Ms. Worthen is Founder and was Artistic Director of Ballet San Antonio for 27 years until 2011. During that time she staged classical works and choreographed many neo-classical ballets like Romanza Brillante, Royal Fireworks, Works, The One Thing that I Know, Con Prestezza, Summer Storm, Tra Amici, Going Home, Allegro con Brio, Glinka among many others. In 2012, Ms. Worthen founded Ballet Latino de San Antonio, a professional ballet company that fuses classical ballet with Latin movement and focuses on taking its programs to smaller, more intimate venues around the city. She was director and principal teacher of Ballet San Antonio Academy until August, 2015 as well as San Antonio Youth Ballet, a pre-professional ballet company. In 2015, Ballet San Antonio invited Ms. Worthen to stage her well known version of The Nutcracker, to celebrate the company’s Thirtieth Anniversary and her retirement. Ms. Worthen continues to work as a dance coach, business consultant, guest teacher and guest choreographer. |
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Mayra Worthen began her ballet training under Helena del Cuetto and Maria de Varona in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1971, Ms. Worthen came to the United States to further her dance studies and performance experience and entered Texas Christian University (TCU), as a dance major. In 1974, a knee injury ended her performing career so she decided to focus her studies in teaching and choreography. After graduating from TCU in 1975, she returned to Puerto Rico where she founded the Mayra Worthen School of Dance. While in Puerto Rico, she also worked with two professional ballet companies, Ballet Municipal de San Juan and Ballet Puertorriqueno de Ramon Segarra, where she taught company classes and was also rehearsal assistant. In 1979, Ms. Worthen moved to San Antonio where she opened Mayra Worthen Ballet School and in 1985, founded Ballet San Antonio. In 1987, she was named Outstanding Woman in the Arts by the San Antonio Express-News for her contributions to the dance scene in the city. In 1997, she served as Executive Director of Carlos Acosta and Stars of the Houston Ballet Touring company.