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Aubrey Bartlett

Aubrey was an assistant teacher for three years before she started teaching classes of her own. Some things she’s enjoyed over the years about teaching are getting to see students grow and improve during the year, and seeing students come to class with the same love for dance that she had as a kid.

Catherine Bartshe

Ms. Cat loves teaching!  She received her dance training in Maine at Dance Unlimited in Augusta, Maine State Ballet, and The Dance Center in Auburn.  She also attended The Joffrey Ballet School Jazz and Contemporary Summer Intensive in New York City.  She performed in many of Maine State Ballet’s productions including The Nutcracker, Tap, Tap, Jazz, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.

Barry Brinker

For the past 35 years, Barry has been sharing the joy of dance with thousands of students nationwide.  Before she became a teacher, Barry was a professional dancer in New York City. She then received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education from The University of Maryland. She is the proud recipient of numerous grants awarded by The National Endowment for the Arts. She was honored to teach with Jacques D'amboise for The National Dance Institute in NYC. Students are enthralled by Barry's loving, kind, and energetic nature.  But, it is her compassion for dance and contagious enthusiasm, that most inspires her students.

Gretchen Brown

Maine State Ballet alumni, Gretchen Brown has returned home to MSB after 17 years as the Director and Head of Ballet Curriculum at Creative Sole Studio in Conway NH where she created a ballet program from scratch and fostered it to the largest ballet program in the Mount Washington Valley. Something her decade here at MSB as an instructor and company member rising to ranks as a soloist helped prepare her for. Notable rolls included Dew drop Fairy in the Nutcracker, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Puck’s Pixie in Mid-Summers and 2 friends in Don Quixote.  She is thrilled to be welcomed back home to MSB with such enthusiasm and is excited to share her knowledge and love for Balanchine technique with the students here at MSB!

Abigail Cronin

Abigail joins the Maine State Ballet faculty with a robust background in both classical and contemporary ballet. Hailing from Port St. Lucie, Florida, Abigail trained at esteemed institutions including Treasure Coast Ballet Company, Ponte Vedra Ballet, and East Coast Ballet. She has participated in prestigious workshops at the Joffrey School of Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet, among others. Abigail's performance credits include performances with the Moscow Ballet.

Emma Davis

An enthusiastic and talented teacher, Emma grew up at Maine State Ballet and is a graduate of the MSB's teacher training program. Favorite roles include Clara and Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, Guardian Angel in Hansel and Gretel, Swanhilda in Coppélia, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Emma is a graduate of Brigham Young University-Idaho with a B.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy

Glenn Davis

Former baseball player turned ballet dancer, Glenn has performed all the leading dramatic and comedic roles with MSB including Franz in Coppélia, Basilio in Don Quixote, Conrad in Le Corsaire, the Baron in Can Can Parisien, and the prince role in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Paquita, Firebird, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake. Trained in the Balanchine style® with Linda Miele and Adam Luders of the New York City Ballet, he has also performed extensively in neo-classical ballets including George Balanchine’s Serenade, and Linda Miele’s Bach Concerti, Britten, Stravinsky, and Souvenir.  He also has been seen onstage at the Maine State Music Theater and other local theaters.  Glenn choreographs, teaches, and stages MSB ballets here and across the United States and internationally.  He has a B.A. in History/Education and an M.B.A. from the University of Maine.

Janet Davis

MSB’s prolific ballerina, Janet has captivated audiences with her performances as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Dew Drop Fairy and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Kitri in Don Quixote, and as the leading role in The Firebird to name a few.  She trained extensively in the Balanchine style® with Linda Miele and Adam Luders of the New York City Ballet, for many years.  Her training includes years of tap, jazz, and modern dance from teachers such as Broadway veteran Jonathan Miele, former Rockette member Pamela Romanoff, and former Ram Island Dance members Sara Whale and Larry Lee VanHorne.  As an accomplished pianist, Janet received her musical training from Dr. Richard Nickerson and Karla Kelly Brenner.  Prominent students include Broadway and movie performers (Tony Nominated) Robyn Hurder, and Leigh-Ann and Sara Esty.

Katie Desantis

Longtime faculty and Maine State Ballet Company member, Katie grew up at Maine State Ballet and was accepted into notable summer programs such as Boston Ballet, The Rock School, and Julliard during her time here.  After high school Katie danced at Marymount Manhattan College in New York.  After returning to Maine she studied nursing at SMCC and is a Certified Nursing Assistant and group fitness instructor.  Katie's versatile style enabled her to perform diverse roles such as Princess Elena in The Firebird, the Gypsy Queen in Don Quixote, Dark Angel in Serenade, Spanish Princess in Swan Lake, and the Fourth Movement soloist in Miele's Bach Concerti.

Jeanette Doughty 

Jeanette grew up dancing at Elizabeth Drucker's studio in Topsham. She took a hiatus during college, and returned to ballet with MSB in summer of 2025. She now works as an elementary school teacher and was delighted to join the MSB faculty this year. When she's not teaching or dancing, Jeanette enjoys scrapbooking, crocheting, and spending time with her husband.

