School
Faculty
Lisa Mayer Lang, School Director
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| Ms. Mayer began her Toledo Ballet training at the age of six under the direction of Marie Vogt. Two years later she was cast as Clara in the Nutcracker, which was one of her most thrilling moments while studying at Toledo Ballet. Ms. Mayer went on from Toledo Ballet and won the prestigious Toscanini scholarship at the acclaimed Interlochen Fine Arts camp. She furthered her training at Ruth Page in Chicago with Larry Long, and Ballet West where she worked with the great William Christiansen, Bruce Marks and Toni Lander. For 20 plus years, Ms. Mayer worked as a professional dancer in NYC and studied with some of the best ballet masters in the world. Some of her Master Teachers and Colleagues include the great David Howard, Nancy Bielski, Finis Jhung, Michael Vernon, Bobby Blankshine among others. She has performed internationally, partnering with former New York City Ballet principal Gen Horiuchi . Some of Ms. Mayer’s favorite roles she has performed include leading roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, Symphony in C, Eugene Onegin, and of course, the Nutcracker. Broadway credits include CATS (Sillabub, and Victoria), CAROUSEL at Lincoln Center, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, where she performed the lead role of Belle at the famed Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. She performed in Barry Manilow’s show HARMONY (playing opposite Patrick Wilson) , KISS ME KATE, with Tony award winning choreographer Kathleen Marshall, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE and WONDERFUL TOWN with Brooke Shields. Ms Mayer was also featured at CARNEGIE HALL in the WOMEN OF BROADWAY, with such legendary performers as Julie Andrews, Barbara Cook, Angela Lansbury, Rosie O’Donnell, and Liza Minelli to name just a few. She also danced behind Gene Kelly on ABC television in LIBERTY WEEKEND. Lisa has worked in television with Conan O’brien, Regis Philbin, Kathy Lee Gifford, Rosie O’Donnell as well as in film and commercials. Lisa has also served as a judge for many national dance competitions. In 2006, Ms. Mayer was named Toledo Ballet School Director. She is an ABT CERTIFIED TEACHER, who has successfully completed the ABT ® Teacher Training intensive in the Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, in the prestigious Musical Theatre Department, one of the top 2 programs of its kind in the United States. lmayer@toledoballet.net |
Michael Lang
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| Michael Lang began dancing at the age of four in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. He has studied dance at the Jordan School of Fine Arts and with Linda Rees in Indianapolis; with Gus Giordano and at Lou Conte’s in Chicago and at Steps and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Mr. Lang also studied tumbling with Dwight McPheeters and was an Indiana State Champion Diver. Mr. Lang’s theater credits include the original Los Angeles and Broadway productions of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, in which he performed the role of Lefou and was featured for nearly a decade as the “Tumbling Carpet;” CATS in Hamburg, Germany; DAMES AT SEA; HELLO DOLLY in Chicago, IL: A CHORUS LINE, Michigan Ensemble; 42nd STREET, Indianapolis, IN; GREASE, Miami, FL. Television and film credits include: Cold Case, Late Night with David Letterman, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and General Hospital. Mr. Lang has also taught competitive gymnastics and is a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and a licensed massage therapist. Mr. Lang serves on the faculty of The Toledo Ballet and has served as Artistic Director of its spring productions. Additionally, Mr. Lang has choreographed St. John’s Jesuit High School’s musicals, LÉS MISERABLES (2008) and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (2009). mlang@toledoballet.net |
Steven Brown
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| Steven began his ballet studies at The Toledo Ballet School with Marie Vogt and Velta Cernonok. He has gone on to study on scholarship at many highly regarded schools including Houston Ballet Academy, the former School of Cleveland Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, and The School of American Ballet and Steps Studio in NYC. In addition to dancing lead roles with Toledo Ballet, Mr. Brown has also danced with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Ballet Ensemble, Wisconsin Ballet Theatre and Montana Ballet. Mr. Brown completed degree requirements and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ballet from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Mr. Brown also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of Toledo. Steven has been on th faculty of The University of Toledo, Owens College and The University of Findlay. Steven has also taught at Cincinanti School for Creative and Performing Arts and dance FX Academy, Toledo. Most recently, Steven has been a guest artist with the Bartlesville Civic Ballet in Oklahoma. Steven continues to dance, teach and choreograph works with The Toledo Ballet. steven.brown@toledoballet.net |
Tess Caputo
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| Tess Caputo began her dancing career in 1987 at the early age of 3. She received her initial 13 years of training from the Barn Studio of Dance in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, supplemented by summer intensives at the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. In the summer of 2000, Ms. Caputo attended the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts on scholarship for ballet. At age 16, Ms. Caputo continued on with intense training (2 classes a day, 6 days a week) at the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet. Accepted to attend the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music at age 17, Ms. Caputo completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ballet on scholarship. During her ballet career, Ms. Caputo has trained and performed with various companies, including the Pennsylvania Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Toledo Classical Ballet and Ballet Theatre of Scranton. She has performed variations from La Bayadére, Don Quixote, Dracula, La Esmaralda, Giselle, Napoli, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, and many others, including original works. |
