Lauren Lorentz de Haas, Artistic Director
A North Carolina native, began her training in Fayetteville with Josephine von Strasnicsak. She studied ballet with Constance Hardinge at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA and North Carolina School of the Arts. An anthropology graduate of UNC, she received her MA in dance from UNC-Greensboro with recognized credits from American Dance Festival. Ms. Lorentz de Haas has been teaching ballet for over 35 years. She founded the Triangle Youth Ballet to serve the needs of young aspiring dancers and has served as director since 1995.
Kate Currin, Associate Director
Is a graduate from the Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts with a major in Dance. Kate studied at Fordham University in the Fordham/Alvin Ailey B.F.A. dance program. She continued her dance training at Steps on Broadway and graduated from Fordham University summa cum laude with a B.A. in Religious Studies in 2007. Kate toured with the world-renowned acrobatic dance company Galumpha. Kate’s choreography has been performed at the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association Festival on several occasions. She has been on faculty at TYB since 2007.
Sharon McClellan, Director of Children’s Curriculum
Studied Ballet and Musical Theater at Jacksonville University, Children’s Theater and Choreography at the University of Kansas and South Indian Classical Dance at the University of Washington. Performed and choreographed for Dansync Performing Arts Ensemble. She has taught continuously in the area for 25 years.
Edie Hopfenberg, Office Manager
Has been office manager at TYB since 2014. She has a Master's Degree from Boston University and homeschooled both of her now-adult children all the way through high school. Her daughter danced for many years (some of them at TYB!) and Edie is thrilled to be helping other parents and their children navigate the world of dance training.
Katie Moorhead
Katie Moorehead grew up in Southeastern Connecticut where she started dancing at 3 years old. When she later became a member of the Dance Ensemble of Maggie Dennis' Dance Extension, she traveled throughout the region performing and studying with dancers from all over the world including Frank Hatchet, Pilobolus Dance Company, Joe Tremaine and Laurie Johnson. Along with dancing Katie has a love for theatre and has recently enjoyed performing with Seed Art Share and Paperhand Puppet Intervention. She earned a communication degree from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.
Abbie Stone
Began dancing at the age of three studying the basics of ballet, tap, and jazz. At age eight she began her formal training with the Louisville Ballet where she trained in many different styles including: ballet, jazz, modern, salsa, tap, character, pointe, and more. She also studied with the school, Ballet Espagnol, where she trained in the beautiful art of flamenco dancing. She furthered her dance education by attending numerous summer intensives, including the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. and taking classes with the renown teacher Finis Jhung. By attending these various summer intensives and dance festivals, Abbie was exposed to a world of dance that stretches far past the typical ballet, tap, and jazz training. Traditional Indian dance, African, and Capoeira are just a few of the many unusual styles presented at these programs. In high-school she trained at the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, KY, where she was exposed to choreography classes and some musical theatre on top of a rigorous ballet and modern program. In college she continued her dance studies as a ballet major at both the University of South Florida and Butler University. She continued her passion for dance professionally as a soloist with the De la Dance Company in Cincinnati, performing roles in new works as well as classical full length ballets. Abbie graduated summa cum laude with her BS in Exercise Science with a minor in Dance. She has held numerous teaching positions, including many with children of all ages. Along with dance, Abbie has also maintained a consistent yoga practice for the past 8 years and most recently acquired her CYT 200 from Marianne Wells School of Yoga. Abbie has been on the faculty of the Triangle Youth Ballet since 2015.
Hannah Widener
Received her BFA in dance with a minor in English from UNC-G in 1994. She has performed in modern dance companies: Dansync, A Performing Arts Ensemble, and North/South Dance of NYC. Her teaching experiences include teaching children’s classes in ballet, jazz, tap, creative movement, and modern dance. She has also taught ballroom dance to adults.
Hannah Porterfield
Hannah Porterfield has been dancing since the age of four. She has trained at The Raleigh School of Ballet, Ninth Street Dance, TYB and Carolina Friends School. During her senior year at Carolina Friends School Hannah found her passion for choreography and teaching when she was invited to be an assistant teacher for the middle school dance classes. Since graduating in 2019, Hannah has been teaching improvisational dance, modern and ballet. Hannah loves to share her passion for dance with her students and strives to create a fun and welcoming space where dancers can learn and express their creativity.
Maria Henriquez
Melanie Exum
Amelia Bryant
Amelia Bryant is a senior at Meredith College and, although she is majoring in Public Health, is a participant of the dance program and a full company member in both Meredith Dance Theatre, a faculty-run, pre-professional contemporary/modern company, and Meredith Jazz and Tap Company, a student-run company that creates works in styles from lyrical to hip-hop. Amelia grew up dancing at several studios in the triangle area, but graduated from Encore Academy of Dance in Durham, North Carolina where she trained under Lindsay Tilley and Allison Daniels Gordon and where she currently teaches pre-dance and choreographs for the competition team. Some highlights of Amelia’s dance career include classes with Mia Michaels and Travis Wall; master classes with cast members from well known musicals such as Mary Poppins, Wicked, and the Lion King; and participating in the collaborative work between Allison Daniels Gordon’s nosi Dance theater and Kristin Taylor’s KT Collective in 2014.
Ginger Stathelson
Noel Myers
Noel Myers is a Chapel Hill, NC native and graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio, where he majored in Economics and Environmental Studies. In addition to being a sustainability advocate, Noel is a lifelong athlete, having played collegiate lacrosse at Oberlin and with experience practicing many different sports, martial arts, and other movement modalities. Noel gained exposure to yoga and meditation in 2012, and has been teaching throughout the Triangle since 2016. He strongly values offering kind and patient classes, and remains focused on teaching classical yoga to encourage mindfulness and facilitate a deeper mind/body connection for his students.
