Ballet Lubbock: Art in Motion/Life in Motion

Yvonne has been recognized in publications such as Vogue, TIME, Southern Living, and according to Dance magazine, has “legs and arms as fluid as a Kirov Swan as well as a poignancy that is emotionally wrenching.”

Laura Berry, Executive Director
Laura Berry joined Ballet Lubbock in June of 2006. Her work is focused primarily on efforts of development and marketing. Laura is completing work towards an M.S. in Arts Administration from Drexel University. Prior to joining the staff of Ballet Lubbock, she worked as a development consultant for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations throughout West Texas.

Sara Pendley, Business Manager
Sara joined the staff of Ballet Lubbock in January of 2006 but became part of our community when her daughter began to study ballet in 1994. In addition to overseeing all financial matters, Sara works with both staff and parents on matters related to registration and tuition. Sara was previously an elementary school and substitute teacher and assistant to the Lubbock Suzuki Music Program Director. She has two daughters: Katy, a student at Texas Tech University and Rebecca, who attends Lubbock High.

school		Yvonne Racz, Artistic Director Yvonne Racz began her dance training with the Syracuse Ballet Theater in New York and continued her training with Suzanne Aker and Neil Hess after moving to Lubbock. She studied with Lubbock Civic Ballet under the direction of Leonid Lubarsky, former principal dancer with the Kirov Ballet. She regularly attended the Dallas Ballet Academy’s Summer Intensive.
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Yvonne attended the University of Utah on scholarship and performed as a principal dancer with Utah Ballet Co. under the direction of Conrad Ludlow, former principal dancer of New York City Ballet. While in Utah, she trained under Barbie Hamblin, Bene Arnold, Ki-Chou Cheng, Attila Fierze and graduated with a B.A. in Humanities. Ms. Racz went on to perform with several professional companies: The Maryland Ballet Co., Desrosiers Dance Theatre, Ballet Hispanico of New York, Rebecca Kelly Dance Co., and Catanach Ballet Theater.
	Yvonne has been recognized in publications such as Vogue, TIME, Southern Living, and according to Dance magazine, has “legs and arms as fluid as a Kirov Swan as well as a poignancy that is emotionally wrenching.” Ms. Racz performed in Cirque Du Soleil’s MYSTERE in Las Vegas. She toured South Korea as a guest artist in the International Dance Festival and also taught master classes. Her teaching credentials include Texas Tech University, Urban Ballet Theater, Upstate Ballet NY, Kinkaid Academy in Houston, the Summer Intensive at Dillard School of Performing Arts (Florida) and Lubbock High School. Currently she serves as an adjunct professor of dance at Texas Tech University.

Ms. Racz has choreographed the Texas Tech productions of The Bartered Bride and West Side Story, and the premiere production of Lubbock Moonlight Musicals’ OKLAHOMA! Her work also includes collaborations with well-known musicians, Doug Smith and Floramay Holliday. She is currently a member of the Council of International Dance and CORPS de Ballet International. Under Yvonne Racz’s direction, the Ballet Lubbock School has grown tenfold. The School has received generous grants, many solely based upon the reputation and growth that she has catalyzed. Her students are consistently accepted to the nation’s top-ranked summer intensives. She has led the Ballet Lubbock Company to status as a performing member of Regional Dance America/Southwest. Yvonne Racz is the 2006 recipient of the Lubbock Arts Alliance’s Dynamic Force/ACE Award. In 2008, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in Lubbock.
Laura Berry, Executive Director Laura Berry joined Ballet Lubbock in June of 2006. Her work is focused primarily on efforts of development and marketing. Laura is completing work towards an M.S. in Arts Administration from Drexel University. Prior to joining the staff of Ballet Lubbock, she worked as a development consultant for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations throughout West Texas.
Sara Pendley, Business Manager Sara joined the staff of Ballet Lubbock in January of 2006 but became part of our community when her daughter began to study ballet in 1994. In addition to overseeing all financial matters, Sara works with both staff and parents on matters related to registration and tuition. Sara was previously an elementary school and substitute teacher and assistant to the Lubbock Suzuki Music Program Director. She has two daughters: Katy, a student at Texas Tech University and Rebecca, who attends Lubbock High.


	About Ballet Lubbock: Staff