Faculty
Marie Barnett, Artistic Director, Instructor (Ballet)
Photo and bio coming soon!
Photo and bio coming soon!
Michele Antonioli, Former Artistic Director, Instructor (Ballet)
Michele Antonioli is a retired Professor in the University of Montana School of Theater and Dance, teaching ballet, pointe, kinesiology, and pedagogy. She studied professionally with the Harkness Ballet School and the School of American Ballet before dancing with the Houston Ballet and the Frankfurt Opera Ballet. She has a BA in Geology and an MFA in Ballet from Texas Christian University. Michele has also served as the Artistic Director of the Garden City Ballet's The Nutcracker. Michele is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
Michele Antonioli is a retired Professor in the University of Montana School of Theater and Dance, teaching ballet, pointe, kinesiology, and pedagogy. She studied professionally with the Harkness Ballet School and the School of American Ballet before dancing with the Houston Ballet and the Frankfurt Opera Ballet. She has a BA in Geology and an MFA in Ballet from Texas Christian University. Michele has also served as the Artistic Director of the Garden City Ballet's The Nutcracker. Michele is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
Elizabeth Arrigali, Instructor (Ballet)
Elizabeth started taking dance classes at the age of two at a local studio in Dallas, Texas. It was not until she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area as a teenager that she began to pursue ballet more seriously. Ms. Arrigali participated in several ballet summer intensives as well as ballet competitions. She began teaching in high school, and continued teaching during the summers of college at local studios in the Bay Area. Elizabeth took a step away from ballet to attend college at Baylor University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Russian. She moved to Missoula in 2018 to pursue her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Design at the University of Montana. It was here that she started taking ballet classes again at BAA and participated in GCB’s Nutcracker in 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Elizabeth started taking dance classes at the age of two at a local studio in Dallas, Texas. It was not until she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area as a teenager that she began to pursue ballet more seriously. Ms. Arrigali participated in several ballet summer intensives as well as ballet competitions. She began teaching in high school, and continued teaching during the summers of college at local studios in the Bay Area. Elizabeth took a step away from ballet to attend college at Baylor University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Russian. She moved to Missoula in 2018 to pursue her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Design at the University of Montana. It was here that she started taking ballet classes again at BAA and participated in GCB’s Nutcracker in 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Haley Budge Nord, Instructor (Ballet)
Haley began her dance training right here in Missoula at the age of nine. She has engaged in cultural performances throughout the globe. Some of these include performances related to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Shanghai World Expo 2010. During her travels in China, she performed the leading role of “White Haired Girl” (Famous during China’s cultural revolution). Haley was a part of Young Tanzsommer and performed and trained throughout Italy, Austria, Germany, and Romania. After her travels Haley decided to continue her education in dance, receiving her Bachelors of Arts in Dance with an emphasis in Ballet from the University of Montana. Haley is thrilled to be teaching at Ballet Arts Academy!
Haley began her dance training right here in Missoula at the age of nine. She has engaged in cultural performances throughout the globe. Some of these include performances related to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Shanghai World Expo 2010. During her travels in China, she performed the leading role of “White Haired Girl” (Famous during China’s cultural revolution). Haley was a part of Young Tanzsommer and performed and trained throughout Italy, Austria, Germany, and Romania. After her travels Haley decided to continue her education in dance, receiving her Bachelors of Arts in Dance with an emphasis in Ballet from the University of Montana. Haley is thrilled to be teaching at Ballet Arts Academy!
Jordan Dehline Burt, Instructor (Ballet, Modern, Pilates)
Jordan Dehline Burt grew up dancing in the foothills of Mount Rainier, Washington. She has a BFA in Dance Education and Choreography/Performance from the University of Montana and has performed as a company member with Bare Bait Dance, Headwaters Dance Company, and The CoMotion Dance Project. Jordan has attended teacher training programs at American Ballet Theatre in New York City and the Paris Opera Ballet in Paris, France. Jordan taught dance integrated with the K-5 core curriculum for ten years in Missoula County Public Schools and is the co-author of the textbook Dance Integration: 36 Dance Lesson Plans for Science and Mathematics. Jordan served as the Artistic Director of Garden City Ballet's The Nutcracker in 2018, as well as choreographed several seasons prior. In addition to teaching dance, Jordan is a Comprehensively Certified Pilates instructor through Peak Pilates, and also teaches Pilates at Main Street Pilates in Missoula. Jordan has taught at Ballet Arts Academy since 2009.
