Meet the Faculty of The Toledo Ballet

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Toledo Ballet School Faculty

Lisa Mayer Lang, School Director - Lisa began her training at the Toledo Ballet at the age of six under the direction of Marie Vogt. At the age of eight she performed Clara in The Nutcracker. She also danced the role of the Frost Princess which was specifically created for her so that she could continue to be a featured performer in The Nutcracker. After the Toledo Ballet, Lisa won the prestigious Toscanini scholarship from Interlochen Fine Arts Camp, where she performed in Symphony in C, Eugene Onegin, and Swan Lake. She also studied at Ruth Page in Chicago and at Ballet West's summer intensive under the direction of the renowned William Christiansen. For the past 20 years Lisa has studied ballet in New York City under the tutelage of some of the best ballet instructors in the world: David Howard, Nancy Bielski, Finis Jhung, Peff Modelski, Michael Vernon, and Bobby Blankshine. She also performed internationally, partnering with Gen Horiuchi, a principal with the New York City Ballet. While in New York City, Ms. Lang enjoyed tremendous success on Broadway. Her Broadway credits include CATS (Sillabub and Victoria); CAROUSEL, at Lincoln Center; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, in which she performed the lead role of Belle at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; Barry Manilow's HARMONY; KISS ME KATE; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; and WONDERFUL TOWN with Brooke Shields. Ms. Mayer had the honor of working alongside Julie Andrews and Liza Minelli at Carnegie Hall. She also performed in City Center's production of BOYS FROM SYRACUSE. Off Broadway credits include FANTASTICKS! (Luisa). Television credits include Live with Regis and Kathie Lee; The Conan O'Brien Show; The Rosie O'Donnell Show; and The Guiding Light. Ms. Mayer is also on the faculty at University of Michigan in its Dance and Musical Theatre departments.

Michael Lang - Michael Lang began dancing at the age of four in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. He has studied dance at the Jordan School of Fine Arts and with Linda Rees in Indianapolis; with Gus Giordano and at Lou Conte's in Chicago; and at Steps and Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Mr. Lang also studied tumbling with Dwight McPheeters and was an Indiana State Champion Diver. Mr. Lang's theater credits include the original Los Angeles and Broadway productions of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, in which he performed the role of Lefou and was featured for nearly a decade as the "Tumbling Carpet;" CATS in Hamburg, Germany; DAMES AT SEA; HELLO DOLLY in Chicago, IL; A CHORUS LINE, Michigan Ensemble; 42nd STREET, Indianapolis, IN; GREASE, Miami, FL. Television and film credits include: Cold Case, Late Night with David Letterman, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and General Hospital. Mr. Lang has also taught competitive gymnastics and is a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and a licensed massage therapist. Mr. Lang also teaches musical theater and active isolated stretching at The Toledo Ballet. In addition to serving on Toledo Ballet's faculty, Mr. Lang serves as Publicity Coordinator for Toledo Ballet. He is Artistic Director of Toledo Ballet's performing arts company, Magie du Théâtre, as well as of its spring production. Mr. Lang also serves on the dance faculty of Toledo School for Arts.

Steven Brown, began his ballet studies at The Toledo Ballet School with Marie Vogt and Velta Cernonok. He has gone on to study on scholarship at many highly regarded schools including Houston Ballet Academy, the former School of Cleveland Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, and The School of American Ballet and Steps Studio in NYC. In addition to dancing lead roles with Toledo Ballet, Mr. Brown has also danced with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Ballet Ensemble, Wisconsin Ballet Theatre and Montana Ballet. Mr. Brown completed degree requirements and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ballet from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Mr. Brown also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of Toledo. Steven has taught ballet/dance at The University of Toledo, Owens College, Cincinanti School for Creative and Performing Arts, and currently is a Lecturer, teaching dance in the Theatre Department at The University of Findlay. Mr. Brown also works as a Local Coordinator for Academic Year in America, which sponsors international high school exchange students.

Kristin DelVerne – Kristi is a former Toledo Ballet company member, company soloist, and ballet instructor. Since leaving Toledo Ballet, Kristi has been a teacher at Dance FX. She and her mother, Jean Bugert, have recently started City Ballet. Kristi has performed in the Cincinnati Ballet’s performances of Swan Lake, and Giselle; and in The Nutcracker with both the Cincinnati and Chicago Ballets. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati, and has studied with Briansky Ballet in Saratoga Springs, NY, and the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. Kristi is pleased to be back at the Toledo Ballet.

