Alumni@Avery
Ballet: Beyond
Alumni from Avery Ballet are engaged in programs of higher education, enrolled in professional ballet schools, and perform with dance companies throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Dame Amy Watson
Prima Ballerina, Royal Danish Ballet
Nearly 20 years after she first stepped into Avery Ballet's studio for classes, Miss Watson returned to Virginia in February 2012 where she was a guest at a reception in her honor held at Avery Ballet. Miss Watson received the prestigious award, the Order of the Dannebrog, in December 2011 for her work for the benefit of Denmark by Queen Margrethe II. Miss Watson's triumphant return home was highlighted in the Free-Lance Star.
Andrea Weber
Former dancer with the Merce Cunningham Trust, Graduate of The Juilliard School. Currently teaching at the Joffrey School.
“The training you receive at Avery Ballet from Lisa Avery absolutely prepares you for a career as a dancer. It is unusual to find such strong technical training in students as young as the students at Avery Ballet. At Avery Ballet, students learn what it is to be committed to the training, the class work, and the choreography and this shows when they are in auditions. Lisa teaches her students to not only be good dancers but also to have a professional work ethic. I have had the opportunity to teach the younger generations of Avery Ballet and I have always been impressed by their ability to be open to new challenges. They have the technique to adapt to contemporary and modern movement quickly and without hesitation.”
Emily Beattie
Avery Ballet 1999 Graduate
Artist, Choreographer, Performer, Educator
Member of David Roussève/Reality Dance Company and Lionel Popkin projects
BFA Boston Conservatory, MFA UCLA World Arts and Cultures/Dance
For current projects and performance schedule, see emilybeattie.com
"The largest benefit from working with Lisa is the professional work ethic she instills in her students. The work she is asking students to do is not only physical, but intellectual and emotional. She is inviting young artists into the world, not just churning out technicians. I have had success from such concentrated focus and I certainly look for this in the artists I select for my own work. Lisa is contributing in a big way on a local level to the field of dance."
Morgan Iannazzo
Avery Ballet 2012 Graduate
Shenandoah University 2016 Graduate
For current projects and performance schedule, see her website here.
Aaron Anker
Avery Ballet 2012 Graduate
Indiana University 2015 Graduate
Pennsylvania Ballet 2015- 2020
Alberta Ballet 2021
Click here to read Mr. Anker's bio.
Michaela King
Avery Ballet 2012 Graduate
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Graduate Program 2012-2014
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 2014-2016
Madison Ballet 20`19 to Present
"Lisa opened my eyes to the world of ballet when I came to her as a student at 10 years old. She trained and coached me, teaching me the essentials of everything I needed to know. Lisa passed down her knowledge, passion, and love for this art form to me. I not only progressed in my dancing, but I learned discipline, respect, and grew as a person during my time at Avery Ballet. I currently dance as a professional ballet dancer with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and I could not have achieved this lifelong dream without Lisa Avery."
Ashley Belyea
Avery Ballet 2002 Graduate
Juris Doctor Candidate 2014, Harvard Law School
"Lisa pushed me. She set and maintained very high standards and did not offer hollow praise for performance which failed to meet those standards. She did, however, work tirelessly with me and with my fellow dancers to help us achieve her goals for us and what came to be our expectations of ourselves. Most important, Lisa did all this while building up me and my fellow dancers, never making us feel like we could not achieve our goal."
Michele Buckley Avery Ballet 2005 Graduate
BFA London Studio Centre of University of Arts, London
Images of Dance Company
Audrey Burns
Avery Ballet 2003 Graduate
Boston Conservatory, The Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company
"Lisa always had such a wonderful personal working relationship with all of her students. Corrections were always given with a positive mentality. She was always encouraging and inspiring."
