Chrissy Starr is the owner/director of the Shore Ballet School but most importantly is a certified dance instructor. Her teacher training began in London, England where she graduated from the prestigious Royal Ballet School. It was there that she learned how to train students of all ages in a safe age-appropriate manner. Upon returning to the U.S. she continued her studies obtaining more teaching certifications while still performing in ballets and theater productions. She danced throughout New York and New Jersey staring in such well-known shows as The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Anything Goes, Evita and The Music Man just to name a few.

Now as a respected member of the Royal Academy of Dance for more than 15 years, Ms. Starr holds the R.A.D. teaching certificate with Distinction. She is also a member of the American Academy of Ballet and holds certifications from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.

Ms. Starr makes sure her school is a positive environment. She ensures the training is non-competitive and fun for all students and likes to bring fourth an educational aspect. She is proud to proclaim her school is not a franchise, but a family owned local business that has been in the Toms River area for over 30 years. Her growing curriculum is all original and her customers love that personal touch. For Ms. Starr owning the school is not just a job, but also a passion. In addition to dedicating herself to her love of performing arts, she is devoted to her two young children, and her supportive husband.

Christine Higham

Mrs. Higham's dance training began at Shore Ballet. She passed several dance examinations and performed in numerous productions as a member of the Shore Ballet Company. After continuing her studies of ballet, jazz, and modern dance at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, she transferred to Trenton State College to complete her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. For seven years Mrs. Higham taught 7th grade in Manchester Twp. As a 4-H leader for 19 years, she has assisted youths and adults by teaching them proper training techniques as they raise Seeing Eye puppies to become dog guides for the blind. Mrs. Higham's enjoyment of dance and working with children has brought her back to Shore Ballet as a teacher.

Kathryn Leibe

Kathryn has extensive classical dance training and danced on scholarship with professional dance schools such as The Joffrey Ballet School, The Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet, The School of Hartford Ballet and Boston Ballet. She has a BA from North Carolina School of the Arts and has danced in many productions in NYC and NC. Kathryn has been teaching dance since 1998 and specializes in Classical Ballet, Modern and Lyrical. She also enjoyed working at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC for several years.

Nichole Masters

A graduate of Cape Town University, South Africa, Miss Masters taught with the Western Cape Education Department for nine years. During those years, she specialized in ballet and creative dance and organized R.A.D. examinations and performances. Miss Masters has been examined successfully in both Royal Academy of Dancing and Cecchetti methods. She holds the Royal Academy of Dance's Teachers Diploma, and is a certified fitness instructor. Miss Masters joined our faculty in 1999.