Ms. Michelle

Michelle Zalewski Ballaro, a Buffalo native with over 30 years in dance and early childhood arts education, holds degrees from SUNY Buffalo and Canisius College. She founded and directed Ballet Arts Center for Dance for 35 years and has taught at the Children’s School at the Chautauqua Institution, SUNY Brockport’s Dance Awareness Days, St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, the Little Green House at the Nichols School, and many schools across Western New York. She has also served as guest faculty at numerous Early Childhood Education Conferences for the New York State Department of Education. Her contributions have earned her the Meritorious Service in Dance Education for Children in Western New York Award from the National Dance Education Organization, recognition from the New York State Summer School of the Arts, and induction into the Western New York Dance Teacher Hall of Fame. Ms. Ballaro is proud to be a member of the KipTom Faculty.