Directors

Stephen Mills, Artistic Director (Bios)
Cookie Ruiz, C.F.R.E., Executive Director (Bios)
Michelle Martin, Associate Artistic Director (Bios)
William Piner, Director of Schools (Bios)
Lynne Short, Academy Principal (Bios)
Vicki Parsons, Director of Schools Operations(Bios)
Eric Caruthers, Registrar (Bios)

Vlada Sheber, Pilates Program Director (Bios)
Toni Bravo, Leaps & No Bounds Program Director (Bios)
Joan Wolfe, Creative Movement Director (Bios)

Faculty

Ian Bethany
Mary Bryce

Ed Carr
Jennifer Hart

Mari Kai Juras
Allisyn Paino Martin

Chelsea Renner
Lisa del Rosario
L. Jerry Schwender
Jaime Lynn Witts

Carla Wright

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William Piner, Director of Schools
Mr. Piner graduated from Butler University's prestigious dance program in 1982 and had a wide and varied professional performing career with companies such as Ballet Austin, the Hartford Ballet and Dance Kaleidoscope, Indiana's only professional modern company. A member of Actor's Equity Association, Mr. Piner also enjoyed a career in musical theatre before retiring to direct Ballet Austin Academy. He has been teaching extensively since 1982, including seven years on faculty at Butler University's Jordan College Academy of Dance in Indianapolis. In 1992, Mr. Piner was appointed Director of Ballet Austin Academy. Under his direction the Academy has grown to become one of the largest classical ballet schools in the country.

In 2007 the Butler Community School was established to provide expanded dance, fitness and community education opportunities to a wider audience. Because of his diverse background, Mr. Piner was asked to direct this school alongside the Academy. This merging of schools allows each to compliment the other and provides for continuity of programming. Since that time the BCS has grown from a few hundred students to over 2000, far exceeding expectations. Mr. Piner feels very fortunate to be a part of Ballet Austin at such a vibrant time in its history and looks forward to many years of growth and innovation.

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Lynne Short, Principal
Lynne Short is the Principal of the Ballet Austin Academy. In this role, she is responsible for the Ballet Austin Academy's syllabus and working with the faculty to implement an integrated curriculum. Ms. Short joined the Ballet Austin Academy in 2002.

Before moving to Texas, Ms. Short was a faculty member at Pacific Northwest Ballet from 1984-2000. During this time and under the guidance of Francia Russell, director of Pacific Northwest Ballet School (PNBS), the ideas of dedicated colleagues with various backgrounds were formed into a unified, cohesive syllabus. Ms. Short was instrumental in developing the syllabus into a written format and overseeing any revisions that were made. Much of the success of the training at PNBS is attributed to the syllabus and the collaborative efforts of its teachers. She was closely involved in the Dance Chance Program, which brings ballet training and opportunity to talented, underprivileged children in the Seattle School District.

Ms. Short's experiences while dancing with the Memphis Ballet, Hartford Ballet, First Chamber Dance Company and Pacific Northwest Ballet gave her deep appreciation of and interest in the art of teaching. She had her own school for several years after retiring from performing where she developed a mode of teaching that she continues to enrich.

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Vicki Parsons, Director of Schools Operations
Vicki Parsons is the Director of Operations for Ballet Austin Academy and the Butler Community School. Her primary role is to manage the operations of both schools and to implement and manage dance and fitness programming in the Butler Community School.

She joined the staff of Ballet Austin in 1999 after working as a Ballet Austin volunteer for two years. Ms. Parsons has over 25 years of experience working in the field of Long Term Care, specifically in direct care as a Recreation Therapist, using therapeutic recreation as a treatment intervention to improve overall wellness. Promoting physical activity to people of all ages continues to be an interest to her. Ms. Parsons taught at Austin Community College for 13 years and worked with several non-profit organizations to develop and present workshops on aging and wellness.  She holds current certifications as a Senior Fitness Instructor, a Youth Fitness Specialist, and a Group Exercise Instructor.  She is also a certified Fitness Business Manager, and just recently completed her certification in Advanced Sports Nutrition.

