BIOS

ADMINISTRATION

RUTH WIESEN, Director, born in Bethesda, Maryland, received her BFA in Dance from University of Florida/New World School of the Arts. Ms. Wiesen trained at the Miami Conservatory with Thomas Armour and Robert Pike and with Judith Newman and Gerard Ebitz at New World School of the Arts. She performed as a soloist with the Miami Ballet and New World School of the Arts. Ms. Wiesen joined the faculty of the Miami Conservatory in 1984. She progressed from instructor to Ballet Mistress of the Junior company and assumed the Directorship of the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet in 2003. In 1989, Ms. Wiesen founded the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet Scholarship Program which under her direction has grown from 20 students to over 500 students at five locations. In addition to her directorship of the TAYB, Ms. Wiesen is a member of the dance faculty of the New World School of the Arts. Ms. Wiesen has been honored by the Arts and Business Council for her contribution to encouraging diversity in the world of dance in Miami-Dade County and for the impact she has had on the lives of so many talented, underprivileged students. Dance is Ms. Wiesen’s second career. Prior to returning to her first love, dance, Ms. Wiesen held a variety of positions as a Registered Nurse, including Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Medical Center.

GEANNINA BURGOS, chief of arts education & outreach, born in Santiago, Chile, holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication and a Masters in Business Administration from Florida International University. She is a graduate of the New World School of the Arts High School. Ms. Burgos studied ballet in Miami with Vivian Tobio, Liana Navarro and the School of the Miami City Ballet. She attended intensive training programs at American Ballet Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Miami City Ballet, and the School of the Hartford Ballet. In addition she studied Flamenco technique with Pepe Bronce, Angela Rhea, and Rosita Segovia. Ms. Burgos performed with the Rosario Suarez Ballet Company. In 1999 Ms. Burgos received the first place award for Ballet in the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Recognition Talent Search. She was also a finalist in the national performing arts competition sponsored by the Donna Reed Foundation. Ms. Burgos joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet faculty in 2007.

CAMILA ESCOBAR, Program Administrator, born in Bogota, Colombia is a former TAYB scholarship student and is presently pursuing a Bachelors of Arts in International Studies & Political Science on full scholarship at the University of Miami. Ms. Escobar joined the TAYB faculty in 2004 as a student assistant.

DANCE FACULTY

MARIANA ALVAREZ, ballet instructor, a native of Cuba, began her ballet training at the age of 11 in Miami at Ballet Concerto, and continued her studies with Thomas Armour and Martha Mahr. At the age of 16, she received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to the School of American Ballet in New York. Ms. Alvarez performed for five years with The National Ballet of Washington where she worked with reknowned choreographer, Ben Stevenson. She also performed as a soloist with the Ballet Nacional de Caracas in Venezuela and with the San Francisco Ballet. Ms. Alvarez has been honored for her choreography by the Association de Criticos y Comenristas de las Artes Teatrales Clasicas y Literaris in Miami. She has been a guest performer and adjudicator at the International Festival Mundial de Ballet in Lima, Peru. Ms. Alvarez joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet faculty in 1990.

NATALIE AXLEY, ballet and outreach tap instructor, a Miami native, trained with Thomas Armour and Robert Pike at the Miami Conservatory. She was a member of the Miami Ballet for six years and a graduate of the Performing Arts P.A.V.A.C. program that later became the New World School of the Arts. Ms. Axley danced with the Milwaukee Ballet Company for two years and performed with the Miami City Ballet for two seasons in the Nutcracker and Serenade. Ms. Axley also danced with Freddick Bratcher Dance Company for five seasons. She has been teaching with Mencia Pikieris School of Dance since 1996. Ms. Axley joined Miami Conservatory of Ballet in 2005 to and heads the outreach program in the Redlands.

