Who We Are

Our Artistic Staff is led by Mrs. Caroline Purcell Meinert. Caroline is a Jackson native and a Ballet Arts alumna. From the young age of four years old, Caroline began dancing, wanting to be trained in all forms of dance offered at Pat Brown School of Dancing. She was trained in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, and musical theatre. She received other training with Joffery Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Orlando Ballet, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and the Radio City Rockettes. Wanting to immerse herself more in the art of dance, she attended the conservatory at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography in 2017.

 

While at UMKC Caroline was blessed to be a part of many professional opportunities as a dancer, such as her performance with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. Caroline has performed many lead roles in The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Paquita, Dorothy in the Emerald City, Sweet Lips, Pas de Quatre, Deanna Hiett’s 3 Play 4 Play, Madison Cannon’s And Then There Were Five, Ronald Tice’s Mata Hari, and many more.

 

Caroline has continued her love for dance by performing professionally, choreographing, and teaching. As a teacher Caroline trained dancers and choreographed pieces for the Youth American Grand Prix. There, her contemporary choreography qualified for the finals in NYC. Caroline is an ABT® Certified Teacher who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

 

Caroline is humbled and grateful to be named the Artistic Director of Ballet Arts where she can be a part of its legacy, and looks forward to strengthening the company for many years to come.

​​

​

Our Artistic Advisor, Joey Dlearo, started his dance training under his mother, Keri Beth Dlearo. He began his formal ballet training at Lilburn School of Ballet with Jennifer Gordon in 2013. He then trained under Orlando Molina (Current Houston Ballet Boys Program Coordinator) for a year before joining the Richmond Ballet trainee program for two years, where he received the Malcolm Burn Award. Joey spent three years as a company member at Ballet Memphis, dancing in works such as Mariana Oliveira’s Pagliacci, Gabrielle Lamb’s Elapse, and Garrett Ammon’s Short Trip Home. He also performed classical roles including The Prince in The Nutcracker and The Writer in Mark Godden’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. During his time at Ballet Memphis Joey originated leading roles in new works, notably Marcus Jarrel Willis’ T&Cs Apply and Artistic Director Steven McMahon’s A Rare and Gentle Thing.  Joey is currently a Company Artist with The Milwaukee Ballet where he has performed in Kenneth Tindall’s Casanova and Michael Pink’s The Nutcracker.

​​

​

Our Assistant Director, Kim Borden, received dance training from Pat Brown School of Dancing during her youth and began her love for Ballet Arts during its founding year in 1972 as one of the company’s first members. As an adult, she reconnected with Pat Brown’s studio after enrolling her daughter, and later accepted a position as dance instructor in 2001. In 2002, she rejoined Ballet Arts as a parent and rehearsal assistant. She has since served on the Ballet Arts Board, on production committees, as director and choreographer of Ballet Rejoice, as creator and director of Ballet Arts Primary Program, and as Assistant Director.

 

Kim experienced great pleasure watching her daughters perform with Ballet Arts throughout 2002-2015 and enjoyed her own stage opportunities with the character roles of “mother” in Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. In 2016, she was the recipient of Ballet Arts Encore Recognition Award for volunteer support. She values the mentorship she had with Pat Brown during those years and strives to carry that experience forward. 

 

Kim is a member of the Tennessee Association of Dance. She has studied Brain-Compatible Dance Education with creator Anne Green Gilbert in Seattle, as well as ballroom dancing with Jackson Ballroom Dance Club.