The Artistic Director, teachers and staff take pleasure in guiding and directing young dancers in their pursuit of a career in the arts. The programs are designed to allow students to commit their energies to their art without distraction.

Ashley Nemeth | Assistant Director, Ballet Mistress

Ashley M. Nemeth trained at The Academy of Colorado Ballet, The Academy of Russian Ballet, and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. She has performed numerous roles including; Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Soloist in Paquita, Spanish in The Nutcracker, and many original works by Elizabeth Shipiatsky, Robert Royce, and Angela Whitehill.

For the 2008-2009 season she was the Ballet Mistress with Western Arkansas Ballet of Fort Smith, Arkansas. She is currently the Ballet Mistress and Core Ballet Instructor with Burklyn Ballet Theatre.

Rob Royce | Assistant Director, Ballet Master

Mr. Royce danced professionally for Cincinnati Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Ballet Theater of Maryland and the newly formed BalletFleming. During his career Robert has performed principal and soloist roles in Nutcracker, Serenade, Dracula, Spring Waters Pas de Deux, Tommy, along with many others. Mr. Royce has served as Ballet Master and a staff teacher for Alabama Ballet, BalletFleming and Burklyn Ballet Theatre.

Robert has students who are currently dancing for Suzanne Ferrell Ballet, Nashville Ballet’s second company, and Joffrey Ballet’s trainee program. As a choreographer, Robert has received the 2001 Viewer’s Choice Award in the Scotsman for his Cinderella at the Edinburg Fringe Festival and a four star review for The Little Mermaid in 2011, both with Burklyn Ballet Theater.

Jared Mesa | Ballet Master, Choreographer

Jared is an alumni of Burklyn Ballet Theatre. His guest work includes Ballet Yuma: Hilarion in Giselle and James in La Sylphide, New England Ballet: Prince Ivan in Firebird and Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty, Gliech Dances out of London, Rouses Point Fete de Danse, Ketchikan Theatre Ballet in Ketchkan, Alaska and Abilene Ballet Theatre and Patty Harper Dance in Abilene, Texas. Jared has also worked with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and Sheryl Crow.

As an award winner for his choreography at Burklyn Ballet Theatre for his dance “Lucha con el Toro” in 2003, he has continued to choreograph with us from 2005 to present. He has also commissioned choreography for companies in Great Falls, Montana, Orange, Connecticut, and Phoenix, Arizona. Jared has recently been Ballet Master for Ruidoso Dance Ensemble in Ruidoso, NM. Jared is the Associate Director of Western Arkansas Ballet.

Our counselors have diverse backgrounds and come highly recommended by our master teachers and veteran counselors. They must be at least 21 years of age and are professional dancers, teachers or are attending college dance programs. Our counselor to student ratio is one to six. The counselors live in the dormitories with the students and are available 24 hours a day; as is the Artistic Director. Dancers wishing to be counselors must be at least 21 years old; please contact the office for more information.