Virginia Beach
Ballet Academy
About the Director
Born in 1964 in Havana, Cuba, Ana Maria Martinez fled her home country and settled in Norfolk, VA at the age of five. She began ballet training under the guidance of her mother Teresa Martinez, her uncle Enrique Martinez, as well as instructors Gene Hammitt, Perry Brunson from the Hartness Ballet Company, Susan Borrree from American Ballet Theater, and Patricia Sorrell from the Washington Ballet. In addition to ballet, she also studied jazz in the Luigi style, modern techniques such as Graham, Horton, and Limon, and even explored acting. When she was 9 years old, Ana-Marie received a full scholarship to American Ballet Theatre for their summer intensive, making her the youngest recipient. She later trained for three consecutive summers at the School of American Ballet in New York City, with a focus on the Balanchine technique
Ms. Ana Maria Martinez, age 14
At the age of eighteen, she relocated to Venezuela after being recruited to join the corps de ballet of the national ballet of Venezuela. While there, she showcased her talent in renowned ballets such as Swan Lake, Les Sylphide, Don Quixote, Giselle, and Coppelia (with her favorite role being Swanhilda’s friend in Coppelia), as well as other neo-classical pieces. She received training from esteemed dance instructors such as Jose Pares, Zhandra Rodriguez from the American Ballet Theater, and Vicente Nebrada. Following three years of performing in Venezuela, she continued her journey at the Minnesota Dance Theatre in Duluth, Minnesota.
In 1990, she returned to the Hampton Roads area and started teaching alongside her mother, occasionally assisted by her uncle Enrique. Together, they taught a variety of dance styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, and modern. In addition to this, she taught at various dance studios across the Hampton Roads region. In the late 1990s, Ana Maria became the primary teacher at Virginia Beach Ballet Academy (VBBA) after her mother stepped down from the role. Her mother still remained involved with the business, however, by giving corrections instead of actively teaching. In 2008 after the passing of her mother, Ana-Maria assumed the role of the sole artistic director of VBBA with the hope of preserving her family’s legacy.
Ms. Ana Maria Martinez, 2024
Ana Maria believes that dance is good for both the mind and spirit. Her favorite thing about teaching is witnessing her dancers’ development from novice to expert, and seeing their progress come to fruition. Her aim is to provide the Hampton Roads community with a comprehensive classical ballet education that incorporates elements from various styles of ballet, such as Balanchine, Vaganova, Cechetti, Royal, and Bournonville. Ana Maria’s commitment remains, irrespective of whether students pursue dance as a recreational, collegiate, or professional endeavor.