Our Staff & Instructors

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Karen Russo Burke

Artistic Director, Dayton Ballet

Artistic Director, Dayton Ballet. Karen danced leading roles by world famous choreographers Gerald Arpino, Antony Tudor, José Limón and Paul Taylor in her 11-year career as a principal dancer for American Repertory Ballet. Karen has taught at DBS as well as Stivers School for the Arts, Wright State University, University of Dayton, and CCM at University of Cincinnati. She has choreographed extensively for Dayton Ballet.

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Megan Forney

Ballet School Education Manager and Dayton Ballet II Co-Director

Co-Director, DBII Junior/Senior/Outreach programs. Megan graduated from Wright State University with a BFA in dance. Megan has danced with Dayton Ballet II Senior. She has been the recipient of the Miss Josephine and Hermene Schwarz Award, Dancer Peer Award and the Walter J. McCaslin Memorial Award. Megan had the featured role in Bushido at WSU. You have seen her dance in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Nutcracker, There Was a Time, and The Three Musketeers with Dayton Ballet. She is also children’s coordinator for The Nutcracker.

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Gabrielle Sharp

Dayton Ballet II Director

Co Director, DBII Junior/Senior. Gabrielle danced with Dayton Ballet. You saw her perform in Dracula, The Nutcracker, Tales from the Shadow, There Was a Time and America’s Robin Hood and just recently as the fairy godmother in Cinderella and the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. While a member of DBII Sr. she received the Dancer Peer Award, Walter J. McCaslin Memorial Award and the Josephine and Hermene Schwarz awards. Gabrielle was the previous director of the SSK Dance Ensemble.

Dance Instructors

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Olivia Bruno

DAYTON BALLET COMPANY MEMBER
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Ashley Griffin

DAYTON BALLET COMPANY MEMBER
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Johnathan Harris

DAYTON BALLET COMPANY MEMBER
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Isaac Jones

DAYTON BALLET COMPANY MEMBER
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Kathryn McCarty

INSTRUCTOR
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Tiffany Cichanowicz

DANCE INSTRUCTOR
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EmmaRose Forbus Cheng

INSTRUCTOR
HEADSHOT

Robert Pulido

INSTRUCTOR
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Jennifer Sydor

INSTRUCTOR and DBS Alum

Contact Us

If you have any additional questions about our classes or professional training programs, please contact us, by phone, or completing the contact form.

(937) 223-1542

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