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 Robinson began her teaching career in 1975 at the Severn School of Dance in Camden Maine. She continued to teach while also having a professional dance career both in Europe and in Maine. She taught for over 15 years at Studio One in Millinocket and worked as an instructor and choreographer for New Surrey Theatre and their Theatre Arts project in Blue Hill. She participated in the National Dance Institute Teacher Training Program in NYC. and has taught dance movement as part of the Robinson Ballet’s ACHIEVE program in several area schools over the years. She currently teaches at the Suzanne Elementary School in Levant. Since 1984 Maureen has been a full time instructor for the Robinson Ballet teaching many generations of dancers. Maureen is currently the general Director of the School of the Robinson Ballet.
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
Development Director
Hilary Graebert
School of Robinson Ballet Director
Maureen Robinson
Ballet Mistress
Velstara Vardamis
Technical Director
Jeff Ferrell
Board of Directors
President - Melissa Smith
Vice President - Breanne Pelletier
Secretary - Carleen Dunham
Treasurer - Kellie Bowden
Members at Large
Elizabeth Bunker
Sarah Clark
Biguita Hernandez-Smith
Stevie McGary
Michaela Pelkey
Sarah Walker Caron
Honorary Board Members
Keith Robinson
Maureen Robinson