During the summer the major metropolitan studios are over-crowded.  Burklyn Ballet Theatre gives the master teachers from these programs a chance to teach in the quiet beauty of Vermont.  Burklyn affords our students a chance to learn from world-renowned teachers on a personal level.  Our teachers are chosen for their many different talents, including their professional experiences, fine technique, choreographic voices and innate knowledge of the traditional classical works. Our Master Teachers rotate weekly allowing our students to work with each member of our faculty. We also offer one-day master classes with well-known professional dancers and teachers.

John Gardner & Amanda McKerrow|  American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancers 

John Gardner graduated from The National Academy of the Arts and joined American Ballet Theatre in 1978. He became a soloist in 1984. He has toured with Mikhail Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project where he worked closely with acclaimed choreographers Merce Cunningham, Mark Morris, Paul Taylor and Lar Lubovich.  After retiring from the stage Mr. Gardner began to pursue a career as a teacher and coach and has worked extensively at both the professional and student levels.

Amanda McKerrow has enjoyed a career as one of America’s acclaimed ballerinas. She has the honor of being the first American to receive a gold medal at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 1981. Trained at the Washington Ballet, Ms. McKerrow joined American Ballet Theatre in 1982 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1987. She has danced every major classical role and has created roles by Twyla Tharp, Agnes DeMille, Clark Tippet and James Kudelka. Since retiring from performing in 2006, she devotes the majority of her time to teaching, coaching, and staging ballets for professional companies around the world.

Ms. McKerrow and Mr. Gardner are married and currently stage works for the Anthony Tudor Ballet Trust along with the works of Agnes DeMille and Benjamin Millepied.

Arthur Leeth | Boston Ballet Soloist and Ballet Master 

Arthur Leeth graduated from Butler University before moving to New York to study at SAB and at the school of ABT. In 1976 he joined Boston Ballet where he danced for 13 years before becoming the Company’s ballet master and music librarian. He has been a master teacher at Burklyn Ballet Theatre since 1980.

Thom Clower | Ballet Master and Artistic Director of Ballet Dallas

Known as one of the most energetic and inspiring teachers across the country, Thom Clower served as Ballet Master for Dallas Ballet, Artistic Director of Ballet Dallas, Ballet Master for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Artistic Director of Yuma Ballet Theatre in Arizona.  Since 2001 Thom Clower has worked around the world as a freelance master teacher and choreographer. He has been a guest teacher at Broadway Dance Center, as Associate Ballet Master for Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, and serves annually as Ballet Master for Young Tanzsommer! in Austria.  He joined the faculty of Allegro Ballet of Houston in the fall of 2009.

Julia Gleich | Ballet Mistress for Ballet West

Julia Gleich was trained at SAB and University of Utah, where she has also served as faculty. She was ballet mistress for Ballet West. Her choreography has received critical acclaim in the Village Voice and Dance Insider, and she is currently a guest artist with the Laban Centre in London, England.

Helen Starr | Royal Ballet Soloist and Assistant Ballet Mistress

Helen Starr was born and trained in Great Britain and graduated into the Royal Ballet as a soloist and as assistant ballet mistress. She joined the London Festival Ballet as a principal and has danced in 36 countries in 5 continents. She is an Associate Director of Louisville Ballet and is internationally acclaimed for her fine coaching ability.

Alun Jones | Artistic Director of the Louisville Ballet

Alun Jones trained with Ballet Lambert, in London, before joining the London Festival Ballet. He was appointed artistic director of the Louisville Ballet in 1978. He brought an outstanding repertoire to the company including works by Ashton, Balanchine, Cranko, Loring, Tudor as well as all the main classics.

Each year Burklyn Ballet Theatre endeavors to offer one-day master classes with well-known dancers and teachers.  Past guest teachers include:

• David Howard, Royal Ballet
• Ethan Stiefel, Principal Dancer American Ballet Theatre
• Gillian Murphy, Principal Dancer American Ballet Theatre
• Robert Barnett, New York City Ballet Dancer / Atlanta Ballet Founder
• Dylan Crossman, Merce Cunningham Dance Company / BBT Alumni