Artistic Staff

Susan Beil Connally ~ Artistic Director

BFA ~ Dance ~ The Boston Conservatory

Mrs. Connally became the artistic director of SAMet in 1987. In addition, she was elected President of Regional Dance America/Southwest in April, 2005. Her dedication to dance and local students has led her to devote countless volunteer hours to SAMet. Her choreography credits include numerous one and two-act ballets including "The Snow Queen," "Fairy Tale Garden," "A Soldier's Tale," "Peter and the Wolf," "Hansel and Gretel," and "La Boutique Fantasque." Two shorter works, "Psalms" and "Straussfest" were chosen to be performed at Regional Dance America/Southwest Festivals. A native of New Jersey, Mrs. Connally began dancing professionally at age 16. She graduated from The Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Dance. As a member of Boston Dance Theatre, she performed in classical ballets and concert-length modern and jazz works. She toured the US and Canada as a member of the American Guild of Variety Artists and Actors Equity Association, appearing in "Carousel," "Sweet Charity," "The Music Man," "South Pacific," "Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Lady in the Dark," "High Button Shoes," and "The Boy Friend." Mrs. Connally is the Artistic Director of Connally's Dance Workshop, Inc., founded in 1976. She was the recipient of the prestigious 2000 Stream Award from Regional Dance America/Southwest for artistic excellence and outstanding contributions to the organization. Mrs. Connally served for eight years as rehearsal assistant for Ballet West's production of "The Nutcracker" in San Antonio. Her grand opera choreographic assignments include "Der Freischutz" in Boston, "Tales of Hoffman," "Rienzi," "The Flying Dutchman" (Norman Bailey), "Die Meistersinger" (Giorgio Tozzi), and "La Traviata" (Beverly Sills) for the San Antonio Symphony, and "Don Giovanni" (Terry Cook), for Lyric Opera of San Antonio.

Karin L. Connally ~ Associate Director / Administrator

BFA~Dance~ The Boston Conservatory

Karin L. Connally, Administrator and Resident Choreographer for San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet since 2004, grew up, literally, in the dance studio now known as Connally's Dance Workshop, Inc. Ms. Connally received her BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Dance and Theatre in 1996. While in Boston, Karin was a member of the BCM Hoofers and Mizery & Company. Upon graduation, Karin became a member of the Peggy Spina Tap Company (NYC) and has worked on the creative team of such reputable companies as Steps on Broadway (NYC), Goodman Theatre (Chicago) and the Carver Community Cultural Center (Texas). She has served as San Antonio's local Ballet Mistress for Moscow Ballet's "Nutcracker" and Production Assistant for the Royal Ballet Covent Garden's production of "Sleeping Beauty" for their 2007 US tour. To further her education, Ms. Connally has attended the International Dance School's Teacher Workshop associated with the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS. Ms. Connally's choreography "Dayful of Song," which was chosen to be performed at the RDA National Festival in Pittsburg, PA, April, 2007, garnered her a scholarship to the Regional Dance America Craft of Choreography Conference in Seattle. Karin's latest work, "For Those Left Behind," was described by the San Antonio Express News as "a densely layered, colorful and amazingly touching ballet" and premiered in Richardson, TX at the RDA/SW Festival in April, 2008 receiving Gala Status. As a dance instructor for seventeen years, Karin has been a faculty member of Connally's Dance Workshop, Inc., San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet, North East School of the Arts and Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center.