RODOLFO MÉNDEZ (Program Director; Artistic Director, Ballet East) studied classical ballet with what is now Ballet Austin, as well as flamenco and folkloric dance with Danny Sharkey and Neo Gutiérrez, and toured with their companies. He studied in New York City at Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, American Ballet Theatre, and Alvin Ailey American Dance School, danced off-Broadway, and toured with companies based in New York City. He studied flamenco dance in Spain with José Molina and Pepe Fernández on a Fulbright scholarship.

As a Peace Corps volunteer, he worked with the Costa Rican Ministry of Education to develop a curriculum for teaching theater arts in the schools that is still in use.

Mr. Méndez founded Ballet East Dance Company in 1978 to aim for artistic achievement in modern dance and to serve as an instrument of individual and social betterment..The after-school programs offered by Ballet East have received local, state, and national recognition. Mr. Méndez has served on peer panels of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Texas Commission on the Arts. He was recognized by the City of Austin as Hispanic of the Year, awarded the Austin Independent School District’s Perfect Fit Award, and elected to the Austin Arts Hall of Fame.

MONICA FLORES (Ballet Folklorico Instructor) has been a member of the St. Edward's University Ballet Folklorico since it began 6 years ago.  As an artist with St. Edward’s ballet group, Ms. Flores has toured around Mexico to the regions of Veracruz, Oaxaca, Colima, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, and Guanajuato.  Within Texas, Ms. Flores performs Quinceañeras, weddings, parades, competitions, and festivities such as cinco de mayo, dies y seis de septiembre, dia de los muertos, posadas, and the Trail of Lights.  Ms. Flores also teaches ballet folklorico after school at Sanchez and Metz Elementary School and Metz Recreation Center. 

Ms. Flores is currently attending the Science Education doctoral program at UT and is a science tutor at Baty Elementary. Ms. Flores guides the undergraduate biology students at St. Edward's University as they conduct their own research projects as a way to be confident about learning science.  This semester she taught a first year seminar course for freshmen students interested in making biology or pre-health professions their major.  The course is meant to teach students learning strategies on how to study for science courses and to expose them to health professionals so they learn early on what they are to expect in reaching their career goals.

ERIC MIDGLEY (Ballet/Modern Dance Instructor) graduated from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was a member of Ballet Florida and Ballet Austin. Audiences in Austin and Edinburgh have also enjoyed his performances with American Repertory Ensemble. As a principal male dancer, Eric was praised for his technique, versatility, and artistry. He has danced throughout Canada and the US, as well as in France, Scotland, Slovenia and Italy.  

Mr. Midgley co-founded and directed Step Ahead – Ballet Florida’s Choreographic Workshop encouraging new choreographers and producing more than 40 new works. As a choreographer, he has made dances for students, workshops, and companies ranging in style from folk to modern.

He has taught for more than twenty years, including master classes, workshops, summer intensives and as a faculty member of Rusalka (Ukrainian dance), Palm Beach Ballet Center, and the Academy of Ballet Florida.

He teaches ballet, pointe, character, men’s class, variations, and partnering. Drawing connections between diverse dance styles and everyday movement, Mr. Midgley believes in bringing dance to the student and the student to dance. 

GINA PATTERSON (Ballet/Modern Dance Instructor) first danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and has since become known as a consummate performer, touring Europe with the Pittsburgh Opera. She has danced with Ballet Austin, Ballet Florida, and American Repertory Ensemble in Canada, Iceland, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and France. Ms. Patterson has also appeared as a guest artist with companies throughout the United States, and at Lincoln Center, Joyce Theater, and Kennedy Center.

She has been hailed as a choreographer of “startling originality” (Back Stage) and “a standout on the soulful front” (Sun-Sentinel). Her work has been presented locally and internationally.  She was awarded the prestigious Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Choreographer, and she was selected five times to present work at the Ballet Builder's Showcase in New York.  Ms. Patterson created original works for Ballet Austin, Richmond Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Florida, Dayton Ballet, BalletMet, DanceWorks Chicago, Ballet Pacifica, Hubbard Street 2, Ballet Austin II, Ballet East, Montana Ballet, the University of Iowa, and Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts. 

Ms. Patterson teaches master classes during her choreographic residencies, and at various summer intensives and workshops. She is on the faculty of the Dance Institute in Austin and also gives private lessons ranging from ballet to dance therapy. She believes that anyone can give voice to their unique inner song through dance.

ROCKER VERÁSTIQUE (Dance Theater Instructor) took every dance class offered in school and at community centers in Austin, and left for New York as a teenager, where he was asked to join American Ballet Theatre's apprentice company by Mikhail Baryshnikov. He trained and danced with ABT for six years, until Debbie Allen selected him for the pilot of the TV series Fame. He appeared in episodes of the series, and in numerous music videos, including Janet Jackson's "Nasty," choreographed by Paula Abdul.

Mr. Verástique danced with the Eliot Feld and Los Angeles Chamber Ballets. He appeared in several Broadway shows, including Contact, Chicago, Victor/Victoria, Carousel, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, and in such special events as the Clinton Inaugural Gala, Kennedy Center Honors, and Bravo on Broadway.

Returning to Austin, he is a member of the faculty of Ballet Austin and teaches theater dance in the community outreach programs of Ballet East at Mendez and Martin Middle Schools, Dove Springs and Metz Recreation Centers, and Eastside Memorial High School

DANNY HERMAN (Dance Theater Instructor) was in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line, Contact, and Leader of the Pack, and performed as a principal jazz and tap dancer in many other off-Broadway and Broadway shows.

As a choreographer and director, he created three International Editions of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, spectaculars for casinos, special events such as the Martin Luther King Honors Show at the Kennedy Center, and an encore presentation of 200 inner-city children dancing together on stage for the Pittsburgh Musical Theater. He has directed, choreographed, and staged musical shows for theaters throughout the United States, as well as for international and national touring companies.

Mr. Herman has taught jazz, tap, and theater dance at Steps, Broadway Dance Center, New Dance Group, and Queens College in New York City, Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park College, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and at Fresno State University in California.

He teaches theater dance at Ballet Austin and in the community outreach programs of Ballet East at Mendez and Martin Middle Schools, Dove Springs and Metz Recreation Centers, and Eastside Memorial High School

SHEILA CRUZ (Hip-Hop/Salsa/Salsa/ Meringue Instructor) began her studies at the University of Puerto Rico, where she obtained a scholarship to attend Hunter College in New York City. At Hunter College, she became a member of the Hunter College Dance Company and studied a variety of dance styles at the Broadway Dance Center including modern, jazz, hip-hop, and ballet.

Ms. Cruz became a member of the Danza Jazz dance company and began her career as a professional dancer/choreographer. She choreographed musicals for Teatro del 60 and furthered her development of dance, while working as a professional, by attending the Alvin Ailey program in New York City and taking classes at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.

In 2003, she taught dance and obtained a scholarship to train with the Zenon Dance Company of Minneapolis. Sheila has over 10 years of teaching experience working with students of all ages to help them learn Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern and Ballet dance styles. For the past four years she has been teaching at Broadway Dance Center in Austin, TX and has choreographed for their company. She has danced and collaborated with artists such as Toni Bravo and Ballet East