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Eric Caruthers, Registrar
As Registrar for Ballet Austin Academy and the Butler Community School, Eric Caruthers is responsible for registration and management of student records.  Eric is originally from Charleston, West Virginia and began his professional career as a Computer/Network Administrator in the United States Army.  Upon exiting the Military, Eric decided to call Austin his home.  He has ten years experience in Customer Service and Management.  His passion and dedication to non-profits as well as his love and enthusiasm for customer service led him to Ballet Austin in 2008 where he has become a valued member of our schools team.

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Toni Bravo, Leaps & No Bounds Program Director
Maria Antonieta (Toni) Bravo is the Leaps and No Bounds Program Director. Ms. Bravo is originally from Mexico City and holds a Master's Degree in Theatre History and Criticism, with a minor in Dance Pedagogy (University of Texas, 1987). Since 1975, she has taught and performed as a professional dance artist in Mexico, England, Israel, Costa Rica, Germany, Spain and throughout the United States. Ms. Bravo began teaching for the Ballet Austin Academy in 1990 and, since 1991, the City of Austin has funded her performance and educational projects. In 1991, 1992 and 1998, she received awards from the Texas Commission on the Arts for her workshop projects with the Travis County Juvenile Court and Austin Housing Authority Education Department. Ms. Bravo spearheaded Ballet Austin's in-school movement programs, which are currently conducted in a number of school districts throughout the Greater Austin area. She continues to develop curriculum as well as train and monitor Academy faculty.

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Vlada Sheber, Pilates Program Director & Certified Core Connections® Pilates Instructor

Originally from the Ukraine, Ms. Sheber received her training in classical ballet from the State Classical Ballet College of Russia (Voronezh). Vlada performed as a soloist in the Donetsk Ballet Theatre before immigrating to the United States. She was a member of Ballet Austin from 1992-2003 and danced a variety of classical and contemporary roles, including the original Lady Capulet in Stephen Mills' Romeo and Juliet.

In 2002, Vlada received her diploma as a Certified Core Connections® Pilates Instructor from the Core Connections® Comprehensive Teacher Training Program at the Pilates Center of Austin.  There she studied under Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle.  In 2002 Vlada worked in a physical therapy clinic with Allison Bennett (Women’s Health specialist) and joined the Ballet Austin Pilates Studio as an instructor.  In 2005 she was acknowledged as a "Pre-eminent Purveyor of Pilates" by Austin Monthly Magazine.  In 2007 Vlada was appointed Director of the Butler Community School’s Pilates Program.  She also designed the layout of the Pilates studio.  In the summer of 2009 Vlada attended a workshop conducted by Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle and Michele Larsson that gave her additional insight into working with older clients. In 2009, Ballet Austin’s Pilates studio was chosen as “Best Pilates Studio in Austin” by Rare Magazine.

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Joan Wolfe, Creative Movement Director
Joan Wolfe is the director of the Creative Movement Division at Ballet Austin Academy. In this role she guides children ages three through five in her thematically based Creative Movement classes, as well as oversees and trains Ballet Austin Academy instructors in her creative movement curriculum. In partnership with Ballet Austin Academy and the University of Texas, Ms. Wolfe also advises Dance majors in a six week Creative Movement pedagogy practicum.

Ms. Wolfe's teaching methods center around the needs and sensitivities of the young child, an insight gained through her extensive experience as an early childhood educator. In the summers, Ms. Wolfe and her husband, composer Billy Wolfe, write and direct original musicals for their program, KIDSTAR Performing Arts Camp, held at Ballet Austin Academy.

Prior to moving to Austin, Ms. Wolfe resided in San Francisco and the Bay Area teaching in private preschools and dance studios, as well as performing with independent choreographers. Ms. Wolfe received her BFA in Dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and continued her studies in Dance Therapy at JFK University in Orinda, California. Ms. Wolfe joined Ballet Austin Academy in 1997.

