Meet Our Staff

Gay was trained in London, England at the Arts Educational School. Her classmates included Ben Stevenson, former Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet and David Howard known as “Teacher of the Stars” in New York and London. After an extensive career in England, Spain, France and Germany Gay came to the United States where she danced in California before coming to North Carolina. As a choreographer Gay has worked with the Charlotte Symphony, the Charlotte Opera, the Singing Christmas Tree, Central Piedmont Opera and Theatre, Actors Theatre and the Charlotte Youth Ballet. Gay is a full teaching member of the Royal Academy of Dance, London, England and holds the Advanced Teachers Certificate of the Cecchetti Council of America. North Carolina School of the Arts honored Gay as: “Teacher of the Year” in 1994. Gay is the founder and Artistic Director of the Charlotte Youth Ballet. It is the premier performing company for young dancers in the area. Gay has directed and choreographed full length productions of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Nutcracker and Coppelia for the company. She has also created original ballets such as The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Thumbelina, and Pinocchio which she had also set on companies throughout the United States.

As a child Bridget was selected to dance with New York city Ballet and Baryshnikov for the Washington Season. During this time she was invited to perform at the White House for President Carter. She has danced with Louisville Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre and Ocala Ballet. She toured the United States performing industrial shows and spent many summers performing in summer stock including roles such as Jeannie in Brigadoon, and Dream Laurie in Oklahoma. She also appeared on All My Children and Guiding Light while living in New York. Bridget has choreographed many short works, ballets and musicals including South Pacific, The King and I, Once Upon a Mattress, Barnum and Big River. She also choreographed and directed The Nutcracker for Pueblo Ballet. Bridget holds the Teaching Certificate of the Royal Academy of Dance, London, England and is a Licentiate of the Cecchetti Council of America. She is the Ballet Mistress for the Charlotte Youth Ballet, and the Chair of the Cecchetti Council of America, Southeast Committee.

Bio Coming Soon!

Emily started training at Nan Klinger’s Excellence in Dance in her hometown of Akron, Ohio at age 9 in addition to performing with the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet, now known as Ballet Excel Ohio. She attended summer intensive programs at Cincinnati Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Boston Ballet, James Sewell Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet.

After graduating from the dance program at Akron School for the Arts in 2018, Emily decided to continue her ballet studies at the College- Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, where she spent 3 ½ years training under the esteemed faculty. Emily was able to perform in  both new and current works in ballet and contemporary during her time there, her two favorites being a featured solo in Jardin Anime staged by Deirdre Carberry and the role of the  “Dark Angel” in Serenade staged by Joysanne Sidimus.  

In the fall of 2020, Emily took advantage of a co-op program CCM provides its upperclassman ballet majors and joined the corps de ballet of Columbia Classical Ballet. While still earning her degree she was able to begin her professional career under the direction of Radenko Pavlovitch. While a member of CCB, Emily was given the opportunity to dance in many new works by resident choreographer Simone Cuttino, one of which being a featured “Spanish Dancer”  in her staging of The Nutcracker. 

In her last season with CCB, Emily decided to attend graduate school at the University of South Carolina and graduated in May of 2023 with a master’s degree in Elementary Education. Emily has taught at ballet schools in Akron, Cincinnati, and Columbia and is very excited to come back and teach at Charlotte School of Ballet for a second year. 

Norah began her dance training at the age of 3. She danced at studios in Texas and Florida before moving to Charlotte at 13. She studied under Gay Porter and Bridget Porter Young at the Charlotte School of Ballet. She has trained and performed with the Charlotte Youth Ballet in various roles and productions such as the Nutcracker, as Spanish and Lead Waltz, and Alice in Wonderland, as Alice. She has performed at the UNCSA Festival of Dance and Heritage Music Awards .

Norah furthered her education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, recording a BA in Applied Dance Studies and a BS in Psychology. She received training under Melissa Coyle, Delia Neil, Todd Kubo, Ashley Tate, and Kim Jones. She danced in many performances in that time, including the UNCC Spring Dance Concert under choreographer Jacque White and the Traditions Concert under Ashley Tate. 

Norah began teaching dance at CSB in the fall of 2019. She teaches ballet/pointe, lyrical/contemporary, and jazz. She works with the Studio Company choreographing various pieces. She is also a member of the office staff. Going into her sixth year teaching at CSB, she is so excited to continue working with the dancers and families!