PEGGY BARKER TOWNES
Executive Director

Peggy grew up dancing under the instruction of her mother, Barbara Barker. After Briarwood Ballet was founded in 1980, she was cast as the evil antagonist in literally every ballet (due to the fact that Mrs. Barker didn’t want anyone else to have to dance such roles!) Towards the end of high school, however, Peggy discovered a love for musical theatre and shifted her focus toward that stage.

She received a theatre scholarship to Samford University where she had the privilege of studying under the wonderful Harold Hunt. During her college years Peggy performed with college, community, regional, and summer stock theatres, enjoying leading roles in many shows including The Sound of Music, Gigi, HMS Pinafore, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Pajama Game, My Fair Lady, Summer and Smoke, as well as several period piecessuch as Moliere’s The Misanthrope and Sheridan’s The Rivals. In 1986 she had her first opportunity to direct a show for which she was rewarded the Bonnie Bolding Swearingen Award for Best Director. After discovering her very favorite role – that of Mrs. Tim Townes – Peggy joined the faculty of Briarwood Ballet and began to focus more on directing and scriptwriting.

In the 1990’s while keeping up with four children and two stepchildren she founded and directed a children’s theatre program named NarrowWay Kids and then co-founded Mo-Towne Productions with her beloved friend Tammy Moore. In 2012, God made it clear that He was calling Peggy to step away from children’s theatre and accept the position of Executive Director of Briarwood Ballet. Although she accepted the job with fear and trembling, Peggy has delighted in the privilege of continuing her mother’s vision and legacy. Serving the Lord Jesus Christ alongside the best staff and faculty to train young dancers to use their gifts in worship of our Savior is an amazing calling.

 

BRITTANY BISCHOFF
Artistic Director

Brittany Bischoff was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She trained at the Dallas Ballet Center and performed as a company member with the Dallas Ballet Company, dancing leading roles in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Raymonda, and The Nutcracker. In 2001, Dallas Ballet Company hosted dancers from New York City Ballet for a special event aptly named, “Bravo! Ballet.” Brittany was chosen to work with world renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon in the corps de ballet as the NYCB dancers performed George Balanchine’s Who Cares?

Brittany spent summers studying at Boston Ballet and Ballet Magnificat!. Upon graduation in 2002, She was accepted into the Trainee Program at Ballet Magnificat! and joined the company in 2004, dancing under the leadership of Kathy Thibodeaux and Jiri Voborsky. She performed in A Christmas Festival, Freedom, Prodigal’s Journey, Savior, Ruth, Hiding Place, Christmas Dream, Before His Throne, Deliver Us, Unveiled Hope, Basic Instructions, and Snow Queen.

While touring with the company, she taught master classes and performed extensively across the U.S. and internationally to The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Honduras, Belize, Israel, Germany, Macedonia, Poland, France, Italy, Kosovo, Slovakia, and Canada. Brittany also taught at the annual Ballet Magnificat! Summer Dance Intensive.  She was appointed the Assistant Artistic Director from 2009-2011 and finished her dancing career in December 2011. She served as the Ballet Magnificat! School of the Arts Director for one year before moving to Birmingham, AL.

Brittany started teaching at Briarwood Ballet in 2012 and served as the Interim Artistic Director for the 2023-24 season. Brittany is the director of Ballet Exaltation, and she has also enjoyed choreographing and teaching master classes for the dance department at Samford University.

Brittany resides in the Birmingham area with her husband and three children and is so honored to be stepping into the role of Artistic Director of Briarwood Ballet!

 

LISA ALLEN
Office Manager

A native Mississippian and Ole Miss graduate, Lisa worked at the University of Mississippi Medical Center for thirteen years, where she honed her computer skills and studied basic computer graphic design.

