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Staff

Michele Plescia, Artistic Director
RAD certified ballet instructor, Certified PBT instructor
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Michele Plescia studied ballet with Bristol Ballet’s founder and director, Constance Hardinge, beginning her studies at age seven. At age eight, she was one of a handful of Bristol students selected by Maria Tallchief, founder of Chicago City Ballet, to receive a Ford Foundation Scholarship to continue her ballet studies. Later Michele attended Sullins College as a dance major, under the direction of Madame Valentina Belova. Afterward, Michele was a member of a professional company in Arlington, Virginia, directed by Carmen Matte, former Prima Ballerina of the National Ballet of Washington, D.C. Michele has worked with Robert Barnette, Val Deacon, Ben Stevenson, and David Howard.  She has performed various roles in “The Nutcracker”, “Quatre Vignette”, the “Don Q. Pas de Deux”, “Les Sylphides”, as well as various original works.

Michele received her teaching certification from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance, headquartered in London, England, in 2002. The internationally recognized Royal Academy of Dance is the world’s largest ballet examining and training organization. Michele passed the certification with merit. Academy members have described her as a gracious and unassuming lady, as having a good eye for correction, as having a good rapport with her students, and as having high standards in demonstrating technique. Michele received her certification to teach Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) in 2015.

Prior to returning to Bristol, Michele spent the last twelve years teaching in the Chicago area. Many of her students have gone on to incorporate dance into their college and professional lives.

Michele teaches performing company, lower level ballet, and PBT classes in addition to producing, choreographing, and rehearsing the company performances. Some of the productions Michele has created for Bristol Ballet include full length productions of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and original productions Celtic Flair and Unbroken Circle - Bristol’s Music in Motion (inspired by the 1927 Bristol Sessions that made Bristol “The Birthplace of Country Music”.)

Michele was honored by MINDS WIDE OPEN: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts in 2010 for her talent, creativity, and important contributions to the arts in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and by Arts Alliance Mountain Empire for outstanding achievements in the arts in 2013.

“Michele is a master teacher. She is clear, concise, and commanding without being overbearing. She focuses the class motifs for her students, and her use of imagery is stellar.” – Tanya Picard, Chicago Master Teacher and Choreographer​.

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