Springfield Ballet Company - STAFF

Julie Ratz (Artistic Director) received her B.S. in Dance Performance/Choreography from Illinois State University and was a full scholarship Graduate Fellow in Exercise Physiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation at Northeastern Illinois University. Julie was a principal in SBC productions and is an instructor/choreographer at Dance Arts Studio, Inc. She has performed with the SBC, ISU University Dance Theatre, Twin Cities Ballet Company, Scottish American Ballet Company in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Harvard University Summer Dance Program. She studied dance in Chicago at Ruth Page, Lou Conte and Joseph Holmes dance studios. She has received the Springfield Area Arts Council City Arts choreography award and was a member of the Illinois Arts Council Dance Panel. Julie has choreographed Camelot and Scrooge for Springfield Theater Center, and How to Succeed in Business..., Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Annie Warbucks and Miss Saigon for The Muni. She performed the role of Mona in Muni’s Chicago, co-choreographed CATS and co-directed and choreographed Urinetown: The Musical for Over the Moon Productions. Julie is a member of the Illinois Arts Council “Partners in Excellence” panel.

Sally Hamilton (Business Manager) joined the Springfield Ballet Company in August of 2007. Prior to joining SBC, Sally worked for 25 years at Memorial Medical Center in the Human Resources Department coordinating recruitment, employee relations and event planning. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Western Illinois University. Sally has been an active volunteer in the community for SBC, Springfield Theatre Center, Springfield Muni Opera and Sacred Heart - Griffin High School.

Gina DeCroix (Ballet Mistress) holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Communication from the University at Illinois at Springfield. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in Dance Performance from Illinois State University and is an instructor/choreographer at Dance Arts Studio, Inc. Gina has performed in and choreographed for countless SBC productions and has performed with the Scottish American Ballet in the Edinburgh Arts Festival Fringe. She has choreographed SHG’s productions of Beauty & the Beast, Suessical: The Musical, and State Fair, and is the choreographer for SHG’s Encore! and Premiere. Gina is actively involved in community theatre, having performed the role of Rumpleteazer in CATS and Little Becky Two-Shoes/Mrs. Millennium in Urinetown: The Musical for Over the Moon Productions, as Bebe in A Chorus Line and in Miss Saigon for Muni, and in ADHD’s recent production of Danger Adult Content II. She recently attended the Paul Taylor Dance Company Winter Intensive in New York City.