffrey Ballet Co.) where she attended many summers on scholarship. As an adolescent she danced with Eugene Ballet Company through the Salem Ballet Association in The Nutcracker as a “Party Girl”. As a teenager she was asked to Apprentice with EBC for several shows such as The Nutcracker (as Clara, Waltz of the Flowers, and Waltz of the Snow Flakes), Alice in Wonderland, and Sleeping Beauty. As an adult she danced professionally with Michael Menger’s “The Really BIG Dance Company” (yes, that’s really the name), and was an integral company member assisting with the choreography, script and musical score writing. The company performed at the Portland Center of Performing Arts on Broadway. After staging two numbers from the musical Cabaret for a talent show at Summer Dance Lab, she received enthusiastic encouragement from acclaimed dance teachers to pursue the real Broadway. In 2000 Marta decided to give it a shot and moved to NYC, and remained in residency through 2001 in both NYC and NJ. There, she continued to intensively study dance (ballet, jazz, modern, tap, theatrical, and so on) at Steps on Broadway (see www.stepsnyc.com), Dance Space (see www.dancespace.com ), Broadway Dance Center, American Repertory Ballet Co., and Princeton Ballet Co. While being observed dancing during a jazz class at Steps on Broadway, she was asked to teach a Modern Jazz class at Dance Space in down town NYC. All the while Marta performed burlesque musical comedies at cabarets such as the famous NYC venue “Don’t Tell Mama” (see www.donttellmama.com ), and continued auditioning for Broadway shows. Marta was in the final casting call for the Broadway revival of, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” when the devastations of September 11th consequently closed the show before it was open. In the November following 9/11, due to many related complications beyond her control, Marta was left with no other choice than to leave NYC and her dreams of Broadway. Upon returning to Oregon Marta continued to find opportunities in the spotlight and has had success as a freelance solo dancer, choreographer, and as a teacher. 

Marta Stovin was asked by Moscow Ballet Co. and Salem Ballet Association, along with friend Annie Joslin of American Ballet Academy of Salem, to be the "Ballet Mistress's" (audition and rehearsal directors) for the Nutcracker 2007, which was performed at the Elsinore Theatre in Salem on December 20th and 21st. It was a tremendous honor and opportunity both for Marta (and Annie Orwick) and for the students in the area, to work with such fine dancers from Russia.  Close to 100 students from Oregon auditioned to be in this Nutcracker and AAPAC's four students were the only Silverton dancers that were accepted!   

Mrs. Stovin has choreographed numerous shows and run several dance auditions for theaters such as for the musical Nunsense! at the Gallery Theatre in McMinnville, choreography for Pentacle Theatre's Hot Flashes! performed Memorial Day weekend in May 09. Marta was also the resident choreographer and dance instructor for Children's Educational Theatre (CET) in summer of 2009. 

Drama

Marta was raised behind the scenes in the theatre by her mother, where she watched her teach and build a legacy of Drama in Silverton over a period of 35 years. Marta performed in many plays throughout her childhood years (some even under her mother’s direction), as well as with Missoula Children’s Theatre and the Grand Theatre in Salem, and was the only 4 year Thespian in her high school graduating class (1996). In high school she was heavily involved in the technical end of theatre, doing all of the stage make-up, creating many set designs, costuming, and advertisement design in addition to her acting roles. Much of her theatre and acting experience has been linked to musical theatre due to her experience with dance and music. When it comes to acting Marta has special talents in numerous accents, character body language and for pulling off unusual role requirements such as vantriliquism, learning how to play the accordian, throwing a lariot rope and much more. Marta continues to be involved in the theatre both in the community and professionally. Most recently she performed with Pentacle Theatre in the musical Nunsense II as Sister Amnesia (Sister Mary Paul), where they performed an astounding 25 completely sold out shows. Her first experience as a drama director was through teaching a youth drama program at the Silver Falls Family YMCA, where she learned many lessons about teaching and directing children in theatre. Upon her mother’s retirement as a Junior High drama and art teacher from the Silver Falls School district, Marta knew that drama for our youth may soon not be available altogether due to school budget cuts. She didn’t want that to happen to the children in the community, so she decided to build a new drama program where children can experience affordable drama and stage crafts at a pre-professional level.  

Music

Marta sang in choirs all throughout Junior High and High School under the direction of Mr. Ric Cooper, and went on to receive a Full Vocal Music Scholarship at Clackamas Community College, under the direction of Mr. Lonni Cline. As a music major, she was proud of being the Lead First Soprano in their Jazz Ensemble “Mainstream” and the only one with a 4 octave range. Marta participated in the CCC Jazz Alumni group and Unistus, the alumni chamber choir group. She has sung professionally with the “Sky Dancers” and as a solo artist. One of her more recent professional singing performances was as one of The Andrew Sisters (songs such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”, etc.), which she performed with two other women for several Presidents Day weekend shows in New Mexico. Marta continues to utilize her vocal skills in musical theatre and occasional solo performances, and by coaching vocally for both singing and speaking. She prides herself on being a true “triple threat” performer.