Jennifer Cresswell
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| An artist of many hats, soprano Jennifer Cresswell was last seen on the Toledo Opera mainstage as Frasquita in Carmen. Other roles in her repertoire include Blanche in Andre Previn's Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche de la Force in Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites and Anna Maurrant in Kurt Weill's Streetscene. In 2011, Ms. Cresswell made her debut as a soloist with the Toledo Symphony. A former participant of the Toledo Opera Young Artist program, she now serves as Artistic Director for the Education and Outreach department and specializes in transforming full-length, classic operas into 40-minute traveling shows for children, including this year's production based on Richard Wagner's ring cycle, The RING. You can also hear Jennifer as the host of Morning and Evening Classics on WGTE public radio FM91. Ms. Cresswell resides in Temperance, with her husband Brad and two children, Elliott and Brenda. |
Kristin DelVerne
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| Kristi holds a BA in Fine Arts from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati with a major in dance. While getting her degree, she also performed numerous classical ballets with the Cincinnati Ballet as a corps member. She then moved on to dance at the Ruth Page Foundation in Chicago as well as the Chicago Ballet. She began her training at The Toledo Ballet and spent summers training in New York and The North Carolina School oh the Arts. She has been back in the Toledo area teaching with The Toledo Ballet for more than 10 years. Contact Kristin. |
Ashley Duke
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| Ashley trained with Toledo Ballet before moving to NYC to train with The Ailey School. She has trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, Horton Based Modern, Graham Based Modern, West African, and more. Ashley's summer training includes American Ballet Theatre and Earl Mosley's Institute for the Arts. |
Domonique Glover
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| Domonique Glover did not begin dancing until his junior year of college at Morehouse College when he joined a newly formed hip hop troupe named FootWork. As the troupe performed around campus at special events and throughout the Atlanta/Northern Georgia area, Domonique began peaking an interest in more technical forms of dance. During his last year of college, Domonique enrolled in jazz and ballet classes at Spelman College and also joined the Spelman Dance Theater, a student company, in which he performed modern and West African for only a semester before graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Domonique moved back home to Toledo, Ohio after graduation where he began dancing at OnStage Studio located just outside Toledo. Very soon after, he earned a spot on the studio staff. Domonique has also performed with the Toledo Ballet in their spring 2011 hit showcase "Museum of Dreams", the 71st "Nutcracker", and in various local outreach programs. |
Jeanie Bugert Hayward
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| Jeanie has a B.Ed. from The University of Toledo with graduate work in Guidance and Counseling. She is a former ballet student of Marie Bollinger Vogt and Velta Cernonok at The Toledo Ballet. Jeanie also enjoyed tap and jazz, allowing her the opportunity to "tap down Broadway" in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade six years ago. She has studied ballet in New York City at Steps on Broadway with David Howard and Nancy Bielski and the Joffrey School of Ballet. Her teaching experience includes working with first graders in both the Toledo Public and Sylvania Public School Systems. She taught at Olivet Christian Nursery School and served as the Director for 18 years. Jeanie has taught ballet in the Toledo Area for over ten years including The Toledo Ballet School and BGSU. Nine years ago she created a program "Learning in Motion" which takes dance and movement into the Central City Ministry Schools. This year she has added Mary Immaculate School to her schedule. jeanie.hayward@toledoballet.net |
Ann Heckler
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| Ann Heckler has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Theatre/Dance from Alma College. As a young girl she trained at the Ballet Arts School in Kalamazoo, Michigan and was a member of the Ballet Michigan Ensemble. She danced Taglioni in Pas de Quatre at the summer intensive training at the prestigious Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. From 1985 to 1989 Ms. Heckler performed with the Orchesis Dance Company at Alma College (where she danced the part of Kitri in Don Quixote) and danced with the Alma Highland Kiltie Dancers. While a student at Alma College, Ms. Heckler taught a semester of Ballet I, II and III. Throughout her extensive teaching career, she has taught pre-ballet through elementary classical ballet classes and character classes, including Mazurka, Tarantella, Czardas, and the Highland Fling. In addition to teaching weekly ballet classes, Ms. Heckler is also a Registered Yoga Instructor, teaching weekly yoga class for teens and adults at the Toledo Ballet studios. ann.heckler@toledoballet.net |
Sean Howe
