Carolyn Zettel-Augustyn

Photo: Kelsey Sargeant.

Carolyn Zettel-Augustyn first began her ballet training in Canada and received a scholarship in the 1970’s by her teacher to attend The Washington School of Ballet. In 1983, she founded Academy of Dance, ON Canada and later opened a second location in Cambridge, ON. She headed up both locations as the school director for nearly 25 years. In 2006, she moved to NY and worked for ballet schools on Long Island and in 2011, she founded Classical School of Ballet LI. She was the first ballet teacher on Long Island to enter students in the ABT National Training Curriculum ballet exams. Zettel-Augustyn is an ABT Affiliate Teacher Pre-Primary through Level 7 and Partnering of the ABT National Training Curriculum. She is an ABT Affiliate Examiner and has been awarded an ABT Fellowship. Zettel-Augustyn holds teacher certification with Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association (CDTA) and has been awarded honourary Life-Time Member. During her tenure with CDTA she was appointed Chair of the Ontario Branch Ballet Division and invited and served on the Ballet Examiner Syllabus Committee. In addition, to her ballet certifications and education she is a Certified Yoga Teacher and Music Together Teacher.

Zettel-Augustyn has trained extensively as a teacher including; Canada’s National Ballet Teacher Training summer programs, David Howard’s teacher program and ABT National Training Curriculum. She has guest taught and adjudicated at conventions and festivals. Several of her former students are dancing professionally while others have become choreographers, dance teachers and professionals in their chosen field. She attributes her student’s success to the rituals and dedication learned from their ballet training.