Joe Karsner

Current

• Owner and Director at Joe Karsner Ballet Studios

Past

• Corps de Ballet at Houston Ballet
• Company Dancer at Baltimore Ballet Company

Education

• Houston Ballet
• Baltimore Ballet School
• International Ballet Studios

see less...

Industry

Performing Arts

Joe Karsner’s Summary

Josephine “Joe” Karsner is the owner and director of Joe Karsner Ballet Studios. A native of Maryland, she began her classical ballet training at age seven with International Ballet Studios in Catonsville, Maryland. When she was 15, she began training with Cem Catbas at <a href="http://www.baltimoreballet.com/" title="Baltimore Ballet Company and School">Baltimore Ballet Company</a>, which stretched her dancing capabilities and allowed her to begin performing as a pre-professional dancer. At age 17, Joe Karsner began her professional career as a Baltimore Ballet Company member. Due to Catbas’ and his associates’ coaching, Joe Karsner quickly became one of the company’s principal dancers. Two years later, after glowing reviews for her performance as Princess Aurora in Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty, Joe Karsner was invited by Shelly Power, Associate Director of Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy, to become a Houston Ballet company member. Karsner spent three years under Ballet Mistress Louise Lester and Ballet Master Steven Woodgate’s instruction, performing in multiple ballets, namely Swan Lake and Cinderella. In 2007, she left <a href="http://www.houstonballet.org/" title="Houston Ballet">Huston Ballet</a> to form her own ballet studio in Baltimore.

Today, Joe Karsner draws on over 18 years of dance experience and integrates Pilates into her ballet training to enhance her dancers’ endurance, flexibility, and overall performance. Although currently retired from professional performance, Joe Karsner continues to specialize in developing and training pre-professional dancers. Her studio provides professional, classical instruction in a creative environment that allows dancers to express their passion while perfecting their art. At Joe Karsner Ballet Studios, "We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams."

Joe Karsner’s Specialties:

Ballet, artistic direction, performing, choreography, instructing, managing, fund-raising, and entrepreneurship

Joe Karsner’s Experience

• Owner and Director

  Joe Karsner Ballet Studios

  (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Fine Art industry)

  August 2007 — Present (2 years 4 months)

  Former Houston Ballet company member, Josephine “Joe” Karsner is the owner and artistic director of Joe Karsner Ballet Studios.

• Corps de Ballet

  Houston Ballet

  (Non-Profit; 51-200 employees; Performing Arts industry)

  June 2004 — May 2007 (3 years )

  Performed in multiple professional ballets, namely Swan Lake and Cinderella.

• Company Dancer

  Baltimore Ballet Company

  (Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Performing Arts industry)

  July 2001 — May 2004 (2 years 11 months)

  At age 17, Joe Karsner began her professional career as a Baltimore Ballet Company member. Due to Catbas' and his associates' coaching, Joe Karsner quickly became one of the company's principal dancers.

Joe Karsner’s Education

• Houston Ballet

  Performing Arts 2004 — 2007

• Baltimore Ballet School

  Pre-Professional Dancing 2001 — 2004

  Activities and Societies:

  Baltimore Ballet's Sugar Plum Ball and Baltimore Ballet Society

• International Ballet Studios

  Classical Ballet 1991 — 1999

Additional Information

Joe Karsner’s Interests:

Ballet, artistic direction, performing, choreography, instructing, managing, fund-raising, and entrepreneurship

Joe Karsner’s Groups:

Joe Karsner Ballet Studios Scholarship Program
Baltimore Ballet's Sugar Plum Ball
Baltimore Ballet Society

Joe Karsner’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• consulting offers
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• reference requests
• getting back in touch