Susannah Dwyer Gentes, Director
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Ms. Dwyer received her ballet training at the American Academy of Ballet. She attended summer programs at the New York State Summer School of the Arts in Saratoga Springs, the School of American Ballet in New York City, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle. Ms. Dwyer continued her training on scholarship at the School of Cleveland Ballet, where she also performed with the Cleveland Ballet. She then danced professionally for 11 years with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Louisville Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and BalletMet in Columbus. Additionally, she taught on the faculty of the BalletMet Dance Academy. 
After retiring from dancing, Ms. Dwyer was the ballet mistress for the Festival dancers at the Chautauqua Institution's School of Dance. She has taught and choreographed extensively for the Lockport City Ballet and the Classical Ballet of WNY for the past 12 years. Students of Ms. Dwyer have gone on to dance professionally with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany, the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia, the Washington Ballet, River North Dance Chicago, and Nashville Ballet II. Her students have attended numerous summer intensive ballet programs, including the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre School, Boston Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, the National Ballet School in Toronto, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) in Saratoga Springs, the Chautauqua Institution's School of Dance, and Miami City Ballet School. Ms. Dwyer has been a guest teacher for Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown, Ohio, SUNY Brockport, Little Red Dancing School in Rochester, NY, and the New York State Ballet. In 2005, Ms. Dwyer was a recipient of the Business First Magazine's 40 Under 40 award.

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William Gentes, Co-Director

Born in Vietnam and raised in California, Mr. Gentes began his ballet training with Kenneth Delmar and with Maria Vegh at the Marin Ballet School. He received a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet School, where he also performed with the company. Mr. Gentes danced professionally as a guest artist with the Universal Ballet Company of Korea. He then danced with the Miami City Ballet under the direction of Edward Villella, a former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and protégé of George Balanchine. Mr. Gentes also danced with the Milwaukee Ballet Company and taught on the faculty of the Milwaukee Ballet School, and then danced with BalletMet in Columbus, OH. Because of his professional career with these companies, Mr. Gentes had the opportunity to tour throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. After retiring from dancing, Mr. Gentes taught and choreographed at the Chautauqua Institution's School of Dance. He founded his own ballet school, the Lockport City Ballet in Lockport, NY in August of 2002. In the summer of 2004, Lockport City Ballet expanded to a second location, the Classical Ballet of Western New York, in Williamsville. Students of Mr. Gentes have gone on to dance professionally with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany, the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia, the Washington Ballet, River North Dance Chicago, and Nashville Ballet II. His students have attended numerous summer intensive ballet programs, including the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre School, Boston Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, the National Ballet School in Toronto, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) in Saratoga Springs, the Chautauqua Institution's School of Dance, and Miami City Ballet School. Additionally, students of Mr. Gentes have competed in the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition, with some students qualifying for the New York City finals. Mr. Gentes has been a guest teacher and choreographer for Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown, Ohio, and a guest teacher at SUNY Brockport, at Little Red Dancing School in Rochester, NY, Dance Master of America, the New York State Ballet, and the University at Buffalo. Mr. Gentes was an adjunct professor, teaching advanced ballet at the University at Buffalo.