Elena Daymude
Avery Ballet 1997 Graduate
BFA in Dance, East Carolina University, MFA in Dance, Shenandoah University
"Avery Ballet provided a supportive, caring environment that stoked the flames of my life-long love for dance, and gave me confidence, discipline, and technique necessary to achieve my dance goals."Ciera EdwardsAvery Ballet 2010 Graduate
North Carolina School of the Arts
"I was looking for a place that would train me not only as a dancer but as a young artist with a lot of learning and growing to do. I was so impressed by the professionalism in the studio and how almost all the people that left Avery had careers in dance. Avery Ballet was the start off and foundation in my career."
Sarah Pack Fischer
Avery Ballet 2001 Student/Guest Choreographer
Dance/Movement Therapist, Yoga Instructor
"Lisa’s ability to connect to each student as an individual and her true caring is so inspiring to me as I strive to connect to my students and clients. I love all of the joy of dancing at Avery Ballet and that each student is appreciated as an individual. I loved the many opportunities for choreography and expanding my creativity."
Jaclyn Gill
Avery Ballet 1999 Graduate
Ballerina with Texas Ballet Theater, Ben Stevenson OBE Director
"Avery Ballet provided me with an environment to focus specifically on my classical ballet technique. Lisa gave me the final push I needed to refine my artistry and facility at a crucial age. As is evident when I return to the studio today, Avery Ballet is a nurturing environment focused on the dancer as a whole. Lisa is dedicated to her students and their development of technique, discipline, artistry, performance and work ethic."
Melinda Hall
Avery Ballet from 1998 to present, Current Avery Ballet Faculty
Performer, Teacher, Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer
National tour of Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular, National tours of Contactand CATS, Regional tour of CATS, West Side Story.
"Growing up, Avery Ballet provided me with an uncompetitive, nurturing environment that allowed me to focus on my training and artistic performance. I was able to gain discipline, confindence, and understand the huge demands that come along with this career. I had the wonderful opportunity to continue my training with Lisa after high school, which truly helped me to grow into the artist I am today."
Angelique Harden
Avery Ballet 2007 Graduate
The University of the Arts
"Avery Ballet/Lisa Avery helped me prepare for my career by teaching me how to perform for others as well as myself. She has encouraged me to explore other types of dance techniques and become well rounded as a dancer."
Amber Hill
Avery Ballet 2006 Graduate
George Mason University, Cirque du Soleil
"Lisa Avery gave me the opportunity to teach when I thought I didn’t want to dance anymore. Through teaching I was able to see the love of the art in the younger generation. It reignited my passion and inspired me to continue to follow my dreams."
Adrienne Keville
Avery Ballet 2003 Graduate
Trainee with the Nashville Ballet, Appalachian State University, Spanish Education
"I was always told when I left that I was a very well rounded dancer and had impeccably clean technique. That's what you get from Lisa. She doesn't teach her class for jumpers or turners, but teaches you how to dance!"
Heather Robles
Avery Ballet 2006 Graduate
The Ailey School, BFA at Marymount Manhattan College, Illuminations Dance Company
"Avery Ballet was immeasurably important in preparing for a career in dance. Lisa’s instruction is of the highest caliber, and thus I received the best training in ballet for my whole high school experience! She helped me grow as an artist by always challenging me to push myself even beyond what I thought I was capable of."
Tug Watson
Avery Ballet 2002 Graduate
Actor, Singer Dancer. National tours of Young Frankenstein, Cats, Annie, First National Tour of Evita
"Lisa Avery, and her ballet classes gave me the essentials. Movement, grace, strength, technique, and most importantly perseverance…I took an everlasting impression of positive reinforcement. And for that, I am most grateful. Like my sisters, Erin and Amy, I give credit where it is deserved. To Lisa and Avery Ballet... where for me, it all began."
Dr. Erin Watson
Avery Ballet 2002 Graduate
Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology
"Lisa employed encouragement as a tool to foster personal and professional growth in each of her dancers. For myself personally, Lisa aided in my career by teaching me compassion, discipline, responsibility, and self-care. As you can imagine, these traits are necessary for a therapist (such as myself) to employ but they are also crucial for a dancer. A ballet dancer must possess more than fortitude – he or she must also have respect, knowledge, and love for the art form, for their teachers, for their fellow dancers and their audience."
