About The Author
Meredith Mast has been performing, studying, and teaching ballet for over 40 years. Mrs. Mast began her ballet training in Miami, Florida, under the instruction of Carol Ravich, a former ballerina with the Boston Ballet, and Thomas Armour of the Miami Ballet. At age 14, Mrs. Mast was accepted into the Houston Ballet Academy on full scholarship. While in the Academy, she danced several of Ben Stevenson’s works, including the lead in Tangos for Emily, which was performed for Princess Christina of Sweden at the Academy’s annual concert.
At 17, Mrs. Mast was part of the Houston Ballet, where she danced roles in many of the classics, including Swan Lake, Giselle, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. She has also performed several Balanchine works, including Serenade, Four Temperaments, and Symphony in C.
Upon retiring from the Houston Ballet, Mrs. Mast earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating, Meredith pursued a career in human resources and also began teaching ballet. After moving to Madison with her husband in 1999, she designed a program specifically for children ages 3-9 called Storybook Ballet™. The children’s ballet program incorporates basic ballet instruction with costumes, props, music, drama, and children’s stories. In addition, she has taught classical ballet at all levels at various dance studios in and around Madison, Wisconsin.
Mrs. Mast’s passion is teaching and working with children. When teaching dance to young children, she believes in tapping into the child’s imagination and allowing the child to explore the beauty of dance. By making movement magical, she hopes to “plant the seed” for a love of the art form, which “will grow” individually. With older children and adults, she emphasizes proper classical ballet technique yet still provides opportunities for the students to move freely so that their love of dance will continue to flourish. Mrs. Mast is also a published author of her first Storybook Ballet original fairytale entitled Willow Rose Learns Honesty, which her mother coauthored. Mrs. Mast enjoys her home out in the country and is also the mother of four boys!
Book
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Willow Rose Learns HonestyIn this delightful introduction to her book series, we meet Willow Rose – who is lonely in her new garden. The flowers and the insects don’t want to be friends with her, fearful of her thorns. Then one day she tells a lie to a grasshopper. When she realizes that not being honest hurts, Willow Rose must learn to tell the truth no matter what. In practicing the virtue of Honesty, Willow Rose makes a friend and this, in turn, brings happiness.  |
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