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.

Pre-Pro, First Steps, and Adult Ballet Faculty

Olivia Mann was born and raised in Dallas, Texas where she grew up dancing at Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, Dallas Ballet Center, as well as her high school, Booker T. Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts. While in Dallas, Olivia trained under the direction of Ann and Bill Atkinson, Judy and Brent Klophenstein, Catherine Lewellen, and Emily Hunter. From the age of thirteen, Olivia has attended various summer intensives including Miami City Ballet, The School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s “Company Experience”, and Grand Rapids Ballet. Olivia recently graduated from Point Park University, where she received a BFA Dance Major, with a concentration in ballet, and a Business Management Minor. While at Point Park she performed in numerous ballets including Christopher Wheeldon’s, The American, Edwaard Liang’s Art of War, and Adam Hougland’s Cold Virtues. Olivia spent this past summer dancing professionally with the Sierra Nevada Ballet in their performance of Giselle. This is Olivia's fourth season with ACB.

Pre-Pro and First Steps Faculty

Ruiko Jacobs, an Eastern North Carolina native, received her early classical ballet training at the Greenville Civic Ballet under the direction of Kim Saad. She also trained privately with the late Kennet Oberly in the Bournonville school. She left home her senior year to attend the high school program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). Upon graduation, she continued on to their college program, where she pursued her B.F.A. in Ballet on the Susan Jaffe Endowed Scholarship and graduated in three years in May 2023. Ruiko’s performance highlights at UNCSA included the Dark Angel in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Swan Lake Pas de Trois, a soloist in Napoli Act III, and Kitri in Don Quixote Act I. She also originated the role of Dewdrop in Ilya Kozadayev’s new production of The Nutcracker. In 2021, Ruiko represented UNCSA in the YAGP competition, where she placed Top 12 in the Senior Division and advanced to the Finals held in Tampa, FL.

Following graduation from UNCSA, Ruiko danced with Ballet Tucson as an Apprentice for one season. In Tucson, she performed in Eternal Love, a world premiere by Chieko Imada, and made her professional choreographic debut with Chamber Concerto in the Footprints at the Fox Choreographic Concert. She is excited for her second season with Avant Chamber Ballet.i

Nutcracker Student Cast Rehearsal Director

Kaylee Skelton is from Littleton, Colorado, where she started her serious ballet training at Belliston Academy of Ballet, under the direction of Jeannine Belliston. Ms. Skelton attended summer courses at Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet, and Boston Ballet. She then continued her training on scholarship in the Professional Division with Pacific Northwest Ballet, where she had the opportunity to perform in ballets with the company, such as Kent Stowell’s "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake", and "Cinderella", as well as world premiere pieces set by PNB’s company members. She also danced as a company member with Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas, collaborating with Cirque du Soleil and performing roles such as “Big Swans” and “Spring Fairy” in James Canfield’s "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker". Kaylee then joined City Ballet of San Diego, where she danced in the company for 3 years. There she had the opportunity to dance many roles, including ballets by George Balanchine, such as “Tall Girl” in Rubies, “Choleric” in The Four Temperaments, and “Solo Girl” in La Source. Before joining Avant Chamber Ballet this season, she spent last year as a Principal Dancer with Reformation Dance Company under the direction of Kathleen Vreeland. This is her seventh season with Avant Chamber Ballet.

Nutcracker Student Cast Rehearsal Director

Alex is originally from Arlington, Virginia, where she started dancing at the age of 4. She trained in ballet at the Washington School of Ballet in Washington, D.C. for nine years, including the school’s Professional Training Program. She had the opportunity to perform in ballets as a guest artist at the Kennedy Center with the Mariinsky Ballet, Ballet West, Pennsylvania Ballet, and the Washington Ballet.

Alex later joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program where she trained and performed with their main company for two years. She then moved to Dallas in 2018 to join Avant Chamber Ballet and danced in the company for three years.

Alex found her love for teaching ballet and choreographing upon moving to Dallas. She has choreographed and directed three full-length ballets with students, including “Alice in Wonderland”, “The Sleeping Beauty”, and “Swan Lake”, as well as directed a full-length “Nutcracker.” Alex was also a Plano Metropolitan Ballet choreographer from 2021–2024. She has been the student cast co-ordinator for Avant Chamber Ballet since 2022.

In addition to teaching and choreographing, she also has a career at Lockheed Martin.

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

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.