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| Sean Howe is a senior at Toledo School for the Arts where he majors in dance. He has been a part of Toledo Ballet for 4 years and joined the faculty last year. He also dances for Company C Dance Club. He has performed in The Nutcracker, Museum of Dreams, and If These Walls Could Dance for Toledo Ballet as well as many other productions. |
Caitlin Hudson
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| Caitlin began dancing in Phoenix at the age of seen. At the age of twelve, she began dancing professionally with the modern dance company Center Dance Ensemble under the direction of Frances Cohen. At fourteen, she enrolled in New School for the Arts. After relocating to Michigan, Ms. Hudson danced in Flint and at Eastern Michigan University with Sherry Jerome, where she danced the role of Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream. Ms. Hudson moved to Toledo in 2006 and recently joined the Toledo Ballet faculty and danced in the 2007 Nutcracker. caitlin.hudson@toledoballet.net |
Kathy Humphrey
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| Kathy, a former student of the Toledo Ballet, comes home to share with us her knowledge and love of dance. She furthered her ballet training in Akron, Chicago, NYC, and Paris, and expanded her dance training by studying modern, jazz, African dance, and yoga. She has performed professionally with modern dance companies in NYC, and jazz in Paris. Kathy has many years of experience teaching young dancers through adults. Most recently, she taught in the Toledo Ballet’s First Steps program in Toledo Public Schools’ kindergarten classrooms. kathy.humphrey@toledoballet.net |
Armon Miller
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| Armon, with devoted assistance from her great grandmother, Mary Jeffries, was a ballet student at The Toledo Ballet School, won herself major scholarships to study at the School of American Ballet, and went on to dance with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Alvin Ailey II. Armon has been a jazz instructor at The Toledo Ballet School for many years. She recently choreographed Missa Kenya which Toledo Ballet co-presented with Masterworks Chorale. armon.miller@toledoballet.net |
Olivia Posladek
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| Olivia Posladek has trained under Inna Stabrova, Dmitriy Tuboltsev, and Sergei Fokin at the Ohio Conservatory of Ballet for more than 15 years. She had also been a member of a youth ballet company where she performed solos and corps de ballet pieces from original ballet choreography including top award winning solos from "Paquita," a pas de trios from "Sleeping Beauty," the pas de trios (Odalisques) from "Le Corsaire," the Sugar Plum solo variation, the lead in Waltz of the Flowers, Waltz of the Snow, Chinese, a Dancing Doll, and Russian from "The Nutcracker," the lead and corps of the Jug Dance, the Leaf Dance, and a duet of Party Guests from "La Bayadere," the Lise solo variation from "La Fille Mal Gardée," "Frescoes" from "The Little Humpbacked Horse," Kitri variation from "Don Quixote," a waltz and the Spanish duet from "Swan Lake" as well as many other classical and contemporary choreographed pieces. Olivia has attended Orlando Ballet School 's summer intensive and was also accepted to Boston Ballet School 's summer program. She has participated in many master classes from professional companies such as ABT, Houston Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet and the Kirov Ballet. Olivia has 5 years of teaching experience as a ballet instructor in the northeast Ohio area, has taught private lessons to award winning students, and has prepared students to compete in the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. Olivia holds a BS in Exercise Science from the University of Akron, where she graduated summa cum laude, and is now working to complete her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Toledo. |
Beverly Robinson
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| Ms. Robinson holds an MFA in Dance Performance from University of Michigan as well as a BA in Dance from Bowling Green State University. In addition to being a Toledo Ballet faculty member who teaches tap, she currently also teaches at Dance Alliance in Saline, MI and for Ann Arbor Public Schools Community Education and Recreation. Prior to these positions, Ms. Robinson served as Assistant Professor for dance majors and other students at Bowling Green State University as well as an instructor in the Arts Unlimited programs at BGSU. Contact Beverly |
Cheryl Walter
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| Ms. Walter grew up dancing at Toledo Ballet and danced with the Company from 1981 – 1990. While a student at University of Toledo, she was a Dancing Rocket-et. Her dance teacher training includes Cecchetti Council of America Teacher's Exam Levels I – III. She graduated from University of Toledo with a BA in Spanish and currently also works as a microbiologist at Mercy St. Vincent and Mercy St. Anne Hospitals. Contact Cheryl |
Ariel Warrick
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| Ariel has grown up with Toledo Ballet, beginning at age 8. Toledo Ballet is truly a Warrick family affair, with 4 Warrick children studying ballet. Ariel has performed many roles including Snowflake, Spanish and Flower in Nutcracker, Mazurka and Czardas Girl in Coppelia, Wendy in Peter Pan, and solos in the original production Outside the Lines. Ariel joined the Toledo Ballet faculty in 2008. ariel.warrick@toledoballet.net |
Sara Wegrzyn
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| Sara Wegrzyn has been dancing since the age of 4 and has been sharing her love through teaching for the past 7 years. Sara studied dance at Bowling Green State University and graduated with the award of outstanding dance minor. Her choreography has also been recognized with two outstanding choreography awards at the dance competition level. Sara's experience in teaching includes jazz, tap, lyrical, and contemporary. |