MAITE DIZ, ballet instructor, a native of Cuba graduated from the National School in Cuba. She was a soloist in the Joven Guardia of the National Cuban Ballet, performing featured roles of classical and contemporary works under the direction of Laura Alfonso, Ballet Mistress of NCB. In 1994 she was a finalist in the Fifth International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, where she was highly praised for her technique and artistic quality. She was invited to join the Taller Coreograficio de la UNAM in Mexico, where she danced touring with the Company in New York and Los Angeles. Maite was also ballet instructor and repetiteur at the CUBALLET in Cuba, as well as in Argentina, Peru and Mexico. Ms. Diz danced with Momentum and Maximum Dance Companies as well. She danced with Ballet Rosario Suarez, and performed as a guest dancer with ballet companies throughout the United States.

AFUA HALL, outreach ballet and modern instructor, born in Negril, Jamaica, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New World School of the Arts/University of Florida in Dance. She was an apprentice with Urban Bush Women and a company member of PHILADANCO, Delirious Dance Company and Inspirit Dance Company. Ms Hall has taught Ballet and Modern Dance since 2002 in a variety of programs, including at MAP Summer Camp (Pennsylvania), Soundview Community Center (New York) and MARC After-School Program (New York). In addition, she is an experienced choreographer and has worked with young children as a gymnastics instructor. Ms. Hall joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet in 2007 and heads the outreach program in Morningside.

CRYSTAL KARAGINIS-PEATTIE, ballet instructor, was born in Orlando, FL, and trained at the Atlanta Ballet School. After returning to Florida, she trained with The Gulf Coast Florida Ballet in Palm Harbor, FL. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from New World School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance. She’s attended intensives at The Southern Ballet, The Ailey School, and the Graham School. She toured with NWSA to Taiwan with their Kaoshuing and Miami Dancing Together project in summer of 2007. She’s danced in local companies in the Miami area such as Freddick Bratcher and Co., was a founding member of Miami Dance Project, and performed as the lead role, Ballerina, in The Steadfast Tin Soldier with the The Playground Theater. Crystal is currently dancing for a new project, Emotions Dance Company. She has been teaching since graduating from college and is honored to be sharing her love for dance with the next generation. Ms. Karaginis-Peattie joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet faculty in 2008.

JESSICA SHULTS, ballet instructor, a native of Miami, FL,began her early formal classical ballet training with Thomas Armour, Ruth Wiesen, and Robert Pike at the Miami Conservatory. She continued her studies as a scholarship student at Miami City Ballet School, School of American Ballet in NYC, and American Ballet Theatre. During her years as a student and a dancer she had the opportunity to study and work with such distinguished mentors as Stanley Williams, David Howard, Violette Verdy, Allegra Kent, Edward Villella, Twyla Tharp, Christopher Wheeldon and many other legendary-teachers, choreographers, and artists. At the age of 16 she became Miami City Ballet schools first student to be asked to join the company where for the next ten years she was featured in soloist, corps de ballet, and principal roles in much of the company’s vast classical, neo-classical, and modern repertoire. While dancing with the Miami City Ballet she traveled extensively both on domestic and international tours that included performances in world renowned theatres and Festivals such as Edinburgh Festival, Teatro Regio Torino,Teresa Carreno Theater, Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, and the Kennedy Center’s Balanchine Festival. After leaving the company Ms. Shults became a member of the Miami City Ballet School’s Children’s Division faculty and outreach teacher. She is currently a company member with Miami Contemporary Dance Company and joined the Miami Conservatory faculty in 2007.

ROSARIO SUAREZ, ballet instructor, was born in Havana, Cuba, where she completed her dance studies at the National School of the Arts. She was a recipient of the Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition of Varna, Bulgaria, among other prestigious awards. She has danced as a Principal Dancer with the National Ballet of Cuba (1968-1995) and has performed in more than 50 countries as a guest artist. One highlight of Suárez’s career is her performance of Odette-Odile in Swan Lake at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Paris in 1983. Acclaimed in Cuba as the greatest and most popular ballerina of her generation, Ms. Suárez is famous as a versatile interpreter who prefers to build her stage characters around expressive musicality. Ms. Suarez joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet faculty in 2008.