Lisa has been in Christian dance administration for over 35 years starting with Ballet Magnificat! For nine years, she helped to establish standard business practices and financial accountability as well as to oversee the company’s graphic design work and publications. She was there for the early formation of their school and summer intensive program. Over the years, in her capacity as an on-campus coordinator for the summer intensives, Lisa met quite a few Briarwood Ballet students.

Moving to Nashville in 1998, Lisa began her tenure as General Manager for Hosanna Sacred Arts. The next year she helped them transition to their new location in Birmingham. She acted in that capacity for over six years before stepping down to work exclusively with Briarwood Ballet.

As she begins her 26^th year at Briarwood Ballet, it is hard to list all the things that Lisa does. From general office oversight, financial record-keeping, and graphic design to the occasional costume assist she wears lots of hats. However, her passion is coordinating Ballet Exaltation’s international mission trips from inception to completion including trips to Japan, Sweden, China, and Cuba. Seeing firsthand how dance can transcend language and culture to show the beauty and glory of God never gets old. And though you will never see her on stage, you will find her behind the scenes helping to make it all happen.

At home, her rescue dog Mr. Peabody is her constant companion, and if she ever has any free time, you can find her at her lovely historic home weeding or quilting.

 

MEREDITH DOROUGH
Immanuel Director

Meredith Dorough, of Birmingham, Alabama, centered her dance training at Briarwood Ballet starting at the age of 8. She has served the school in many roles – starting as a student, teaching assistant, and member of Ballet Exaltation. Joining the faculty in 1998, she continues to serve as an instructor, choreographer, and production manager. She became the Immanuel Director in the fall of 2006, after an interim year in 2003.

As a student, she was classically trained in ballet and traveled locally and internationally to perform as a member of Ballet Exaltation from 1997-2002, along with dancing many roles in the school’s annual, allegorical productions. While attending Samford University (2002-2005), Meredith continued performing with a number of groups – Samford theater department’s dance production (2005), Miss Samford pageant (2002), and Samford’s Step Sing (2004) – as well as joining Birmingham Ballet for one season (2004-2005), dancing the role of Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker.

Meredith received a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, in Exercise Science from Samford University in 2005 and enjoys incorporating her knowledge of anatomy and physiology into her teaching methods, along with injury recognition and prevention. In fact, her senior research project at Samford centered around pre-dispositions to injury in the ballet dancer. She teaches classical ballet technique to dancers of many ages. Meredith also teaches beginner and intermediate pointe classes, along with beginner pointe shoe workshops. Her commitment to learning new teaching practices always pushes her towards continuing education. She has attended seminars for pedagogical studies, including ABT and RPM. As Director of Immanuel, she has choreographed and rehearsed a varied repertoire of classical and contemporary works, and produced the company’s annual dance concert.

Meredith married her college sweetheart Ross in August 2005, and they have four children – Luke, Mia, Darci, and Cole.

 

CLAUDIA BUTLER

Claudia Butler immigrated from Germany to Huntsville, AL when her father joined Werner Von Braun and the NASA space flight endeavor of the 1960’s.

Claudia started dancing at the early age of 5 at Elekes Studio of Dance in Huntsville and with her passion for ballet, she began student teaching while a young teen. Several trips to New York City gave Claudia the opportunity to further her education at Dance Masters of America conventions and taking classes at the American Ballet Theater.

At age 12 Gymnastics became an interest of hers and in her later years of high school she began student coaching and choreographing floor routines for her competitive team all the while continuing her ballet training.

Interests changed during college, and after receiving a bachelor of science in nursing, Claudia began her career as a nurse working at Brookwood Medical Center. During that time, Claudia and her husband , Raymond,  began attending Briarwood Presbyterian Church. After meeting Barbara Barker, who had started a ballet ministry at the church, she was asked to come on board as a staff member and is now in her 32^nd year.

Claudia taught alongside Barbara Barker for many years and she gives Barbara all the credit for teaching her everything she needed to know about instructing young children in not only the art of ballet, but also how to use their God given ballet talents to honor and serve the Lord.

