Professional Staff

Jackie started her ballet training at the age of 7 in Central NY where she was born and raised. After advancing through the R.A.D. Method under the directon of Delia Foley, she studied on scholarships at various schools including Chicago City Ballet, The Bolshoi in Vail, CO, The New York City Ballet at NYSSA and BalletMet, training under such notable professional Master Teachers as Homer Hans Bryant, David Howard, Maria and Marjorie Tallchief, Allegra Kent, John White, Raymond Lukens and Franco De Vita.

From 1993-1997, Jackie danced under contract with The Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society and soon thereafter made her debut as a choreographer and Ballet Mistress for PABS. Jackie is certified by John White of PABS to teach The Vaganova Method. She has taught in NY, NH, VT and PA. With over 300 original pieces, Jackie continues to choreograph and create original ballets for WRBA.

In the summer of 2009, Jackie joined ranks with some of the world’s most recognized and educated classical ballet instructors and earned her certification as an ABT Certified Teacher. Jackie has successfully completed the American Ballet Theatre Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 7 of the ABT National Training Curriculum.
In the summer of 2019, Jackie completed Marcia Dale Weary’s Teaching Syllabus at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She brings to the Upper Valley the opportunity to provide dance students with a rich, deep, pristine knowledge of classical ballet technique and the ability to adapt to all styles and techniques of dance.

Ruth Mayer is a former soloist with the American Ballet Theatre, dancing with the company from 1969-84. She spent years freelancing as a dancer, teacher and choreographer in the U.S. and Europe before settling in the Upper Valley. Ruth began teaching at the Centre de Danse International in Cannes at the invitation of Rosella Hightower. From 1994-2005, Ruth was on the teaching staff of the Lebanon Ballet School and served as Artistic Director of their student ballet company, City Center Ballet of Lebanon. Since 1999, Ruth has performed locally with Revels North and the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble. She was on the staff of the Hopkins Center Dance Program in 2000-01, and 2007-08.

Ruth is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the American Ballet Theatre Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 7 of the ABT National Training Curriculum.

Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Emilie Curran began dancing at Caryl Maxwell Classical Ballet School where she trained for ten years while concurrently attending The Peabody Institute and Baltimore School for the Arts.

At the age of 13, she was accepted into the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. where she trained under Mme. Ludmila Morkovina, M. Anatoli Kutcheruk, and M. Nikolai Morozov. Ms. Curran left the Academy at the age of 16 to study privately with Mr. DaWei Zhang, of the Shanghai Ballet. While training for the Varna International Competition she suffered a severe injury and was forced to endure a hiatus from dancing.

Upon returning to ballet in 2001, Emilie Curran entered into the Ballet Theater of Maryland as a member of the Corps de Ballet, and within a year was promoted to Demi-Soloist. In 2006 Emilie retired from the company to attend college and pursue a teaching career. While completing her degree in Graphic Design, Ms. Curran performed as a guest artist with The Anne Arundel Dance Company, The Howard County Ballet, and the Misako Ballet Company. Emilie Curran has been teaching since 2005 and specializes in the Vaganova Method of classical ballet instruction. She has written an extensive pre-professional Vaganova technique training and teaching curriculum complete with bi-annual exams, student assessments, repertoire requirements, and historical studies.

In 2011 Ms. Curran established the Competitive Ballet Team for the B.Funk Dance Company; and thus sparked her love of choreographing. Additionaly she worked as the studio graphic designer and seamstress, and has been awarded for her costumes. In 2013, Emilie Curran became the Ballet Mistress for the Bingfei Ballet Studio and Junior Company. Here she instituted professional variation studies and began privately coaching for international competition. In February of 2015 her first trainee took 2nd place at the Youth American Grand Prix semi-finals in Pittsburg, PA. Later in 2015 Ms. Curran relocated to the Upper Valley to be closer to her family, and has enjoyed dancing, teaching, and coaching around the area ever since. Emilie has been dancing and substitute teaching at WRBA for 5 years. She’s excited to join the staff!