Owner / Directors

Sue Buck, DirectorSusan Buck has her undergraduate and Masters Degree in Ballet from Indiana University. Her early training was with Marjorie Randazzo, numerous Cecchetti Conferences, the University of Michigan, and she attended high school at the National Academy of Arts in Champaign, Illinois. Sue has completed her Cecchetti Ballet Exams highly commended, and completed the Vaganova Teacher’s Training. She danced professionally with the Texas Ballet in Houston and was a guest artist with many Ballet companies throughout the U.S. She has danced roles as diverse as leads in Othello, Trojan Women, Paquita, Cinderella, Don Quixote, Giselle, and The Nutcracker. She has studied with Bill Martin-Viscount, Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, Gwen Ashton, and Michael Maule among others. Her high energy teaching, nurturing of young children and outstanding ballet technique have given her quite a following in the Grand Traverse Area

Betsy Carr, DirectorBetsy Carr has a Master’s in Dance Performance & Choreography from the University of Michigan, an Undergraduate Degree in Dance from Eastern Michigan University, and has served on the teaching faculties at both institutions. While living in New York City, Carr was on scholarship at Steps on Broadway, where she served as an assistant manager. After performing and training in New York City, Carr moved to Ann Arbor to dance professionally with the Parker Copely Modern Company, as well as Jazz Dance Theater. One of her career highlights was being named “Michigan Dance Teacher of the Year” in 2001. Teaching since 1976, she has won numerous National and Regional Honors, and has students dancing professionally in Ballet & Modern Companies, as well as Broadway Shows and National Tours. Carr also has numerous students with studios and companies of their own. She is in demand as a Guest Teacher and has taught for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, Cecchetti Summer Workshops at Michigan State University, Hope College, and Cleveland Ballet, Detroit Windsor Dance Company, South Dayton Dance Theater, Macomb Arts Festival, Badgerette Dance – Milwaukee, and Performing Arts Dance Theater. She served as the President of the Northern Michigan Dance Council for 8 years, facilitating scholarships and performance opportunities for Traverse City Area dancers.