Bender, Meri

            Meri Bender has been teaching, dancing and choreographing in the Los Angeles area for over 30 years. She received her early training at the American School of Dance, studying ballet with Eugene Loring and modern dance with Gloria Newman. Ms Bender went on to dance professionally with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, Los Angeles Junior Program and Gloria Newman Dance Theater. She received her B.A. (with honors) and MA in Dance from UCLA and was a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship. She has been on the faculty of SMC for the last 25 years and is currently teaching beginning and intermediate modern dance.