Guest Faculty

Class

Description

Ages

Session

Tuition

Pre-Ballet IA

MON 4:15-5:00

3-4

Fall 2025

248.00

Pre-Ballet IB

SAT 9:00-9:45

3-4

Fall 2025

248.00

Pre-Ballet IIA

TUE 5:00-5:45

5-6

Fall 2025

248.00

Pre-Ballet IIB

SAT 9:45-10:30

5-6

Fall 2025

248.00

Krista King-Doherty is an internationally recognized and award-winning teacher and choreographer. Krista comes from a lineage of four generations of professional dancers. Prior to returning to her dance roots, Krista enjoyed a successful career as a fashion model in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia. She worked for top designers and was featured in print campaigns, magazines, on television and runways for a decade.

Since 2005, Krista's students have repeatedly won the Youth Grand Prix Award, Grand Prix Award, and the Hope Award, in addition to overall awards in all divisions at Youth America Grand Prix. Krista’s ensemble pieces have won 1st place at YAGP 5 years in a row at the Phoenix semi-final as well as earning a spot in the prestigious top 12 at the International Finals. In 2017, her piece won the Gold Medal, and in 2020, the Bronze Medal in the contemporary pas de deux division at YAGP NYC Finals. Krista’s daughter and lifelong student, Juliet Doherty, won the Gold Medal in both Junior Women’s and Senior Women’s Division at the YAGP Finals 2012/2014.

Krista’s work is featured in galas and has been performed and recognized in the “Stars of Tomorrow” at Lincoln Center, Vail International Dance Festival, the Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition, Varna International Ballet Competition, USA/IBC, Australian Dance Festival, “Gala de Danza” in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Cancun International Ballet Festival, Festival Internacional de Danza YAGP Mexico, ADC/IBC and World Ballet Competition.

Recent student scholarships include San Francisco Ballet School, Houston Ballet Academy, Royal Ballet School, The Ailey School, Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, Princess Grace Academy, the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and numerous universities. Student engagements include feature films, Broadway Shows, the Radio City Rockettes, Little Dancer at The Kennedy Center, and with professional dance companies in the USA and abroad.

Krista is honored to have received the “Outstanding Choreographer” award from YAGP in 2018 and 2021 and the “Avant Garde” award for choreography from ADC/IBC in 2018. Most recently, Krista’s choreography was featured on NBC’s World of Dance Season 4. She teaches and adjudicates for national conventions and competitions. Krista is a sought-after choreographer and guest master teacher at conservatories and intensives in the USA and internationally.

Diploma and certification - Teatro dell'Opera Roma

American Ballet Theatre® Affiliate Teacher - ABT® NTC Fellow

Francesca Carocci was born in Rome and started dancing at the age of five. She studied at the Ballet School of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma since 1978, graduating in 1986 under the direction of Maestro Walter Zappolini. The course of study included academic classical dance, contemporary dance (Martha Graham), the history of dance with Masters Alberto Testa and Gino Tani, the analysis of dance with Mrs. Vittoria Ottolenghi, the classical repertoire, the pas de deux and inclusion in the artistic productions of Opera and Ballet at the opera institution over the course of eight academic years. After graduating, she moved to New York with a scholarship to join The School of American Ballet from 1986 to 1989, under the Artistic Direction of Peter Martins, taking part in the artistic productions of the school dancing many of the Balanchine’s ballet repertoire of the New York City Ballet on-site and on tours abroad.

As a professional dancer - Worked closely with Masters Willy Burman, Philip Beamish, Stanley Williams, Suki Shorer, Diana Cartier, David Howard, Dianna Carter, Alexandra Danilova, Nancy Bielsky, Maggie Black, Susie Pilar, Antonina Tumkovsky, Anthony Kramaresky , Victor Livtinov, Michael Vernon, Nancy Bielsky, Robert Strainer, Zarko Prebil, Ricardo Nunez, Hainz Spoerli, Alfonso Cata', Jeanne Yves Esquerre, Maria Guerrero, Tuccio Rigano, Raymond Franchetti and with the great artists of the dance world such as: Peter Martins, Maya Plitzeskaya, Pierre Lacotte, Michael Barishnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, Lorca Massine.

