Mariaelena Ruiz is the recipient of the 2019 Youth America Grand Prix NYC Finals Outstanding Teacher Award. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she was trained and coached by Prima Ballerina of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Nina Novak. At age 14, Mariaelena became the youngest member of the Ballet Nacional de Caracas, under the direction of Vicente Nebrada. Soon after, she won 3rd place Junior Division at the Jackson USA International Ballet Competition and received a full scholarship to continue her studies at the School of American Ballet in New York. She won the Best Couple award and 3rd Place Senior Division at the Varna International Ballet Competition and also won at the Prix Volinine in Paris. Over the next seven years, Mariaelena performed principal roles at Bay Ballet Theater, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, and Ballet Hispanico; and as a guest artist for many companies in the US and Europe. Between 2000 to 2006 Mariaelena danced an all Balanchine repertoire in the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2000 she began teaching part-time at The Rock School for Dance Education and became full-time Ballet Master at The Rock School in 2006, there she trained some of today’s brightest ballet stars. In 2015 Mariaelena and her husband became part owners of Cary Ballet Conservatory where she created the Professional Training Program, that same year she also became the Artistic Director of Cary Ballet Company. During her time as PTP director, the Conservatory has been awarded the Outstanding School Award at YAGP, ADC, and has also been featured in Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine. Mariaelena was the cover of Dance Teacher Magazine with the featured story titled: “Mariaelena Ruiz works her magic at Cary Ballet Conservatory.” and In 2016 Mariaelena was named the “Outstanding Teacher” at the ADC International Ballet Competition Mariaelena has been a judge and guest teacher for YAGP and has also worked with the New York International Ballet Competition. She was featured in the award-winning documentary First Position and in the WHYY Philadelphia documentary made about the first Curtis Institute of Music and Rock School Collaboration in 2009. In 2016 Mariaelena was named outstanding teacher at the ADC International Ballet Competition She has coached medalists for major competitions including Moscow IBC, Jackson USA IBC, Boston IBC, Prix de Lausanne, Youth America Grand Prix, and American Dance Competition. Her former students are dancing professionally all over the world in companies such as National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theater, Het National Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Washington Ballet, New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, and on Broadway. As Artistic Director of Cary Ballet Company, one of the first things she brought to fruition was a full-length Nutcracker which has been sold out and enjoyed by many since 2016. She also created the Nutcracker mini-shows as a one- hour lecture demonstrations with a narrator and details of how the performance of the Nutcracker comes to life. Aside from working with Cary Ballet Company’s very talented choreographers, Mariaelena has been responsible for bringing to the company’s “Spring Works” some very sought after choreographers to work with the dancers to create original works. She has choreographed and adapted excerpts of the most famous classical ballets for the company, including Le Corsaire, Bayadere, and has been working on her new “Don Quixote” which will be performed by the company very soon.

Heather Iler began her training at Toledo Ballet, under the direction of Marie Vogt. She continued training at the prestigious School of American Ballet (SAB) and, soon after, The School of Classical Ballet, Mikhail Baryshnikov’s new school for American Ballet Theater. During SAB’s annual workshop performance, Miami City Ballet’s director, Edward Villella, invited her to join his company. While in MCB, she performed numerous ballets by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Jimmy Gamonet, and Edward Villella. In addition, she danced with San Francisco Ballet’s School, Ballet Met, and Richmond Ballet. After MCB, she completed her B.S. and Master’s degrees in biology from The University of Toledo. She then returned to teaching and has been on faculty with the Miami City Ballet, The Reston Conservatory Ballet in Virginia, The Toledo Ballet, Ballet Theater of Toledo, and St. Louis Ballet School. She served as ballet mistress for St. Louis Ballet, where she was responsible for rehearsing company repertoire including ballets by Petipa, Balanchine, Gen Horiuchi, Michael Uthoff, and Christopher d’Amboise. Heather Iler joined the faculty of Cary Ballet Conservatory in 2011. In 2014, she assumed the role of CBC’s Director of Summer Intensive. She has continued to revise and update the schedule, increase class offerings, and create the Aspiring Dancer Program. In 2015, she was named CBC’s Director of the Ballet School. Through her tenure, she has established and implemented her curriculum, built the teacher assistant program, and continued to develop and create evening schedules. She developed the highly successful studio program, a comprehensive bridge between the Professional Training Program (PTP) and evening programs and was instrumental in the establishment of the PTP. Ms. Iler is lead faculty with CBC’s PTP, directed by Mariaelena Ruiz. Since the establishment of PTP and the Studio Program, CBC has been named by Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) as Best School (2019, 2018, 2017) and Best Faculty (2020) and by American Dance Competition-International Ballet Competition (ADC-IBC) as Best School (2018 and 2017). In 2011, Ms. Iler became involved in Cary Ballet Company as a choreographer and ballet master. During her first year, she was pivotal in creating a full-length production of “The Nutcracker.” In 2014, she was appointed as Associate Artistic Director of the company. Under her leadership, she has helped to build repertoire, create original choreography, and expand opportunities for dancers through programs such as Plié All Day. Through her tenure, she has brought such renowned ballets as Coppélia, La Bayadère, Paquita, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and other classical repertoires to the company, all while teaching, overseeing casting, and maintaining production quality. Upholding the company’s mission statement, Heather Iler firmly believes every person should have access to ballet and live theatre, regardless of age, skill, or background. Her philosophy imparts to all her passion and joy of dance, whether they are destined for a professional life or simply one enriched with the love of movement.