Jordan Dehline Burt grew up dancing in the foothills of Mount Rainier, Washington. She has a BFA in Dance Education and Choreography/Performance from the University of Montana and has performed as a company member with Bare Bait Dance, Headwaters Dance Company, and The CoMotion Dance Project. Jordan has attended teacher training programs at American Ballet Theatre in New York City and the Paris Opera Ballet in Paris, France. Jordan taught dance integrated with the K-5 core curriculum for ten years in Missoula County Public Schools and is the co-author of the textbook Dance Integration: 36 Dance Lesson Plans for Science and Mathematics. Jordan served as the Artistic Director of Garden City Ballet's The Nutcracker in 2018, as well as choreographed several seasons prior. In addition to teaching dance, Jordan is a Comprehensively Certified Pilates instructor through Peak Pilates, and also teaches Pilates at Main Street Pilates in Missoula. Jordan has taught at Ballet Arts Academy since 2009.
Maeve Fahey, Instructor (Modern)
Maeve Fahey was raised in Missoula, MT and is a Ballet Arts Academy alum. She studied ballet and modern at BAA for 13 years and spent summers in Washington, Wisconsin, and New York attending summer intensives. After graduating high school, she attended the Alonzo King LINES Ballet training program and received a certificate of completion in 2020. Due to the pandemic she returned to Missoula, where she pursued and obtained a BA in Anthropology and Dance at the University of Montana. She also joined Missoula’s own modern dance company, Bare Bait Dance, as a company member in 2020. She is now in her third year working with BBD, and also has had the privilege to freelance with another local dance organization, Arts&Above, for the past two years. She is so excited to continue to delve into Missoula’s bountiful dance scene, and is grateful that she can help cultivate our small but mighty dance world for emerging, talented BAA students!
Maeve Fahey was raised in Missoula, MT and is a Ballet Arts Academy alum. She studied ballet and modern at BAA for 13 years and spent summers in Washington, Wisconsin, and New York attending summer intensives. After graduating high school, she attended the Alonzo King LINES Ballet training program and received a certificate of completion in 2020. Due to the pandemic she returned to Missoula, where she pursued and obtained a BA in Anthropology and Dance at the University of Montana. She also joined Missoula’s own modern dance company, Bare Bait Dance, as a company member in 2020. She is now in her third year working with BBD, and also has had the privilege to freelance with another local dance organization, Arts&Above, for the past two years. She is so excited to continue to delve into Missoula’s bountiful dance scene, and is grateful that she can help cultivate our small but mighty dance world for emerging, talented BAA students!
Cate Gibbons, Instructor (Ballet)
Cate began dancing at 4 years old in New York. She moved to Missoula a few years later and started at BAA where she has taken classes in ballet, pointe, modern and jazz. Cate has danced for 10 seasons with Garden City Ballet's Nutcracker and is currently Apprenticing for her second season with Bare Bait Dance, Missoula's professional dance company. Cate is excited to be a part of BAA's faculty this year working with the Pre-Ballet and Primary A ballerinas!
Cate began dancing at 4 years old in New York. She moved to Missoula a few years later and started at BAA where she has taken classes in ballet, pointe, modern and jazz. Cate has danced for 10 seasons with Garden City Ballet's Nutcracker and is currently Apprenticing for her second season with Bare Bait Dance, Missoula's professional dance company. Cate is excited to be a part of BAA's faculty this year working with the Pre-Ballet and Primary A ballerinas!
Mary Gibbons, Office Manager
Photo and bio coming soon!
Photo and bio coming soon!
Keiana Griggs, Instructor (Hip Hop)
Keiana began dancing at the age of 9 in southern California and danced competitively throughout high school. This is her first year on the Griz Dance Team so you can find her at Griz games and teaching Hip-Hop in the studio. Also, any free time is best spent going on hikes with her dog.
Keiana began dancing at the age of 9 in southern California and danced competitively throughout high school. This is her first year on the Griz Dance Team so you can find her at Griz games and teaching Hip-Hop in the studio. Also, any free time is best spent going on hikes with her dog.
