Our Directors

Deanna Cole-Roberts, Founder & Artistic Director

Deanna Cole-Roberts performed as a principal dancer for over twenty five years in major cities throughout the Southeast. She was a founding member of  the Hardinge Ballet Company, now known as Bristol Ballet Company, and served with that organization for 43 years as dancer, principal dancer, Associate Director & Director.  

Deanna was the first to perform the Grand Pas de Deux as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker in the Tri-Cities Area, & danced that role for 15 years. She was instrumental in the creation of the Virginia Intermont College Ballet Department where for seventeen years, she taught ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and classical variations. Many of her students from Virginia Intermont are now professional dancers, have their own schools, or have formed their own companies throughout the United States, Canada, & Alaska. 

Deanna was a principal dancer in the Tennessee State Bicentennial Ballet Company under the direction of  Norbert Vesak, Director of The Metropolitan Opera Ballet.  Inspired by her abilities as a dancer, and especially as a performer, Mr. Vesak created for her the beautiful pas de deux “Windsong.” Her extensive repertoire of performances include roles from Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and the notoriously uninhibited Cindy Lou in Mountain Ballad, choreographed by Constance Hardinge, founder of The Bristol Ballet.

Deanna's studies with masters as George Balenchine, Robert Joffrey, Luigi, Leon Danieliann, Amatole Vilzak, Perry Brunson, Richard Thomas, Milton Myers, and George Zoritch prepared her as a principal dancer, a masterful teacher, innovative choreographer, and inspired director.

Deirdre Cole, Artistic Director

Artistic Director, Deirdre Cole received her training as a child from Sidney Lowenthal, now teaching at the Joffrey Ballet Company School in New York City & Nations Academy, and Brenda Stygar, Director of the Northeast Ohio Dance Ensemble and former Ballet Mistress of the Ohio Ballet.  Deirdre was invited as a scholarship student at the unprecedented age of eleven to study at the renowned Jacob’s Pillow in Lee, Massachusetts. At the age of nine she understudied as the "child" in the Tennessee State Bicentennial Company’s production of "Knoxville 1820," and was accepted into advanced ballet classes at Virginia Intermont College ballet department when she was twelve.  

 Deirdre has performed many leading roles throughout her career including Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Titania in A Midsummer Night Dream and numerous contemporary leads in Gershwin by George, and Echoes.  Deirdre brings to Highlands Ballet her expertise as an extraordinary teacher, performer and a uniquely talented choreographer with a deep regard for tradition and a bold vision for the future. Deirdre is also the Director of Kindermusik® at the Highlands Center for Ballet Arts.