Claudia has also worked as a staff choreographer for NarrowWay productions, MoTowne Productions, Briarwood’s High School theater department, Dance South Studios, as well as operating Butler Studios, LLC, where has taught many dance genres, including beginner ballroom dancing with her husband.

Claudia is the mother of 4 adult children. Other interests include leading a high school girls discipleship group, gardening, reading and spending time with her 8 grandchildren!

 

LAURA BELL

Laura began her dance training at Briarwood Ballet at the age of 5.  Throughout her years of training she attended classes at Ballet Magnificat’s Summer Intensives and at the age of 13 she danced with the Royal Ballet’s program in London, England for the summer.  During her years of dancing, she enjoyed the performing opportunities but deep down knew that her love was for teaching.

Her teaching career began in September of 1995 when Laura was offered her first teaching opportunity by Barbara Barker.  She has been on staff at Briarwood Ballet since that time.  Laura also runs Praise Him Ballet at some local daycares for those who can’t get to classes at Briarwood Ballet.

 

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SUSIE LONG

Susie trained at Briarwood Ballet under Barbara Barker and Kenn Tolle. She was a member of the first Immanuel performing group under the direction of Rachel Radbill. Upon graduation, she attended Belhaven University in Jackson, MS where she studied English and Dance and graduated magna cum laude.

At Belhaven, Susie discovered her love for a variety of genres of dance in addition to classical ballet, especially modern dance. She enjoyed performing with the Belhaven Dance Ensemble, Theater Belhaven, and in various student works. Upon graduation, she performed with Front Porch Dance (Jackson, MS), Sanspointe Dance Company (Birmingham, AL) and toured to schools all over Alabama with The Dance Foundation’s school touring show, Math in Motion.

When Susie isn’t teaching, she stays busy with her husband, Aaron, and their three boys. She is also the director of Dawson Ballet School at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church. Susie is so thankful for the training and mentoring that she received at Briarwood Ballet and is thrilled to be a part of continuing that legacy of merging faith and dance!

 

AMY WESLEY

Amy Wesley, of Gadsden, Alabama, studied as a young dancer at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham.  There she trained extensively under the direction of Dame Sonia Arova, and  Therese Laeger.  She studied the classics, performing principal and soloist roles in ballets such as Giselle, Swan Lake, Flower Festival, Sleeping Beauty, and Paquita. She also performed in original work by Jordan Morris of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.  She attended summer dance intensives with the American Ballet Theater and Ballet Magnificat!  Upon graduation from ASFA, Amy received the “Prix de Danse Award.”  In 2001 Amy joined Ballet Magnificat!, America’s Premiere Christian Ballet Company, where she danced for the next 12 years.  She worked under the artistic direction of Kathy Thibodeaux and Jiri Voborsky.

While touring, Amy performed soloist roles in Basic Instructions, Christmas Dream, Christmas Festival, Saviour, Before His Throne, Snow Queen, and Prodigal’s Journey.  As well as performing in Deliver Us, Unveiled Hope, Ruth, Freedom, and Most Incredible Christmas.  Amy was honored to have performed both the roles of Corrie and Betsie ten Boom in Ballet Magnificat!’s The Hiding Place.  Amy served as “Assistant Artistic Director” for Ballet Magnificat!’s Omega Company from 2011-2013.  Touring with the company, she danced throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, Africa, the Middle East, and across Europe.

Amy’s teaching experience spans master classes on her travels with Ballet Magnificat! and in their summer dance intensives from 2004-2013.  She taught at Westwood Ballet from 2013-2015.  Amy has enjoyed teaching in both the Enrichment and Intensive divisions of Briarwood Ballet since 2013.

Amy loves to see the beauty of God’s kingdom on the earth and to be a part of sharing His hope through the means of dance!  She is married to composer J. Adam Wesley and together they are raising four Wesley children.

