Instructors

Suzanne Banbury - Artistic Director
Mrs Banbury studied extensively in New York City with the American Ballet Theater, Mia Slavenska, Robert Joffrey, Matt Mattox, Martha Graham, Alvin Alley, and David Howard. She performed professionally with the Houston Music Theater. Mrs Banbury has been teaching in Houston for more than thirty-five years and has had students accepted to the San Francisco Ballet School, the School of American Ballet (NYCB), the Boston School of Ballet, the Milwaukee School of Ballet, Ballet/Aspen, and the Austin Ballet.

Lori Barzilla - Instructor
Mrs Barzilla began her dance training at the age of eight with the Banbury School of Dance. She danced with the Allegro Civic ballet and went with them to Poland on a five-week dance exchange program. She has also danced with the Discovery Dance Group and Dance Arts Company in Houston. Mrs Barzilla has studied in New York with Robert Joffrey, Ron Forello, Bob Audy, JoJo, and the American Ballet Theater Ballet School. She has been teaching at Banbury for nineteen years. Mrs Barzilla has had students accepted to Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Alley, Ballet/Aspen, and the Austin Ballet.

Scarlett Banbury - Instructor
Scarlett has been teaching dance in the Houston area for over 15 years. She is a native Houstonian and second generation dance instructor. She began her dance training at age 2 at Banbury School of Dance. Scarlett spent summers in New York City studying different styles of dance including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Modern and African dance. Scarlett studied Ballet with Houston Ballet’s Andrea Vodehnal and Jazz with Kenneth Epting, founder of Exclamation Dance Company. Scarlett was chosen to perform several times in the Houston International Festival, Galveston’s Dickens on the Strand and a multitude of performances at Banbury School of Dance. She was also selected for a part in Houston Grand Opera’s production of “Manon”. Scarlett was introduced to the world of competitive gymnastics when she was hired to coach elite level gymnasts on the Junior & Women’s USA Olympic Team. Scarlett had the honor of teaching Mary Lou Retton’s daughters who are also gymnasts. She is a member of the Texas Association of Teachers of Dancing and PhysicalMind Institute in New York City, where she was certified to instruct Pilates.