Her professional career as a dancer includes roles with The Basel Ballet (Artistic Director Hainz Spoerli), Les Ballets de Monte Carlo (Artistic Director Jean Yves Esquerre), Les Ballet du Nord (Artistic Directors Alfonso Catá, then Jean Paul Comelain), Les Ballet de Montreal, Dianna Carter Project (Artistic Director Dianna Carter), Compagnia Carla Fracci (Artistic Director Beppe Menegatti), Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (Artistic Director Maya Plitzeskaya), The School of American Ballet/ New York City Ballet (Artistic Director Peter Martins), Southern Ballet (Artistic Director Freddy Franzutti), Oxitoc (Artistic Director Patrick King) and Perspective Dance (Artistic Director Vittorio Biagi). With the ballet companies listed above, in addition to productions in their local theaters, he has worked dancing on tour in theaters around the world and specifically: in England, Indonesia, Africa, Russia, Germany, Cyprus, Malta, the United States and Canada. Favorite credits include Concerto Barocco, Serenade. Stars and Stripes, Rubies, Theme and Variation, Apollon Musagete, Who Cares, Symphony in C, Don Quixotte, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Raymonda, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, A Midsummer Night Dream, Stabat Mater, La Belle Vie, La Boutique Fantasque, Marco Spada.

As a Teacher - Francesca Carocci is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary/Level 7, the ABT® National Training Curriculum - American Ballet Theatre® Affiliate Teacher and ABT® NTC Fellow and annually presents his students at the ABT® Students Examinations which take place in the presence of the Affiliate Emeritus Master Examiners of the ABT® National Training Curriculum Mr. Franco de Vita and Mr. Raymond Lukens.

In Italy she is certified as a Classical-Academic Ballet Teacher accredited by the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Capitale where she got the habilitation for teaching under the direction of Mrs. Laura Comi and Mrs Eleonora Abbagnato.

As a choreographer - Artistic director of the company "New Dance Project" Rome Italy in 2012 staging a production of The Nutcracker on stage at the Teatro San Raffaele in Rome.

Essays and performances at the end of the academic year in management dance schools, staged every year at the Quirino Theater and Parioli Theatre in Rome.

Since 2010 - Responsible for projects for schools for psychomotor activities, classical dance and performing arts in Italy and abroad:

Public schools in Italy - G. Mazzini Municipal Infant School, Rome
Public schools in Italy – Luigi Settembrini State Primary School in Rome
International schools in Italy – Rome International School Rome
International schools in the Russian Federation - English International School of Moscow • Peridance - New York
DAF Center – Rome
IALS Center – Rome
Dance internships in Italy and abroad

Since 2012 - Founder and Artistic Director of Armonia 2 ASD, dance and sport association registered with CONI and CSEN Affiliated which operates with public trust at the I.C. Municipal Sports Center Volsinio Municipio II – Roma Capitale – with the patronage of the Department of Sport and Culture - Roma Capitale Municipio II.

In 2018 – Classical Dance Trainer CSEN Rome organized by IALS Rome ASD.

From 2018 to 2023 – Artistic Director - IALS Dance Training - Academic Classical Dance – Rome.

Currently – Francesca Carocci beside the direction of Armonia 2 ASD is part of:

the Dance Faculty ballet professional division of DAF International Ballet School Rome Italy under the direction of Laura Comi.
the Dance Faculty ballet professional division of DAF Art Faculty and the Spellbound Company in Rome Italy.

James Fayette retired from New York City Ballet in 2005 at the rank of Principal dancer. Throughout James’ dancing career, he was privileged to work with the greatest dancers and choreographers of that time, originating roles in Jerome Robbins’ 2 & 3 Part Inventions and Brandenburg Concertos as well as in works by other choreographers including Christopher Wheeldon, Susan Stroman, Lynn Taylor-Corbett and numerous works by Peter Martins. He also established himself as an excellent partner in a number of signature roles in the New York City Ballet repertoire, including Balanchine’s Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Brahms Schoenberg Quartet and Jerome Robbins’ In The Night and West Side Story Suite.

James started ballet at age five in his hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut. He trained in a variety of ballet styles beginning with classes that were derived from the Russian Vaganova School after which he studied the Balanchine style at the School of American Ballet as a full scholarship student. Furthermore, he was awarded a Danish/American exchange scholarship in 1989 to train in Bourneville technique at the Apprentice program within the Royal Danish Ballet. From 1986 to 1991, Mr. Fayette also participated in and helped to develop lecture demonstrations for the School of American Ballet’s outreach program to schools throughout the New York City area. His vast training and knowledge of ballet served him well as a guest teacher of pas de deux at the School of American Ballet, and guest teacher at Ballet Academy East and the New York State Summer School of the Arts, along with the number of master classes he would offer at schools across the country when visiting as a performing artist. Throughout James’ career at New York City Ballet, he was a union delegate and participated in all dancer employment contract negotiations. Following retirement from full time performing in 2005, he was recruited by the dancers’ union to become the New York Area Dance Executive for the American Guild of Musical Artists, representing professional dancer employment nationwide. He has worked closely with the managements and dancers of most major American dance companies including New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet West, Kansas City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company and Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He has a deep understanding of how the employment of dancers is managed and is keenly sensitive to the needs and career concerns of professional artists. His approach to resolving problems between companies and their artists has earned him a high level of respect throughout the professional dance world with both the artists and their managements.

