Boleyn Willis-Zeger

Founder & Director

Ballet, Adult Ballet, Pointe, Jazz

Boleyn H. Willis-Zeger 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. 

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.

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. 

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 ...

Gena Dubose

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

Isabelle Frame

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

Henley Crichlow

Henley Crichlow was born in Durham, NC. She began her dance training at the age of 10 and began dancing with Durham Ballet Theatre and Durham School for Ballet and the Performing Arts at the age of 12.

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.

Madison Ford

Virginia Madison Ford was born and raised in Durham, NC. She started dancing at the age of 6 at Bounds Dance Studio in Chapel Hill, NC under Barbara Bounds Malone

Melinda Wiggins

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

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 ... 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

ShaLeigh Comerford

Comerford’s professional dance career began with the Roanoke Ballet Theatre where she performed and toured principle roles with the company from 2000-2004.

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".