Dame Amy Watson
Prima Ballerina, Royal Danish Ballet
Nearly 20 years after she first stepped into Avery Ballet's studio for classes, Miss Watson returned to Virginia in February 2012 where she was a guest at a reception in her honor held at Avery Ballet. Miss Watson received the prestigious award, the Order of the Dannebrog, in December 2011 for her work for the benefit of Denmark by Queen Margrethe II. Miss Watson's triumphant return home was highlighted in the Free-Lance Star.
Andrea Weber
Former dancer with the Merce Cunningham Trust, Graduate of The Juilliard School. Currently teaching at the Joffrey School.
“The training you receive at Avery Ballet from Lisa Avery absolutely prepares you for a career as a dancer. It is unusual to find such strong technical training in students as young as the students at Avery Ballet. At Avery Ballet, students learn what it is to be committed to the training, the class work, and the choreography and this shows when they are in auditions. Lisa teaches her students to not only be good dancers but also to have a professional work ethic. I have had the opportunity to teach the younger generations of Avery Ballet and I have always been impressed by their ability to be open to new challenges. They have the technique to adapt to contemporary and modern movement quickly and without hesitation.”
Emily Beattie
Avery Ballet 1999 Graduate
Artist, Choreographer, Performer, Educator
Member of David Roussève/Reality Dance Company and Lionel Popkin projects
BFA Boston Conservatory, MFA UCLA World Arts and Cultures/Dance
For current projects and performance schedule, see emilybeattie.com
"The largest benefit from working with Lisa is the professional work ethic she instills in her students. The work she is asking students to do is not only physical, but intellectual and emotional. She is inviting young artists into the world, not just churning out technicians. I have had success from such concentrated focus and I certainly look for this in the artists I select for my own work. Lisa is contributing in a big way on a local level to the field of dance."
Morgan Iannazzo
Avery Ballet 2012 Graduate
Shenandoah University 2016 Graduate
For current projects and performance schedule, see her website here.
Aaron Anker
Avery Ballet 2012 Graduate
Indiana University 2015 Graduate
Pennsylvania Ballet 2015- 2020
Alberta Ballet 2021
Click here to read Mr. Anker's bio.
Michaela King
Avery Ballet 2012 Graduate
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Graduate Program 2012-2014
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 2014-2016
Madison Ballet 20`19 to Present
"Lisa opened my eyes to the world of ballet when I came to her as a student at 10 years old. She trained and coached me, teaching me the essentials of everything I needed to know. Lisa passed down her knowledge, passion, and love for this art form to me. I not only progressed in my dancing, but I learned discipline, respect, and grew as a person during my time at Avery Ballet. I currently dance as a professional ballet dancer with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and I could not have achieved this lifelong dream without Lisa Avery."
Ashley Belyea
Avery Ballet 2002 Graduate
Juris Doctor Candidate 2014, Harvard Law School
"Lisa pushed me. She set and maintained very high standards and did not offer hollow praise for performance which failed to meet those standards. She did, however, work tirelessly with me and with my fellow dancers to help us achieve her goals for us and what came to be our expectations of ourselves. Most important, Lisa did all this while building up me and my fellow dancers, never making us feel like we could not achieve our goal."
Michele Buckley Avery Ballet 2005 Graduate
BFA London Studio Centre of University of Arts, London
Images of Dance Company
Audrey Burns
Avery Ballet 2003 Graduate
Boston Conservatory, The Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company
"Lisa always had such a wonderful personal working relationship with all of her students. Corrections were always given with a positive mentality. She was always encouraging and inspiring."
Elena Daymude
Avery Ballet 1997 Graduate
BFA in Dance, East Carolina University, MFA in Dance, Shenandoah University
"Avery Ballet provided a supportive, caring environment that stoked the flames of my life-long love for dance, and gave me confidence, discipline, and technique necessary to achieve my dance goals."Ciera EdwardsAvery Ballet 2010 Graduate
North Carolina School of the Arts
"I was looking for a place that would train me not only as a dancer but as a young artist with a lot of learning and growing to do. I was so impressed by the professionalism in the studio and how almost all the people that left Avery had careers in dance. Avery Ballet was the start off and foundation in my career."