A North Carolina native, began her training in Fayetteville with Josephine von Strasnicsak. She studied ballet with Constance Hardinge at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA and North Carolina School of the Arts. An anthropology graduate of UNC, she received her MA in dance from UNC-Greensboro with recognized credits from American Dance Festival. Ms. Lorentz de Haas has been teaching ballet for over 35 years. She founded the Triangle Youth Ballet to serve the needs of young aspiring dancers and has served as director since 1995.
Kate Currin, Associate Director
Is a graduate from the Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts with a major in Dance. Kate studied at Fordham University in the Fordham/Alvin Ailey B.F.A. dance program. She continued her dance training at Steps on Broadway and graduated from Fordham University summa cum laude with a B.A. in Religious Studies in 2007. Kate toured with the world-renowned acrobatic dance company Galumpha. Kate’s choreography has been performed at the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association Festival on several occasions. She has been on faculty at TYB since 2007.
Sharon McClellan, Director of Children’s Curriculum
Studied Ballet and Musical Theater at Jacksonville University, Children’s Theater and Choreography at the University of Kansas and South Indian Classical Dance at the University of Washington. Performed and choreographed for Dansync Performing Arts Ensemble. She has taught continuously in the area for 25 years.
Edie Hopfenberg, Office Manager
Has been office manager at TYB since 2014. She has a Master's Degree from Boston University and homeschooled both of her now-adult children all the way through high school. Her daughter danced for many years (some of them at TYB!) and Edie is thrilled to be helping other parents and their children navigate the world of dance training.
Katie Moorhead
Katie Moorehead grew up in Southeastern Connecticut where she started dancing at 3 years old. When she later became a member of the Dance Ensemble of Maggie Dennis' Dance Extension, she traveled throughout the region performing and studying with dancers from all over the world including Frank Hatchet, Pilobolus Dance Company, Joe Tremaine and Laurie Johnson. Along with dancing Katie has a love for theatre and has recently enjoyed performing with Seed Art Share and Paperhand Puppet Intervention. She earned a communication degree from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.
Abbie Stone
Began dancing at the age of three studying the basics of ballet, tap, and jazz. At age eight she began her formal training with the Louisville Ballet where she trained in many different styles including: ballet, jazz, modern, salsa, tap, character, pointe, and more. She also studied with the school, Ballet Espagnol, where she trained in the beautiful art of flamenco dancing. She furthered her dance education by attending numerous summer intensives, including the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. and taking classes with the renown teacher Finis Jhung. By attending these various summer intensives and dance festivals, Abbie was exposed to a world of dance that stretches far past the typical ballet, tap, and jazz training. Traditional Indian dance, African, and Capoeira are just a few of the many unusual styles presented at these programs. In high-school she trained at the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, KY, where she was exposed to choreography classes and some musical theatre on top of a rigorous ballet and modern program. In college she continued her dance studies as a ballet major at both the University of South Florida and Butler University. She continued her passion for dance professionally as a soloist with the De la Dance Company in Cincinnati, performing roles in new works as well as classical full length ballets. Abbie graduated summa cum laude with her BS in Exercise Science with a minor in Dance. She has held numerous teaching positions, including many with children of all ages. Along with dance, Abbie has also maintained a consistent yoga practice for the past 8 years and most recently acquired her CYT 200 from Marianne Wells School of Yoga. Abbie has been on the faculty of the Triangle Youth Ballet since 2015.
Hannah Widener
Received her BFA in dance with a minor in English from UNC-G in 1994. She has performed in modern dance companies: Dansync, A Performing Arts Ensemble, and North/South Dance of NYC. Her teaching experiences include teaching children’s classes in ballet, jazz, tap, creative movement, and modern dance. She has also taught ballroom dance to adults.
Hannah Porterfield
Hannah Porterfield has been dancing since the age of four. She has trained at The Raleigh School of Ballet, Ninth Street Dance, TYB and Carolina Friends School. During her senior year at Carolina Friends School Hannah found her passion for choreography and teaching when she was invited to be an assistant teacher for the middle school dance classes. Since graduating in 2019, Hannah has been teaching improvisational dance, modern and ballet. Hannah loves to share her passion for dance with her students and strives to create a fun and welcoming space where dancers can learn and express their creativity.
Maria Henriquez
Melanie Exum
Amelia Bryant
Amelia Bryant is a senior at Meredith College and, although she is majoring in Public Health, is a participant of the dance program and a full company member in both Meredith Dance Theatre, a faculty-run, pre-professional contemporary/modern company, and Meredith Jazz and Tap Company, a student-run company that creates works in styles from lyrical to hip-hop. Amelia grew up dancing at several studios in the triangle area, but graduated from Encore Academy of Dance in Durham, North Carolina where she trained under Lindsay Tilley and Allison Daniels Gordon and where she currently teaches pre-dance and choreographs for the competition team. Some highlights of Amelia’s dance career include classes with Mia Michaels and Travis Wall; master classes with cast members from well known musicals such as Mary Poppins, Wicked, and the Lion King; and participating in the collaborative work between Allison Daniels Gordon’s nosi Dance theater and Kristin Taylor’s KT Collective in 2014.
Ginger Stathelson
Noel Myers
Noel Myers is a Chapel Hill, NC native and graduate of Oberlin College in Ohio, where he majored in Economics and Environmental Studies. In addition to being a sustainability advocate, Noel is a lifelong athlete, having played collegiate lacrosse at Oberlin and with experience practicing many different sports, martial arts, and other movement modalities. Noel gained exposure to yoga and meditation in 2012, and has been teaching throughout the Triangle since 2016. He strongly values offering kind and patient classes, and remains focused on teaching classical yoga to encourage mindfulness and facilitate a deeper mind/body connection for his students.
