About our Seminar Instructors

Our instructors are some of the best costumers and designers working today, and all bring many years of talent, experience, and expertise to the classroom. Not only are they the best at what they do, they are also wonderful teachers.

These short bio's are intended to provide you with just an inkling of their very extensive backgrounds and abilities.

She has been designing and constructing tutus and other dance costumes for over 35 years, has written and published several books on dance costume design, construction, and decorating, and has designed and published a wide range of adult and children's dance and costume patterns.

She is considered one of today's leading authorities on dance costuming, and her books and patterns are in use by professional and amateur costumers at ballet companies and schools all around the world. Her designs have been commissioned for performance and competition, film and television, print and advertising, and have won numerous awards and acclaim.

She has designed and/or created tutus and other costumes for several prestigious dance companies, including Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, The Joffrey Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre-II, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Ballet San Jose, and many others, for many RDA companies, for special events such as the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and ABC's Extreme Makeover, and for dancers competing in the International Ballet Competition (IBC), New York International Ballet Competition (NY-IBC), Youth America Gran Prix (YAGP), Prix de Lausaune, and in regional, national, and international pageants and competitions, and for numerous guest artists.

Ms. Folts has conducted tutu and costume design, construction, and decorating seminars since 1996, and has taught this fine art to costumers from every continent. She fully understands the techniques and methods of 'The Masters of Yesteryear', and successfully combines those methods and techniques with today's fabrics, technologies, and choreographic styles.

Her design credits include "The Nutcracker", "Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake", "Don Quixote", and "Cinderella", as well as numerous lyrical pieces and period costumes. She has worked with Ballet Etudes, several schools, studios, and companies, Sue Turner-Cray of the "Manchester Girl", and designed costumes for the Youth America Grand Prix competition. Some of her work is featured in a soon-to-be-released photographer's book of tutus.

Ms. Beasley is known for her patience and for the care with which she develops her designs, as well as for her friendly, easy-going, and ‘approachable’ teaching style.

Originally a native of Seattle, Washington, she now resides in California, where she works as a freelance artist, and lives with her writer/film-director daughter and her son (who, as we understand, is an aspiring chef of some renown – be nice, you might get a dinner invite!).

With a BFA in Theatre Arts from the University of Nebraska, Mr. Halsey has over 10 years costume shop experience, in many different roles and levels, and in many different shops. He is a master costumer, an outstanding designer, and has worked as a cutter/draper, tailor, craftsman, milliner, puppet-maker, first-hand, and stitcher. With all this experience, he has developed an extensive knowledge of all aspects of production and design.

Travis has designed for many ballet and theatre companies, including Charleston Ballet Theatre ("Alice in Wonderland") and Prix de Lausanne, and many YAGP contestants. One of his designs can be seen in the award-winning documnentary film "First Position".

Travis has an incredible eye for detail, and a wonderful ability to work with textures, colors, and layering. He is a really fun and patient instructor, and he will teach you much more than you were expecting. We are wonderfully happy to have him as a part of our Seminar Team this year.

Mr. Barney's CV includes a stint as draper for the Haute Couture Atelier of Frank Sorbier in Paris, and many roles as designer and draper for dance, theatre, and musical theatre productions and companies.

Jeremy is currently the resident Costume Designer for the University of Arizona School of Dance. He is a very talented designer, a master tailor who specializes in men's costumes, and an intelligent, interesting, knowledgeable, and fun and funny teacher. We are extremely happy to have him on our teaching staff!

She has worked in varying capacities for several nationally and internationally known theatres such as the Old Globe Theatre and the San Diego Opera. With her background in dance and theatre, and diverse training in patterning, draping, theatrical lighting, set design, and makeup, she brings a trained eye to her costume designs and constructions.

For the past 10+ years Ms. Sheehan has been enjoying her tenure at the New York City Ballet, first as their Millinery person and now as their First Hand. Her eye for detail, appreciation for fine materials, and dedication to impeccable construction and old world techniques makes her a perfect fit at City Ballet, where she has refurbished and recreated many of Karinska’s designs, as well as created new millinery pieces for Holly Hynes and Ian Falconer. She hopes to continue constructing in the great Karinska’s tradition.

Jessi is a very talented designer and colorist in her own right. Check out her tiara designs for Tutu.Com - great stuff!

She works with Claudia at the seminars as classroom-assistant and tiara design instructor. In Claudia's words: "Jessi is fabulously talented !"

Betsy has a very strong and thorough understanding of the costuming needs and values of all types of productions, from local student recitals to professional dance programs to Broadway touring companies. We are very proud and pleased to bring Betsy's skills and knowledge to our classes!

Side note, this lady also 'trucks'! She met her husband on the 'Phantom' tour many years ago, fell head over, promptly ran out and got her CDL, and joined him on the road hauling Broadway shows, dance companies, entertainers, and orchestras all over the country.

She grew up in England as part of a theatrical family, and spent her formative years backstage in the costume-shop, 'learning the ropes'. After emigrating to Canada, she spent several years with Mallabar Costumes, Rainbow Stage, and Watts Costumes. And naturally made many movie and TV contacts, which naturally led to costuming and wardrobing in the film and television industries.

And just so you know, for 'higher education' she became a Registered Nurse, and spent some years adminstering to the ill and ailing. So if you do something really silly like sew your fingers to your tutu, Carole can help!

To keep her life 'interesting' (ha-ha), she also manages a 100-slip marina in the T & C's, helping keep the world's yacht-owners afloat and sailing happily along.