 

KELSEY SHELTON

Kelsey began her dance training at The Dance Company, Inc. as a competitive dancer competing in lyrical, jazz, tap and musical theatre. From 2008-2012, she attended the University of Alabama where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Dance. During her time at UA, Kelsey began a deeper training in ballet technique, pointe work and partnering.

In 2012, Kelsey joined Atlanta Ballet as a trainee and later became an apprentice from 2013-2015. She danced numerous lead roles such as Marya in John McFall’s “The Nutcracker”, The Rose in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s “Requium for a Rose”, and Lead Soloist in Gina Patterson’s “Quietly Walking”. Kelsey was also featured in many contemporary and ballet works including Ohad Naharin’s “Secus”, Jorma Elo’s “First Flash”, and Alexander Eckman’s “Cacti”.

She moved to Birmingham in 2015 and began teaching at Briarwood Ballet. Kelsey is rehearsal assistant for Ballet Exaltation where she enjoys choreographing contemporary ballet works for their repertoire. In addition, she is adjunct professor in the dance department at Samford University. Her choreography has been featured at Alabama Dance Festival, in both Ballet Exaltation and Immanuel’s repertoire and  Samford Dance Company’s 2024 annual concert. Kelsey seeks to encourage her students to break through boundaries in their dancing while maintaining strong technique, beautiful artistry and freedom of worship!

 

LEESA JACQUES

Leesa attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, South Africa, with academic performance achieved in anatomy and music appreciation. Throughout her arts training Leesa had master classes from well-known accredited local and international teachers and companies such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company and PACT Ballet Company.

On average she trained six days a week in Cecchetti classical ballet, pointe, pas de deux, Lestor Horton, Graham, and Cunningham contemporary as well as Spanish dance. In addition, she spent extended hours in formal training in the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum with yearly certification in ballet, pointe and character dance.

She excelled in contemporary dance and was accredited with a nomination for “Most Promising Dancer” by the country’s leading dance awards. She later achieved a distinction in contemporary dance. Leesa was afforded opportunities to take dance in Russia and London.

Upon her training completion, she was accepted into such well-known dance institutions as The Rambert College of London, The Alvin Ailey College of Dance, The University of North Carolina, PACT Ballet Company, and The North West Arts Council Dance company.

Leesa joined the North West Arts Council dance company, performing nationally and internationally, and in many televised events across the world. She performed many rolls in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, and freestyle. She also performed in Giselle, La Sylphide, and Swan Lake with the PACT Ballet. She danced the leading role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker performed with the National Orchestra.

Upon leaving the dance company, Leesa taught at the American International School, Tenterden children’s home, Kohl Academy of Performing Arts and eventually Briarwood Ballet which she feels has been her most rewarding practice to date. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21

 

BETH BISCHOFF

Beth Bischoff, from Oahu, Hawaii, began her classical ballet training at the age of 9 with Ballet Hawaii under the direction of Pamela Taylor-Tongg. Throughout her pre-professional training she participated in ballet master classes taught by Michael Vernon, Maria Vegh, Alaine Haubert, and Finis Jhung and attended summer intensives with Ballet Magnificat! and the American Ballet Theater.  In 2003 Beth moved to Jackson, Mississippi to join Ballet Magnificat!’s trainee program and in 2004 became a Company Artist.  As a Company Artist she traveled around the United States as well as Czech Republic, Italy, France, Macedonia, Israel, Honduras, Belize, Slovakia, Germany, Canada, Poland, and The Netherlands performing and teaching master classes and workshops.

In 2011, Beth married and moved to Birmingham, Alabama where she was the Artistic Director and instructor at Westwood Ballet for six years. In 2019 she began teaching at Briarwood Ballet. Beth’s passion in teaching is for her students to see their uniqueness as beautiful and inspiring; to realize their full potential, not only as dancers but as loved children of God; and to know the freedom of a heart that is abandoned in worship to their Creator.  Beth lives in Leeds, Alabama with her husband Eric and their four children.

