The Company

Artistic Director

Sarah Cyders

Founder/Executive Director

Hellie Schussler

Ballet Mistress

Jennifer Doyle

The Dancers

Apprentices

Abby Beasley

Madeline Carter

Jesi Davis

Amanda Ehrmantraut

Anna McMillen

Kylee Parman

Sophie Reel

Technical Advisor/Lighting Designer

Don Pontious

Costume/Props Designer

Robbie Keplar

About Our Directors

Sarah Cyders

Artistic Director - Ashland Regional Ballet

Faculty - Opus II Dance Studio

photo by Tommy Beech

Sarah Cyders began her training at Opus II Dance Studio at the age of ten, becoming a member of Ashland Regional Ballet four years later.  Upon graduation from Ashland High School she attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in 2001.

Sarah returned to Ashland in 2002 as a professional member of Ashland Regional Ballet, and a few years later also began performing professionally with Neos Dance Theatre.  Having developed an interest in teaching while still in high school she became a faculty member at Opus II in 2002, and has been Adjunct Instructor of Dance at Ashland University in 2003.  Her choreography was honored with a performance at Regional Dance America in 2003.  In 2008 she accepted the position of Assistant Director of Ashland Regional Ballet, and in 2009 was named Artistic Director.

Sarah, husband Scott and son Mark reside in Ashland.

Hellie Schussler

Founder/Executive Director - Ashland Regional Ballet

Founder/Director - Opus II Dance Studio

photo by Tommy Beech

Hellie Schussler is the Founder and Director of Opus II Dance Studio.  She was raised in McConnelsville, a small town in southern Ohio, where she received her earliest training.  When her family moved to Ashland, Ohio she continued to study dance in Mansfield with Ethyl Battin and Shirley Weddell.  Schussler later studied at the School of the Cleveland Ballet, Lou Conte's Studio in Chicago (home of Hubbard Street Dance Company), Gus Giordano"s Jazz Dance Chicago, and with the ballet faculty at Butler University.  She was a company member of Dance Kaleidoscope, a professional modern dance company based in Indianapolis.

Schussler founded Opus II Dance Studio in 1982, and along with her husband Curt, formed Ashland Regional Ballet in 1989.  Under Schussler's artistic leadership the company achieved membership in Regional Dance America in 1993.  In 2005 ARB attained the rank of Honor company and successfully hosted a festival for the Northeast Region of the United States in 2006.

Hellie has choreographed numerous works for ARB and Opus II, as well as Ashland University, where she was adjunct dance instructor/resident choreographer for 16 years.  Her choreography has appeared in the Canton Ballet Choreographers Showcase and five of her works were selected for performance at Regional Dance America/Northeast Festivals.  Hellie was the choreographer for the Miss Ohio Pageant for 10 years, and she also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of OhioDance - a statewide service organization.  In 1995 she was recognized as a Woman of Achievement in Ashland County, receiving the Pioneer Spirit Award.

At the heart of her choreography is the desire to create works suitable for developing the talents of her students.  Her proudest accomplishment is the success of her students.  Dancers she has trained have found their way into the professional world appearing with many companies of note including American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Augusta Ballet, Ballet Arizona, Ballet Magnificat, Ballet Met, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Verb, and Broadway shows.  Others have furthered their education in the dance departments of colleges and universities, often receiving scholarships.  Still others have achieved success in dance-related careers involving education and administration.

Jennifer Doyle

Ballet Mistress - Ashland Regional Ballet

Faculty - Opus II Dance Studio

photo by John Maurer

Jennifer grew up dancing at Opus II Dance Studio and was a member of Ashland Regional Ballet during her school years.  During that time she also attended summer study at Ballet Met, and Blue Lake Fine Arts camp in Michigan, and danced with the Blue Lake International Exchange Program in the summer of 1999.  She received a BA in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre in 2005 from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.