DIRECTORS, Staff and Professional Division
Damaris Caughlan, Artistic Director – Damaris Caughlan is passionate about children and being creative. Damaris has a strong desire to bring artists from different backgrounds and cultures into our community to teach and share their gifts. This is why you will see such a long list of professional dance companies and dancers listed in the information of those who have come to teach alongside MBT staff. Bringing over twenty-five years of teaching, directing and choreographing experience to her school, Damaris still enjoys being in the classroom the most and cherishes the hands-on time with students.
Damaris Caughlan began her teaching with the Metropolitan Park District. She taught classes at South Park Community Center and was the head of the dance department. Eventually the program that Damaris was in charge of, grew to over 250 dancers strong. Unsatisfied with equipment, politics, and the inability to use live music for her dancers, Damaris decided to open her own school. This school was just up the street on 54th and South Tacoma Way. Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma has flourished in this neighborhood for 25 years.
MBT is unique in at least two ways. Leading by example, Director, Damaris Caughlan desires very much to continue learning and studying herself. Being open to the ideas of other master teachers and pass along is paramount in the success and building of a dancer. Damaris receives to give back to her dancers. MBT is also unusual in that Damaris challenges her dancers to be people of grace physically and spiritually. Damaris studied in the former Soviet union and is certified by the Minsk Choreographic School, Byelorussian Ministry of Culture. Damaris was also invited to teach in Naples, Italy and taught for the dancers of Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Over her career, Damaris has choreographed over 45 original ballets including Celebrate His Birth, Pegasus, Dance Me to the End of Love, Some Suite Dances and Those Who Trespass. Damaris has the title of wife to her firefighter husband Kent and is mother to two wonderful daughters Helena and Naomi.
Brenda Mabus, Director of Administration
Liberty Knerr, Assistant Director
Liberty is on maternity leave from MBT. We rejoice with Ms. Libey and Brian as they begin their life as parents to daughter, Mykayla Brie.
Liberty has studied dance under the direction of Damaris Caughlan for over 20 years with the Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma and joined MBT's Company in 1996. In 2005 she graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a double major in Psychology & Dance. Throughout her 4-years in the dance department at UW, she enjoyed the opportunity to work with several nationally renowned instructors and choreographers such as Elizabeth Cooper, Mark Haim, Jennifer Salk, and many others. Away from the studio, she works as vocational specialist at a community health center and enjoys life with husband Brian and their new puppy, and now baby too!
Duane George has over 20 years performing on stage, screen and television as well as teaching song and dance in various venues throughout the country. He has studied and trained with such celebrity talent as Debbie Allen, Alvin Ailey, Eartha Robinson, Gene Anthony Ray, and Ray Bussey. Mr. George teaches jazz, hip-hop and contemporary and has more than 10 years of chorographical experience.
Mr. George has performed with companies including Seattle Repertory Theater, Seattle Opera, Village Theater and Cirque Productions. Stage credits include: Midsummer Night’s Dream, Westside Story, A Chorus Line, Jesus Christ Superstar, Don Giovanni and Seattle Musical Tales.
Sharonda Young holds a BFA in Dance and Choreography from Marymount Manhattan College in New York and is MBT's modern dance instructor. She has received training in various forms of dance, but her tru love lies with modern techniques. While in New York Sharonda performed with many companies including the Martha Graham Dance Company, Errol Grimes Dance Troupe and Tysan Dance. Currently she has put performing on hold to focus on choreography and teaching in the Tacoma area.
Carol Munsey teaches ballet and pilates at MBT. She has been dancing since 1968. While her training has focused mainly on ballet, she has also trained in modern, jazz and tap dance. She is a physical therapist's assistant and is a certified Pilates Mat Class instructor. She has been a member of the Army National Guard since 1982, enjoys riding her motorcycle and counts sewing and knitting among her favored past times.
Melissa Schortgen has danced with MBT since the age of 8 and currently teaches creative movement classes. She has also studied dance at Cornish College of the Arts, Spectrum Dance Theatre and Ballet Bellevue. Melissa is a pastry chef at Red Wing Casino and was recently married in November by Elvis in a Las Vegas wedding chapel. Congratulations Melissa and Pete!
Karen Haas, School Accompanist Miss Karen has been an accompanist for MBT for over twenty years. She enjoys playing a wide variety of music to keep the dancers, "on their toes." Karen is also a professional story teller and historian who relishes telling in "modern time" and bringing the past to life with living history presentations.
Elias Nichols and Debi Viertel-Rinehart, School Accompanists
Dexter Carlson, is a junior at Gig Harbor High School where she is involved in the drama department. She has been dancing with Miss Damaris since the age of three and has participated in various summer dance programs across the country; America Ballet Theater, Joffery Ballet, Houston Ballet, and the Jillana School. Dexter is also an assistant teacher for MBT's lower level ballet classes.
Gretchen Mertes was a member of the of the MBT Company Division from 1994 - 2007. Although she is no longer a member of the company, her heart continues to dance with and support MBT. Gretchen continues as a mentor for the company dancers and supports MBT in whatever way she can. She also is enjoying her new role as wife and continues to work in the Bethel School District and through The Autism Outreach Project/OSPI as an Educational Specialist in Autism. and through The Autism Outreach Project/OSPI as an Educational Specialist in Autism. Her favorite part of the job is educating others about this challenging disability and the joys that it can bring. Gretchen wishes all of the MBT dancers a fabulous year. "I’m proud of you all!"
Jessica Larson, former Assistant Director, has moved to Ireland where she is studying biology at the University of Ireland, Galway. She is also teaching ballet classes at a local studio.