Pedro Szalay was born to Hungarian parents and is a native of La Guaira, Venezuela, where he started dancing with Ms. Machado. He was later coached by Vladimir Isayev at Ballet Nacional of Caracas. In his professional career as Pedro has been coached by many greats like Madame Darvash in New York and he has performed in countless ballets.  His professional career as a teacher has taken him all over the United States and many other countries.  Pedro currently stays busy as our director at Star City School of Ballet, teaching the Spanish-language, choreographed movement program Dance Español that he founded, holding the title of artistic director of Southwest Virginia Ballet, and volunteering with Carilion.

"Annie" is our enthusiastic and optimistic leader. 

Too active to sit around and wait, Annie has an innate need to learn and create new paths.  Her experience with GE, while obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Communication at Universidad Iberoamericana, taught her a great deal about best practices. She later had the opportunity to become the General Manager of a Non-Profit Pre-professional Theatre Company and toured to the New York Musical Festival as well as overseas to the World Fair in Shanghai and the Daegu Musical Festival in South Korea. She collaborated with branding firms and several companies that allowed her to use her skills as a visual communicator for companies of all scales. Annie simultaneously built her own design business and learned the ropes of her family's Real Estate Business in Mexico. Star City School of Ballet brings together her leadership skills, marketing and branding experience with her love for the performing arts.  

Tess (Terri) Post is a visionary leader and dedicated teacher with a strong passion for ballet education and community involvement.  Her years of experience as dancer herself, a studio owner, a teacher, and a choreographer are invaluable to Star City. 

Mrs. Post, originally from Norfolk, VA, received her early ballet training at the Norfolk Civic Ballet and then continued on to dance with the New York City Ballet.  As a young wife and mother, Mrs. Post founded the Post School Of Ballet in Salem, which after a few changes in ownership and location is now our beloved Star City School of Ballet.  Mrs. Post also founded the Southwest Virginia Ballet Company in 1990 .  SVB is still thriving and calls Star City School of Ballet its home.  Among her countless achievements, she has mentored many local dancers, like our very own William Smith, who have gone on to pursue successful dance careers outside of the Roanoke Valley.

William Smith has returned to his native city to inspire the next generation. With a heart full of passion and a vast knowledge of Ballet, he aims to ignite dreams and transform the lives of his students at Star City.

William began his dance training at William Ruffner Middle School, under the instruction of Teresa Timko Mayer.  Mayer introduced Smith to The Post School of Ballet, under the direction of Terri Tess Post. William continued his studies with Mrs. Post until his senior year and then went on to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem, in New York City. Under the direction of Arthur Mitchell he performed in countries such as Innsbruk, Austria, Beijing and Shanghai China, Cape Verde, Africa and various other countries in the United Kingdom and Europe. While performing in London, William was spotted by then artistic director of Scottish Ballet, Ashley Page and
invited to audition for the company. A decade of dancing with the Scottish Ballet gave him the opportunity to work with world renowned choreographers such as Geoffrey Holder, Richard Alston, Patricia Neary, Michael Smuin, Val Caniparoli and many others.

Lawrence Blake, a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts,  is a seasoned dancer, educator, and choreographer with a wealth of experience in the dance industry, renowned for his innovative choreography and dedication to teaching the art of dance.  At Star City, Lawrence focuses on helping our male dancers achieve their dance goals. 

Lawrence danced professionally with both the North Carolina Dance Theater and The Joffrey Ballet.  His teaching experience has taken him across the US and abroad at various institutions including BalletKadiem in Stockholm, Sweden; Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; and more.  He was Assistant, Associate, and Interim Dean at the Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance at the California Institute of the Arts and Resident Choreographer for the Los Angeles Chamber Ballet, as well as Associate Artistic Director of the Pasadena Dance Theater.

Isabel Meyers is a talented modern dance artist and choreographer with a passion for teaching and guiding the next generation of dancers.

Isabel grew up as a student of the Academy of Dance in Warner Robins, Georgia and went on to earn her degree in Dance from Hollins University in the spring of 2021. For three years, she served as the co-director of the Hollins Repertory Dance Company, where she organized and choreographed company performances and taught dance classes in her community.

Isabel is an alumni of American Dance Festival and Bates Dance Festival, and she is certified with the National Dance Institute Art of Teaching.

Mitzi Keeley, born in the Star City, started dancing performing when she was only two years old. She continued to tap and later represented the Roanoke Valley in the Miss Virginia Pageant twice with dance as her talent. Mitzi has continued to perform on stage including Mill Mountain Theater’s 42nd Street, and Southwest Virginia Ballet's Nutcracker.

