Meet the Teachers

Natalie Mizell

Natalie Mizell has been the owner and artistic director of the Ballet & Performing
Arts Centre for over 14 years. Natalie is a graduate of the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro where she recieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet &
Modern Dance. She was also a member of the Meredith Dance Theater and
studied at the Raleigh School of Ballet. Her dance background includes repertory
classes with Rick McCullough, Jan Van Dyke, John Gamble, Carol Richard,
Liz Lerman and Jack Arnold. Along with her degree in dance, Natalie has also
taught in various studios throughout NC. In 1997, she recieved a grant through
Smart Start with which she developed a creative movement program for
preschoolers called "Storybook Dancing". She has also been the director of
dance at Forsyth Country Day School Summer Quest program. In 1998,
she was the artistic director at Sandhills Dance and Performing Arts where
she staged full productions such as "The Nutcracker" and "Cinderella". She
produces the full length ballet, The Nutcracker annually at Reynolds auditorium.

 

 

Chris

Since graduating from Elmira College in 2001 with a degree in Elementary Education
and a minor in Musical Theatre, Dance and Humanities, Chris Maxwell has had the
opportunity to spend quality time on stage both in theatrical and dance productions.
In 2002, Chris was hired by Radio Disney to dance back-up for Travis Barr, the winner
of Pop Star II (the pre-cursor to American Idol). Chris was later asked to assume the
role of Assistant Choreographer. After touring for several months, Chris was hired to
teach jazz technique and hip-hop by Tawn Marie's Academy of Dance in Syracuse,
New York. A year later, Chris took a position at Jill Reener's School of Dance and
Performing Arts where he coached and choreographed for several competition dance
teams in New York. Chris relocated to Winston-Salem, NC in 2005. Currently, Chris
teaches 5th grade at Mineral Springs Elementary School. Chris has trained, most
noteably, at Broadway Dance Center in New York City under the direction of such
teachers as Frank Hatchett, Billy Angell, Ginger Cox, Sheila Barker, Richard Pierlon,
Bill Hastings, and Michelle Barber. Most recently, Chris toured with a dance piece
choreographed by Justin Tornow that was featured in the North Carolina Dance Festival.
Chris has been a member of [Project Incite], a Charlotte-based modern dance company,
since 2006.

Donna Griffith

Donna began her training at Aesthetics dance studio in Ellicott City, MD with Kathi Ferguson.
Before long she was performing with the resident company, The Howard County Ballet, in
ballets such as the Nutcracker, The Snow Queen, Peter Pan, and Cameo. Donna spent two
summers at the Ballet Theatre of Maryland school. She also spent three months studying with
the world renowned ballerina Rosella Hightower at the Ecole Supérieure de Danse de Cannes.
In 2002, Donna moved to New York to pursue a degree in Forensic Psychology and further her
dance training. In New York, she studied at Steps On Broadway. The internationally recognized
teachers Donna trained with include Emilietta Ettlin and David Howard. She has also taught
ballet and Ettlin Floor Technique at Steps On Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in
Manhattan. Upon graduating from college, Donna was offered a position with the Greensboro
Ballet where she performed a number of roles. Her favorites include the Bluebird pas de deux
from The Sleeping Beauty, the grieving widow, Mrs. Nolan, in The Medium, and the pas de
deux Debussy’s Festival.

 

Mazie Swaso Derrick

She is a graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, received her music performing
degree in Oboe, English horn, and is a classically trained pianist. She has performed with the
Winston Salem s Symphony, “Nutcracker,” “Die Flaudermaus,” Piedmont Wind Symphony,
Salisbury Symphony and Greensboro Symphony. Later she decided to obtain her 2nd Bachelors
in Dance from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where she will graduate in May
2009. Mazie’s dancing life began at the age of 4, where she became a strong competitor in all
genres of dance. Her repertory classes includes: Eluza Santos, Wesley Williams, Niki
Juralewicz, B. J. Sullivan, and the late Gregory Hines. Mazie also have competed, traveled
and taught for various companies throughout NC: They are The Dance Arts Center,
Showstoppers, DTI, Kids Artistic Review, Eastern Dance Association, Hall of Fame,
Showstoppers, and the National dance team championship. Mazie is also a choreographer to
competitive high school dance teams and studios. Davie High school and West Forsyth High
School were among the two that received 1st place overall and 3rd in nation medals. Mazie
is energetic and charismatic in which she exudes in her dancing style: hip hop, jazz contemporary,
rhythm tap and contemporary pointe.