The Mission of Robinson Ballet
Robinson Ballet is a premier performance company and dance school that offers education for people of all ages, abilities, and aspirations and engages the community through dance.
Keith Robinson – Artistic Director Emeritus
Keith was raised in the Denver, Colorado area and attended Boston University and the University of Colorado. He began his dance career in Maine with Polly L. Thomas and Ralph Robinson. He was a founding member of the Robinson Ballet under the direction of Ralph Robinson and Jeanne-Marie Aubert. Keith trained with Madam Nora Kiss in Paris, France, and with Leonidas De Pian in Athens, Greece. Keith and his wife Maureen danced professionally in Europe with the Ballet Classique De Paris, a touring company based in Paris, France, and with Athens Ballet Theatre in Athens, Greece. Keith has choreographed numerous original works for Robinson Ballet as well as several other community-based arts organizations. He has performed as an actor with The Belfast Maskers, New Surry Theatre, Penobscot Theatre Co., and Ten Bucks Theatre. Keith presently teaches ballet at the University of Maine in Orono, the Belfast Dance Studio, and the School of the Robinson Ballet. Keith is most proud of his son Ian who is presently dancing in Israel with Batsheva Dance Company.
Maureen Robinson – School of Robinson Ballet Director, Artistic Director Emeritus
Maureen is originally from Southern Maine. As a young girl, she danced with Polly L. Thomas and her Maine State Ballet Company. She was one of the founding members of the Ralph Robinson Concert Dance Company, which now bears the name of Robinson Ballet. In 1980 Maureen traveled to Europe with her husband Keith Robinson where they danced professionally with the “Ballet Classique de Paris” in France and “Balletto Athenon” in Athens, Greece. Upon returning to the States in 1984 they rejoined the Robinson Ballet and began their extensive teaching careers. Maureen works as an Artistic Director for the Robinson Ballet as well as an instructor and choreographer. She is the general director for the School of the Robinson Ballet. She also teaches dance programs at; The Suzanne Smith School in Levant as part of the ACHIEVE (Arts Can Help Inspire Everyone to Excel) program created and developed by Karen Hartnagle. Maureen has also worked for many years as the choreographer for the New Surry Theatre’s musical productions.
Stevie McGary – Artistic Director
Originally from Bangor, Stevie grew up dancing for Robinson Ballet. She graduated with a BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University where she studied with Robert Battle, Geri Houlihan, Scott Putman, and Arnott Mader, among others. In addition to being the Artistic Director, Stevie is also a faculty member at the School of Robinson Ballet. She is a teaching artist for the ACHIEVE Program, an in-school/after-school dance program aimed at fostering self-esteem and confidence in third and fourth-grade students. Stevie has completed the National Dance Institute Teaching Artist Training program in New York City.
Jeff Ferrell – Technical Director
Jeff worked his first Nutcracker for Robinson Ballet in 1988 as a student at the University of Maine and hasn’t missed a year since. In 1999 Jeff became Technical Director for RBC and is in charge of all of the elements that you, the audience, are not supposed to notice at all if he does his job right! Jeff does lighting design and other theater work for many area groups including the Grand in Ellsworth and a few local dance troupes. Although Jeff’s interests in theater are generally focused on backstage and lighting, he can occasionally be found on stage where his love of theater actually started. In his real life, Jeff works in a group home in Bangor and lives in Bucksport with his wife, Sylvia, and daughters Hannah and Aliyah.
Artistic Director
Stevie McGary
Artistic Director Emeritus
Keith Robinson
Maureen Robinson
Managing Director
Hilary Graebert
School of Robinson Ballet Director
Maureen Robinson
Technical Director
Jeff Ferrell
Contributing Artist
Velstara Vardamis
Board of Directors
President - Sarah Walker Caron
Vice President - Sean O’Mara
Secretary - Carleen Dunham
Treasurer - Sean O’Mara
Board Members at Large
Stevie McGary
Breanne Pelletier
Michaela Pelkey
Sarah Clark
Melissa Towle Smith
Keith Robinson
Maureen Robinson