Trainee Faculty

Shawn Stevens is originally from Houston, Texas. At age 14, she attended Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts under the direction of Sydelle Gomberg. She continued her training at the School of American Ballet. In 1982, she was chosen by George Balanchine to join the ‪New York City Ballet (NYCB). During her time with the company, she performed principal roles in Balanchine's ballets, including Symphony in Three Movements, The Four Temperaments, and Symphony in C. She also danced in the original cast and performed principal roles in Brahms/Handel, choreographed by Twyla Tharp and Jerome Robbins. ‬‬‬‬‬‬ Stevens has worked with many other choreographers, such as Peter Martins, William Forsythe, Edward Villella, Ib Andersen, and Joseph Duell. During the 10 years she performed with NYCB, she danced in the TV programs Live from ‪Lincoln Center with NYCB and Dance in America. She has also appeared as a principal dancer with the New York City Opera in Cinderella. In 1991, Stevens joined Twyla Tharp Dance, where she performed for five years. With Tharp's company, she performed repertoire works as well as new works as a principal. She was asked to dance in the Cutting Up tour with Tharp and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Stevens’ film credits include I'll Do Anything and In the Upper Room, both choreographed by Tharp. Stevens was personally invited to perform in Tharp’s hit Broadway musical Movin' Out. She has been teaching ballet at several schools, universities, and companies throughout the United States. She is approved by The George Balanchine Trust to restage George Balanchine works and also stages works by Tharp through the Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation.

Trainee Faculty

Juliann McAloon started her dance training in Cornwall, NY at Dance Design School. While at Dance Design she completed her Royal Academy of Dance Exams and earned her Solo Seal award in Toronto, Canada. Juliann has attended many ballet summer intensives such as The Rock School, Boston Ballet, and New York State Summer School of the Arts on scholarships. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Ballet and an Outside Field in Exercise Science at Indiana University. While at the university, she trained under Violette Verdy and Michael Vernon. She was also given the opportunity to be coached one on one by world renowned dancers and artists such as Cynthia Gregory, Victoria Simon, Helen Starr, and Mimi Paul. Juliann has danced a variety of lead roles in ballets ranging from Twyla Tharp’s Sweet Fields and Agnes de Milles Rodeo, to Balanchine’s Serenade, Valse Fantasie, Four Temperaments, Raymonda Variations, and Who Cares?. Juliann danced with Sarasota Ballet from 2010-2012 before moving to Dallas to dance for ACB. Juliann was a principal dancer for ACB for eight seasons and retired in 2020.

Modern Faculty

Marlee Fleisher is a choreographer, dancer, and creator. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Marlee has trained and worked in the Dallas dance community for over 20 years. She is an alumnus of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and Adelphi University. Before the establishment of Meat Market Productions, Marlee Fleisher received the Kyle Richards choreography award and created a full evening production ‘not to disappoint, but” in April 2021. She has collaborated with other artists and professors on numerous short films and pieces and is the director of the newly formed dance company - Meat Market Productions. Marlee teaches weekly Modern class at ACB and is on the faculty of Booker T Washing High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

First Steps Faculty

Sydney May, originally from Dallas, Texas, is very excited to be dancing with Avant Chamber Ballet. Prior to this season, she was dancing with BalletNext in New York City as well as at the University of Utah in the School of Dance. She has performed a variety of roles in both contemporary and classical ballet, and recently performed the principal role of Giselle last fall. She has trained with prominent institutions such as American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Boston Ballet, and San Francisco Conservatory. She also attended Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts while growing up in Dallas, where she was able to further her dance training before attending the University of Utah for a BFA in Ballet Performance. Some of her favorite roles have been the leading duet in Stephen Petronio's MiddleSex Gorge, Fannie in La Vivandiere, and Giselle in Giselle.

Intermediate Level Faculty

Kaila Bryant, a native of Dewitt, Michigan, trained at the Miami City Ballet School before attending Indiana University, where she received a degree in Ballet and International Studies. While attending IU, she performed soloist and principal roles in ballets by George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Violette Verdy, and Michael Vernon. While in school, Bryant was an instructor at Indiana University’s Pre College Ballet Year Round and Summer Programs. Upon graduation, Bryant joined Saint Louis Ballet, where she performed in ballets such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker, as well as Balanchine’s Western Symphony, Serenade, and Who Cares?. Bryant also originated works by Tom Gold, Kevin Jenkins and Brian Enos. Bryant was a principal guest artist with Albany Berkshire Ballet, touring as The Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker and as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She performed with Tom Gold Dance in New York City, and was a guest artist with Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco. Since joining Avant Chamber Ballet, Bryant has performed principal roles in Paul Meija’s The Nutcracker, Christopher Wheeldon’s The American Pas de Deux, and Katie Puder’s Brahms Horn Trio and A Soldier’s Tale. Since moving to Dallas, Bryant has been on staff at Artistry In Motion Performing Arts Center as Ballet and Pointe instructor, and at ACB’s summer programs. Currently, she is the lead instructor in ACB’s inaugural year of the pre professional division’s Intermediate Level expansion, and is the Children’s Cast Rehearsal Director for ACB’s Fort Worth Tour of The Nutcracker. This is Kaila's fourth season with Avant Chamber Ballet.