Sarah Pack Fischer
Avery Ballet 2001 Student/Guest Choreographer
Dance/Movement Therapist, Yoga Instructor
"Lisa’s ability to connect to each student as an individual and her true caring is so inspiring to me as I strive to connect to my students and clients. I love all of the joy of dancing at Avery Ballet and that each student is appreciated as an individual. I loved the many opportunities for choreography and expanding my creativity."
Jaclyn Gill
Avery Ballet 1999 Graduate
Ballerina with Texas Ballet Theater, Ben Stevenson OBE Director
"Avery Ballet provided me with an environment to focus specifically on my classical ballet technique. Lisa gave me the final push I needed to refine my artistry and facility at a crucial age. As is evident when I return to the studio today, Avery Ballet is a nurturing environment focused on the dancer as a whole. Lisa is dedicated to her students and their development of technique, discipline, artistry, performance and work ethic."
Melinda Hall
Avery Ballet from 1998 to present, Current Avery Ballet Faculty
Performer, Teacher, Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer
National tour of Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular, National tours of Contactand CATS, Regional tour of CATS, West Side Story.
"Growing up, Avery Ballet provided me with an uncompetitive, nurturing environment that allowed me to focus on my training and artistic performance. I was able to gain discipline, confindence, and understand the huge demands that come along with this career. I had the wonderful opportunity to continue my training with Lisa after high school, which truly helped me to grow into the artist I am today."
Angelique Harden
Avery Ballet 2007 Graduate
The University of the Arts
"Avery Ballet/Lisa Avery helped me prepare for my career by teaching me how to perform for others as well as myself. She has encouraged me to explore other types of dance techniques and become well rounded as a dancer."
Amber Hill
Avery Ballet 2006 Graduate
George Mason University, Cirque du Soleil
"Lisa Avery gave me the opportunity to teach when I thought I didn’t want to dance anymore. Through teaching I was able to see the love of the art in the younger generation. It reignited my passion and inspired me to continue to follow my dreams."
Adrienne Keville
Avery Ballet 2003 Graduate
Trainee with the Nashville Ballet, Appalachian State University, Spanish Education
"I was always told when I left that I was a very well rounded dancer and had impeccably clean technique. That's what you get from Lisa. She doesn't teach her class for jumpers or turners, but teaches you how to dance!"
Heather Robles
Avery Ballet 2006 Graduate
The Ailey School, BFA at Marymount Manhattan College, Illuminations Dance Company
"Avery Ballet was immeasurably important in preparing for a career in dance. Lisa’s instruction is of the highest caliber, and thus I received the best training in ballet for my whole high school experience! She helped me grow as an artist by always challenging me to push myself even beyond what I thought I was capable of."
Tug Watson
Avery Ballet 2002 Graduate
Actor, Singer Dancer. National tours of Young Frankenstein, Cats, Annie, First National Tour of Evita
"Lisa Avery, and her ballet classes gave me the essentials. Movement, grace, strength, technique, and most importantly perseverance…I took an everlasting impression of positive reinforcement. And for that, I am most grateful. Like my sisters, Erin and Amy, I give credit where it is deserved. To Lisa and Avery Ballet... where for me, it all began."
Dr. Erin Watson
Avery Ballet 2002 Graduate
Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology
"Lisa employed encouragement as a tool to foster personal and professional growth in each of her dancers. For myself personally, Lisa aided in my career by teaching me compassion, discipline, responsibility, and self-care. As you can imagine, these traits are necessary for a therapist (such as myself) to employ but they are also crucial for a dancer. A ballet dancer must possess more than fortitude – he or she must also have respect, knowledge, and love for the art form, for their teachers, for their fellow dancers and their audience."