Cooke County Ballet Academy was founded in 1992, and is the oldest dance studio in Cooke County.

Director

     Stephanie Stoffels began dancing at the age of 8, in Phoenix, AZ. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Texas Christian University, majoring in Ballet.

     After college she toured Europe, dancing with Extraordinary Students of America / Youth in Action. Stephanie has danced with Ballet West, Mesa Civic Ballet, Denton Civic Ballet, and Festival Ballet of North Central Texas. She was Assistant Artistic Director for Denton Civic Ballet for the 1992 - 93 season. She has also choreographed for many of Gainesville’s Butterfield Stage and NCTC's  musicals.

     Stephanie has been teaching dance since 1984, and founded Cooke County Ballet Academy in 1992.  She has attended the Houston Ballet's Teachers Convention (2001), American Dance Master Teacher 2008 Summer Workshop at Oklahoma City University, and Dance Revolution's 2010 Refine Leadership Conference.

Stephanie is also a licensed Zumba Instructor and a member of the Zumba Instructor Network since February 2011. She began teaching Zumba in the Circuit at the Curves in Gainesville.

Faculty

     Brittany Scott, specializing in tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop and clogging, began dancing at the age of 6 at Amber's Dance School in Carrollton, Texas. She continued her dance training at Christian Dance Academy and Power Dance Productions where she studied clogging, ballet, pointe, tap, lyrical, jazz, and hip hop.

     At age 16, she won her studio's prestigious award of "Performer of the Year." She was also a member of the studio's competitive dance team from 7th-12th grade. At the age of 15, Brittany was recruited as a student teacher/choreographer. In 2001, Brittany participated in her high school theater production of The Lion, Witch, and The Wardrobe with a ballet performance as the white stag. During her time on the competitive dance team, they won several regional and national titles as well as performed with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

     Brittany graduated high school from Trinity Christian Academy and was invited to be on the McLennan Community College dance team along with a dance scholarship. They attended the National Dance Association Collegiate Nationals in Daytona, Florida in 2005 and won 2nd place overall.

     Brittany and her family recently relocated to Gainesville, TX.  She has been teaching dance in Plano and other locations for the last 10 years. Brittany began teaching at Cooke County Ballet Academy in 2012.