Nancy Lessler
Nancy Wallin Flores Lessler, better known as Nancy Flores, is an American professional dancer, actress, and mural painter. Lessler is a two-time champion of the Fred Astaire national competition in ballroom dancing. She has also appeared in the U.S. Air Force Band's Guest Artist Series when it focused on dancing. Flores and dancing partner Gary Gekhman, who appeared on ABC-TV's "Dancing with the Stars," received an award for their participation from Major General Darren W. McDew.
Early life, education, and career launch
Lessler graduated from the Beard School in Orange, New Jersey in 1964. After studying painting at the Parsons School of Design, Lesser joined the Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies, a touring ice show. She trained as an artist under Harriet and David Boyd at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, New Jersey. In 1968, Lesser received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland.Dancing and acting career
Lessler won the 1988 Pro/Am International Competition for Latin American Dancing with her son, Tytus Bergstrom. She was also a national finalist for Latin American ballroom dance event at the U.S. Rising Star Latin American Ballroom Dance competition run by the National Dance Council of America.Lessler performed in a production of the play Twelfth Night by the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Since 2005, she has also performed with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center. Her performances with the National Opera include: Salome, Don Giovanni, The Flying Dutchman,'' Madama Butterfly, Aida, Samson and Dalilah, Die Fledermaus, Andrea Chenier, La Traviata, Lucrezia Borgia, Luisa Fernanda, Hamlet, and Macbeth''.