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MARGARET ANNE OWENS

Margaret Anne has the great privilege of being a third generation Briarwood Ballet teacher.  Since the age of three, she has been twirling through Briarwood’s studios, exploring (and testing) the mercies of her Creator and Savior. During high school, Margaret Anne danced with Ballet Exaltation for several years while also pursuing a path in Musical Theatre.

In 2009, she moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she studied Acting and Dance at Point Park University and trained in many different forms of dance. Some of her favorites include Musical Theatre Jazz (under the late Ron Tassone who performed in the movies of Hello Dolly and West Side Story), Graham Technique Modern Dance, and Contemporary. Upon graduation, Margaret Anne returned to Briarwood Ballet as a teacher until she met her husband, married, and moved with him to Houston and then Nashville. There she started a small ballet program through Covenant Conservatory, worked as the Director of Lower School Dance at Christ Presbyterian Academy, and taught ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap for Fellowship School of Dance. In 2017 she was certified in “Leap and Learn” curriculum for preschool and early elementary aged dancers.

In 2020 her family moved back home to Birmingham, and she rejoined the Briarwood Ballet team. She now lives next door to her boss, mentor, prayer warrior, and favorite mother, Peggy Townes. Her own daughters are now twirling through the Briarwood Ballet studios and are still being taught through the legacy of their great-grandmother, Barbara Barker, to pursue excellence for the glory of God.  These truths and the prayers of Margaret Anne’s mom and grandmother have been some of God’s greatest tools in her testimony. Her deepest desire is to share the eternal gift she received in the studios of Briarwood Ballet with the next generation of young dancers.

 

JENNA GRAHAM

Originally from Oklahoma City, Jenna grew up dancing at a local ballet school directed by Lisa Webb. She spent summers furthering her training at Tulsa Ballet, Ellison Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, the Kirov Academy of Washington D.C., Kansas City Ballet, and SLK Ballet. In 2012, she moved to New York City to study at SLK Ballet, a Vagonova based ballet school under the direction of Sara Knight.

A contract with Alabama Ballet brought Jenna to Birmingham in 2014. Some of her favorite roles with Alabama Ballet include: Dew Drop Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Russian Corps in Balanchine’s Serenade, Flower Girl in Don Quixote, Temperament Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, and Daisy in Dennis Nahat’s Blue Suede Shoes.

After a nine-year career with the company, Jenna retired from her contract in June of 2023. In December of 2023, Jenna performed the roles of Snow Queen and Sugarplum Fairy as a guest professional artist with Jacksonville Community Nutcracker in Florida and Magic City Nutcracker in Birmingham. Jenna holds a comprehensive certification through Peak Pilates, and has been teaching at Aero Joe Pilates and at several ballet schools in the Birmingham area since 2016.

She joined the Briarwood Ballet faculty in 2021, and considers it a gift from the Lord to be able to teach the next generation of dancers how to dance to the best of their ability to the glory of God.

 

EMILY HENRIQUES

Emily Henriques began her dance training with Briarwood Ballet, eventually becoming a member of their student company Ballet Exaltation. In 2016, she had the honor of touring Cuba with Ballet Exaltation, performing in three major cities. Emily then attended Belhaven University in Jackson, MS, graduating with a BFA in dance and a BA in psychology. There she trained in ballet, modern, non-traditional partnering, pointe, jazz, improvisation, and contact improvisation.

She also had the opportunity to study kinesiology, pedagogy, nutrition, composition, dance history, lighting design, and stage management. She performed contemporary works by Steve Rooks (Graham Company), Jiri Voborsky (Ballet Magnificat!), Laura Morton (Milwaukee Ballet), Gabriel Spieller (Bruce Wood Dance) etc., and studied under Ravenna Tucker Wagnon (Royal Ballet), Randall Flinn (Ad Deum), Whitney Dufrene (Doug Varone and Dancers), etc. For her Psychology degree’s final thesis project, Emily researched and presented on fixed and growth mindsets in dancers, as she is passionate about understanding how dancers’ mental health impacts their performance.

