Portraits by Alexander Devora Photography
Artistic Directors
Jose Gonzalez
Jose Edwin Gonzalez Amaya was born in Cali, Colombia, where he started his ballet studies at the age of eight at INCOLBALLET under the direction of Gloria Castro. Upon graduating, he danced with Ballet de Cali, performing both classical and modern repertoire. In 2002, he joined the Ballet Contemporaneo de Caracas in Venezuela; he danced the principal roles in Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Carmina Burana, Carmen, and others. In 2005 he was principal dancer with Ballet Teresa Carreno in Don Quixote. Later he joined Tulsa Ballet, where he danced in Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, La Sylphide, and Western Symphony. In 2009, he joined State Street Ballet as a principal dancer, dancing lead roles in Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Love Love, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Jungle Book. In 2011, he joined the cast of Neos Dance Theatre. Mr. Gonzalez dance with Charleston Ballet Theatre in 2012, performing Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante and Who Cares?, The Firebird, The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Dracula. He also danced with Newport Contemporary Ballet in Newport, Rhode Island. In 2014, Mr. Gonzalez joined Ballet San Antonio where he performed The Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, and Gabriel Zertuche’s Dracula, Arvo, Butterflying, and Ben Stevenson’s Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake. Mr. Gonzalez has worked with major choreographers and teacher such as Nina Novak, Maria Eugenia Barrios, Rumen Ivanov Rashev, Oscar Araiz, Jimmy Gamonet, Juan Carlos Penuela, Christopher Fleming, Rodney Gustafson, William Soleau, Jill Enthrone Bahr, Philip Neal, and Dominic Walsh. As an instructor, Jose is passionate about helping students master the "mechanics" of ballet—focusing on jumps, turns, and the physical strength required for high-level performance. He’s dedicated to nurturing the artistic growth of every student, from beginner to professional. Jose is committed to fostering an environment where discipline meets inspiration, empowering the next generation of dancers to reach their full potential.
Carol Tang
Carol Tang, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, began her classical training at the age of ten with Cincinnati Ballet. She had the privilege of performing with the company in ballet such as Val Caniparoli’s Nutcracker, Kirk Peterson’s The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Giselle. In 2004 & 2005, Mrs. Tang placed in the top 12 at the Youth American Grand Prix regional semi- finals. In addition to Cincinnati Ballet, Mrs. Tang has also studied at Ballet Internationale, Steps on Broadway, and China’s Shanghai Ballet. She has worked closely with Irina Chistyakova, Shellie Cash, Jian Qi, Deidre Carberry, Devon Carney, Xin Lili, Wang Qifeng, Erina Noda, Patrick Notaro and Ka-Ron Brown Lehman. She is a scholarship graduate, holds a BFA in ballet performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In 2011, she joined Newport Contemporary Ballet for three seasons. During her career, she has performed Giselle in Giselle, Soloist in Balanchines’s Walpurgisnacht, Principal in Paquita, Sugar Plum Fairy as a guest artist with Greenville Ballet, Le Corsaire and La Bayadere. With Ballet San Antonio, she has performed The Nutcracker, Ben Stevenson’s Romeo and Juliet as Lady Capulet, Balachine’s Donizetti Variations, Gabriel Zertuche’s Dracula, Arvo, Scheherazade and Butterflying. In 2015, before her debut as Odette/Odile in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake, she was promoted to Soloist in 2015. She has had the privileged of working with Dominic Walsh, Phillip Neal, Amy Fote, Janie Parker, and Willy Shives during her time at BSA. Specializing in the Vaganova method, Carol is known for her disciplined yet nurturing approach. She focuses on developing strong technical foundations, artistic expression, and injury prevention, ensuring that dancers of all ages—from toddlers to adults—attain their personal best. Beyond the barre, Carol is a dedicated mentor who draws on her journey as a first-generation professional to inspire resilience, work ethic, and a lifelong love for the arts in the San Antonio and Boerne communities.
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