Leading the Company
Our experienced teachers and professionals cultivating
the skills of young and pre-professional dancers.
Thomas Morrell
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Thomas Morrell began his dance training at Western Michigan University where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, majoring in Physical Education and Dance. He earned his Master of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from The University of Michigan in 1981 and began dancing professionally with the Harbinger Dance Company in Detroit. He spent five years in Flint as Principal Dancer with Ballet Michigan, and three more years with Memphis Concert Ballet before moving back to his native Michigan. While in Memphis, Tom became the resident choreographer for Opera Memphis where he choreographed productions of Tales of Hoffman, Hansel and Gretel, and La Traviata. In 1996, Tom opened Ballet Etc. Dance Institute offering pre-school to professional dance training for ages three through adult. The studio serves as the home of NMBT. He has choreographed for the Traverse City Children’s Theatre, Old Town Playhouse and West Michigan Youth Ballet Company in Ada, Michigan. His teaching career spans more than thirty years, including the Flint Institute of Music, The University of Michigan-Flint, the Harbinger School, Memphis Concert Ballet School, Performing Arts of Germantown, Charlevoix Community Education and numerous private studios. Tom has earned the distinguished honor of being named “The 1998 Michigan Dance Teacher of the Year” by the Michigan Dance Council. When not teaching at the studio, Tom is an avid cyclist, accumulating over 3,000 miles per year. He also sings and plays the guitar, mandolin and 5-string banjo.
Marleigh Bucenell
COMPANY MANAGER/REHEARSAL ASSISTANT
Marleigh is originally from Traverse City Michigan, where she trained and performed with the Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre. Recently Marleigh was the Director’s Assistant at Birmingham Ballet where she taught and choreographed Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Pre-Ballet and YAGP Prep. for ages 3-18. Marleigh was a part of the professional Repertory Company at Birmingham Ballet performing in productions such as, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Graduation Ball, The Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast for which she choreographed and co-directed. Also in Birmingham, Marleigh has taught for Danceworks and performed with Arova Contemporary Ballet. She earned a B.F.A. in Dance from Mercyhurst University where she was awarded both dance and academic scholarships, was a Dean’s List recipient and graduated with honors in association with National Honors Society of Dance Arts. Marleigh acted as an assistant to the dance department chair Tauna Hunter, for four years, and as a part of the Mercyhurst Study Abroad Program danced and choreographed for a semester in Ireland. She attended the American Ballet Theatre Collegiate Summer Intensive, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet and Interlochen Arts Camp. She has appeared with Traverse City Dance Project, and as a guest artist with West Michigan Youth Ballet. Marleigh is dedicated to providing a healthy and loving dance education that teaches dancers to work intelligently.
Justin Koertgen
KEY COMPANY MEMBER
Justin Koertgen was born and raised in Michigan. He attended Interlochen Arts Academy from 1994-2000. Justin danced for the Dayton Ballet for twelve seasons. Highlights from his time with Dayton include the roles of "Dracula" in Stuart Sebastian's Dracula, "Laertes" in Stephen Mills' Hamlet, "Romeo" and "Tybalt" in Septime Webre's Romeo & Juliet, and the title role in Christopher Fleming's The Who's Tommy. Justin has taught all over the country including Huntsville Ballet, Mercyhurst University, City Center Ballet, the Dance Conservatory of Delaware, and Interlochen Center for the Arts. He has worked as the Ballet Master and the Rehearsal Assistant for the Dayton Ballet and taught for the company and school. Justin's choreography has been showcased at Interlochen Center for the Arts, Mercyhurst University, and the Dayton Ballet.
Amy Russell
KEY COMPANY MEMBER
Amy Russell attended Eastern Michigan University under scholarships from the Dance Department including the Linda Crum-Hemmelgarn scholarship, and graduated with a B.S. in Dance Performance in 2007. While at EMU, Amy performed in many faculty and guest artist’s works during the annual winter performance as well as the American College Dance Festival. She also had the opportunity to perform and choreograph for the Student Works Concerts. While still a student at EMU, Amy performed with Michigan Dance Collective in Traverse City under the direction of Melinda Baker & Philip Leete. Upon graduating, Amy became a company member with Detroit Dance Collective under the direction of Barbara Selinger. Along with performing with DDC for three years, she also helped teach dance workshops at the public schools. Amy also danced with the urban contemporary dance company Urban Elements under the direction of Emily Fine in Traverse City. Amy has been teaching & choreographing all over the state of Michigan including Dance Arts Academy (Traverse City), Central City Dance (Canton), Trenton School of Dance (Trenton), Soul Step (Traverse City) and Ballet Etc. (Traverse City) where is she currently a faculty member.
Lisa Bristol
REHEARSAL ASSISTANT
Lisa Bristol danced for more than 20 years and studied Ballet, Modern and Jazz. She danced with Company Dance Traverse, Pedestrians UnHinged Dance Company and Glory DanceWorks. She has had various roles with Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre including the Bag Lady in Scenes From a Park, a Fairy Godmother in A Midsummer Night’s Faerie Tale, a hunter in Peter & the Wolf and a Villager with a pitchfork in The Reluctant Dragon (yes, it was scary for everyone). She has worked as Rehearsal Assistant for NMBT since 2008 and is so thankful that she has the opportunity to work with Mr. M and all of these talented dancers.