Welcome the Teagues for Ballet!

Studio West is proud to welcome both Muriel and Thomas Teague for ballet this year! 

Thomas and Muriel Teague bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their school. They both had successful careers as professional ballet dancers in nationally recognized companies; many years of teaching in their own school, other private schools and professional schools; they have directed and choreographed full length classical ballets as well as evenings of original choreography; and over time they have developed a comprehensive ballet training syllabus based on the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus which has produced and continues to produce highly trained dancers some of which have gone on to professional careers. The Teagues truly have a passion for dance and an ability to inspire students of all ages and abilities.

Muriel Teague is from Vancouver, British Columbia where she trained on a merit based Canada Council Grant under Mara McBirney and Soonie Lee. She achieved her Advanced II Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance when she was 16 years old. Ms. Teague danced professionally with Pacific Ballet Theatre (now Ballet British Columbia), Minnesota Dance Theatre and Oregon Ballet Theatre. She danced principal roles in Giselle, Cinderella, Coppelia, Beauty and the Beast, The Nutcracker and Les Sylphides. She also performed leading roles in contemporary works by George Balanchine, Sir Frederick Ashton, Loyce Houlton, Val Caniparoli, Margot Sappington, and award winning Canadian choreographers Renald Rabu, Ferdinand Nault and Judith Marcuse. She was in the original cast of Rabu’s Pierot 1980 which won the esteemed Clifford E. Lee Canadian choreographic award for that year. As a performer, Ms. Teague made numerous guest appearances both in Canada and the USA. She is also a certified Gyrotonic® trainer.

Thomas Teague, originally from San Diego, has achieved principal status in each of the companies his career has taken him. He performed leading roles in contemporary works by such internationally acclaimed choreographers as George Balanchine, Glen Tetley, Val Caniparoli, Bruce Marks, Loyce Houlton, and award winning Canadian choreographer Renald Rabu. He also performed principal roles in many of the traditional classics such as The Nutcracker, Giselle and Les Sylphides as well as the title roles in Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde and Eugene Loring’s Billy the Kid. Thomas’s career started at Minnesota Dance Theatre, moved on to Pacific Ballet Theatre (now Ballet British Columbia), and then to Oregon Ballet Theatre. Thomas has choreographed for Ballet Oregon and Milwaukee Ballet II and has been a guest performer throughout the country. Mr. Teague also teaches Pilates, is a licensed Massage Therapist and studied Oriental Medicine for 2 years.

In 1994 after retiring from their professional careers, the Teagues co-founded and directed Ballet Arte, Academy of Classical Ballet and Ballet Arte Dance Theatre in the San Diego area. They owned the school for 10 years where they developed a comprehensive training syllabus and produced/choreographed and directed an annual Nutcracker, Spring Repertory Concert and many educational outreach programs. Drawing from his rich background in contemporary dance, Thomas also developed a unique contemporary ballet syllabus which has been widely acclaimed and is so relevant in the current dance world. In 2004 they accepted the positions as Directors and Principal Teachers for the Academy of Colorado Ballet where they successfully opened a second location for the Academy. The Teagues ended up moving back to San Diego, opening a second school Del Mar Ballet where they enjoyed being in their own school again.

Tom and Muriel are now happy to be back in Canada, closer to family and teaching locally.