James also was the Managing Director in the founding years of Benjamin Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project where he helped oversee the development and evolution of one of the most prominent American Contemporary Dance companies of the new millennia. James was Associate Dean of Dance at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, and also co-founded the Colburn Dance Academy with his wife, Jenifer Ringer Fayette, where he taught and coached dancers that are currently performing in some of the most prestigious companies in America including New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. James performed principal roles in the PBS Broadcasts of Live From Lincoln Center’s New York City Ballet’s Diamond Project in 2002, and Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100 in 2004. James also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from St. Mary’s College of California.

Born and raised in France, Fabrice Calmels began ballet training at three years old. At age eleven Mr. Calmels entered the prestigious, 300-year-old Paris Opera Ballet School, under the direction of Claude Bessy. During his training and schooling at there, Mr. Calmels worked with world-renowned dance masters such as Serge Golovine, Gilbert Mayer, Max Bozzoni, John Neumier, Jirí Kylián, Violette Verdy, and also performed at the beautiful Opera Palais Garnier theatre.

Following his graduation from the Paris Opera Ballet School, Mr. Calmels moved to the United States where he furthered his training by joining The Rock School, and danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet. Mr. Calmels grew to perfect and expand his technique in America. At Boston Ballet, under the direction of Anna-Marie Holmes, he learned the Russian technique with ballet masters Tatiana Terekhova and Sergei Berezhnoi, and also the Balanchine style at The School of American Ballet.

After September 11, 2001, unable to acquire his visa, Mr. Calmels returned home to France and joined Paris’ most famous cabaret, LIDO de Paris. There he was fortunate to hone his partnering skills by performing the show’s acrobatic pas de deux.

In 2002, Mr. Calmels established himself in Chicago with the Joffrey Ballet, under the direction of company co-founder Gerald Arpino, again being exposed to another style of dance. In 2004 and age 23, Mr. Calmels became a lead dancer at the Joffrey Ballet, notably through his Principal role as Apollo. He was also coached by the famous Sir Anthony Dowell for the title role of Oberon in Ashton’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In the fall 2009, he performed the title role in the Joffrey Ballet’s premiere of Lar Lubovitch’s “Othello”, which he reprised in the spring of 2013.

Mr. Calmels has danced several times for television and was interviewed extensively for the documentary “Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance.” Notably, in 2014, Mr. Calmels was a guest judge on the hit Fox television show, So You Think You Can Dance. Mr. Calmels has received numerous awards and accolades during his career including establishing a Guinness World Record for Tallest Ballet Dancer in the World.

Currently, Mr. Calmels is still dancing with the Joffrey Ballet. He is also focusing his time on choreography, modeling, acting, and promoting dance and dance education through his membership on the Dizzy Feet Foundation board.

Mariaelena Ruiz, recipient of the 2019 Youth America Grand Prix NYC Finals Outstanding Teacher Award, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where she was trained and coached by Prima Ballerina of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Nina Novak.

At just 14 years old, Mariaelena became the youngest member of the Ballet Nacional de Caracas under the direction of Vicente Nebrada. Soon after, she won 3rd place in the Junior Division at the Jackson USA International Ballet Competition and received a full scholarship to continue her training at the School of American Ballet in New York. She later won the Best Couple Award and 3rd Place in the Senior Division at the Varna International Ballet Competition, as well as a prize at the Prix Volinine in Paris.

Over the next seven years, Mariaelena performed principal roles with Bay Ballet Theater, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, and Ballet Hispanico, while also appearing as a guest artist for various companies in the U.S. and Europe. Between 2000 and 2006, she danced extensive Balanchine repertoire with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and on tour all over the US and Europe.

In 2000, Mariaelena began teaching part-time at The Rock School for Dance Education and became a full-time Ballet Master in 2006, training some of today’s brightest ballet stars. In 2015, she and her husband became part owners of Cary Ballet Conservatory, where she established the Professional Training Program. That same year, she was appointed Artistic Director of Cary Ballet Company. Under her leadership, the Conservatory has earned national recognition, receiving the Outstanding School Award at YAGP and ADC and being featured in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine. Mariaelena herself was the cover feature of Dance Teacher Magazine, highlighted in the story, “Mariaelena Ruiz Works Her Magic at Cary Ballet Conservatory.”

