Faculty
Debbe Busby
Director / Owner
Mrs. Busby is a native of Victoria and began her training with Lillian Cain Cox. She attended the University of Oklahoma as a dance major, studying under Miguel Terekov, Yvonne Choutou and Mary Kay Price. She dances as a soloist with the Mary Kay Price Dance Company. Ms. Busby earned a BA degree from the University of Houston in 1973. For over five years, she has danced as a member of Discovery Dance Group under the direction of Camille Long Hill. In 1976, she studied ballet at the master's level at Texas Women's University. Ms. Busby passed the exams to certify her to teach for both Dance Masters of America and Texas Association of Dance Teachers. After returning to Victoria in 1974, she taught Modern Dance at Victoria College and choreographed numerous musicals for local college, high school and community groups. In 1984, she co-founded Victoria Ballet Theatre and has served as Artistic Director since. The company joined Regional Dance America/SW in 1995 and was awarded Honor Status in 2002. Under her direction, the company has traveled to perform in various Texas cities and to Austria under the auspices of Tanzommer. Graduates of the school and company have gone on to accept scholarships at summer workshops and college programs. Many are now working in the field as teachers and professional dancers.
Director / Owner
Mrs. Busby is a native of Victoria and began her training with Lillian Cain Cox. She attended the University of Oklahoma as a dance major, studying under Miguel Terekov, Yvonne Choutou and Mary Kay Price. She dances as a soloist with the Mary Kay Price Dance Company. Ms. Busby earned a BA degree from the University of Houston in 1973. For over five years, she has danced as a member of Discovery Dance Group under the direction of Camille Long Hill. In 1976, she studied ballet at the master's level at Texas Women's University. Ms. Busby passed the exams to certify her to teach for both Dance Masters of America and Texas Association of Dance Teachers. After returning to Victoria in 1974, she taught Modern Dance at Victoria College and choreographed numerous musicals for local college, high school and community groups. In 1984, she co-founded Victoria Ballet Theatre and has served as Artistic Director since. The company joined Regional Dance America/SW in 1995 and was awarded Honor Status in 2002. Under her direction, the company has traveled to perform in various Texas cities and to Austria under the auspices of Tanzommer. Graduates of the school and company have gone on to accept scholarships at summer workshops and college programs. Many are now working in the field as teachers and professional dancers.
Kelli Wallace Klein
Ballet / Pointe / Early Childhood
Mrs. Klein began her ballet training in Michigan under Evelyn Kreason where she was a member of Michigan Ballet Theatre. After moving to Dallas with her family, she continued her training with Kathy Chamberlain. She has studied with leading academies upon acceptance at the following: School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Melissa Hayden in New York. Kelli holds a BFA in dance from the University of Oklahoma. She danced professionally with Dallas Ballet under the direction of Flemming Flint and Bryan Pitts. Kelli relocated to Victoria after her marriage to Dr. Michael Klein. They have three children, Laura, Madeline and Matthew. She currently serves as Assistant Artistic Director with Victoria Ballet Theatre.
Ballet / Pointe / Early Childhood
Mrs. Klein began her ballet training in Michigan under Evelyn Kreason where she was a member of Michigan Ballet Theatre. After moving to Dallas with her family, she continued her training with Kathy Chamberlain. She has studied with leading academies upon acceptance at the following: School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Melissa Hayden in New York. Kelli holds a BFA in dance from the University of Oklahoma. She danced professionally with Dallas Ballet under the direction of Flemming Flint and Bryan Pitts. Kelli relocated to Victoria after her marriage to Dr. Michael Klein. They have three children, Laura, Madeline and Matthew. She currently serves as Assistant Artistic Director with Victoria Ballet Theatre.
Brenda Serrata Tally
Ballet / Pointe / Early Childhood / Modern / Tap / Jazz
Mrs. Tally holds an M.F.A in dance performance from the University of Iowa and a B.F.A. in modern dance from the University of Utah. She began her early training in Victoria, Texas with Debbe Busby and continued here as a member of Victoria Ballet Theatre from 1984 to 1993. She has done summer study at the Houston Ballet Academy, Joffrey Workshop TX, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. In Utah, Brenda also dabbled in musical theater at Robert Redford’s Sundance Theatre in their production of West Side Story. She has been on the faculty for the Joffery Workshop TX for 8 years. Brenda has twice received the Monticello Foundation Scholarship awards for choreography from Regional Dance America. At the University of Iowa she was a Dean’s Graduate Fellow, danced as a member of Dancers In Company and her choreographic work “Habitual Ritual” was chosen to represent the university at the American College Dance Festival. She has performed with modern dance companies Duarte Dance Works in Iowa and Nebraska, Kayle+Co. at the Minneapolis Fringe Festival, and Charlotte Adams & Dancers at the Joyce SOHO and Dance Theatre Workshop in New York City. In 2008 Mrs. Tally's work "Nautical Novice" was awarded the Regional Dance America/Southwest Natalie Skelton award for choreography. Brenda currently teaches at the Vine School as well as Busby Dancenter. Mrs. Tally is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 3 for the ABT National Training Curriculum. She is the proud wife of Victoria West soccer coach Bill Tally and mother of Billy.
