Sharon Seder Meko | Founding Artistic Director, Instructor
As its founding Artistic Director, Sharon Seder Meko has been the driving force and inspiration behind Ballet Etudes since 1986. Her foresight and vision are responsible for the company's tremendous growth and development and the artistic accomplishments of its dancers. Due to her efforts, many of the company's dancers have been accepted at the most prestigious schools and companies throughout North America. Ballet Etudes' stature in the southwestern United States has been achieved because of the dedication to excellence and the exceptional professional abilities of this most talented woman. Sharon began her training in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, with the Schuykill Valley Regional Dance Company. She then continued her formal ballet training in Philadelphia and later trained as an auditioned student under Edward Canton at the Pennsylvania Ballet. She continued her dancing career as a soloist and principal dancer. Some of her roles include: Sugar Plum Fairy, Waltz and Mirlitons in Nutcracker, Kitri in Don Quixote, Blue Bird, Lilac Fairy and Spanish in Sleeping Beauty, and roles in Coppélia. She has studied and taken master classes with teachers Margaret Craske, Hector Zaraspe, Pearl Lang and Martha Graham. In Denver she continued her professional career with the Colorado Concert Ballet Company and Ballet Now. Since 1979, Sharon has pursued her love of Ballet in Arizona. She danced with the Mesa Civic Ballet (presently Ballet Arizona) and has choreographed for the Arizona Metropolitan Ballet Junior Company and served as a guest teacher. She was on the faculty of the Dance Department at Arizona State University. A teacher of ballet for 30 years, Sharon is presently Director of Ballet at the Jeanne Wright Dance Academy. Sharon Meko was honored by the Mesa Chamber for Commerce and by Arts in Mesa when she was named "Artist of the Year.”
Kellan Meko | Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Instructor
A graduate of the University of Arizona and a Ballet Etudes company member from 1994-2002, Kellan performed numerous roles including Clara, Dew Drop Fairy and Spanish in The Nutcracker, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Duck in Peter and the Wolf and Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. With Ballet Etudes, she also performed at a Phoenix Suns game, the Arizona Celebration of Dance, galas for the Arizona Opera and The Phoenix Symphony, and at Phoenix Symphony and Metropolitan Youth Symphony concerts. Kellan was cast by Leslie Browne (from American Ballet Theater and the film The Turning Pointe) in Imbongi, her original work for Ballet Etudes. Kellan’s own choreographic works Anon and The Steps of St. Paul’s were accepted by audition and performed at the Herberger Theater in Downtown Phoenix for the 2009 Arizona Celebration of Dance.
Susan Sharkey, R.A.D. | Ballet Mistress, Instructor
Mrs. Sharkey began her dance studies in California where one of her most influential teachers was Eugene Loring. In junior high school she was accepted on scholarship at Colorado College's Dance Department, studying with Professor Norman and Dorothea Cornick, formerly principals with the Memphis Ballet. She was a soloist in the college's performing company. Susan began her training with American Ballet Theater under Francisca and Dimitri Romanoff the company's Regissuer. She went on to perform in American Ballet Theater's corps and was later promoted to soloist. As a soloist, her repertoire included the ballets Les Sylphides, Les Patineurs, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Giselle. After coming to Arizona she completed her exams in the Dance Education Syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dancing and now is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dancing, London, England. In addition to being the Ballet Mistress for Ballet Etudes, she is also a teaching member for the Royal Academy of Dancing. Susan gives guest seminars in pointe technique and has been invited to teach pointe technique as a member of an international delegation's teaching tour of China. She also has a B.A. in English Literature.
Founding Artistic Director - Sharon Seder Meko
“....turning out stars-to-be.”
- The Arizona Republic
Paris Wilcox | Instructor
Information coming soon...