Suzanne is a dedicated advocate of the arts, with a rich and diverse background spanning dance education, arts administration, and community engagement. She knew from a very young age that she wanted to dance ballet. Prior to graduating Cum Laude with a BA from Point Park College (University), Suzanne honed her ballet skills under the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, earning her Pre-Elementary RAD certificate and immersed herself in the Vaganova and Cecchetti methods from Maryland School of Ballet. Her formative years included summer intensive training at the Boston School of Ballet and Ballet West. Suzanne's passion for ballet was unwavering. She performed as an amateur at American Dance Festivals and professionally at the Pittsburgh Playhouse Theatre, Kennedy Center, and Wolf Trap. She performed with several small companies and showcased her versatility in ballet, modern, and jazz with Arlington Dance Theater. With ten years combined administrative experience from mortgage banking to pharmaceuticals, transitioning into arts administration was seamless. Suzanne accrued over twenty years of experience with the non-profit Cary Ballet Company as an administrator and served sixteen of those years on the Board of Directors. Her roles encompassed contract administration, rehearsal schedules, community liaison, bookkeeping, budgeting, leading the Board and leveraging her grant writing certification to provide additional financial resources to the Company’s ever-growing productions. Since 2003, Suzanne has been integral to the growth of the Cary Ballet Company, assisting its transformation from a studio-based production to the esteemed Resident Ballet Company for the Town of Cary, with expanded outreach into Raleigh. Beyond her administrative prowess, Suzanne's commitment to ballet education shined through her 24 years as a ballet instructor at Cary Ballet Conservatory, also earning a certification in PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique). She not only imparted technical expertise but also staged dance pieces and nurtured the talents of young dancers. Suzanne’s dedication to the arts community extends beyond the studio. She balances her career with cherished family time alongside her husband Scott, and grown children Kyle and Jasmine. She volunteered with National Charity League, Ronald McDonald House and is a current member of 100 Women Who Give a Hoot. When not focused on Cary Ballet Company, Suzanne teaches yoga, enjoys outdoor activities like walking her Havanese dog Turbo, biking, and culinary explorations. Her journey—from a passionate dancer to a cornerstone of the cultural arts scene—is a testament to her enduring love for dance and she hopes to see the continued growth of Cary Ballet Company in the community.

Agustin de Sousa began his training at age 13 at Danzaira Escuela de ballet in Peru, followed by the Cary Ballet Conservatory, where he graduated in 2020. While training with Cary Ballet Conservatory, he received multiple scholarships and awards, including qualifying for the Youth American Grand Prix Finals in New York. He is also an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher. Agustin received his first contract at age 19 with The Sarasota Ballet in Sarasota, Florida. As a member of The Sarasota Ballet, he had the opportunity to perform several internationally renowned ballets, including George Balanchine’s Diamonds, Stars and Stripes, Theme and Variations, and Western Symphony, as well a Frederick Ashton’s Enigma Variations. At age 21, he joined the Cleveland Ballet in Cleveland, Ohio. After pandemic-forced closures, Mr. Agustin de Sousa returned to the Cary Ballet Conservatory as a faculty member, teaching young dancers where he himself was a student.

