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.
Colleen Rosbarsky, Instructor
Colleen is honored to be teaching ballet, pointe and jazz at BAA. She choreographs annually for Ballet Arts Studio Company and Garden City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, which she directed in 2012. She has a B.F.A. in Ballet from the University of Utah. Earlier in her career she danced with Utah Ballet and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Colleen is a freelance musical theater choreographer. Recent credits include: Clue at Arizona Broadway Theater, Cinderella at Fort Peck Summer Theater, Bright Star at the University of Montana Department of Theater and Dance, Escape to Margaritaville, Freaky Friday for Bigfork Summer Playhouse and Young Frankenstein at Missoula Community Theater, to name a few. Recent performance credits include 40 over 40 at West Side Theater, the role of “Marian” in Bridges of Madison County at Missoula Community Theater and “Mayzie” in Seussical at Fort Peck Summer Theater. Colleen has a daytime adventure as a licensed esthetician at Skin Chic and she enjoys offering services to clients as another creative outlet.
Colleen is honored to be teaching ballet, pointe and jazz at BAA. She choreographs annually for Ballet Arts Studio Company and Garden City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, which she directed in 2012. She has a B.F.A. in Ballet from the University of Utah. Earlier in her career she danced with Utah Ballet and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Colleen is a freelance musical theater choreographer. Recent credits include: Clue at Arizona Broadway Theater, Cinderella at Fort Peck Summer Theater, Bright Star at the University of Montana Department of Theater and Dance, Escape to Margaritaville, Freaky Friday for Bigfork Summer Playhouse and Young Frankenstein at Missoula Community Theater, to name a few. Recent performance credits include 40 over 40 at West Side Theater, the role of “Marian” in Bridges of Madison County at Missoula Community Theater and “Mayzie” in Seussical at Fort Peck Summer Theater. Colleen has a daytime adventure as a licensed esthetician at Skin Chic and she enjoys offering services to clients as another creative outlet.
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.
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.
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.
Tara McFarland, Instructor
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.
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!
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.
Mary Gibbons, Office Manager
Photo and bio coming soon!
Photo and bio coming soon!
Board of Directors 2024-2025
Jennifer Barnett (President)
Jennifer Cavanaugh
Valerie Young
Jenna Wicks
Jennifer Cavanaugh
Valerie Young
Jenna Wicks