Joanne Whitehill

Joanne Whitehill became Artistic Director of Burklyn Ballet Theatre in 2003. At 17 she was asked to join Vermont Ballet Theatre Company. She went on to dance professionally as a soloist with Allegro Dance Theatre, Nevada Dance Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre and as a guest Artist with New England Ballet Company as well as a Soloist with The Scottish American Ballet. She grew up in Connecticut dancing with Connecticut Ballet and New Haven Ballet.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Minor in dance. It was during her summers at Burklyn Ballet Theatre where she was inspired to create her ballet Midnight Blue, which received acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. In 2001, her co-choreography for “Cinderella and the Flower Fairies” was the recipient of The Scotman’s Readers’ Choice award for “Best Dance and Physical Theatre” on the Fringe. She served as a judge for the Artistic Dance, Inc. “Raising the Barre” Competition and the Rhapsody Performing Arts Center Company auditions. Ms. Whitehill currently serves as Vice President and Artistic Advisor on the New England Ballet Company Board of Directors.

Angela Whitehill | Founding Director & Costume Designer

Angela Elizabeth Warner Whitehill  was born in Leeds, England.  She was a visionary figure in the world of ballet. She was the beloved daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. P. Warner and leaves behind a rich legacy of passion, dedication, and artistic achievement. 

Angela’s early ballet training began in Canada, where she studied at the National Ballet School in Toronto and the Elizabeth Vernon School of Dancing. She later continued her studies at the prestigious Arts Educational Schools in London, where she was presented to Princess Alexandra in 1955. Her professional career took her across Europe, where she performed with the Ballet Paris Jack Emile Litler Productions, danced in the iconic Folies Bergère, and shifted from ballet to musical comedy and modeling during her early career. 

In 1974, Angela founded New Jersey’s Shore Ballet Company, in Island Heights.  She moved to East Burke, VT in 1975.  There, her passion for dance education continued and she began teaching at Colby Sawyer College and Castleton State College.  In  1976 she founded Burklyn Ballet Theatre on the property of the Burklyn mansion and the adjacent former Morgan horse farm, Burklyn was to become a beacon for aspiring dancers. The program later moved to Johnson, VT in 1986 where it continues to flourish under the direction of her daughter-in-law, Joanne Whitehill.  Through Burklyn Angela connected students with the wider dance world, nurturing young dancers and choreographers, and exposing them to master teachers from across the United States, while providing an immersive forum for dancers to perform classics and expand themselves in new works as well. Dance Teacher Magazine awarded Angela “Dance Teacher of the Year” in 2012. 

Angela authored several important books on ballet, including The Parents’ Book of Ballet, The Young Professional’s Book of Ballet, and Ballet Magic – The Burklyn Story. In addition to her work as a choreographer and educator, Angela designed costumes for renowned companies like the Atlanta Ballet and the New Jersey Ballet. Her influence extended beyond performance to dance counseling and costume design, inspiring generations of dancers, parents, and professionals.  

Angela’s remarkable life and career spanned multiple continents and genres, and her commitment to the dance world has left an indelible mark on all who knew her. 

– Written by Julia Gleich