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.
Kaitlyn Haschke
Early Childhood / Modern / Tap / Jazz
Kaitlyn has been dancing since she was three years old. She joined VBT at age ten, and now at age twenty-one is going on her fourth year as an Artist in Residence. Kaitlyn has received the “Grande Jeté” and “Spirit of VBT” awards. She has attended Regional Dance America Festivals for the past nine years, two of which were national festivals in Montreal, Canada and Phoenix, Arizona. She is an emerging choreographer with VBT, two of her pieces are featured in this production of Inspired. Kaitlyn works at Busby Dancenter as a tap, jazz, modern, and early childhood dance teacher. She also works in special education at The Vine School and has taught at Theatre Victoria’s Triple Threat Summer Camp for the past four years.
Early Childhood / Modern / Tap / Jazz
Kaitlyn has been dancing since she was three years old. She joined VBT at age ten, and now at age twenty-one is going on her fourth year as an Artist in Residence. Kaitlyn has received the “Grande Jeté” and “Spirit of VBT” awards. She has attended Regional Dance America Festivals for the past nine years, two of which were national festivals in Montreal, Canada and Phoenix, Arizona. She is an emerging choreographer with VBT, two of her pieces are featured in this production of Inspired. Kaitlyn works at Busby Dancenter as a tap, jazz, modern, and early childhood dance teacher. She also works in special education at The Vine School and has taught at Theatre Victoria’s Triple Threat Summer Camp for the past four years.
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 an Artist in Residence of Victoria Ballet Theatre. She works with the company as an emerging choreographer and VBT intern as the “Social Media Director”. Kennedy has performed at Regional Dance America Southwest and has studied under many renowned dance masters at the same. She is an instructor for the Victoria Ballet Theatre’s Dance Education Movement Initiative (D.E.M.I.) outreach program, teaching dance to at risk youth. Kennedy graduated top 15 percent from Victoria East High School in 2017, and she is currently attending Victoria College.
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 an Artist in Residence of Victoria Ballet Theatre. She works with the company as an emerging choreographer and VBT intern as the “Social Media Director”. Kennedy has performed at Regional Dance America Southwest and has studied under many renowned dance masters at the same. She is an instructor for the Victoria Ballet Theatre’s Dance Education Movement Initiative (D.E.M.I.) outreach program, teaching dance to at risk youth. Kennedy graduated top 15 percent from Victoria East High School in 2017, and she is currently attending Victoria College.
Phoebe Schneider
Early Childhood
Phoebe Schneider is nineteen years old. She began dancing at age 9 at Busby Dancenter and joined Victoria Ballet Theatre at age 12. Phoebe works at Busby Dancenter as an early childhood teacher and teacher’s assistant. She is also a student at Victoria College and is planning to receive a Teacher’s Certificate in Physical Education. This is her eighth year being a part of Victoria Ballet Theatre and she has loved every minute of it.
Early Childhood
Phoebe Schneider is nineteen years old. She began dancing at age 9 at Busby Dancenter and joined Victoria Ballet Theatre at age 12. Phoebe works at Busby Dancenter as an early childhood teacher and teacher’s assistant. She is also a student at Victoria College and is planning to receive a Teacher’s Certificate in Physical Education. This is her eighth year being a part of Victoria Ballet Theatre and she has loved every minute of it.
