BUTLER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Endowed by Sarah and Ernest Butler through the Ballet Austin Foundation

The Butler Fellowship Program serves as Ballet Austin’s trainee program. All Butler Fellowship positions are fully endowed, allowing up to 15 outstanding dancers the opportunity to train at Ballet Austin tuition-free. Currently, 25% of Ballet Austin TWO contracts are filled with graduates of the Butler Fellowship Program.

The Butler Fellows are selected through a nationwide audition process and make Austin their home to participate in this unique training opportunity. Designed for post-high school dancers, the Butler Fellowship Program features an innovative and personal approach to professional-track training. It is linked directly to the artistic “arc” of Ballet Austin, with all daily technique classes taught by Artistic Director Stephen Mills, Associate Artistic Director Michelle Martin, and Rehearsal Directors Christopher Swaim and Alexa Capareda.

The Butler Fellows participate in up to 25 hours of classes per week including ballet technique, pointe, men’s technique, partnering, variations, contemporary movement, and repertoire. Particular attention is paid to helping dancers become familiar and comfortable with the improvisational and collaborative techniques now used by many choreographers as they create new work. The dancers present their own repertory performances each spring and perform with Ballet Austin TWO and the main company in larger productions.

In addition to classes and performance opportunities, the Butler Fellows receive access to onsite physical therapy as well as career management counseling and job placement assistance. To date, over 175 graduates of Ballet Austin TWO and the Butler Fellowship Program have secured contracts with more than 74 companies.

Interested Butler Fellows may choose to train as teaching assistants for Ballet Austin Academy or to serve as interns in other departments. Additionally, through a partnership with PeletonU, Butler Fellows may pursue a college degree. The competency-based structure of this online program allows dancers to complete a two-year Associates Degree in as few as nine months and includes access to tutors and advisors at PeletonU’s local campuses.

Recruitment

The Butler Fellows are recruited through the Ballet Austin Academy, Ballet Austin’s Senior Summer Intensive, and through partnerships with a select group of training institutions across the country. Students age 18 and older may also follow the Company Audition process for consideration.

For more information about the Butler Fellowship Program please visit our video gallery. You may also email Eugene Alvarez or call 512.476.9151 with any additional questions.

KAYLA ACEVEDO
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2025

Raised in sunny Miami, Florida, Kayla began dancing at the age of 3.  Her early and pre-professional training has taken place at Miami City Ballet School.  Kayla has had the opportunity to perform in George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, The Nutcracker, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as several ballets choreographed by Durante Verzola, including Classical Symphony and Limelight. Kayla has furthered her training at Carolina Ballet’s Summer Intensive, during which she performed excerpts from Swan Lake, choreographed by Zalman Raffael.

KYLA GUAy
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2025

(more information to come …)

ALAYNA LAUTNER
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2024

Originally from Newburgh, Indiana, Alayna started dancing at 9 years old at The School of Ballet Indiana under the direction of Kerri Lambert. In the following years, she attended summer intensive programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Miami City Ballet. After graduating high school in the spring of 2023, Alayna joined the Ballet Idaho Trainee Program for the 23-24 season. Here she was given the opportunity to perform Marzipan in Peter Anastos’ The Nutcracker and a townsperson in the world premiere of I Lost My Love by Joseph Hernandez.

GIGI MCDOWELL
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2024

Gabrielle “Gigi” is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She received her training at the Auer Academy of Fort Wayne Ballet under the direction of Karen Gibbons Brown, Tracy Tritz, and Eleonora Pokhitonova Hartung. Gigi has performed in numerous productions alongside Fort Wayne Ballet’s professional company, a few of which include The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet. She has extended her training at summer programs with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and American Ballet Theatre in New York City.

HINA OSHIMA
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2025

Originally from Tracy, California, Hina began dancing at the age of 3. She furthered her training at San Francisco Ballet School and had the opportunity to perform in many productions such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, SFB’s Gala, and Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has participated in YAGP with New Ballet School and received 1st Place for her classical solo in 2024 and was invited to the YAGP finals. She then joined Grainger Academy of Joffrey Ballet’s Ballet Trainee program. She has attended summer intensives at Gelsey Kirkland Academy, Houston Ballet, Royal Ballet, School of American Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

EMILY SAFFOS
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2024

Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Emily began training at age 7 at The School of First State Ballet Theatre under Kristina and Pasha Kambalov. While there, Emily performed with the company in the corps de ballet of Swan Lake, Don Quixote Dream Scene, and Snowflakes in The Nutcracker. Following graduation in 2022, she studied at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program where she performed in Terrance Orr’s The Nutcracker (Snowflake and Waltz of the Flowers). In 2023, she joined Milwaukee Ballet’s Second Company and performed in Michael Pink’s The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium, and At World’s End by Timothee O’Donnell.  She has attended summer intensives at Houston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, and Milwaukee Ballet.

RYAN SMALLWOOD
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2025

Originally from Smyrna, Delaware, Ryan began training at The Dance Conservatory under Teresa Emmons. In 2021, she relocated to study at Colorado Ballet Academy and performed in the company’s Nutcracker and Septime Webre’s Wizard of Oz. As a Trainee with Colorado Ballet, Ryan danced as Aurora in the Academy’s production of The Sleeping Beauty. She joined Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company in 2023, performing in Swan Lake, Val Caniparoli’s Jekyll and Hyde, The Sleeping Beauty, George Balanchine’s Serenade, The Nutcracker, and Septime Webre’s ALICE (in wonderland). Ryan’s summer training included Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Chautauqua Institution.

OLIVIA VEGA
Joined Butler Fellowship Program in 2025

Originally from Chicago, Olivia began dancing at age two. After moving to Charlotte, NC, she completed her early training as an RAD student and later studied with Fiona Fairrie and also at the Charlotte Ballet Academy (CBA). At CBA, Ms. Vega performed the role of Clara in Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s The Nutcracker. Olivia went on to train at Houston Ballet Academy (HBA) where she danced notable roles including Little Swans in Stanton Welch’s Swan Lake, Little Red Riding Hood in Claudio Munoz’s Sleeping Beauty, and the solo couple (Dancing on the River) in John Neumeier’s Yondering. Olivia also performed in Ilya Kozadayev’s Echoes, Ben Stevenson’s Don Quixote, and Stanton Welch’s In Good Company, Paquita, and Studies.