CSU Ballet Conservatory - Instructors

Maria Hirsch received her early training in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Ballets de San Juan studying under Ana Garcia and joined the company at age 12. She attended the School of American Ballet, Joffrey and New York City Ballet during the summers where she studied under George Balanchine, Melissa Hayden, and Jacques d'Amboise. In 1995, she co-founded the Columbus Ballet and also directed. She received a degree in Elementary Education with a major in Special Education and is a full time teacher at Fort Middle School.

Bridget Adams
Bridget Adams started her dance training with Jackie O’Neal School of Dance in Birmingham, Alabama with a concentration in ballet, jazz, and acrobatics. After ten years of training there, she began teaching at Nix Dance Studio in Auburn, Alabama while gaining her BA degree in Art. She came to Columbus in 2004 and began dancing with Columbus Ballet. Now she finds great joy in teaching the younger students at Columbus Ballet and sharing with them her passion for dance.

Joanna Ahlman
Joanna Ahlman began her dance training in 1994 under the instruction of Maria Hirsch and Beth Griffin in Columbus. Joanna danced with the Columbus Ballet until 1998, then she continued her training at Ballet Magnificat, a Christian ballet company based in Jackson, Mississippi. After a year and a half Joanna started touring with the company around the U.S. and abroad. In 2002 she moved to Nazareth, Israel to teach ballet, and work with a Jewish/Arab reconciliation dance group. Ms. Ahlman enjoys her work with students of all ages and levels and looks forward to more opportunities to see the joy and fulfillment of expression through the beautiful art of dance.

Alison Cox Alison Cox, has trained in the Vaganova method of classical ballet and received her BFA in Dance from Radford University, Radford, Virginia. She has been a professor at West Virginia University College of Creative Arts, a dance instructor at Northern West Virginia Performing Arts Academy and Dance Theatre of Florida in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is also a certified Pilates instructor.

Jessica Durham

Melissa Williams Melissa Williams' area of concentration is tap, ballet and jazz. She started her teaching career in 1971 and was recognized by the National Foundation of the Arts in 2000. Melissa has numerous theatrical productions and pageants in her resumé. She is currently dance director at Expressions Arts, a Christian based theatre dance program located at Rose Hill Baptist Church. She is also currently the dance teacher at Columbus High School. Melissa has always enjoyed working with younger students and is excited to be a part of the future of the Columbus Ballet.

Brenda May Ito
Brenda May Ito has a MFA in Theatre for Youth from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, a MA in Theatre from Southwest Missouri State University, and a BS in Education Dance from Southwest Missouri State University.