Damaris Cauglan
Artistic Director
Damaris Caughlan founded Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma in 1986 where she has passionately worked as a teacher, director, and choreographer. Damaris studied dance under the direction and mentoring of Jan Collum. Damaris studied in the former Soviet Union and is certified by the Minsk Choreographic School, Byelorussian Ministry of Culture. Additionally, Damaris is certified as a PBT (progressing ballet technique) instructor.
Melissa Schortgen
Administrative Director
Melissa Schortgen is an MBT alumni. She started as a ballet student at the age of 8 and advanced all the way up to company level. Over the years, she has held many positions within the studio including class assistant, instructor, choreographer, office assistant, and most recently Administrative Director. Melissa enjoys sharing her love of dance with her two children, one of whom is a second generation MBT student.
Annalise Nilson
Director of Lower School Division
Annalise Nilson is an alumni of MBT. After dancing in the company division, she went on to complete a Bachelor of the Arts in Dance at Pacific University. She has trained in ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, choreography, and improvisation. She strives to develop meaningful relationships with students and help them find their own
confidence and artistry. When she isn’t teaching or dancing with the company, Annalise enjoys creating props and set pieces for MBT.
Joel Myers
Instructor
Joel Myers received the majority of his training at the Evergreen City Ballet under artistic director Wade Walthall. He has performed as a company member with the Evergreen City Ballet, Tacoma City Ballet, Corpo and as a Principle Artist with Spectrum Dance Theater under Artistic Director Donald Byrd. He has also performed as a guest artist with Seattle Opera, Tacoma Opera, The 5th Ave Theater, Ballet Northwest, Ballet Bellevue, DASS Dance, Coriolis Dance Collective, Dance Peninsula Ballet and the Vuelta La Luna Circus. Loel has taught and choreographed for Evergreen City Ballet, the Tacoma School of the Arts, the school of Spectrum Dance Theater, Centralia Ballet Academy, Tacoma City Ballet and is thrilled to be a member of the Metropolitan Ballet of Tacoma faculty.
Liberty Knerr
Instructor
Liberty Knerr grew up dancing with Damaris and performed with the company through high school and off and on while in college. She attended the University of Washington, where she double majored in dance and psychology. Libey has cherished the years dancing with MBT and the friendships made along the way. She’s thankful for her husband Brian who always supports her love of dance and is overjoyed to share the studio and stage with her two children Mikayla & Cooper. Besides teaching at MBT, Ms. Libey also enjoys working at
her local elementary school.
Carol Munsey
Instructor
Carol Munsey teaches Adult Ballet. She is a licensed physical therapist’s assistant, a licensed massage therapist and a certified Pilates mat instructor. She has been dancing since 1968 and joined the MBT family in 1995. She is currently exploring the art of flamenco. When not dancing, Carol lives at Periwinkle Pastures Poultry farm with her guy, Stuart, 47 chickens, 2 dogs and 3 cats. Any spare time goes to sewing, knitting, spinning yarn and playing in the garden.
Karen Haas
Piano Accompanist
Karen Haas enjoys bringing live music to MBT classes from the studio’s marvelous grand piano. When not “tickling the ivories”, she is busy as a Storyteller and bringing the past to life with a wide variety of engaging Living History presentations. As well as weaving words, Karen spins and weaves fibers as she brings traditional crafts to life. To learn more about Miss Karen’s “other lives”, check out her website at karenstoryteller.com.