Faculty and Staff
Christine Duhon – Ballet Mistress
Christine Duhon received her early dance training in her home state of Louisiana before beginning her professional career at the Jackson Ballet under the direction of Thalia Mara. Hailed as a superb technician, Ms. Duhon also danced with the Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Arkansas and Baltimore Ballet. After a prolific stage career (her repertoire including such ballets as Le Corsaire, Coppelia, Tzigane, and The Nutcracker) she began a behind-the-scenes career as a sought-after choreographer and teacher. She served as the School Director and Ballet Mistress for Ballet Arkansas as well as co-director of Connecticut Contemporary Ballet Theatre and Ballet Mistress at Ballet Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut. Ms. Duhon’s choreographic style, described as poignant and vital, has provided works that have graced stages across the continent; her works such as Sins Of Our Elders, In The Upper Room and Bones receiving critical accolades. In addition to her work as a choreographer, Ms. Duhon is a master teacher committed to developing young talent. She developed and directs the Ballet Pensacola Academy Summer Intensive Program and acts as the director of the Ballet Pensacola Youth Ensemble. Due to her continuing efforts, Ballet Pensacola Academy students consistently win positions in prestigious schools and companies such as Atlanta Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Lines, Houston Ballet, and Orlando Ballet. email
Megan Richard – Instructor
Megan Richard began her dance training at the age of four in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She has been a performing member of the Lake Charles Civic Ballet for 20 years, during which time she danced lead roles in several LCCB productions, including Les Patineurs, Stars and Stripes, Clue, Sheer Whimsy, Pray for the Peace, and Louisiana Saturday Night. She also took part in performances of The Firebird, Scheherazade, and Petruschka with the Lake Charles Symphony in 2001 and 2005. During her last 2 years as a LCCB performing member, Megan began teaching intermediate level ballet students as well as some pre-k and kindergarten level ballet classes. Megan has spent several summers training under Richard Steinert and Christine Duhon. Also while dancing with LCCB, Megan received her Bachelor of Arts in Art from McNeese State University with a concentration in photography.
Laine Steinert – Instructor
Laine Steinert, a founding member of The Connecticut Contemporary Ballet Theatre, studied under Christine Duhon and Richard Steinert. Her ballet repertoire includes principal and soloist roles in Dracula, Peter and the Wolf, The Nutcracker, In the Upper Room, Daguerreotype, and Swing Swang Swung. Ms. Steinert received scholarships to training facilities such as Burklyn Ballet Theatre and Virginia School for the Arts and has performed with CCBT, Ballet Arkansas, Ballet Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, and Ballet Pensacola. Her stage experience includes roles in musical theatre productions of Guys and Dolls, Pajama Game, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Boyfriend. In addition to teaching in the Children’s Division, Ms. Steinert acts as a rehearsal assistant for the performing company of Ballet Pensacola.
Staff
Richard Steinert – Artistic Director: richardsteinert@balletpensacola.com
Lance Brannon – Production Manager: lancebrannon@balletpensacola.com
Courtney Dell – Director of Development and Marketing: courtneydell@balletpensacola.com
Christine Duhon – Ballet Mistress: christineduhon@balletpensacola.com
Marsha Suarez – Office Manager: marshasuarez@balletpensacola.com