Mariaelena Ruiz
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.