The case against a renowned Bay Area ballet coach accused of sexually assaulting at least two of his young students is moving forward after a Contra Costa County judge ruled on Friday that there is sufficient evidence for Viktor Kabaniaev to face trial.
Kabaniaev was arrested in January at his home in San Mateo County under suspicion of 16 counts of sexual assault against minors. He was 54 at the time of his arrest.
At the preliminary hearing Friday morning in Martinez, Judge Nancy Stark heard evidence from Detective Gabe Mauro of the Walnut Creek Police Department. Mauro testified that one of Kabaniaev’s former students called police late last year to report alleged assaults from over a decade ago.
The former ballet student accused the dance coach of repeatedly raping and molesting her from 2000 to 2003. She was 12 years old when she alleged he first assaulted her.
Evidence in the case includes a conversation between the woman and Kabaniaev in which “he was not aware he was being recorded,” Deputy District Attorney Devon Bell said.
A few weeks later, another former student — former ballet dancer Miko Fogarty — came forward alleging Kabaniaev touched her inappropriately when she was 13. That was reported as a one-time incident.