Recently appointed Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Regional Ballet (PRB), Victoria Silva has been on PRB’s faculty since 2002. Ms. Silva received her training at the Cumberland Dance Company (now Pennsylvania Regional Ballet,) Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, and as a scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She has performed professionally as a freelance artist in the New York area and with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Victoria has been part of the faculty for the Astoria Dance Center (NYC), Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Summer Course, Greater York Youth Ballet, Harrisburg Dance Conservatory, Steps on Broadway, and as School Director and rehearsal coach at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet. Ms. Silva has created many original works for pre professional ballet schools in the United States. Among her choreographic credits are “Peter & the Wolf” for the Harrisburg Symphony’s Crayon Concert Series, several ballets performed at the RDA/Northeast Festivals including “Finding Harmony” (National Festival, Montreal 2012) and “Odyssey” (National Festival, Phoenix 2017). Ms. Silva was awarded the Monticello Choreographic Award for her work “Linear Momentum” in 2005 and scholarships to attend the RDA National Choreography Intensive 2004, 2005, and 2011. Her ballet, “Fragmented Memories,” was chosen to represent RDA/ NE at the International Ballet Competition in June 2014. Her work has been shown in both the US and abroad. 

Kelly Barber is a native of Reading, PA. She began her studies when she was nine at Carol Ennis Dance Arts. Four years later, she became a member of Berks Ballet Theatre and continued performing through her teens as a soloist with the company. Kelly spent summers studying at Burklyn Ballet Theatre, the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts, and Pennsylvania Ballet.

In 1995, Kelly went on to dance with Ballet Theatre of Maryland under the direction of the late Edward Stewart, rising to the rank of soloist. While in Annapolis, she danced in many classical & contemporary ballets including Swan Lake, Paquita, Dracula, and Carmina Burana. In Swan Lake, Kelly shared the stage with Christine Dunham and Wes Chapman, former principals with American Ballet Theatre. She also danced the role of Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, as well as other leading roles like the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, and the Grand Pas de Deux from Le Corsaire.

Kelly eventually returned to Reading and Berks Ballet Theatre, where she began teaching at the school and performing as a guest artist with the company. She was appointed Associate Director of BBT in 2006, and Artistic Director in 2007. Since then, she has been a part of staging many ballets, choreographing original works and carrying on the traditions of the company set forth by founder Carol Ennis. As a choreographer, her ballet “Bach Sonata Quartet” was performed during the 2005 Regional Dance America Northeast Festival in Harrisburg and at the 2019 Delaware Dance Festival her ballet "Summa" premiered. “Summa” was most recently reworked for BBT to perform at the 2024 Philadelphia Youth Dance Fest.

Kelly’s teaching philosophy is made up of positivity, perfecting the basics and instilling a love of dance in serious students. She is always striving to inspire drive, determination and focus and believes that not just dance is taught in the studio, but life lessons as well.

Sarah Maida took her first ballet class at the age of 3 at her local YMCA. At 9, she moved to the Academy of the Dance (Wilmington Ballet) to pursue more serious training. There she studied with Victor Wesley, Arthur Hutchinson, and Susan Lawrence. At the Academy, Sarah had the opportunity to perform annually at the Hotel DuPont’s Playhouse Theater, where she danced nearly every role in the Nutcracker, from soldier to Clara to Dew Drop to Snow Queen, and Gamzatti in the shades scene of La Bayadere. As a high schooler, Sarah began student teaching under the mentorship of Victor Wesley and upon graduation had solo taught at every level including pointe, partnering, character, adult, variations, and jazz classes.

In middle and high school, Sarah attended summer programs at the Washington School of Ballet, where she trained with Victoria Leigh and Rudolf Kharatian and performed roles in Balanchine’s Serenade and Paquita. She also attended several years of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s August program, and one year of their 5 week intensive. At CPYB Sarah trained with Marcia Dale Weary, Melinda Howe, Darla Hoover, Alan Hineline, Jonathan Stafford, and others.

After graduating high school, Sarah joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland, where she danced for 4 years. While with the company Sarah performed roles in Coppelia, the Firebird, Excalibur, Sleepy Hollow, The Nutcracker, multiple original works by Dianna Cuatto and Meagan Helman, and (her favorites!) Little Swans in Swan Lake, stepsister in Cinderella, and Juliet’s friend in Romeo and Juliet. While dancing with BTM, Sarah joined the staff of the school, under the direction of Nicole Kelsch, where she taught all levels.

When Sarah retired from ballet, she continued to occasionally substitute teach after getting married and having 5 children. She joins the full time staff at Delaware Dance Company this summer, where 3 of her children are students.

Angela Zielen, a Delaware native, began studying ballet at the age of nine at First State Academy of Dance. She augmented her training by attending summer intensives at First State Ballet Theatre and The American Academy of Ballet, under Angela DeMello, in Urbania, Italy. Angela was awarded the Delaware Dance Festival Artistry Award in 2012. This is Angela’s eighth season with the company, where she has performed a variety of featured roles such as Amour in Don Quixote, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Marie in The Nutcracker and Mina in Viktor Plotnikov’s Dracula. Angela is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Cognitive Science and she has served as the Assistant Director of the National Ballet Competition since 2019. Angela is the founder of the nonprofit The Art Society at Loblolly Acres, created to promote the arts in Central Delaware.