Midland Festival Ballet

Ms. Clark joined Milwaukee Ballet as a principal dancer in 1990. The dual roles of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella in Cinderella are among the most notable roles she performed in her career. Upon retiring from performances in 1996, Ms. Clark became Ballet Mistress with Milwaukee Ballet. 

Prior to 1990, she was a principal dancer with Atlanta Ballet, danced with the Ballet Repertory Company in New York City, danced with Twyla Tharp in the film version of Hair, and was a prizewinner in the 1987 International Dance Competition in Osaka, Japan.

Clark received her formal training with William-Martin Viscount in Fort Worth and the National Academy of Dance in Champaign, Illinois.

Ms. Clark co-directed Ballet Midland with Anthony Ferro and continues to be a sought after guest ballet instructor throughout the country. Clark has cultivated many relationships in the dance world and continues to mentor young dancers.

Mrs. Garrett began her ballet training locally with Janice Collerd. Her professional training continued under William Martin-Viscount, Susan Clark, John Wey Ling, Nanette Glushak, and Michel Rahn. She also attended the School of American Ballet under full scholarship before starting her professional career at the age of 16. Mrs. Garrett enjoyed many years with the Fort Worth Ballet, now known as Texas Ballet Theater, under the directorship of Paul Mejia, where she was honored to perform many of Balanchine’s great works. She is most known for her role as the evil step-sister in Mejia’s Cinderella. Her greatest joy is now her beautiful family and sharing her love and knowledge of ballet with the young dancers of today.

An inspiration to all young dancers, Karen’s dance career had been varied and extensive. Performing first with Permian Civic, later Ballet Midland, her experience led her to dancing many different roles under the directorships of Bill Martin Viscount, Ann Burton, and Anthony Ferro. Karen has also performed with Midland Theatre Dancers, Lubbock Civic Ballet, and San Antonio Dance Theatre, and James Cramer and Friends companies. Karen is also a graduate of Texas Tech.

Throughout her local teaching career at Audrey Walker School of Dance, Ballet Midland, Judy Gorlin’s in Odessa, Coleman Academy and now Midland Festival Ballet, she has trained many local dancers. 

Meghan began studying ballet at age 4 with Susan Clark and Judy Coleman, first at Coleman Academy, and later at the School of Midland Festival Ballet. Meghan was a member of MFB's company for 8 years. She performed for many years in Midland Festival Ballet's production of The Nutcracker, and in MFB's Spring Gala productions including Giselle. As a company member, she attended and performed at a number of Regional Dance America/Southwest festivals. After graduating from Midland High School in 2012, Meghan began teaching ballet at local studios including Midland Festival Ballet, Art & Soul, and Absolute Dance. In addition to teaching ballet, Meghan is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. 

Rachel is a Senior Company member of Midland Festival Ballet. She began training at Midland Festival Ballet in 2010, and since then has enjoyed performing and training under Susan Clark. In 2016 and 2017 she attended the National Choreography Intensive in Tallahassee, FL and Huntsville, TX where she worked with emerging choreographers and dancers from around the country. Over the years she has been honored to work with many choreographers including Katia Garza, Lee-Wei Chao, Pearl Pierce, and Valerie Robin. Rachel discovered her love of teaching through working with young dancers at Midland Festival Ballet, and hopes to continue sharing her passion for dance with others in the future.

Melanie studied dance for 13 years at Beaux Arts Dance Studio in Pampa, Texas under Jeanne Willingham, who did choreography work in Los Angeles and New York for various television programs and ballet companies.  She resumed her love for dance in 1995 with Bingham Dance Center and began teaching tap and jazz at Bingham in 1997, and at Art & Soul in 2011.  She has produced winners at Dance Caravan and Tremaine Dance competitions, winning the Grand Championship Award in 2002.  Melanie completed the Dance Educators of America 2003 Teacher Training & Certification Program in Las Vegas.  She soon realized her heart was in the rhythm of tap dancing and has spent several summers in Austin participating in the Soul to Sole Tap Festival, studying with many classic and contemporary tap professionals.

Maisha Morris is a young woman with the gift of dance and a passion for people. As she grew up in Odessa, Texas, she trained and performed both in school and with multiple studios. Upon graduating from Odessa High School in 2007, she moved to Los Angeles to begin her professional dance career. It began with two years of training and performing at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, which lead to joining CONTRA-TIEMPO an L.A based Urban-Latin dance company, where she taught and performed both in and out of the United States. A move to New York in 2015 was the next level and continuation of her journey and the first stop was the Alvin Ailey American Dance School. Within the time there, Maisha developed her signature style of movement. Starring in multiple music videos and working for names brands like Samsung and L’Oreal. The years have been full of everything Maisha could have imagined and more, and she eagerly awaits her even greater future.