Midland Festival Ballet

Artistic Director Susan Clark enjoyed a long and distinguished ballet career prior to joining MFB. She was a Principal dancer with the Milwaukee Ballet for eight seasons, then became Ballet Mistress while the company was under the directorship of Basil Thompson.

Ms. Clark grew up in Midland, Texas and started dancing with Georgia Harston. Her primary training was with William-Martin Viscount in Fort Worth, Texas. At the age of twelve she was awarded a merit scholarship to study at The National Academy of Dance in Champaign, Illinois under Artistic Director Michael Maule.

Ms. Clark was one of sixteen dancers chosen to dance with American Ballet Theatre’s Ballet Repertory Company in New York under Richard England. Her career then took her to dance with the Atlanta Ballet under Robert Barnett for ten seasons where she was quickly promoted to Principal dancer. She performed notable roles such as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, The Sylph in Scotch Symphony, and Giselle in Giselle.

Other highlights of her career include working with Twyla Tharp in the film version of Hair and being a prize-winner in the International Dance Competition in Osaka, Japan. Ms. Clark is known for her teaching skills and is a sought-after guest teacher and coach throughout the United States.

Rachel Ritter has served as the Executive Director of Midland Festival Ballet since 2013. During her tenure she has increased organizational funding, established community partnerships, boosted enrollment at MFB’s ballet school, and increased production ticket sales. She continues to work with MFB’s artistic staff to host world-class dancers, teachers, and choreographers in the Permian Basin, and her current focus is expanding community outreach and collaborations.

Ms. Ritter holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Wellesley College. She has served as a grant evaluator for Texas Commission on the Arts and sits on the board of Regional Dance America/Southwest. She also serves on the board of directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Permian Basin Chapter. Prior to joining Midland Festival Ballet Ms. Ritter worked in higher education fundraising.

Pearl, a proud MFB alum, received her BFA in Graphic Design from Hardin Simmons University in 2015. She’s since moved back to Midland with her husband and 2 rabbits. She’s enjoying combining her insider knowledge with her “new super powers” (photography, communication skills, and social media prowess) to support and further MFB’s mission.

Pearl is also a nationally recognized choreographer. Her awards include The Monticello Award, The Natalie Skelton Award, and 2 National Choreography Awards, all awarded by Regional Dance America/Southwest.

Gabriel Zertuche freelance choreographer and character dancer was named Ballet San Antonio's Artistic Director in 2012, where he immediately widened the company's creative repertoire with critically acclaimed new works and the addition of internationally accomplished artists. He has choreographed several full-length ballets, including The Nutcracker, Dracula, Scheherazade, Midsummer Nights Dream, and Firebird, along with several neoclassical and contemporary works. He has choreographed for major operas including Carmen, La Traviata, and Madame Butterfly working with the San Antonio Symphony, Opera San Antonio, and Alamo City Opera. Zertuche is currently production manager for Midland Festival Ballet and will be staging a ballet for their upcoming Regional Dance America National Festival in 2024.