Jeanie Bugert Hayward – Jeanie has a B.Ed. from The University of Toledo with graduate work in Guidance and Counseling. She is a former ballet student of Marie Bollinger Vogt and Velta Cernonok at The Toledo Ballet. Jeanie also enjoyed tap and jazz, allowing her the opportunity to "tap down Broadway" in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade six years ago. She has studied ballet in New York City at Steps on Broadway with David Howard and Nancy Bielski and the Joffrey School of Ballet. Her teaching experience includes working with first graders in both the Toledo Public and Sylvania Public School Systems. She taught at Olivet Christian Nursery School and served as the Director for 18 years. Jeanie has taught ballet in the Toledo Area for over ten years including The Toledo Ballet School and BGSU. Nine years ago she created a program "Learning in Motion" which takes dance and movement into the Central City Ministry Schools. This year she has added Mary Immaculate School to her schedule.

Ann Heckler – Ann Heckler has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Theatre/Dance from Alma College. As a young girl she trained at the Ballet Arts School in Kalamazoo, Michigan and was a member of the Ballet Michigan Ensemble. She danced Taglioni in Pas de Quatre at the summer intensive training at the prestigious Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. From 1985 to 1989 Ms. Heckler performed with the Orchesis Dance Company at Alma College (where she danced the part of Kitri in Don Quixote) and danced with the Alma Highland Kiltie Dancers. While a student at Alma College, Ms. Heckler taught a semester of Ballet I, II and III. Throughout her extensive teaching career, she has taught pre-ballet through elementary classical ballet classes and character classes, including Mazurka, Tarantella, Czardas, and the Highland Fling. In addition to teaching weekly ballet classes, Ms. Heckler is also a Registered Yoga Instructor, teaching weekly yoga class for teens and adults at the Toledo Ballet studios.

Caitlin Hudson - Caitlin began dancing in Phoenix at the age of seen. At the age of twelve, she began dancing professionally with the modern dance company Center Dance Ensemble under the direction of Frances Cohen. At fourteen, she enrolled in New School for the Arts. After relocating to Michigan, Ms. Hudson danced in Flint and at Eastern Michigan University with Sherry Jerome, where she danced the role of Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream. Ms. Hudson moved to Toledo in 2006 and recently joined the Toledo Ballet faculty and danced in the 2007 Nutcracker.

Kathy Humphrey – Kathy, a former student of the Toledo Ballet, comes home to share with us her knowledge and love of dance. She furthered her ballet training in Akron, Chicago, NYC, and Paris, and expanded her dance training by studying modern, jazz, African dance, and yoga. She has performed professionally with modern dance companies in NYC, and jazz in Paris. Kathy has many years of experience teaching young dancers through adults. Most recently, she taught in the Toledo Ballet’s First Steps program in Toledo Public Schools’ kindergarten classrooms.

Carole Kauber - Carole, a long time member of the Toledo Ballet Company, has been frequently seen in various featured roles including the ever popular Nutcracker. Carole has been on the faculty of The Toledo Ballet School for several decades. She also developed a ballet program for children at Bowling Green State University for the Creative Arts Program. She directed this program for 15 years. She is currently teaching ballet for the new Performing Arts Center at Owens College. She has won first prize for choreography at the state level for Ohio Dance Competition. In addition to her addiction to dance, Carole maintains a deep dedication to the visual arts, having received her M.F.A. from B.G.S.U. She has exhibited here artworks both locally and nationally.

Armon Miller – with devoted assistance from her great grandmother, Mary Jeffries, Armon was a ballet student at The Toledo Ballet School, won herself major scholarships to study at the School of American Ballet, and went on to dance with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Alvin Ailey II. Armon has been a jazz instructor at The Toledo Ballet School for many years. She recently choreographed Missa Kenya which Toledo Ballet co-presented with Masterworks Chorale.

Sharon Russell-Aloni - A native Toledoan, Ms.Sharon studied ballet at the Toledo Ballet School as a child. For her senior year of high school Sharon attended the National Ballet school of Washington where she received a dance as well as academic education. Following graduation she was awarded a trainee- ship at Harkness House For Ballet Arts and then received a full dance scholarship to study at American Ballet Theatre School. Soon after, while traveling in Toronto, Canada, Sharon was offered a full scholarship to study at the National Ballet School of Canada where she learned the various levels of the Checceti syllabus. She then went on to live in Israel where she enjoyed an onstage career as soloist with the Israel Ballet and then Principal dancer with the Bat Dor Dance Company of Israel. Among her favorite roles was the duet in Anthony Tudor's "Dark Elegies" as well as works by Paul Taylor, Gene Sagan, Lar Lubavitch and Robert Cohen. Having decided to start a family, Sharon retired from the stage and began her teaching career. She examined and certified with the Royal Academy of Dancing and taught every level for about 20 years, entering her students for academy exams every year with high marks. Sharon now owns The Mindful Body Pilates studio in Sylvania, having become a fully certified Stott Pilates trainer as well as enjoys teaching ballet and Argentine Tango.