Guest Faculty

Michele grew up in Dallas, Texas. She began her training with Ann Etgen and Bill Atkinson at the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet. At the age of sixteen she moved to New York City to attend the School of American Ballet on full scholarship. Two years later, she became a member of the New York City Ballet. In her twelve year career at New York City Ballet, Michele had the opportunity to perform many soloist and principal roles including: Balanchine’s “Apollo”,” Rubies”, “Agon”, “Symphony in Three Movements”,” A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Stars and Stripes” to name a few. Michele also originated many roles including Jerome Robbins’ “West Side Story Suite”, Peter Martins’” Echo”, Christopher Wheeldons’” Slavonic Dances”, and David Parsons’ Touch”. In 2000, Michele joined Texas Ballet Theater under Ben Stevenson. While at TBT, she performed several principal roles including Ben Stevenson’s “Copellia”, “Four Last Songs”,” Dracula”, and “Peer Gynt” along with Balanchine’s “Allegro Brilliante” and “The Four Temperaments”. Michele has also made several guest artist appearances including “Tchaikovsky pas de Deux”, “Who Cares”, “Barber Violin Concerto”,” Carmina Burana”, “Rubies” later joining Bruce Wood Dance Company where she was also Company Manager.

Guest Faculty

Mr. Brooksher grew up in Mesa, Arizona where he received his early training at Ballet Etudes and Jeanne’s School of Dance. At the age of 13 he left Mesa for Washington D.C. to attend the Kirov Academy of Ballet (KAB), one of the premier ballet training schools in the world, on full scholarship for their accelerated professional training program. His studies included ballet technique, repertoire, technical theory, pas de deux, historical court dance, character dance, contemporary movement, pedagogy, music theory, nutrition, kinesiology, painting, sculpture, injury prevention, Pilates and Gyrotonics. Mr. Brooksher graduated from KAB with High Honors, and from Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School with a Certificate of Merit, in 1993.

Throughout his career Mr. Brooksher performed all of the great classical ballets and worked with the most influential choreographers of the time. He is known as one of the greatest partners of his generation. Among all of the leading male roles he performed he is most fond of the role of Albrecht in Giselle. After dancing professionally in The Kirov Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Internationale, Boston Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theater, Mr. Brooksher returned home for a single season with Ballet Arizona before embarking on his teaching career.Throughout his career Mr. Brooksher regularly took the time to return to his home in Mesa to serve as temporary faculty for Ballet Etudes and Phoenix School of Ballet. Under his tutelage his students have gone on to become professional performing artists in theaters all over the world. Mr. Brooksher founded and directed Brooksher Ballet in Mesa, Arizona to provide professional training opportunities in his hometown while simultaneously continuing to work as a director and faulty member with other dance organizations around the country.

Mr. Brooksher currently serves in a number of national and international organizations as well as being a faculty member for the Oklahoma City Ballet Yvonne Chouteau School. He is a member of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – International Dance Council and has also served as the United States international representative and director of pedagogy for the Classical Dance Alliance. Mr. Brooksher also served as Associate Artistic Director for his alma mater, The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. and was involved in all aspects of running an international boarding school and high-level dance education organization.

Guest Faculty

Riolama Lasa-Lorenzo has an extensive, professional ballet career which began after she fled Cuba with her family in the Mariel Boatlift event in 1980. In 1993, she received the prestigious Princess Grace Award and trained in New York City Ballet’s School of American Ballet. In 1995, she was invited to join the New York City Ballet where she danced principal roles in many ballets and originated roles in works by Jerome Robbins and Peter Martins. Between 2003 and 2012, Ms. Lorenzo was a Soloist and then a Principal in the Pennsylvania Ballet . During that time, she also earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

Guest Faculty

Jock Soto, who is half Navajo Indian and half Puerto Rican, was born in Gallup, New Mexico, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. At the age of five, he began studying ballet with local teachers after seeing a television special featuring Edward Villella in the Rubies section of George Balanchine’s Jewels. Mr. Soto continued his studies at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. While at the School, Mr. Soto danced the role of "Luke" in Peter Martins' The Magic Flute, which was choreographed for the School's 1981 Workshop performances. That year he became a member of the Company's corps de ballet. In June 1984 he was promoted to the rank of soloist, and one year later he became a principal dancer.

Mr. Soto's extensive repertory includes featured roles in almost every Balanchine ballet in NYCB repertoire.

Mr. Soto has appeared as a guest artist with the Kirov Ballet in Jewels in 2003 and at the Bolshoi Theatre with stars from New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre in 2003.

In addition to his performing career, Mr. Soto was a member of SAB's faculty from 1996-2015 and is considered one of the legendary teachers of this generation. Since his retirement from New York City Ballet in 2005, he has held master classes and choreographed across the country. His most recent projects have included multimedia and multi-discipline creations with Wheelwright Museum, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Harrison Coll and Karen Armitage

Mr. Soto was the recipient of the Casita Maria Award for Hispanics and The First Americans in the Arts Trustee Award. Friends In Deed recognized Mr. Soto for his patronage of AIDS research, and in 2002, the School of American Ballet presented him with the Mae L. Wein Award for Distinguished Service.

Our Meals, a cookbook written by Mr. Soto and former NYCB principal dancer Heather Watts, was published by Riverhead Books in October 1997. In November 2011, Mr. Soto’s autobiography Every Step You Take: A Memoir was published by Bargain Price.

Mr. Soto resides in Eagle Nest, NM with his husband Luis Fuentes.