In addition to teaching Creative Dance here at Star City, Mitzi holds a full time job and loves working with amazing college students as the Dance Coordinator at Roanoke College.

Passionate about fitness and wellness, Sarah Early has transformed her hobby into a fulfilling career as a Pilates Instructor. With a diverse background in yoga, Pilates, barre, and group exercise, Sarah brings a holistic approach to her teaching and aims to inspire others to achieve balance and strength through movement. Sarah's dedication to her practice and love for her work are evident in her commitment to helping others lead healthier lifestyles.  Her dedication to her practice is evident in the many certifications she holds, including; 

Group Exercise, Yoga RYT 500/YogaFit, Pilates Certified from Pilates Unlimited/PilatesFit, Barre Above Certified from Tricia Madden & Leslee Bender, PLYoga Certified, and Master Trainer for Barre Above.

Keeley Slaughter's robust training background includes both east and west coast performing arts industries and range from acting, musical theatre, film, and various types of dance. Studying and assisting under world renowned choreographers from the big screen, Broadway, and various balletcompanies, she has been able to hone her skills as a professional dancer and teacher.

Keeley grew up in the greater Roanoke area Joined Southwest Virginia Ballet 12 years old with a background of both dance and gymnastics.
Through the ballet she was able to work with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Opera
Roanoke, and the Roanoke Youth Symphony Orchestra. She also traveled to the International
Prague Festival and got to represent the United States as the only American Talent of Dance
award recipient.

Justine Thomas is a dedicated educator with a passion for inspiring young dancers and aspiring writers. With a strong foundation in dance, she is pursuing further education at Hollins University to achieve her dream of becoming a dance teacher and author.

Kayla Dixon discovered her love for dance at the age of 10. Born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia, she trained in various styles of dance, including jazz, tap, clogging, ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and hip hop. While in high school, she began teaching and choreographing for her studio and other local organizations. During that time, she had the privilege of participating in all-inclusive dance classes, where she found joy in providing children of all abilities the opportunity to experience dance as both a joyous and therapeutic activity. Shortly after graduating high school, Kayla's professional career really took off when she was hired to choreograph and perform as a background dancer for “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Mandatory World Tour.

Since then, Kayla has used her diverse training to lay a robust foundation for her multifaceted career in the dance and entertainment industry.  Today, she continues to teach and choreograph while traveling the East Coast as a judge for dance competitions. And in conjunction with her dancing, Kayla enjoys editing music and offers her professional editing services to dancers all over the United States. Her passion for the stage has also led her to a career in the production world where she is able to integrate her love of dance with the technical aspects of entertainment.  At local performances you may find her holding a camera, running lights, or working as a sound enginee. In addition to her dance and production related work, Kayla has managed social media and customer service relations for various businesses. All of her experience has made her feel right at home at Star City, where she oversees marketing and community engagement. Kayla's ability to connect with people and promote the arts makes her an invaluable asset to Star City.

For marketing leads and inquiries Kayla can be reached at 

kayla@starcityschoolofballet.com 

Jenni Vaughn, a proud native of Roanoke and a devoted mother of three, brings a wealth of experience to Star City. With her extensive background in both office administration and teaching dance she is well-equipped to inspire and guide students in their dance journey. 

Jenni's love for the arts began at the age of four, when she started exploring various artistic outlets, including dance, cheerleading, baton twirling, and piano. Her early exposure to these disciplines ignited her passion for performance and creativity.  In the late 1990's, while cheering at Roanoke College, Jenni found her way into the world of Ballroom Dancing.  This new venture led her to a decade-long career as both an instructor and professional dancer, where she performed and competed at various events. Her dedication and talent in ballroom dancing not only shaped her professional life but also deepened her love for teaching and performing. After taking a brief hiatus to start a family, Jenni returned to the world of dance with renewed vigor. She took on dual roles as an office manager and d anceinstructor,  blending her administrative skills with her passion for teaching.

Jenni's ability to connect with both young dreamers and adult learners has made her an invaluable asset to the dance community.

Our dedicated greeter dog, Juno, plays a vital role in creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for dancers of all ages. As soon as students walk through the door, Juno greets them with a wagging tail and a big, friendly smile. Her presence helps to ease any nerves and brings a sense of joy to everyone she meets. Whether she's offering a paw for a high five or simply basking in the attention and belly rubs, Juno's unconditional love and playful energy set the tone for a positive and inclusive dance experience for all who enter our studio. Come on in and say hi, she loves when you rub at the back of her coat behind her service vest.