Thanks for attending our production of Children's Nutcracker 2020! We look forward to seeing you at the next one!

About Children's Nutcracker 2020

Mission Statement

The award-winning Children's Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is an authentic, professional-level ballet company that produces professionally staged productions showcasing San Antonio's most talented children.  Dancers are selected by invitation or audition.  The Children's Ballet of San Antonio is a nonprofit organization 501 (c)3.  

Mission: The Children's Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) seeks to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds.

Children's Ballet of San Antonio

Founder and Artistic Director

VB Head Shot.jpg

| VANESSA BESSLER, MBA

Vanessa Bessler is a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Panama. She started her dancing career very early and was a full scholarship student at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, New York. Her training includes the Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dancing, and Cecchetti methods along with modern dance and jazz. Vanessa has studied in Panama, Panama; New York, New York; Havana, Cuba; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Milan, Italy; and Miami, Florida under renowned teachers including Wasil Tupin, Angelco Yureska, Belinda Writes, Hector Zaraspe, John Magnus, Marek Cholewa, and Elena Kunikova among others. She also participated in several international dance festivals in Argentina, Peru, and El Salvador. Vanessa performed principal roles in Ballets including Don Quixote, Paquita, La Bayadere, Raymonda, Le Corsaire, Nutcracker, Spring Waters, Flower Festival, Paris Flames, Dying Swan (from Le Carnaval des), and Diana and Action.

In her twenty-plus years of teaching, Vanessa has a track record of preparing successful students who have joined professional companies and strong college programs. She also has prepared numerous Youth American Grand Prix (“YAGP”) regional Top 12 Finalists and Award Winners, including dancers who have progressed to the final round of the YAGP competitions held in New York. Bessler has been recognized as Outstanding Teacher for 5 consecutive years at YAGP (2016 - 2020) and with the Outstanding School Award in 2018. Additionally,  her dancers have been selected to compete in the highly prestigious Prix de Lausanne, the Vaganova Prix, and the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS. Furthermore, her students have received numerous scholarships to world-renowned schools and summer intensive programs.

 Vanessa holds degrees and certifications from the following institutions: Master of Business Administration, Barry University, Miami Florida; Postgraduate degree in Education, Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua, Republic of Panama; Bachelor of Arts, Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua, Republic of Panama; Bolshoi Academy Teacher Certifications, Cecchetti Method Teacher Certifications, and Royal Academy of Dancing Teacher’s training. She also completed a Teacher Training program at the renowned Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, and the Vaganova Ballet Academy.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CBSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Doris Slay-Barber

Treasurer

Lesley Remington

Secretary

Tim Bessler, Ed.D.

Camille Denton

Frank Morrill

Courtney Myers

Jennifer Todd

Shannon Turner

Martha Valadez


A Very Special Thank You

to our Circle of Supporters!

(*June 1, 2019 through December 4, 2020) 


President’s Circle

Carla and John Brozovich

Dance Center of San Antonio

Julian Gold

Kronkosky Foundation

San Antonio Area Foundation

Deborah and Frank Morrill

 

Director’s Circle


Producer’s Circle

Monika and Neal Dalrymple

 

Artist’s Circle

Camille and Laddie Denton

Susan and Steve Hassmann

Got It Covered Events, Inc.

Melanie and Robert Thomas

Zchicel and Ernest Trevino

 

Ambassador’s Circle

Lisa and Sergio Alvarado

Loan Oak Village 

Jessica and Jay Bryand

Cathy and Ronald Fronheiser

Elizabeth and Sean Kiehne

In Honor of Amy Kochheiser’s passion for Dance

Jenna and Jared Natho

Lesley and Mark Remington

Silver Eagle Distributors, Inc.

Debra and John Stephan

Still Life Photography by Alexander Devora

Jennifer and Jason Todd

Sonia and Gene Williams

Jessica Worth

 

Advocate’s Circle

Belles & Beaux

Michelle and Mark Bishop

Magdelena and Chris Bolner

Brooke and Walter Leddy

Dark Horse Sportz

Lee and Russell Marlowe

Courtney and Ryan Myers

Jennifer Orr & Victoria Orr-Kirsch

Suzanne and Michael Petrusch

Monica and Marcos Restrepo

Meredith Shindler

Sally and Robert Todd

The Gardenia & Musical Club

Vanessa and Gregory Van Cleave

 

Friend’s Circle

Brittany Bader

Debbie and Paul Bessler

Jill and Scott Bevans

Carlen Blume

The Bolner Family

Heather Carleston

Beth and Bill Clanton

Jason’s Deli (Pavillion’s Deli)

Jason Cotrell

Kristin Dean

Valerie Duffy

AnaLisa Duran

Lisa and Kevin Dunne

Desmond Michael Eckhart

Sheila Edmund

Dr. Kristin E. Eisenhauer and Mr. Adam M.  Eisenhauer

Kimberly Engquist

Sara Fackler

Erica and Duane Fisher

Ashley Foshee

Friend of CBSA

Ayano and Masaki Funamoto

Alice Garza

Gabriela Garza

Lula Elizabeth and John Garrett

Sarah and John Gillis

Kris Gottfredson

Jeska and Scott Harris

    and Mary Lea Ryon

Virginia and Jim Hartz

Norma Hassmann

Brandi Howell

Ingram Hills Dental

Patricia Kauhaahaa

Emily and Geoffrey King

Mackenzie Kirsch

Fernanda Kuri

Carmen and Carlos Kuri

Caitlin Loomis

Teresita Lozano

Felix Martinez

Genie Martinez

Yulanee McKnight

Brooke and Jared Meabon

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt

Debra and Mikel Merritt

Jennifer Mitchell

Delina Montgomery

Daria and Anthony Outhwaite

Orderup. (Lincoln Heights)

Suzanne and Brad Poynter

Zoe Reilly

Anita Remerowski, In memory of Margarita E Valdez

Maria Rivas

Mariko Rubio

Kendra Scott

Francoise and Allan Sell

Patricia Smith

Betty and Daniel Serna

Miriam Swegle Fan Club

Drs. Carla and Benjamin Vela

Heather Webb

Debraun and Adam West

Diane Woods

Lauren Zuniga

Nicole and Jose Zuniga

Virtual Event