Assistant Artistic Director
Artistic Staff
Christi Varvel
Christi currently serves as the Director of The Ballet Academy, bringing over 10 years of teaching experience to this enhanced Ballet training program. The Ballet Academy has proudly presented Cinderella, Paquita, Sleeping Beauty, Conversations in Choreography, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2022 she formed Encore, The Ballet Academy’s performance company. Encore is a proud member of Regional Dance America. Christi launched the Tutu Fundraiser in 2021 with the goal of bringing 32 hand sewn tutus to The Ballet Academy. These high quality tutus will last The Ballet Academy for years, and give dancers the professional ballerina experience when they perform on stage.
Christi Varvel began her ballet training at Le Studio Dance in Los Angeles, CA under the instruction of Philip and Charles Fuller of Ballet West, and Julia Ortega, and Roberto Almaguer of Ballet Nacional de Cuba. During her time at Le Studio she performed in the Nutcracker, dancing the roles of Chinese, Spanish, Mirliton, and Waltz of the Flowers. Continuing her education, she danced under the direction of Cynthia Lawrence of Ballet West and Lawrence Blake of The Joffrey Ballet at Pasadena Dance Theater. As a member of Pasadena Dance Theater’s Company, she performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Nutcracker, and original works by Lawrence Blake.
With an eye towards teaching, Christi received her Bachelor's degree in Dance, from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a focus in pedagogy, ballet, jazz, and modern dance. During these years, Christi taught Ballet at a Boulder area studio and creative movement at a Montessori school. Through her work at the Montessori school, she taught creative movement and dance as a form of therapy for students with ADHD.
After moving to College Station, TX, in 2014, Christi began teaching at Suzanne’s School of Dance and has served as the Director of Apprentice AbunDance, Mini Company, and the Ballet syllabus program. In 2017, she redeveloped the ballet curriculum at Suzanne's School of Dance to focus on rigor, art, and dedication. She is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor.
She also enjoyed serving as a choreographer and rehearsal instructor for Ballet Brazos' annual production of the Nutcracker, and subsequent Spring productions.
It is her hope through teaching, performance, and passion, that her students will be inspired by the discipline and art of ballet.
Photo: Ariana Jones Photography