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Instructors

Steven McMahon

Artistic Director, Ballet Memphis

Steven McMahon

Brandon Ramey

Co-Director School and Youth Ballet Memphis

Brandon Ramey

Virginia Pilgrim Ramey

Co-Director School and Youth Ballet Memphis

Virginia Pilgrim Ramey

Eileen Frazer

Teaching Artist and Community Programs Manager

Eileen Frazer

Julie Niekrasz

Rehearsal Director

Julie Niekrasz

Ben Delony

Rehearsal Director

Ben Delony

Emilia Sandoval

Company Artist

Emilia Sandoval
Steven McMahon

Artistic Director, Ballet Memphis

Steven McMahon

Steven McMahon was born in Glasgow, Scotland, where he began his dance training at The Dance School of Scotland. In 2001, Steven moved to the United States to continue his studies at the Ailey School in New York City, where he graduated with honors. In 2004, Steven joined Ballet Memphis as a company dancer and, for the next 13 seasons, danced in much of the company's original repertoire by noted choreographers such as Julia Adam, Trey McIntyre, Mark Godden, Matthew Neenan, and Gabrielle Lamb.


In 2005, Steven created his first work, "What Your Soul Sings," for the dancer-produced program Interiorworks. Soon after, Ballet Memphis's Founding Artistic Director, Dorothy Gunther Pugh, named him Choreographic Associate. Since then, Steven has created over 40 original works that show a great range in scale and style. Major full-length productions for Ballet Memphis include Dracula, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, and the Wizard of Oz. Steven continues to expand his repertoire with works such as A Rare and Gentle Thing, which is danced to the music of icon Dolly Parton, and This Form Shall Rest by bluegrass/folk musician Rhiannon Giddens. Steven has collaborated with several Memphis-based artists and musicians, including visual artist Erin Harmon (Flyway), Memphis record Label Unapologetic and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for his dance film Out of the Blue; his work Confluence was performed at the Joyce Theater in NYC; his works I AM and Being Here with Other People have been seen at the Spring to Dance Festival in St. Louis.


Steven received the Young Scots Achiever Award in 2001. He graduated from the New Memphis Leadership and Development Institute and is a fellow of National Arts Strategies Senior Leadership and the Salzburg Global Seminars Young Cultural Innovators program. Steven is a member of Dance Memphis, which promotes dance in his adopted city. In 2018, he was named Artistic Director of Ballet Memphis, a position he still holds today.

Brandon Ramey

Co-Director School and Youth Ballet Memphis

Brandon Ramey

Brandon Ramey is a native of Boston, Massachusetts and joined Ballet Memphis in 2009 as a company artist. He trained at the Boston Ballet School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and received a full merit scholarship to the prestigious San Francisco Ballet School where he was also a trainee. Career highlights include Matthew Neenan’s The Darting Eyes and Water of the Flowery Mill, Trey McIntyre’s Memphis Suite and In Dreams, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Charming in Steven McMahon’s Cinderella, and the male lead in Balanchine’s Square Dance. He retired from the stage in 2023 and is now Co-Director of Ballet Memphis School and Youth Ballet Memphis with his wife, fellow former company dancer, Virginia Pilgrim Ramey. They have 2 daughters.

Virginia Pilgrim Ramey

Co-Director School and Youth Ballet Memphis

Virginia Pilgrim Ramey

Virginia Pilgrim Ramey is a native of Memphis, TN. She began her training at the Ballet Memphis School and joined the professional company at the age of 17. Her career highlights include the leading roles in Giselle and Steven McMahon’s Cinderella, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, and the female lead in George Balanchine’s Square Dance. While with Ballet Memphis, she has also had the great privilege of dancing featured roles in many world premieres by contemporary choreographers such as Julia Adam, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Mark Godden, Alia Kache, Gabrielle Lamb, Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Crystal Perkins, and Reggie Wilson. She retired from the stage in 2023 and is now Co-Director of Ballet Memphis School and Youth Ballet Memphis with her husband, fellow former company dancer, Brandon Ramey. They have 2 daughters.

Eileen Frazer

Teaching Artist and Community Programs Manager

Eileen Frazer

Julie Niekrasz

Rehearsal Director

Julie Niekrasz

Ben Delony

Rehearsal Director

Ben Delony

Emilia Sandoval

Company Artist

Emilia Sandoval