BDTS Faculty and Staff

MICHAEL BARRISKILL (CO-FOUNDER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR)

Michael began his career  in classical ballet at the age of eight studying under Gene Hammett at the Tidewater Ballet in Norfolk, Virginia. He studied on scholarship at the School of American Ballet (SAB) in New York and at ten years old he was chosen to dance with Rudolf Nureyev and the London Festival Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House.
At 18, Mr, Barriskill joined the Houston Ballet under the direction of Ben Stevenson from 1984-1989, performing many soloist roles in the classical and contemporary repertoire to critical acclaim. At 21, Mr. Barriskill made his Broadway debut as Mr. Mistoffelees in CATS, one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. When an injury sidelined his performing career, Michael studied with Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux at Indiana University and later, graduated summa cum laude from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Michael toured the United States and Canada with the National IV tour of CATS from 1995-1997, teaching numerous master classes and workshops.
In 1999, Mr. Barriskill received a Master of Fine Arts degree magna cum laude from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. His thesis concert included bOdytalK, a multi-media dance theatre piece addressing eating disorders among women. While in Dallas, he served as Artistic Supervisor for the Elisa Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young people about eating disorders. He has been awarded grants for his choreography by the Pennsylvania and the Virginia Arts Commissions. He holds certifications in beginning and intermediate Labanotation® and the Language of Dance®, both systems of dance notation that provide exciting tools for teaching and choreography. In 2000, he studied at the Laban Centre in London.
As an administrator, Michael served as Assistant to the Director of Patron Relations at the Metropolitan Opera and was an award-winning manager with Nordstrom for three years. He co-founded Synthesis Motion Theatre in 1995 with acclaimed contemporary choreographer, Terry Crews. In 2001, he co-founded the Queen City Ballet, a pre-professional dance academy, in Helena, Montana. He has been a faculty and/or guest teacher for many esteemed institutions including the Virginia Governor's School of the Arts, New World School of the Arts, Virginia Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet, Maryland Youth Ballet, Annapolis Ballet Theatre, Marin Ballet, San Diego Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Dancespace, Steps on Broadway, Indiana University, University of Regina, Shenandoah University, East Carolina University, Southern Methodist University, and New York University.

ELLIOT PACK (CO-FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Elliot is the co-founder of BDTS and serves as executive director. He opened the school with partner Michael Barriskill, with the philosophy that dance education, properly administered can improve the quality of people's lives. "It really has to be more than just teaching steps and having a glittery recital at the end of the year. We try to make our dance education a balance between product and process. Dance class provides the perfect opportunity to experience life in a safe environment. Children have to learn that not everything they experience is going to feel good and that if they want something they may have to sacrfice a little pleasure. There is much to learn to being a happy adult like mutual and self respect, self dispcipline, admiration for the achievment of others and many many more. This is what we try to be about at BDTS"
Elliot began a serious course of ballet as an adult at 30 years old during the time he practiced medicine. He studied ballet with M'Liss Dorrance, Jennifer Potts and Carol Richard and he owes his interest and fascination with dance anatomy, kinesiology and its practical applications to the late Carol Richard. He danced with the Chapel Hill Ballet company for many years and enjoyed the opportunity to put to use his dance skills. Currently, Dr. Pack serves as the vice-preisdent elect of the National Dance Association and is developing a dance curriculum delivery system called "FlowDance" which bridges the gap between the exteranaland the interanl experience of dance. At the school he teaches Ballet 4 and several adult ballet classes.

NICOLE BATALIAS (TAP, JAZZ, BALLET AND MUSICAL THEATRE)

Nicole Batalias hails from New York City, where she performed as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall and featured roles in regional theatre productions like West Side Story, Funny Girl, and Cabaret. Nicole strives to maintain a fun, yet challenging classroom environment. She believes that dance teaches us lasting values of hard work, commitment, and discipline. Students can apply these principles toward any career path taken, dance related or not. Aside from dance, Nicole enjoys photography, fashion, and spending time with her husband and poodle!

REBECCA BOONE (BALLET, PRE-TAP, CORE, ACRO)

Bonnie Boone is a lifelong resident of Durham.  She began teaching dance twenty-seven years ago while still in college and found her calling in sharing her love of dance with others.  She received her BFA in Dance from East Carolina University where she also studied Acting.  Upon graduation she continued to teach locally and also became involved in North Carolina's Basic Education Plan for the arts.  Bonnie was one of four dance educators to pioneer the Dance Program for Orange County Schools, including the development of the K-5 grade Dance Curriculum.  She also taught in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (4-6 grade) and Gaston County Schools (high school), while also continuing her work with dance schools.   Bonnie opened The Studio, School of Dance Arts in Durham, which eventually became The Studio, Dance and Gymnastics Center, Inc.  She strived to offer a comprehensive recreational and competitive program for both dance and gymnastics in the area.  Bull City Gymnastics was born once the program outgrew its original location.
Bonnie gave it all up to concentrate on her family, husband Nick and children Matthew (14), Dylan (12) and Mariah (11) two years ago.  Matthew and Mariah are students at BDTS and it is difficult not to get involved.  Bonnie is thrilled to be teaching dance at BDTS.  She is also a certified RKC Kettlebell instructor at Rapid Results Fitness and a commercial property manager locally. In her spare time Bonnie enjoys playing tennis, gardening and spending time with her family.

GINNY BUCKNER (ACTING)

COTY COCKRELL (VOICE)

Coty Cockrell has been the acting Musical Director for the Barriskill Dance Theater School since the spring of 2009.  He holds a degree in Music Performance from Jacksonville State University, with concentrations in piano and voice.  Outside of the school, he also music directs several theatrical productions yearly, vocal coaches, accompanies, gigs with his jazz trio, and works as a freelance musician.