A highly sought-after judge and guest teacher, Mariaelena has served on the panel for YAGP and collaborated with the New York International Ballet Competition. She was featured in the award-winning documentary First Position and in WHYY Philadelphia’s documentary on the first Curtis Institute of Music and Rock School Collaboration in 2009. In 2016, she was named Outstanding Teacher at the ADC International Ballet Competition.

Mariaelena has coached medalists for major competitions, including Moscow IBC, Jackson USA IBC, Boston IBC, Prix de Lausanne, Youth America Grand Prix, and American Dance Competition. Her former students dance professionally worldwide in companies such as the National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, Het Nationale Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Washington Ballet, New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, and on Broadway.

As Artistic Director of Cary Ballet Company, Mariaelena led the production of a full-length Nutcracker, which has been a sold-out favorite since 2016. She also created the Nutcracker mini-shows, an engaging one-hour narrated performance that offers insight into how the beloved ballet comes to life. She has been instrumental in bringing renowned choreographers to the company’s Spring Works productions and has choreographed and adapted excerpts from iconic classical ballets, including Le Corsaire, La Bayadère, and Don Quixote.

Under Mariaelena’s leadership, Cary Ballet Conservatory has been honored with the Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding School Award from 2017 to 2024, the ADC|IBC Outstanding School Award in 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024. Cary Ballet Conservatory’s dancers have been invited to the Prix de Lausanne in 2021, 2023, and 2024, with one of its dancers winning the silver medal in 2025.

Megan Lynn Norris graduated with a BA in Dance Choreography and Science (magna cum laude) from Goucher College. At Goucher, she had the privilege of working with Christopher Fleming, Heidi Henderson, Zippora Karz, Larry Keigwin, among others and was a member of the Moving Classroom Project, an outreach program integrating arts and academics for Baltimore City schools. Megan also studied at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, the Deborah Colker School in Brazil, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Point Park University. Professionally, she performed in NYC with Isabel Lewis and the Matthew Westerby Company.

In 2012, Megan founded her own professional contemporary company – Asterial Dance. She directed and produced over 40 different performances, including: full-length seasons of her original choreography in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and NYC, the Biomorphic Dance Festival for emerging choreographers, and the Upsurge Choreography Platform for emerging dance companies. Megan collaborated with her dancers to create works that mix elements of improvisation and athletic, technical movement that physicalized different human experiences. She also pushed the boundaries of established technique by experimenting with non-traditional props, scenic elements, lighting, and stage spaces. Megan’s choreography has been featured at the Performance Garage, Ailey Citigroup Theater, White Wave John Ryan Theater, Dixon Place, Hudson Guild Theatre, West End Theater, and Secret Theatre. Through her company, she also taught many forms of dance at the Salvation Army Times Square to underprivileged youth in NYC.

Megan is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT National Training Curriculum. She has been teaching dance for 20 years throughout New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and North Carolina; serving on the faculty at Artistry in Motion, Ballet Academy East, Dancewave, Mid-Maryland Performing Arts Center, Ridgewood Performing Arts Center, and Steffi Nossen School of Dance, among others. Megan served as the Ballet Program Director at District Dance, where she pioneered District Dance Theatre (a semi-professional ballet company), Budding Ballerinas outreach program, Pop In & Plays, and produced Adventures in Oz. She is also Progressing Ballet Technique certified and her knowledge of the human body, from both studying Biology and working as a personal trainer, gives her students an opportunity to understand movement from an anatomically correct perspective. Megan is a busy adoptive mom of three and is excited to share her passion of dance with the next generation at Cary Ballet!

Aubrie Rosenkoetter, originally from Boise, Idaho, holds a BFA in Ballet from Texas Christian University (TCU). Her early training began at Ballet Idaho and Eagle Performing Arts Center, where she studied a combination of Cecchetti, Vaganova, and Balanchine techniques. Her foundation was further enriched by training in tap, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance, shaping her into a versatile and expressive performer.

As a company member with Idaho Regional Ballet (IRB), Aubrie performed at both Regional and National - Regional Dance America festivals. She continued to refine her technique through prestigious summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre, Kansas City Ballet, BalletMet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Evergreen City Ballet.

While at TCU, Aubrie performed in original and restaged works by faculty choreographers Elizabeth Gillaspy and Jessica Zeller, as well as guest artists Rubén Gerding, Susan Dromisky, Joy Bollinger, and Rochelle Zide-Booth. She also appeared in The Sleeping Beauty with Ballet Frontier of Texas.

