Faculty | SCBC

Meet the Team

The South Charlotte Ballet Company works with existing and emerging local talent to ensure ongoing growth and a successful legacy for our dancers.

Resident faculty

Mia Kapetanakis

Mia is a Charlotte, NC, native. She first started dancing at the age of 3 at Charlotte School of Ballet with Gay Porter and Bridget Young. She grew up training RAD and Cecchetti classical techniques. At the age of 16, she went to Charlotte Ballet Academy to continue her training for her last 2 years of high school.

After graduating in 2020, Mia went to train at Ballet Academy East in New York City in their Pre-Professional Division. There, she studied under Darla Hoover and learned Balanchine techniques and ballets. She was also able to work with and perform for amazing choreographers such as Caili Quan, Rex Wheeler Gilbert Bolden III, and Daniel
Ulbricht.

In 2023, Mia got into BalletMet’s trainee program in Columbus, OH. Now training under Edward Laing and Maria Torija, She got her first performance opportunity with the professional company doing snow and flowers in BalletMet’s production of The Nutcracker. She was able to learn more Balanchine technique, variations, and perform Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco.

While at BalletMet, Mia started her journey to create her own choreography. She was selected along with 6 other trainee students to choreograph a dance and have it performed. She created Gotta Dance! With music from one of her favorite movies, Singin’ in the Rain.

After her year at BalletMet, Mia is currently teaching for South Charlotte Ballet Company, as well as freelance dancing and choreography back in her hometown of Charlotte.

Resident faculty

Mary Reed (picture coming soon)

Mary McCort Reed was raised in Kingsport, TN and began dancing at the age of five under the direction of Charles Ryburn. She continued her instruction in ballet with Karen Gibbons-Brown at the Kingsport Guild of Ballet. While attending the University of Tennessee Mary was invited to perform with the Appalachian Ballet, where she first performed in The Nutcracker.

After graduating with her bachelors degree in Architecture, Mary moved to Cleveland, TN. While there she developed a beginner adult and young dancer ballet program for the Cleveland YMCA. Mary moved to Charlotte in 2007.

Mary has been teaching and performing with the Charlotte School of Ballet and the Charlotte Youth Ballet for many years, and currently serves as the Charlotte Youth Ballet's Ballet Mistress.

Resident faculty

Elena Gleason

Elena Gleason began her ballet training at the Fort Wayne Ballet Academy in 1993 under
the artistic direction of Karen Gibbons Brown from American Ballet Theatre and Derek Reid of the Dance Theater of Harlem. Elena’s repertoire includes thirteen consecutive seasons of the Nutcracker performing lead roles including “Sugar Plum Fairy”, “Arabian Coffee” Pas de Deux and “Snow Queen”. Her repertoire also includes “Hermia” from a Midsummer Nights Dream, and “Dawn” from Coppelia.

Steffi Thomas

Resident faculty

Steffi, a native of England, discovered her passion for dance at an early age. She honed her skills at The Central School of Ballet in London.

Steffi has worked with renowned companies such as English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, The National Ballet of Ireland and Peter Schaufuss Ballet. She has also worked as an extra in movies in an array of dance styles. Her performance highlights include events such as dancing for Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Variety Show, and performing at international venues.

She has guided a diverse range of students, from beginners to pre-professionals, instilling in them a love for the art form and nurturing their growth and development. Her dedication is reflected in the achievements of her students, many of whom have been accepted into prestigious ballet schools such as JKO, Houston Ballet, Cary Ballet Conservatory, San Francisco Ballet, and more. Her students have also excelled in competitions, with placements in the top 12 and 24 for the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP),

Kelsey Smith

Resident choreographer

Kelsey began her ballet training at the age of four at St. Louis Ballet. At nine, she began training with Charlotte Ballet Academy, and at 17, she was invited to join Charlotte Ballet’s Pre-Professional Trainee Program under the direction of Laszlo Berdo, Kati Mayo, and Patricia McBride. During her two seasons as a trainee, Kelsey had the opportunity to perform in George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht Ballet from Faust and Union Jack as well as Alejandro Cerrudo’s Lickety Split. In addition to academy and trainee performances, she has danced numerous corps and soloist roles with Charlotte Ballet, including Chris Stuart’s Peter Pan, Matthew Hart’s The Sleeping Beauty, Mark Diamond’s The Little Mermaid, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s The Nutcracker and Peter Pan, and Sasha Janes’ Wuthering Heights. Additionally, Kelsey performed for a YAGP Alumni Fundraising Gala in 2023. She has spent summers training at the Chautauqua Institute, the HARID Conservatory, Next Generation Ballet, Indiana University, the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Ballet Austin, BalletMet, and Philadelphia Ballet. For the 23/24 season, Kelsey will be joining the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago as a Contemporary Ballet Trainee. Kelsey is honored to choreograph and share her passion for creation with SCBC.