REBECCA ELVIN (MOMMY AND ME)

The goal of my Mommy & Me class is to facilitate your child's understanding of how different parts of the body are connected and related to each other.  In order for any dancer to achieve mastery in movement, he/she must first understand the way in which his/her body moves in its own space, through general space and in relation to other dancers. For young children, this concept is particularly important as they navigate their shared classroom and outdoor spaces with other children, discover the strength, abilities and limitations of their growing bodies as well as to support the healthy development of the brain and of social and emotional skills.
Rebecca developed these classes based on the curricula and insight of Anne Green Gilbert, the leader in Brain-Compatible Dance Education.  She also strives to incorporate Howard Gardener's theory of Multiple Intelligences into every class.  Doing this enables me to provide a learning environment where all seven intelligences are strengthened.
She believes that strengthening brains and creating body awareness and building social and emotional skills are just as important as developing strong flexible bodies. Having a balanced body means more than just being able to balance in releve arabesque. In Mommy & Me your child will build a more fully integrated body and mind.

SUSIE KLESS (BROADWAY)

"I believe that teachers should inspire their students to want to learn more. It doesn't matter if it is dance or something else, I just want them to be curious enough to find their passion whatever it is. I don't care if they are good dancers or great dancers, I want them to know I care about them as individuals and I will always be proud of their accomplishments no matter how big or small."
In 1966, Susie began taking dance lessons with Margaret Pearsall who was then a former Rockette. She studied with her for 12 years. She also studied at the High School of Performing Arts on

Long Island, and began touring and performing after graduation, performing in Damn Yankees, West Side Story, Chorus Line, Oklahoma, Funny Girl, King and I, Carousel, Fantastiks, 42nd Street, Peter Pan, My Fair Lady, Camelot. She has also directed many local and regional productions including Seussical, Music Man, Oliver, Footloose, Grease, Rent, Pajama Game and again many others.

CHRISTINA MUNTER (BALLET)

LINDSAY PARKER (YOGA)

HEATHER PIKE (BALLET, MODERN)

Heather Pike Heather is a dance educator who received her BFA in Dance Education from East Carolina University. While atECU, Heather received the Outstanding Senior Award in Dance Education as well as performed in several dance productions at the ECU Loessin Playhouse including works by faculty and guest artists. While growing up in Wilmington, NC, Heather studied ballet and has attended workshops at BalletMet, Charlotte City Ballet, and North Carolina School of the Arts. Recently she has continued dancing by attending the American Dance Festival for several summers as well as taking classes and performing in the Triangle Area with the modern dance company she co founded, Blank Slate Dance.  Heather has been teaching dancers of all ages for several years.  Ballet has always been her passion and she enjoys teaching the beauty and discipline  of the technique with her students.  Heather also believes  that sharing creative dance  fundamentals such as space, directions, levels, and time with young children not only teaches them about dance and movement, but helps them in their cognitive learning. She enjoys incorporating everyday learning skills into preschool dance lessons in a way the children can understand and have fun with while also beginning to understand ballet technique.  Heather lives in Carrboro with her husband and baby daughter and is excited to be a part of  the Barriskill staff for a fourth consecutive year!

AMANDA RANDALL (DISCOVER DANCE 2, 3 & 4, LYRICAL)

"I believe an education in dance goes far beyond teaching technique. I try to incorporate life lessons as well: learning respect for yourself, your body and your peers; the discipline to learn and practice; the pride you feel from working hard and being rewarded when you finally get it; the art of self-expression and learning to communicate effectively. Technique is important, but these are the things children take with them, long after they've stopped taking class. My goal as a teacher is to instill these qualities in children while teaching them how to dance beautifully and safely"Amanda began dancing at the age of 3 and never looked back. She spent most of her younger years at Sharon's Dance Studio where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, clogging and lyrical jazz.

JESSICA REVEAL (DISCOVER DANCE 1 AND PRE-BALLET)

ASHLEY RISTAU (BALLET)

"Dedicated dancers develop a sense of joy, discipline, and accomplishment which carries over into all aspects of their lives. My goal is to provide students with the tools to become dedicated dancers and find success in everything they do. I use positive reinforcement to help students recognize their successes in dance. By teaching ballet in this manner, students can look forward to coming to ballet class where they can learn about music and dance in a safe and accepting environment. "Ashley trained in Northern Virginia and attended various intensive programs during my summers (Kirov Academy and Academy of the Colorado Ballet) and during high school (Nutmeg Conservatory). After high school, she attended Indiana University where she majored in general and special elementary education. While at Indiana, she danced with a non-profit modern dance company called Windfall Dancers. Currently, she works with special programs for an elementary school in Cary.

NATALIA WEEDY (SALSA)

JOSH WESS (HIP-HOP)

From the moment I could walk I was born to be a dancer. I grew up on the music of influences such as Michael Jackson, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and a long list of others. I have been working as a hip hop instructor for Barriskills Dance Theatre School for three years.I am currently the director of Dreams In Motion Dance Company which have graced the stages of the RBC center during Womens Empowerment 2010 and also have come out on top in several dance competitions. My objective is to help people to learn and experience how powerful the art of dance can be. I am still learning and growing as a choreographer and what I learn I would love to pass on to others so the next generation can keep dance alive! There is no limit to the world of imagination. So come check me out if you want to get right on the dance floor!!

GABY ZINN (ZUMB