Our Instructors
Hilary Colyer started dancing at The Ballet School at the age of 4 and continued dancing until she was 21 years old. She was a teacher her last year at The Ballet School before moving out of town. Hilary then danced in St. Louis, MO with Consuming Kinetics Dance Company for a year, first as an apprentice then a company member. After being away for 5 years, Hilary moved back home to Valdosta and started back up at The Ballet School assistant teaching. “I’m happy to be able to be apart of the TBS staff as a full time teacher this year. The ballet school has always felt like home to me and I hope to instill the love of dance to my students as my teachers did to me. When I was younger I always said I wanted to be a “ballerina mommy” when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I can now say that I am a "ballerina mommy", with a daughter and 3 sons.
Brooke Hunter started dancing at The Ballet School when she was just 4 years old! After dancing through out her school career and graduated from Highschool she continued to dance in the college classes and later became a teacher of Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop at The Ballet School. Brooke is a Registered Nurse who temporarily worked as a travel nurse with her husband. She has since settled back in Valdosta and enjoys working part time as an Assistant Teacher for the younger students. Brooke has a passion for working with kids and wants to spread the joy of dance with everyone!
Makayla Weeks
Makayla is a Junior at Valdosta State University majoring in elementary education. She danced with the Red Hots at VSU and her home studio in Thomasville, GA for 17 years before joining TBS staff. "I love working with the kids doing something I love, I hope they have as much fun as I do."
Kelly Avera is a dance instructor, the Artistic Director and owner of the The Ballet School. She started dancing at the age of 8. She trained in ballet, tap, and jazz for over 15 years at a studio in Georgia where she had the opportunity to take master classes with the London Ballet, Ballet Magnificat, Michael Garrison, Susan Dandois, Rotaru Ballet and Dame Sonia Arova at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Kelly began teaching ballet, tap, jazz, and pointe when she was 15 years old and has continued until the present date expanding her repertoire in lyrical and contemporary dance, as well as teaching students with physical disabilities.
Kelly is the Artistic Director and Head Instructor of the “Beautiful Dancers”, a program started by The Ballet School in the early 2000's. Kelly is a certified Rhythm Works Instructor RWID. https://rhythmworksid.com and a Member of IDEA
Hilary Colyer
Kristy Santos
Kristy started dancing at the age of 3. She attended Miss Cheryl's School of Dance in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She studied pointe, ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics for 10 years. After raising her family, she has returned to her love of dance. Kristy has been a part of The Ballet School Family for 5 years as a student, friend and most recently as an Assistant Teacher. "I adore working with these students. My goal is to spread all the joy and positivity dance has to offer".