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Mary Bryce, Creative Movement Instructor

Over the past eight years, Mary Bryce has appeared in numerous theatre productions around Austin, including The Comedy of Errors with Austin Shakespeare, as well as Sweeney Todd and Urinetown with Summer Stock Austin. Currently a freshman at UT, she is enrolled in Plan II Honors as well as the Theatre and Dance Program. Mary earned her first degree black belt in Kung Fu at the age of 13 and has been studying dance at the Butler Community School for more than three years.

Mary has recently completed training with Ms. Wolfe to become a Creative Movement Instructor and is very excited to be teaching her first season of Creative Movement for Ballet Austin Academy.

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Jennifer Hart, Ballet Instructor
Jennifer Hart came to Ballet Austin from Minnesota Dance Theatre in 2007. Ms. Hart trained with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Maggie Black and Toni Pierce of Alvin Ailey. She danced professionally with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Ballet of the Dolls, L.A. Chamber Ballet and numerous independent choreographers. She has been commissioned for choreography by: Minnesota Dance Theatre, the Walker Art Center for its Momentum Series, James Sewell Ballet as part of the Jerome Foundation Grant, Ballet Arts Minnesota's Springboard program, and Metropolitan Ballet in Minneapolis/St. Paul. She has also been selected twice by New Choreographers on Point in New York to present work as part of their Ballet Builders series. In the spring of 2007, she choreographed a full-length production of A Midsummer Night's Dream for Metropolitan Ballet.

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Brittany Harpole, Pilates Instructor
Brittany Harpole was introduced to Pilates though her 15 years of classical ballet training. She studied under Vlada Sheber, director of Ballet Austin's Pilates Program. She is also certified with Peak Pilates and Power Pilates; both internationally recognized companies. Brittany danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's scholarship program and The Richmond Ballet. Her passion for fitness and movement guides her clients though personalized sessions to help achieve goals and specific fitness needs.

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Libby James, Ballet Instructor
Libby James graduated magna cum laude with a B.F.A. in Ballet from Texas Christian University. She danced with the Colorado Ballet for two years, performing in ballets such as Romeo and Juliet , The Sleeping Beauty , Serenade , Stars and Stripes , and Alvin Ailey's The River . Ms. James was a member of Texas Ballet Theater (formerly Fort Worth/Dallas Ballet) for three years. She performed roles such as the Spring Fairy in Cinderella , Clara in The Nutcracker , and one of the couples in Ben Stevenson's Four Last Songs.

This is Ms. James fifth season with Ballet Austin Academy.

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Mari Kai Juras, Creative Movement & Pre-Ballet Instructor
Mari Kai, originally from Aurora, OR,  is returning for her second year as a trainee with Ballet Austin. She received her early training under Diane Zink, and later joined Portland Youth Ballet under the direction of Chris and Lynn Tabor.  She has attended summer programs at Ballet Hawaii, Utah Regional Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet and Ballet Austin. She also enjoyed performing in her first Nutcracker with Ballet Austin in 2010. This year she is excited to be teaching in at Ballet Austin Academy and the Butler Community School. She would like to thank her parents for always being there and helping her make her dreams become a reality.

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Allisyn Paino-Martin, Ballet Instructor
Allisyn Paino-Martin started her dance training in New York with Ali Pourfarrokh and Kaleria Fedicheva. She has performed principal roles with the Fedicheva Ballet Company, The Indianapolis Opera and Butler Ballet. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.F.A. from Butler University. Since joining Ballet Austin in 1996, Ms. Paino-Martin has performed works by many choreographers including Stephen Mills, George Balanchine, Dwight Rhoden, Thaddeus Davis, Twyla Tharp, and David Parsons. She has danced the roles of The Chosen One in Mills’ The Rite of Spring; Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, Helena in  Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Painter in Cult of Color: Call to Color.

