Faculty
Renee (Sissie) Gillenwater Artistic Director
Began her training with Margaret Newcomb. At the age of 14, she was selected in a national audition to attend the summer program at Harkness House for the Ballet Arts in New York City. Renee has trained in Europe and Austin and danced professionally with Austin Dance Ensemble. Ms Gillenwater has choreographed Oklahoma! And Man of La Mancha for the University of Mary Hardin Baylor and Can-Can for the Temple Civic Theater. Renee has pursued further education in ballet. She has extensively studied the Russian (Vaganova) syllabus with Master teachers John White and Texas Tech Professor Peggy Willis -Aarnio. Professor Aarnio was the first teacher in North America to be certified by the Vaganova Academy in Russia. Renee also traveled to St. Petersburg , Russia to study at the world renowned Vaganova Academy and is a member of the International Vaganova Method Society. In the summer of 2007 Renee studied at the famed National Ballet School of Canada. Ms. Gillenwater recently took part in American Ballet Theatre's teacher training intensive and is now a certified teacher of ABT's® National Training Curriculum from Primary through Level 3. She is a graduate of the University of Mary Hardin Baylor with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary education.
Margaret Newcomb Artistic Advisor
Began her training under Madame Nadich in her native Hamburg, Germany. She later was accepted at the Opera Ballet School where she received most of her professional training under Russian teachers, and then became a member of the Opera Ballet. At the age of 17, she became the youngest soloist with the Carla Sydow Ballet and toured extensively in Europe. She later joined the International Ballet as first soloist.
