Sharon Seder Meko | Founder & Artistic Director

As its founder and Artistic Director, Sharon Seder Meko has been the driving force and inspiration behind Ballet Etudes since 1986. Her foresight and vision are responsible for the company's tremendous growth and development and the artistic accomplishments of its dancers. Due to her efforts, many of the company's dancers have been accepted at the most prestigious schools and companies throughout North America. Ballet Etudes' stature in the southwestern United States has been achieved because of the dedication to excellence and the exceptional professional abilities of this most talented woman.

Sharon began her training in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, with the Schuykill Valley Regional Dance Company. She then continued her formal ballet training in Philadelphia and later trained as an auditioned student under Edward Canton at the Pennsylvania Ballet. She continued her dancing career as a soloist and principal dancer. Some of her roles include: Sugar Plum Fairy, Waltz and Mirlitons in Nutcracker, Kitri in Don Quixote, Blue Bird, Lilac Fairy and Spanish in Sleeping Beauty, and roles in Coppélia. 

She has studied and taken master classes with teachers Margaret Craske, Hector Zaraspe, Pearl Lang and Martha Graham. In Denver she continued her professional career with the Colorado Concert Ballet Company and Ballet Now.  Since 1979, Sharon has pursued her love of Ballet in Arizona. She danced with the Mesa Civic Ballet (presently Ballet Arizona) and has choreographed for the Arizona Metropolitan Ballet Junior Company and served as a guest teacher. She was on the faculty of the Dance Department at Arizona State University. A teacher of ballet for 30 years, Sharon is presently Director of Ballet at the Jeanne Wright Dance Academy.  Sharon Meko was honored by the Mesa Chamber for Commerce and by Arts in Mesa when she was named "Artist of the Year.”

Susan Sharkey, R.A.D. | Ballet Mistress

Mrs. Sharkey began her dance studies in California where one of her most influential teachers was Eugene Loring.  In junior high school she was accepted on scholarship at Colorado College's Dance Department, studying with Professor Norman and Dorothea Cornick, formerly principals with the Memphis Ballet. She was a soloist in the college's performing company. Susan began her training with American Ballet Theater under Francisca and Dimitri Romanoff the company's Regissuer. She went on to perform in American Ballet Theater's corps and was later promoted to soloist. As a soloist, her repertoire included the ballets Les Sylphides, Les Patineurs, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Giselle. After coming to Arizona she completed her exams in the Dance Education Syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dancing and now is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dancing, London, England.  In addition to being the Ballet Mistress for Ballet Etudes, she is also a teaching member for the Royal Academy of Dancing.  Susan gives guest seminars in pointe technique and has been invited to teach pointe technique as a member of an international delegation's teaching tour of China.  She also has a B.A. in English Literature.

Kellan Meko | Marketing Director, Instructor

A graduate of the University of Arizona, Kellan continues working with Ballet Etudes as the marketing director, webmaster, rehearsal assistant and also teaches ballet at Jeanne Wright’s School of Dance. As a Ballet Etudes company member from 1994—2002, Kellan performed many roles including Clara, Dew Drop Fairy, and Spanish in The Nutcracker, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, and Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.  With the company, Kellan also had the opportunity to perform at a Phoenix Suns basketball game, the Arizona Celebration of Dance, at concerts with The Phoenix Boys Choir, The Phoenix Symphony, the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and the Symphony of the Southwest as well as annual galas for The Phoenix Symphony and The Arizona Opera.  She also auditioned for, and was cast in, original choreographic works by Leslie Browne (American Ballet Theater) and Dane LaFontsee (Milwaukee Ballet).

Christina Hampton | Instructor

Born to a military family, Christina began her training in Belgium with Bejart soloist Daniel Lambo.  Over the years she had the opportunity to train with Tidewater Ballet, Virginia State Ballet, Chicago City Ballet, and Star Dancer’s Ballet in Tokyo, Japan.

Ms. Hampton was a professional dancer for 20 years.  She performed with Tampa Ballet, Hartford Ballet, and was principal dancer with Minnesota Ballet and Ballet Florida.  During her career, she performed and worked with world renowned choreographers and coaches including Glen Tetley, Val Caniparoli, Lar Lubovitch, Sean Lavery, Ben Stevenson, Jerome Robbins and Gelsey Kirkland.

Christina began teaching ballet at the age of 15 and has continued teaching in the many schools affiliated with the companies she has performed with throughout her career.  She has also been a summer faculty member at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet for the past six years.

Jenny Bawden-Olson | Instructor

Jenny received her Masters Degree from the University of Utah in Ballet Teaching and Choreography.  While there she served as Ballet Mistress for Utah Ballet and Rehearsal Director for dancers involved in the Utah Opera and Symphony.  She received her Bachelors Degree in Ballet Performance from Brigham Young University.

Jenny’s dance career has taken her to many venues throughout the world.  She danced the principal role of Cinderella in the Edinburgh Arts Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland.  She traveled to Moscow, Russia with Legacy Dance Theatre to perform in the government’s Moscow Days Celebration.

Jenny has created many new choreographic works including Firebird, Hansel and Gretel, and Degas, which was performed at the gala unveiling of the Degas Bronze Sculpture Exhibit at the Phoenix Arts Museum.