Outside of Belhaven, Emily taught ballet at Lindsey Claire Dance Company and enjoyed performance opportunities at the American College Dance Association and with various companies and artists in Mississippi. In 2022, Emily attended the American Dance Festival as a production intern, where she trained in Counter Technique under Rosanna Tavarez and Joy Davis and was selected to stage manage a piece for the renowned Shen Wei (choreographer of the Beijing Olympics).

Emily currently dances with Sanspointe, a contemporary dance company in Birmingham, AL. This is Emily’s third year at Briarwood Ballet as a teacher, social media manager, and lighting designer, and she is excited to continue pouring into her students.

 

TUCKER EDWARDS

Tucker is from Spokane, Washington where he started his ballet training at the age of six under Dodie Askegard and continued with Sara Donally at Spokane Ballet Studio. During this time, Tucker attended summer intensives at American Ballet Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Ballet West, and Pacific Northwest Ballet all on scholarship.

In 2018, he was accepted as a trainee at Ballet West on full scholarship. While a trainee, he performed in Gerald Arpino’s Viva Vivaldi, Ballet West Family Classics, Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White, as well as performing alongside the main company in Swan Lake and Giselle. During this time he guested with North Star Ballet in Fairbanks, Alaska in principal and soloist roles in The Nutcracker, and Cinderella. After completing the two-year trainee program at Ballet West, Tucker joined Alabama Ballet as an apprentice in 2020. In 2021, he was promoted to company dancer. While at Alabama Ballet he enjoyed dancing Lead Spanish in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Caller in Rodeo, and Betrothal Couple in Coppelia. Tucker also had the opportunity to guest with The Dance Foundation last winter where he performed the Le Corsaire Pas De Deux.

In June 2024, Tucker retired from dancing professionally and has since been pursuing other interests. He is excited to pass on his knowledge and experience to the next generation of dancers at Briarwood Ballet.

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ISABELLA ANDREWS

Isabella Andrews has trained at Briarwood Ballet since she was three years old. She spent her high school years dancing with Ballet Exaltation, their student ballet company. While a member of Exaltation, she served as a teaching assistant and taught dance camps during the summers at Briarwood. In 2023, She had the privilege of dancing internationally with Ballet Exaltation during a mission trip to Peru. During her time with Ballet Exaltation, Isabella has enjoyed opportunities to work with guest choreographers such as Kevin Jenkins and Jiri Voborsky. She considers this a great privilege as it has helped shape her as a dancer in so many ways.

Isabella is currently in her sophomore year at Samford University. She is thrilled to be one of the first students to graduate with a dance degree from Samford, and is also a member of the Samford Dance Company. Upon entering her first year of teaching, she is so excited to start pouring into her students and sharing her love of worshipping the Lord through dance.

 

MADDIE BACHOFER

Maddie has spent the past two seasons as an Apprentice at the Alabama Ballet under the direction of Tracey Alvey (2022-2023) and Chris Stuart (2023-2024). Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she received her formal ballet training at Alma Dance School. There she had the privilege of performing Snow Queen and Flowers lead in The Nutcracker, Mercedes in Don Quixote, and Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. She also received Top 12 Award at Youth American Grand Prix.

In 2019 Maddie joined Nashville Ballet in their Trainee Program. While at Nashville Ballet, she performed in Paul Vasterling’s The Nutcracker. In 2022, she joined Alabama Ballet as an apprentice where she performed in many notable productions such as George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, Roger VanFleteren’s Cinderella, Coppelia, and Bonnie & Clyde, Giselle, as well as Frederick Lee Rocas’ In The Stars.

Maddie joined Briarwood Ballet’s staff Fall 2024.

 

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