TEACHING STAFF
Melissa Snoen
Owner, Artistic Director
Miss Melissa is the new Artistic Director of The Ballet Workshop this year and in her second year as the Director of Plateau Ballet Repertory Theatre youth ballet company. A Dean’s list graduate from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet; she emphasized in teaching, performance, and character dance. She has additional studies in anatomy and kinesiology for dancers, health and nutrition, essentials of teaching ballet, and history of ballet. During college she trained and performed with the Utah Ballet Company – the elite ballet level at the University, under Victoria Stocki (Former soloist at Universal Ballet) and Jay Kim (Formal Principal with Universal Ballet and Korean National Ballet). She also spent three years in the Department of Ballet’s Character Dance Ensemble under the direction of Richard Wasko, selected to perform, travel abroad, and create outreach for young dancers. Post college she danced professionally with Odyssey Dance Theatre in Utah. She has over a decade of experience teaching at several different studios; over that time she has taught ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary, and has choreographed and staged many numbers in all these styles and more. She has a deep passion for educating, teaching, choreographing, and for growing the arts in the community of Enumclaw.
Syble Bracken
Founder and Instructor
Miss Syble opened The Ballet Workshop here in Enumclaw in 1988. She founded Enumclaw’s youth ballet company, Plateau Ballet Repertory Theatre (PBRT), in 1995 and established their Outreach Program that same year. She has an extensive background in classical ballet and jazz with additional studies in tap, anatomy and health and nutrition. Notable instructors she has studied under include Dance Professor of the University of Florida, Nancy Turner (in her private practice); Oakland Ballet Academy Director, Ronn Guidi; Oakland Raiderettes Choreographer, George Minomie; CEO and Co-Founder of Washington Academy of Performing Arts and former soloist for Ballet West, Marcia Quigley-Neal; former soloist for the Frankfurt Ballet, Marcia Nolte. Miss Syble has staged and choreographed over 40 full-length story ballets for her school and company and has set choreography on actors in numerous musicals for local academic schools and theater organizations. She has danced semi-professionally with the Turner Dance Troupe in Florida and professionally with Range of Motion, a locally based modern ballet company of whom she is one of the founders. Miss Syble is beginning a new chapter this season as former owner of TBW. She is honored to continue sharing her knowledge of dance with the community.
Alexis Mix
Tap Instructor
This is Miss Alexis’ third season teaching with The Ballet Workshop. She has studied dance with the studio since she was three years old. Throughout her time as a student, she studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary and was also a member of Plateau Ballet Repertory Theater her senior year. After graduating high school and as a Highest Honors student of Green River College with an Associate of Arts-DTA, she was given the opportunity to begin teaching at The Ballet Workshop. Since then, she has taught students of all ages in tap as well as ballet for younger students. She has choreographed for multiple productions with PBRT and The Ballet Workshop, including Alone Together, Come Together and Frozen. She has also continued to perform with The Ballet Workshop. Some of her roles include The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, Frau Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker, Oaken in Frozen and Frkyt in Frozen. She is passionate about giving back the knowledge she learned from her time at TBW to her students, and she is thankful for all her students, her wonderful co-workers and for the opportunity to do something she loves
Juliette Hiller
Ballet Instructor
Sara Posey
Tumbling Instructor
Ava Korcek
Student Teacher
Miss Ava is 17 and a first year Running Start student. This is her second year studying at TBW and PBRT. Ava has experience working with young kids including, teaching swim lessons at the aquatics center and she is a nanny two days a week. She has been assisting Miss Melissa with Creative Ballet, Pre ballet and Pre Jazz for the past few months in preparation to teach. Ava has a passion for dance and loves working with kids. She is beyond excited to have the opportunity to teach the thing she loves most!
Quinn Leahy
Student Teacher
Miss Quinn is a junior at Enumclaw High School and has been dancing at the Ballet Workshop for 11 years. She has been a part of PBRT for 5 years. She takes ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop and has experience in musical theatre, tap, and modern. Quinn has had past experience assisting Miss Melissa and Miss Syble in different classes. She has also choreographed pieces in Alone Together and Come Together. Quinn is very passionate about dance and is very excited for the opportunity to teach and spread her passion to younger dancers.
Paige Barnes
Student Teacher
Natalie Lish
Student Teacher
Ashlynn Steward
Student Teacher
Miss Ashlynn is a sophomore and does online school through WAVA. She’s been dancing at the Ballet Workshop since 2017 and has been a part of PBRT’s company ever since. She is very passionate about dance and is so inspired by the younger dancers! Miss Ashlynn is very excited to be teaching this year and hopes all of her students have fun!
Charlotte Taylor
Student Teacher
Miss Charlotte Taylor is a freshman at Enumclaw High School. This is her 10th year taking ballet and her 5th year of jazz. She also has experience in contemporary and tap. This will be her third year as a member of PBRT. She loves working with kids and understands the importance of mastering basic skills to help develop young dancers. She is very excited to be teaching this year after assistant teaching in ballet 1 last year.
Natalie DeShayes
Student Teacher
Miss Natalie is 14 and in 9th grade this year, she has been dancing since the age of 4, and loves teaching and working with kids. Miss Natalie has helped Miss Melissa teaching and assisting with ages 3-9 for the last 3 years, and she is very excited to be teaching this year. She is very passionate about dance and teaching of all ages, and is very grateful for the chance to do this!
Presley Barnes
Student Teacher
Eva Allen
Student Teacher
Miss Eva, a homeschooled 8th grader, has been dancing with The Ballet Workshop for seven years and has been apart of PBRT for three. She has had a lot of experience with children including babysitting for the past two years, working in her church’s toddler room, and co-teaching creative ballet and pre ballet last year. Miss Eva has a deep passion for dance and teaching, and is very excited to teach jazz this year with Miss Presley!
Gigi Hiller
Student Teacher