Toni Eimicke

Toni is a lifelong dancer with an enthusiastic love of dance! In her younger years, she danced in MA at a local studio and on the UMass Amherst dance team. As a young adult, she danced recreationally, including at NYC’s Broadway Dance Center while in grad school. Her most memorable performance was dancing in the New Year’s Day parade in London. When not dancing, she works as a pediatric nurse practitioner in Portland and has been in pediatric healthcare for 25+ years. Toni has been an unofficial part of the MSB family since 2018, first as a dance mom and then as a substitute teacher for the adult tap class.

Rachel Eiten 

Rachel’s extensive ballet training began in Maine.  She furthered her training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and BalletMet as a trainee.  MSB credits include the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Harpsichord in Beauty and the Beast, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the Glove Seller in Can Can Parisien.  She studies Marketing at the University of Maine.

London Ferre

London received most of her training with Nashville Ballet before moving to Indianapolis to train with Indiana Ballet Conservatory.  After high school, she spent a year as a trainee with Philadelphia Ballet and later joined the studio training company at Texas Ballet Theater.  London has participated in numerous prestigious summer intensives, including American Ballet de Paris, Joffrey Ballet, Ballet West, Washington Ballet, and Alonzo King LINES Ballet.  She was also accepted to programs at American Ballet Theatre and Boston Ballet.

Carly Kasle

Carly is a lifelong dancer with a BFA in Dance Education from the University of Tennessee and an MA in Ballet Pedagogy from New York University.  Fully certified in American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum, she has designed ballet curricula and developed a creative movement program for special needs students. Carly has performed in roles such as the Summer Fairy in Cinderella and the titular role in The Tales of Beatrix Potter.  She has also directed and choreographed scenes from The Nutcracker, including a filmed version during the pandemic.  Carly moved to Maine in 2022 with her husband and two cats, enjoying gardening and beach visits in her spare time.

Juliette Lauzier-Bridges

“Ms. Juliette” has often been the first beloved teacher for many of Maine State Ballet’s aspiring young dancers.  A founding member of the Maine State Ballet company, she is a longtime MSB faculty member, dancer, choreographer, and respected teacher throughout Maine.  Additionally, she was a dancer for Portland’s Ram Island Dance Company.  Favorite MSB roles include the Lady in Red in Can Can Parisien, Czardas Soloist in Coppélia, and Clara, the Spanish Soloist, Snowflake, and Demi Solo Flowers in The Nutcracker.

Jonathan Miele

A dancer with a rich history, Jonathan started at the Dorothy Mason School of Dance in Maine (now the Maine State Ballet).  With training at the Boston Ballet School and a successful Broadway career, dancing alongside notable stars such as Carol Channing, Robert Preston, and Bernadette Peters, Jonathan has directed and choreographed shows for many local community and high school theaters.  He is a long-time MSB company member, having played many character roles including Pasquale the tourist in Can Can Parisien, Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker, and the Jester in Cinderella.  His exuberant style of dance has made him a favorite among students seeking the excitement of big, Broadway-style choreography.  His pride and joy is his family and he loves spending time with his many grandchildren.

Linda Miele

Founder of the Maine State Ballet Company, Ms. Miele began her dance career in Boston and moved to New York by age 11 to attend the School of American Ballet. By age 13, she had become the youngest member accepted into the New York City Ballet Company where she performed at Lincoln Center in New York City and worldwide.  Ms. Miele has had the privilege of working with some of the greatest artistic minds of the 20th century including her protégé and teacher George Balanchine, composer Igor Stravinsky, and Jerome Robbins.  With over 30 ballets to her credit, she was appointed to the prestigious position of “repetiteur” for the George Balanchine Trust™, which entitles her to stage many of Mr. Balanchine’s ballets.

Ali Spurgin

Ali began dancing at age eight and quickly found a passion for dance.  She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Business Administration minor.  Ali has worked with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co., American Ballet Theatre, Trisha Brown Dance Co., Martha Graham Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet.  She performed and choreographed in numerous dance productions including the American College Dance Association and currently judges competitive dancing nationwide.

Emma Tompkins

Emma is a local choreographer & performing artist working with several theaters and schools throughout Maine. She is also a proud board member with The Crowbait Club as well as Portland Players. Emma has studied dance for over 24 years and has experience in many different styles including: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Partnering, Lyrical, Contemporary Modern, Belly Dance and Ballroom. She attended the University of Southern Maine and graduated with two majors in Marketing and Business Administration, with minors in Dance, Theater and Honors.  Emma is a Maine State Ballet Alumni and is happy to be back as an instructor. She believes you are never too young and never too old to learn how to dance!

Cristia Whitehouse

Cristia is a lifelong dancer who is excited to be part of the Maine State Ballet family! She grew up training with Valerie Farias Newton and at the Lebanon Ballet School in New Hampshire. After high school, she danced in the corps de ballet with Ohio Dance Theatre and later with City Center Ballet. Favorite past roles include the fall fairy in Cinderella, a bride in Dracula, and anything involving character dancing! Currently, Cristia enjoys acting with local community theaters as well as with Maine State Ballet. She has a degree in linguistics from Oberlin College.