Sara Beth Austin
Helena,AL
Summary
Motivated and eager dancer with world-class ballet training, including six years under Director Wes Chapman and Shawn Black (former ABT principals). I have two years of paid company experience as an apprentice at Dayton Ballet, performing in all full-length classical ballets, as well as outreaches. My principal roles performed, in addition to Dayton Ballet include, but are not limited to, Odette, Gamzatti, Swanhilda, Snow Queen, and Dew Drop.
Personal Information
- Height: 5'6
- Citizenship: USA
- Date of Birth: 04/04/06
- She/Her/Hers
Overview
2
2
years of professional experience
Work History
Teaching Faculty (Ballet 1)
Dayton Ballet School
08.2025 - 05.2026
- Currently teaching two classes a week, ages five through nine, as well as choreographing a spring recital dance.
Choreographer
Dayton Ballet School
08.2025 - 05.2026
- Organized and rehearsed dancers to ensure that performances were of the highest quality.
Guest/Substitute Teacher, K-12
(Various ballet studios)
08.2024 - 05.2026
- Substituted classes of all ages, including ballet, modern, pointe, and rehearsals, whenever possible.
- Taught in school dance programs for eight weeks in the fall of 2025.
- Managed classroom behavior to maintain a focused and respectful learning environment.
Apprentice/Second Company
Dayton Ballet
08.2024 - 01.2026
- Daily company class, as well as rehearsing and performing alongside the company dancers.
Education
Birmingham, AL - Dance Department
Alabama School of Fine Arts
Birmingham, AL05.2024
Dance Education
- Briarwood Ballet: 2011-2018, Alabama School of Fine Arts: 2018-2024, Dayton Ballet: 2024-2026
- Trained by: Wes Chapman, Shawn Black, Germaul Barnes, Margi Cole, Teri Weksler, Martha Faesi, Laura Graham, Roger VanFleteren, Brandon Ragland, Rachel Wynne, Sharon Neumeister
Skills
- Ballet: Classical, Balanchine, Cechetti, Vaganova, and Revolutionary Principles of Movement (RPM)
- Modern: Graham, Horton, Limón, Cunningham, Dunham, Joy, and Paul Taylor
- Pointe
- Pas de deux
- Contemporary
- Jazz: Fosse, musical theatre, funk
- Ballroom
- African: West, Caribbean
- Hip hop
- Improvisation
- Composition
- Pilates
- Yoga
Intensives
- Alabama Ballet, summer 4 weeks, 2018
- American Ballet Theatre (ABT) New York, summer 4 weeks, 2020
- Orlando Ballet, summer four weeks, 2021
- Miami City Ballet, summer five weeks, 2022
- Alabama Dance Festival, January weekend, 2018-2023
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), summer 4 weeks, 2023
- American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Tampa, summer 3 weeks, 2024
- Joffrey Ballet School (NYC), summer 3 weeks, 2024
- American Ballet Theatre (ABT) New York Collegiate, summer 2 weeks, 2025
- Masterclass in Prague, summer 1 week, 2025
Performance Experience
- Etudes, by Roger VanFleteren, 2018
- The Alchemist, by Germaul Barnes, (lead girl), 2018
- Le Jardin Anime, by Wes Chapman, 2018
- Senior Choreography Project, 2018/2023
- Coppelia: Waltz of the hours, by Wes Chapman, 2019
- Sweet Tea, by Germaul Barnes, 2020/2021
- Orlando Ballet summer intensive showcase, 2021
- Coppelia, by Wes Chapman, (Swanhilda), 2022
- Don Quixote, by Wes Chapman, (Cupid), 2022
- Jenny Fine Synchronized Swimmers film project and show, 2022
- Magic City Art Connection, excerpts of Senior Choreography Project, 2022
- Alabama Dance Festival, excerpts of Sweet Tea by Germaul Barnes, 2022
- La Bayadère, by Wes Chapman, (Gamzatti-3rd shade), 2023
- UNCSA summer intensive showcase, Le Jardin Animé from Le Corsaire, Resonance choreographed by Richard Walters, 2023
- The Nutcracker, by Wes Chapman, (Dew Drop, Mirliton), 2023
- The Nutcracker, by Magic City Performing Arts, (Mirliton, lead Spanish, Flower, Arabian, Snow Queen with pas), 2023
- Don Quixote, by Magic City Performing Arts, (Kitri's friend, townswoman), 2023
- Swan Lake, by Wes Chapman and Shawn Black, (Odette with pas), 2024
- Coppélia, by Robert Curran, (Townswoman, Queen Victoria), 2024
- Le Corsaire, by Dayton Ballet School, (Pas de Trois des Odalisques), 2024
- The Nutcracker, by Brandon Ragland, (Flowers, Snow, Party Parent), 2024-2025
- Cinderella, by Brandon Ragland, (Ballroom lady), 2025
- Bugs, by Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA), (Grasshopper), 2025
- It's a World of Dance, DPAA, 2025
- American Ballet Theatre collegiate summer intensive showcase, (Swanhilda friends), 2025
- Who wants to be a dance star outreach performances, by Dayton Ballet studio company, 2024-2026
- Colors outreach performances, by Dayton Ballet studio company, 2025/2026
- Giselle, by Brandon Ragland, (townswoman, willi), 2025
- Momentum, Dayton Ballet School, (Paquita, Leave A Trace, Still), 2025
- Sleeping Beauty, (upcoming) 2026
References
References available upon request.
Affiliations
Choreographed an original 10 minute work: Illusionary Mirage (containing elements of contemporary ballet, pointe, partnering, improvisation, and modern techniques) - 2024
Timeline
Teaching Faculty (Ballet 1)
Dayton Ballet School
08.2025 - 05.2026
Choreographer
Dayton Ballet School
08.2025 - 05.2026
Guest/Substitute Teacher, K-12
(Various ballet studios)
08.2024 - 05.2026
Apprentice/Second Company
Dayton Ballet
08.2024 - 01.2026
Birmingham, AL - Dance Department
Alabama School of Fine Arts