Ballet / Pointe / Early Childhood / Modern / Tap / Jazz
Mrs. Tally holds an M.F.A in dance performance from the University of Iowa and a B.F.A. in modern dance from the University of Utah. She began her early training in Victoria, Texas with Debbe Busby and continued here as a member of Victoria Ballet Theatre from 1984 to 1993. She has done summer study at the Houston Ballet Academy, Joffrey Workshop TX, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. In Utah, Brenda also dabbled in musical theater at Robert Redford’s Sundance Theatre in their production of West Side Story. She has been on the faculty for the Joffery Workshop TX for 8 years. Brenda has twice received the Monticello Foundation Scholarship awards for choreography from Regional Dance America. At the University of Iowa she was a Dean’s Graduate Fellow, danced as a member of Dancers In Company and her choreographic work “Habitual Ritual” was chosen to represent the university at the American College Dance Festival. She has performed with modern dance companies Duarte Dance Works in Iowa and Nebraska, Kayle+Co. at the Minneapolis Fringe Festival, and Charlotte Adams & Dancers at the Joyce SOHO and Dance Theatre Workshop in New York City. In 2008 Mrs. Tally's work "Nautical Novice" was awarded the Regional Dance America/Southwest Natalie Skelton award for choreography. Brenda currently teaches at the Vine School as well as Busby Dancenter. Mrs. Tally is an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 3 for the ABT National Training Curriculum. She is the proud wife of Victoria West soccer coach Bill Tally and mother of Billy.
Kaitlyn Haschke
Early Childhood / Modern / Tap / Jazz
Kaitlyn began her dance training with Busby Dancenter at the age of 3. She advanced through the upper levels studying under Debbe Busy, Kelli Klein, and Brenda Tally. She has been a member of Victoria Ballet Theatre for 9 years and has performed at Regional Dance America Southwest, and while there had the opportunity to study under many dance masters. Kaitlyn has been a teaching assistant at Busby Dancenter for 4 years and has been a teacher for 2 years. She also served on the faculty for Theatre Victoria’s T3 Summer Camps. She is a recent homeschool graduate and will be attending Victoria College in the fall.
Early Childhood / Modern / Tap / Jazz
Kaitlyn began her dance training with Busby Dancenter at the age of 3. She advanced through the upper levels studying under Debbe Busy, Kelli Klein, and Brenda Tally. She has been a member of Victoria Ballet Theatre for 9 years and has performed at Regional Dance America Southwest, and while there had the opportunity to study under many dance masters. Kaitlyn has been a teaching assistant at Busby Dancenter for 4 years and has been a teacher for 2 years. She also served on the faculty for Theatre Victoria’s T3 Summer Camps. She is a recent homeschool graduate and will be attending Victoria College in the fall.
Kennedy Velasquez
Jazz / Tap / Modern
Kennedy began training in the Early Childhood Program and advanced through the upper school at Busby Dancenter studying under Debbe Busby, Brenda Tally, Kelli Klein and Courtney Bosier. She is a senior company member of Victoria Ballet Theatre. Kennedy has performed at Regional Dance America Southwest and has studied under many renowned dance masters at the same. She has been an assistant for the Victoria Ballet Theatre's Dance Educational Movement Initiative (D.E.M.I.) program for the last 2 years. Kennedy attends Victoria East High School where she is a student leader, art club and National Honor Society member, part of the yearbook staff and enjoys leading pep rallies for the student body.
Jazz / Tap / Modern
Kennedy began training in the Early Childhood Program and advanced through the upper school at Busby Dancenter studying under Debbe Busby, Brenda Tally, Kelli Klein and Courtney Bosier. She is a senior company member of Victoria Ballet Theatre. Kennedy has performed at Regional Dance America Southwest and has studied under many renowned dance masters at the same. She has been an assistant for the Victoria Ballet Theatre's Dance Educational Movement Initiative (D.E.M.I.) program for the last 2 years. Kennedy attends Victoria East High School where she is a student leader, art club and National Honor Society member, part of the yearbook staff and enjoys leading pep rallies for the student body.
