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Durham School for Ballet
& the Performing Arts

Fostering Connection and Building Community
Strong Hearts - Strong Technique - Strong Dancers

ABOUT

Instructors

Our instructors are trained to teach

We are proud that all the members of our faculty have received certified training in their field of expertise. This training includes ABT National Training Curriculum, Escola Nacional de Ballet de Cuba, Imperial School of Dancing, and New England Conservatory of Circus Arts.

We encourage and support our staff in pursuing continuing education opportunities for the benefit of our students’ training.

Boleyn Willis

Founder & Director

Ballet, Adult Ballet, Pointe

Boleyn H. Willis began her dance training at age 5 in Durham NC, studying ballet with Adrianna Ciompi. She continued at New Performing Dance Company on scholarship, and in 1978 was granted apprenticeship to the company. In 1979 Boleyn entered NYU School of the Arts, Theater & Dance Department and studied ballet with Lawrence Rhodes, modern with Linda Tarnay , Feldenkrais with Moshe Feldenkrais and studied at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute with Geoffrey Horne and Hope Arthur.

Chelsea Polson

Chelsea Polson has had extensive experience in both performance and educational realms of the dance world over the years. Raised primarily in Augusta, Georgia, Chelsea began dancing at a young age and over the years ...

Ballet, Pointe

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Abby Hylton

Abby has a background as a competitive swimmer and was selected for the Irish National Team. After graduating secondary school, Abby moved back to the States to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and worked in the non-profit sector during and after college.

Aerial Silks, Lyra, Acro

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Amy Godfrey

Amy Godfrey has been performing in one way or another for most of her life. She spent her formative years acting in plays and touring with her punk bands. She eventually realized that performing for and working with children is her dream.

Aerial Silks, Conditioning

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Dani Snook

Dani, a native of Green Bay, WI, started dancing at age 4. She trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and pointe at various studios, until she found Green Bay School of Dance, where she trained in the pre-professional program during high school.

Modern, Ballet, Pointe

George Sanders

Born in Durham, North Carolina and growing up in New York City, George received his training from Ballet Academy East, The Rock School of Education, E’Cole Ballet (Australia) and UNCSA.

Ballet, Hip Hop

Gena Dubose

Gena has always been a free spirit, loving the adventure of moving to different cities and interacting with different people.

Aerial Lyra (Hoop)

Isabelle Frame Sanchez

Isabelle Frame originally began her dance studies at Beckley Dance Theatre in West Virginia.

Ballet, Contemporary,
Conditioning

Melinda Wiggins

Melinda Wiggins has loved dance since childhood, but only began taking dance classes as an adult.

Aerial Silks

Nicki Miller

Nicki began her ballet training at the age of 5, along with Tap and Jazz. She began studying and taking Ballet exams with the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) in England, and the Cechetti Council of America in the U.S.

Ballet, Primary, Jazz,

Contemporary, Tap

Tania Suárez

Tania, as a Cuban dancer and teacher, has dedicated her life to instructing and perfecting the Cuban methodology of classical ballet technique, with the aim of teaching and spreading this style for the preservation of its artistic values.

Ballet, Pointe,

Variations

Visiting Instructors

Eileen Thorsos

Aerial Silks

Eileen Thorsos began studying aerial silks in 2008 here at DSBPA. She has been practicing the art ever since, including co-choreographing aerial scenes for Durham Ballet Theatre productions.

Eileen Juric

Ms. Juric, fondly referred to here as "Miss Queen Eileen Standing Leg Ma'am Dude" studied with David Howard, Robert Joffrey, Maggie Black and Finis Jhung among others.

Ballet Master Classes

Courtney Liu

Courtney Liu received her training at the Cincinnati Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet School, and Duke University. She has taught all ages and levels of ballet for the past 13 years.

Ballet, Pointe

Erick Uphoff

Erick is originally from Chapel Hill, NC and currently lives in Atlanta, GA. Erick moved back east from Los Angeles, CA where he worked in many facets of the field of entertainment. From acting to dancing, to singing, this "Triple Threat" does it all, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

Master Classes, Hip Hop

Henley Crichlow

Henley Crichlow is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Primary Ballet, Ballet

Julie Degnan

Born in Kingston PA, Julie Degnan began her dance training at the age of 3 with the Degnan Ballet Center, home of Ballet Northeast, under Kristin Degnan-Boonin, Karla Kovatch, and Sara Smith Gravine.

Contemporary, Ballet,
Yoga

Kristi Vincent Johnson

Kristi Vincent Johnson, a Louisiana native, has been performing, choreographing, and teaching dance for over 15 years. Kristi received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Modern Dance from Texas Christian University.

Jazz, Broadway

Ruben Suarez

Mr. Suárez a Cuban/Dutch Chicago native, began training when he was three years old.A Raleigh School of Ballet and Durham School for Ballet and the Performing Arts alum, he continued his training at University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Contemporary, Ballet

Tama Guerra Rivero

Tama Guerra began her ballet training in Brazil with Mrs. Aracy Evans, who is best known in Brazil as the "teacher of the teachers".

Ballet, Pointe

Tracey Durbin

Tracey started dancing professionally at the age of four. After studying years of piano, theater and ballet at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan ...

Modern, Contemporary,

Jazz

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