Jeanine Hedstrom, Instructor (Tap)
Jeanine Hedström is passionate about Tap dancing and is excited to be bringing Tap back to BAA. She holds a BA in Dance and a BS in Business Finance from the University of Iowa and is a certified Stott Pilates Instructor. Through her career she has danced with the Gateway Contemporary Ballet and Design Dance Company in Iowa and Mira Dance Productions in Sweden. Jeanine has been teaching ballet, tap, jazz and modern for over 15 years and recently took a break to raise her growing family. She has taught dance in the US, Norway and Sweden and has choreographed several productions such as The Nutcracker and The Journey to the Christmas Star.
Jeanine Hedström is passionate about Tap dancing and is excited to be bringing Tap back to BAA. She holds a BA in Dance and a BS in Business Finance from the University of Iowa and is a certified Stott Pilates Instructor. Through her career she has danced with the Gateway Contemporary Ballet and Design Dance Company in Iowa and Mira Dance Productions in Sweden. Jeanine has been teaching ballet, tap, jazz and modern for over 15 years and recently took a break to raise her growing family. She has taught dance in the US, Norway and Sweden and has choreographed several productions such as The Nutcracker and The Journey to the Christmas Star.
Audrey Kurz, Instructor (Jazz)
Audrey Kurz started her dance career at Ballet Arts Academy when she was five years old, immediately falling in love. Since then she has danced at BAA for thirteen years studying a variety of styles including Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Composition. Along with her daily studio classes, Audrey has participated in BAA’s Studio Company for six years, and GCB’s The Nutcracker for thirteen years. Wanting to dance as much as possible, Audrey was on the Hellgate Dance Team all four years of high school performing at numerous football, volleyball, and basketball games. Her favorite part of dance team was getting to travel with the team and perform at state basketball each season. During high school Audrey also had the amazing opportunity to be an apprentice for the only professional dance company in Montana, Bare Bait Dance. She rehearsed and performed with the BBD company members for 3 years, now coming back as an alumni to dance in Joy French’s 2023 Re-Play show. Audrey is very excited to share her passion and knowledge of dance with the Jazz I students!
Audrey Kurz started her dance career at Ballet Arts Academy when she was five years old, immediately falling in love. Since then she has danced at BAA for thirteen years studying a variety of styles including Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Composition. Along with her daily studio classes, Audrey has participated in BAA’s Studio Company for six years, and GCB’s The Nutcracker for thirteen years. Wanting to dance as much as possible, Audrey was on the Hellgate Dance Team all four years of high school performing at numerous football, volleyball, and basketball games. Her favorite part of dance team was getting to travel with the team and perform at state basketball each season. During high school Audrey also had the amazing opportunity to be an apprentice for the only professional dance company in Montana, Bare Bait Dance. She rehearsed and performed with the BBD company members for 3 years, now coming back as an alumni to dance in Joy French’s 2023 Re-Play show. Audrey is very excited to share her passion and knowledge of dance with the Jazz I students!
Tara McFarland, Instructor (Ballet, Jazz, Modern)
Tara McFarland started dancing in high school in Moscow, ID, and went on to study at Mills College, Arizona State University, and earned a BSc in Dance from the University of Idaho and a MSc Dance Science from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance (City University of London). She has danced, taught, choreographed, and worked professionally with: Evolving Doors Dance (CO), Louder than Words Dancetheatre (CO), 3rd Law Dance/Theatre (CO), Kinetic Arts (CO), Westwoods Center of Performing Arts (CO), Fusion Dance & Theatre Company (CO), Relay Dance Collective (WA), and Converge Dance Festival (WA). Devoted to Dance Science, Tara worked as a dance screening research assistant with Trinity Laban Health (London), and Seattle Dance & Performing Arts Medicine (Seattle, WA), sat on a steering committee for the Healthy Dancer Network with Dance Wire (Portland, OR) and has presented research regarding Injuries in Dance at the 2018 Idaho Dance Educators Conference. As a member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, Tara strives to integrate dance science and safe dance practice with performance and pedagogy. In the greater community, she has been faculty/choreographer for Garden City Ballet 2018, Dance the Divide, MT Dance Arts Association, and On Center Performing Arts. Tara dances professionally with Bare Bait Dance, is in her fourth year as a Teaching Artist in BBD's MoDE Program and her choreographic work was featured in BBD’s Springboard 2018 choreographic showcase. Tara currently teaches ballet at the University of Montana as well as a variety of styles for Studio M & Ballet Arts Academy.