In addition to her performance experience, Aubrie is a passionate educator. During her time in university, she taught ballet, modern, and contemporary dance at Fort Worth Fine Arts Academy, Innovative Dance Incorporated, and Ballet Center Fort Worth. She is committed to helping young dancers discover their individual artistic voices.

Following graduation, Aubrie joined Idaho Dance Theatre, performing original works by Marla and Yurek Hansen. Simultaneously, she contributed to Eagle Performing Arts Center and Idaho Regional Ballet as a teacher, choreographer, and costume designer. Her interest in costume design grew through hands-on work as a stitcher and wardrobe crew member with Ballet Idaho.

Motivated by her love for both dance and design, Aubrie pursued a Master’s degree in Costume Making at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in England. There, she explored the intersection of choreography and costume design, creating custom pieces for performers across the UK and the U.S.

Aubrie recently became level 1 certified in the 4Pointe Teacher Training Program, a method developed through years of research to help dancers build strength, refine articulation, and connect more deeply with the floor. This technique prepares dancers for the physical demands of today’s choreography while promoting long-term health and injury prevention.

Aubrie is thrilled to be joining the Cary Ballet family, where she will be teaching ballet and contemporary dance, as well as serving as the Cary Ballet Company’s Costume Mistress, contributing her construction and design expertise to support the company’s artistic vision both on stage and behind the scenes.

A versatile dance teacher who brings over 40 years of dance experience to us, she has choreographed extensively and performed in folk dance and international festivals, and ballet, modern dance, musical, and jazz productions. She began her training in the Philippines under professionals including Remedios V. Piñon, Alice Reyes, Norman Walker, Corazon Inigo, Rene Hofilena, Eric Cruz, and Nez Jardin. In 2003, she was nominated for the Raleigh Medal of Arts for her achievements in the performing arts.

In 1996, Ms. Malit joined Cary Ballet Conservatory (CBC) where she still teaches and choreographs for all productions of the Conservatory. She is proud that CBC received the 2017 Outstanding School at the American Dance Competition and the 2017 Outstanding School award at the Youth American Grand Prix. She choreographs for the Cary Ballet Company, 3D Jazz Company, and productions of the Cary Ballet Conservatory performances. She has also been the choreographer of the Philippine Dance Company of North Carolina and has work with other prominent artist in their own fields.

At the Bergen Dancenter in New Jersey, she worked as the Children’s Ballet Mistress. She worked alongside respected dancers and choreographers across northern New Jersey including Joan Wolf, Mark Jelks, Mary Carpenter, Joanne Koob Brown, Helena Baron, and Shella Hellman.

In addition to teaching dance, she taught Physical Education at St. Joseph’s School in Bogota, New Jersey, Saint Joseph School in Oradell, New Jersey, and St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School in Apex, North Carolina. In these schools, she also produced, choreographed, and directed performances including Peter and the Wolf, Oliver, The Nutcracker, Aladdin, All that Jazz, School House Rock, The Wiz, and Over the Rainbow. In her latest production, Godspell, she choreographed and co-directed all the dances and movements for the musical theatre production class at St. Mary Magdalene, which was performed at the Haley Theater. From 1996 to 1999, she also served as a Dance Specialist in schools across the Wake County Public School System.

When she retired as a Physical Educator, she started teaching Chair Ballet classes, which are exercises classes at independent living and assisted living facilities, for the residence and for those diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia.

Ms. Malit graduated from University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelors of Science in Education (BSE) in Physical Education, was a member of the UST Salinggawi Dance Company, and graduated with a Masters in Dance Composition from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She was with the pioneering group in 1978 that founded IPAG, and subsequently, acted as IPAG’s co-founder and first choreographer. She continues to serve as the Resident Choreographer and joined the 2006 Hawaiian Islands and U.S. mainland road tours for the celebration of the Philippine Centennial in the U.S. with Tales from Mindanao. In May 2017, she led a contemporary dance workshop in Iligan, Philippines, created a signature choreography to represent IPAG internationally, and was interviewed for a documentary film on IPAG that will be presented in the Philippines in 2017.

Krista King-Doherty

Oliver Oguma

Andrea Astuto

Francesca Carocci

Sebastian Vinet

Christina Johnson

Michael Crawford

Maria Konrad

James Fayette

Aldo Katton

Francisco Gella

Olga Kostritzky

Duncan Cooper

Fabrice Calmels

Laura Graham

Momchil Mladenov

Outstanding School

Outstanding Teacher

Outstanding Faculty

2021 - 2023 - 2024 - 2025

2025 Silver Medal

Outstanding School

Outstanding Coach