The Faculty

Nationally acclaimed teacher and choreographer, Victoria Vittum brings vision, passion, expertise and dedication to Ballet Center of Houston (BCH), which she founded in 1994.  The following year, she co-founded Houston Repertoire Ballet with Gilbert Rome to extend training for talented … Read More

Barbara LeGault HRB’s Ballet Mistress is a graduate of Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Barbara Le Gault trained under Margo Marshall and was formerly with City Ballet of Houston. Since that time she has danced many … Read More

Kristy Nilsson began her training with Victoria Vittum and Gilbert Rome at Ballet Center of Houston and graduated Cum Laude from Houston’s High School for Performing and Visual Arts. Ms. Nilsson was a Dance Pedagogy Honors student at the University … Read More

Louise Lester joined the artistic staff of Houston Ballet as ballet mistress in April 2004. Born in Yorkshire, England, Ms. Lester received her ballet training at The Royal Ballet School, White Lodge in London, and then graduated to the Upper School. … Read More

JoDee Engle is a native Houstonian and a graduate of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She also received her early training from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where she studied under Lynette Mason-Gregg, Soili Arvola, and … Read More

Kattie Gutierrez was born with a love for dance that grew into a passion for movement. Kattie did both ballet and jazz at Carolyn Roberts School of dance through high school and joined the Cy-Ridge Dazzlers. While she stopped dancing … Read More

Leah Stark joined BCH in 2006 after graduating from the University of Hawaii and moving to Texas to continue her education. She received her early ballet and teaching training in the Vaganova method from Cynthia Murphy at the Alexander Academy of … Read More

Priscilla Nathan Murphy brings the experience of more than 35 years of teaching. A 30 year tenure at Houston Ballet, which included an appointment to Principal of the Pre-School and Lower School Divisions, as well as 20 years of teaching … Read More

Kaitlyn Blake began training with Ballet Center of Houston when she desired to focus her dance training on ballet. She was a company member of Houston Repertoire Ballet for five years and performed such variations as Dew Drop, Soldier Doll, … Read More

Tarana Taylor is a classically trained diverse pianist highly experienced in solo, vocal, instrumental, chamber, orchestral, theatre and ballet music. She has worked with notable American organizations such as the Houston Ballet Company and Academy, Houston Repertoire Ballet, Ballet Center … Read More