In 2005  Ms. Paino-Martin had the honor of dancing the role of The Survivor in the award winning Light / the Holocaust and Humanity Project. In May of 2009 she retired from the stage dancing the lead role in Stephen Mills’ Cinderella. Her teaching credits include being on faculty of the Ballet Austin Academy and working as guest faculty at Butler University. Since her retirement she has joined the Artistic Staff as the Rehearsal Director of Ballet Austin.

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Lisa del Rosario, Pre-Ballet, Ballet & Certified Feldenkrais® Instructor
Lisa del Rosario began her dance studies at the Margo Marshall School of Ballet and the Cleveland San Jose School of Ballet. She continued her training as a Heywood “Woody” McGriff Presidential Scholarship student at the University of Texas at Austin where she received her BFA in Dance. She also studied classical piano and violin for many years and in her later years Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, qigong, Droznin System, Vipassana Meditation, and the Feldenkrais Method® of movement education.

She currently is a member of DA! Theatre Collective and Sheep Army/Elsewhere Dance Theatre, and also performs her own solo work, along with independent choreographers, locally, nationally, and internationally.  Lisa has taught and choreographed at the Dougherty Arts School, the McCallum High School Fine Arts Academy, Tapestry, and the Texas Arts Project at St. Stephen's Episcopal School. Lisa is thrilled to be in her ninth season teaching at Ballet Austin Academy.

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Boo Ruiz, CPFT, Pilates Instructor
As a dancer Boo Ruiz has experienced first hand the benefits of Pilates, not only for rehabilitation purposes, but also for maintenance and fine tuning, and is a Certified Pilates Fitness instructor. She has studied under Pilates Program Director Vlada Sheber since 2000. Her understanding of the human body, the knowledge lent from her mentor Ms. Sheber, and countless hours on the equipment provide dynamic tools that Ms. Ruiz utilizes to create an independent program for each client. Her focus is on form, proper alignment of the body, and helping her clients trust their bodies so that they achieve their personal goals and reach their fullest potential. “Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential” - Winston Churchill

Ms. Ruiz has more than 20 years of dance training in a variety of mediums. She was in the pre-professional program at Ballet Austin from 1996-1999 where she was fortunate enough to study under Mr. Stephen Mills. She has trained in jazz, hip-hop, tap, lyrical, ballroom, and contemporary dance all over the country in studios such as The EDGE PAC (West Hollywood, CA), The PAC Annex (Van Nuys, CA), Broadway Dance Center (NYC, NY), and Steps (NYC,NY). Miss Ruiz was a competitive dancer from 1992-2003. In 2003 she was ranked as the number three competitive soloist in the nation (National Dance Finals in Orlando, Florida). Miss Ruiz continues to dance and audition all over the United States and Canada. Miss Ruiz began choreographing and teaching at the professional level in 2001.

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L. Jerry Schwender, Ballet Instructor
Jerry Schwender is a dance instructor for the Ballet Austin Academy and Butler Community School. His classes focus on intermediate and advanced ballet technique as well as partnering. He comes to the Ballet Austin Academy from his former position as ballet master and occasional guest artist of Ballet Austin.

Prior to joining Ballet Austin in 1997, Mr. Schwender taught dance and performed with the Richmond Ballet in Virginia for 16 years. Previously, he worked as a faculty member and a principal dancer with Seattle's Pacific Northwest Ballet. Recognized in the dance community for his partnering skills, he has also worked as a principal dancer for companies such as Pennsylvania Ballet, Houston Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet and Ballet International of London.

Mr. Schwender graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. His passion for the art form and love of the students spurs him on in his teaching career.

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Carla Wright, Creative Movement Instructor
Carla Wright received her training at the renowned Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. In 2000, she joined Pacific Northwest Ballet's Professional Division program on a full scholarship, performing in numerous PNB productions. In 2002, Carla appeared in the Dallas Summer Musicals' touring production of  My Fair Lady. In addition to her time on faculty at the Ballet Austin Academy, she has taught adults and children of all ages at the Ballet Performing Arts Center in El Paso, Texas. Carla is very excited to return to teaching at Ballet Austin after the birth of her baby girl Rosemary. 

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