DOUGLAS MARTIN started his ballet training with Dimitri Romanoff at the San Jose Ballet School and was one of six dancers selected by Mikhail Baryshnikov to study in the newly-formed American Ballet Theatre School. He performed with the Joffrey II dancers in 1982/83 and was invited to join the Joffrey Ballet in 1984 where, as a principal dancer, he performed roles in ballets by Ashton, Arpino, Cranko, Balanchine, Joffrey, Taylor, Pendleton, Kudelka and many other great 20th century choreographers. Martin was featured in performances of Dance in America on PBS and was an original cast member of the historic recreation of Nijinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps. He was among the last dancers of the Joffrey Ballet to spend the majority of his career in the company working under founder Robert Joffrey. Martin joined the Cleveland Ballet in 1991 and danced an array of principal roles including the Minister in Agnes de Mille’s Fall River Legend. In 1993, Martin was invited to join the American Repertory Ballet. As leading dancer and Ballet Master for ARB, Martin collaborated with directors in creating ballets, including productions of Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Dream and The Nutcracker as the original cast lead. Martin continued to be a principal dancer in the company as well as Ballet Master for ARB and ARB Workshop and Principal Faculty for the Summer Intensive until his retirement from performing in 2002.

After retiring from ARB as a performer, Martin expanded his teaching, production and choreographic work. Martin has been an integral part of the teaching staff at the Princeton Ballet School, Rutgers University and Westminster Choir College, and has also served as the School’s Music Director. He has staged full-length and repertory ballets for several companies, including Romeo and Juliet and Philip Jerry’s Our Town and Septime Webre’s Fluctuating Hemlines. Additionally, Martin has choreographed for several Princeton Ballet School productions, including Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Don Quixote and Coppélia. In 2010, Mr. Martin became Artistic Director of American Repertory Ballet. Since then, he has premiered a new production of Nutcracker, choreographed several new works including Ephemeral Possessions, Pathways, Rite of Spring and a new full length, Romeo and Juliet, and has commissioned 14 new works for the company, including 7 world premieres.

Mary Barton

Ballet Master/Resident Choreographer

MARY BARTON received her training at the Washington School of Ballet and participated in summer courses at SAB and Joffrey Ballet School. Her professional experience began at Washington Ballet, and at 18, she joined the Oldenburg Staat Ballet. Upon returning to the US, she joined the Dayton Ballet and in 1986, Ms. Barton joined the Joffrey Ballet where she performed a variety of principal roles including the role of Clara in Robert Joffrey’s world premiere of his new Nutcracker. Ms. Barton was a principal dancer with ARB from 1993-2004. Notable roles include Sugar Plum Fairy, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Titania in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Emily in Our Town. Ms. Barton has been on the faculty of the Princeton Ballet School since 1993, and is one of the primary teachers of the Summer Intensive. She is a ballet faculty member at Princeton University and Rider University and is listed in the “Who’s Who of American Teachers.” She has helped restage Romeo and Juliet and Our Town on companies around the US and is currently Resident Choreographer and Ballet Master of ARB.  Ms Barton’s two recent commission are Straight Up with a Twist and Five Men and a Concerto.  She is currently working on her third premiere for ARB.

Kathleen Moore

Company Teacher