Tara McFarland started dancing in high school in Moscow, ID, and went on to study at Mills College, Arizona State University, and earned a BSc in Dance from the University of Idaho and a MSc Dance Science from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance (City University of London). She has danced, taught, choreographed, and worked professionally with: Evolving Doors Dance (CO), Louder than Words Dancetheatre (CO), 3rd Law Dance/Theatre (CO), Kinetic Arts (CO), Westwoods Center of Performing Arts (CO), Fusion Dance & Theatre Company (CO), Relay Dance Collective (WA), and Converge Dance Festival (WA). Devoted to Dance Science, Tara worked as a dance screening research assistant with Trinity Laban Health (London), and Seattle Dance & Performing Arts Medicine (Seattle, WA), sat on a steering committee for the Healthy Dancer Network with Dance Wire (Portland, OR) and has presented research regarding Injuries in Dance at the 2018 Idaho Dance Educators Conference. As a member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, Tara strives to integrate dance science and safe dance practice with performance and pedagogy. In the greater community, she has been faculty/choreographer for Garden City Ballet 2018, Dance the Divide, MT Dance Arts Association, and On Center Performing Arts. Tara dances professionally with Bare Bait Dance, is in her fourth year as a Teaching Artist in BBD's MoDE Program and her choreographic work was featured in BBD’s Springboard 2018 choreographic showcase. Tara currently teaches ballet at the University of Montana as well as a variety of styles for Studio M & Ballet Arts Academy.
Colleen Rosbarsky, Instructor (Ballet, Jazz)
Colleen teaches ballet, pointe and jazz at Ballet Arts Academy and choreographs annually for Ballet Arts Academy Studio Company. She has choreographed for Garden City Ballet’s The Nutcracker and directed the production in 2012. She has a B.F.A. in Ballet from the University of Utah. Earlier in her dance career, she performed with Utah Ballet and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. In addition to teaching dance, Colleen loves musical theater. She choreographs regularly for Bigfork Summer Playhouse (Lucky Stiff, Freaky Friday and the upcoming Escape to Margaritaville) and Missoula Community Theater (Sister Act, A Christmas Carol, The Addams Family, Nunsense Jamboree). Colleen has performed lead roles in plays at the University of Montana, Fort Peck Summer Theater, Missoula Community Theatre and Montana Repertory Theatre. Favorite performing credits include Chicago, Pippin, A Chorus Line, A Christmas Story and Seussical. For three seasons she choreographed and danced in Dancing with the Missoula Stars and performed as a member of Zootown Cabaret for two years. Her newest daytime adventure is being a licensed esthetician at Skin Chic.
Colleen teaches ballet, pointe and jazz at Ballet Arts Academy and choreographs annually for Ballet Arts Academy Studio Company. She has choreographed for Garden City Ballet’s The Nutcracker and directed the production in 2012. She has a B.F.A. in Ballet from the University of Utah. Earlier in her dance career, she performed with Utah Ballet and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. In addition to teaching dance, Colleen loves musical theater. She choreographs regularly for Bigfork Summer Playhouse (Lucky Stiff, Freaky Friday and the upcoming Escape to Margaritaville) and Missoula Community Theater (Sister Act, A Christmas Carol, The Addams Family, Nunsense Jamboree). Colleen has performed lead roles in plays at the University of Montana, Fort Peck Summer Theater, Missoula Community Theatre and Montana Repertory Theatre. Favorite performing credits include Chicago, Pippin, A Chorus Line, A Christmas Story and Seussical. For three seasons she choreographed and danced in Dancing with the Missoula Stars and performed as a member of Zootown Cabaret for two years. Her newest daytime adventure is being a licensed esthetician at Skin Chic.
Board of Directors 2022-2023
Carrie Dillon (President)
Jennifer Cavanaugh
Valerie Young
Jenna Wicks
Jennifer Barnett
Jennifer Cavanaugh
Valerie Young
Jenna Wicks
Jennifer Barnett