Beth Costigan joined our Cary Ballet Conservatory faculty in the fall of 1997. She began her training with Chicagoland studios including the Ruth Page foundation and the Lou Conte Studio. She holds a BA in Theatre/Dance from Northern Illinois University where she was awarded a Talented Student Scholarship and an Outstanding Service Award. Beth has performed professionally with Chicago Repertory Dance Ensemble, Dancescape, The American College Dance Festival, The N.I.U. Alumni Company and most recently with the Harrison Dance Company in Atlanta, GA. Prior to moving to North Carolina, Beth was Assistant Director of the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre in Marietta, GA. for three years. She has been a wonderful asset for Cary Ballet Conservatory and Company teaching over the past twenty three years. In addition to teaching, Beth is certified in Power Pilates and Progressing Ballet Technique. She continues to educate herself in teacher training programs with physiotherapist Lisa Howell and Marie Walton-Mahon. Beth is especially recognized for the numerous outstanding original works she choreographed for our Cary Ballet Company.

Madison Zisk has trained in many places within the United States. Over the course of her studies, she has trained with the Ballet Theatre of Toledo, St. Louis Ballet, Cary Ballet Conservatory, and The Washington Ballet under the direction of Julie Kent, BalletMet, and others. While at Cary Ballet Conservatory, Madison had the opportunity to teach alongside Heather Iler and Mariaelana Ruiz. Having taught at schools in Florida and Ohio, she is thrilled to come back home to CBC!

​Karl Moraski moved to North Carolina in 1999 with a wide range of musical experience to be the company pianist for Carolina Ballet. He has been performing since age 6 when he had his first solo concert at Wannamaker Hall in Philadelphia. He has been the pianist for many major ballet companies including Miami City Ballet and Los Angeles Ballet and has performed as a piano soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, Wolftrap and in Raleigh with the North Carolina Symphony. In the ballet world he has had the opportunity to work with the likes of Mikhail Baryshnikov, Edward Villella, Alexander Goudonov, Alicia Alonso, Maya Plisetskaya and a host of other artists through the years. While in Los Angeles he wrote music for and appeared in an episode of the ABC series Hart to Hart. He has since returned to Los Angeles to assist Warner Brothers in arranging and recording the full soundtrack for their theatrical venture, Casablanca: The Dance which premiered in Beijing, China. In Canada, his rock band Montana saw one of its singles hit number 22 on the charts. He has been commissioned to write several scores for Carolina Ballet including Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. He is excited to have been asked to join the board of Cary Ballet Company and assist them in their mission to continue to present high-quality dance to the area as well as educate the community about dance in their many outreach events. As their pianist, he has seen first hand the high level of training, the commitment to excellence as well as the many performance opportunities for students. He resides in Cary with his wife Siobhan where they have raised 5 children.

Ali was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She attended North Carolina State University where she studied Fashion Development and was a member of Panoramic Dance Project. She enjoys using her organizational and relational skills to build strong connections and teams. Ali had the pleasure of working with Cary Ballet in 2018, and after spending time building her skills and exploring career options, she is excited to be able to return to work with the awesome Cary Ballet team. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, working out, and reading.

Reynu Wood grew up in Cary, North Carolina where she received her training from Cary Ballet Conservatory’s Professional Training Program under the direction of Mariaelena Ruiz and Heather Iler. As a student, Reynu’s repertoire ranged in many classical works, such as Kitri from Don Quixote, The Sugarplum and Dewdrop Fairy from The Nutcracker, Paquita Pas de Trois, and she was featured in many contemporary works as well. Reynu had the ability to attend summers at The Rock School, Miami City Ballet, and The Bolshoi Ballet Academy with a merit scholarship. Upon graduating in 2020, Reynu moved to Oregon to join Ballet Fantastique as an apprentice and joined Syracuse City Ballet as a Company Dancer the following season. She was with Syracuse City Ballet from 2021-2023 and performed many Principal and Soloist roles including Clara and Dew Drop from “The Nutcracker”, The Firebird from “The Firebird”, Odile and Pas de Trois from “Swan Lake”, Alberto Mendez’s “Muñecos”, among many other classical and contemporary works. Reynu is currently a Company Dancer at Roanoke Ballet Theatre in Virginia where she has had the opportunity to dance as a Vampire Soloist in “Dracula”, Arabian in “The Nutcracker”, Wedding Variation from “Paquita”, “Alice in Wonderland”, and has been featured in many contemporary works.