NATASHA WILLIAMS, ballet and outreach tap instructor, a native of Miami, FL, graduated from New World School of the Arts High School, Dance Division in 2004 after many years of training at Thomas Armour Youth Ballet, Dance Empire, Jill Mallory Dance Studio and Dance Gallery. Ms. Williams recently completed her Bachelors in Business at Florida International University. Ms. Williams has been teaching Tap, Ballet and Jazz since 2003. Ms. Williams joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet faculty in 2006.

KAREEN PAULD CAMARGO, was born in Haiti, and came to the United States at the age of two. She grew up in New York, where she trained at the American Ballet Theater School, The School of American Ballet and The Dance Theatre of Harlem Workshop Ensemble, and attended The High School of Performing Arts. She performed with The Dance Theatre of
Harlem Company for several years, before moving to South Florida, and joining The Miami City Ballet in 1990. After retiring from the stage, Ms. Camargo taught ballet at The Miami City Ballet School from1998 to 2006. In 2005, she was rehearsal and ballet mistress for the children in
Miami City Ballets production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Since 2008, Ms. Camargo has assisted as ballet mistress, rehearsing sections of The Thomas Armour Youth Ballets version of The Nutcracker. Ms.Camargo returned to the stage in 2005, joining Miami Contemporary Dance Company and became its Company Manager in 2009. Ms. Camargo currently guest teaches ballet at New World School of The Arts in the Musical Theater Department. Ms.Camargo joined the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet faculty in 2010.

ANGELICA DIAZ is a native of Havana, Cuba and studied classical ballet for eight years at the National School of Art in Havana and Camaguey, Cuba. In 1981, Ms. Diaz joined the Ballet of Camaguey under the artistic direction of Fernando Alonso where she danced as a soloist and toured throughout Europe, South America, Africa and China. Ms. Diaz came to the United States in 1990 and has lived in Miami ever since, where she has danced with Miami Ballet, Ballet Rosario Suarez, Momentum Dance Co, Creation Ballet Co, and Ife-Ile Afro-Cuban Dance & Music Ensemble. Ms. Diaz has also appeared the featured film, The Lost City (2005). Ms. Diaz has taught at Jill Mallory Dance Studio, Creations Art Center, Florene Litthcu’s t Inner City Children’s Touring Co, Ballet at your School and Martha Mahr School of Ballet. In 2004, Ms. Diaz received her B.A. in Dance Education from Florida International University, receiving an award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Dance. In 2007, Ms. Diaz received a certificate of appreciation for her contributions to the community of Liberty City while working under Ms. Litthcu’st’s Inner City Children’s Touring Co. from the Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Ms. Diaz has been on the faculty of the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet since 2009, teaching creative movement through advanced classes.

NATALIE WRIGHT, guest teacher, was born in Miami Beach, Florida and began her dance training at the Martha Mahr School of Ballet. A member of the Miami Ballet’s Junior and Senior Company she performed regularly throughout the city in various productions. Natalie attended the School of American Ballet’s summer program on full scholarship for five consecutive summers. At the age of 16 Natalie received a full tuition scholarship to the School of American Ballet’s winter term where she studied with Stanley Williams, Antonia Tumkovsky, Susan Pilarre, Suki Schorer, Richard Rapp, Kay Mazzo and Jock Sotto. Once graduating from the School of American Ballet and completing her academic studies at the Professional Children’s School, Natalie moved to Seattle, WA where she trained for two years on full scholarship and danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Later returning to Miami, Florida, she spent seven years as the Outreach Coordinator and Ballet Instructor for the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet’s Scholarship Program, offering professional ballet training to more than 150 talented but financially disadvantaged or at risk children. Natalie went on to work with the Dance Theatre of Harlem School in New York City teaching ballet technique to intermediate and advanced students as well as beginner, intermediate and advanced pointe to students participating in the Dance Theatre of Harlem School’s Pre-Professional and Saturday Community Programs. She has returned to the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet to cover Ms. Maite’s classes during her maternity leave.