Elizabeth Donabedian began her ballet training with Herci Marsden and soon after with

Christine Hennessy, Winthrop Corey, and Wayne Stewart. She furthered her studies through

summer programs and supplemental training with Sydney Leonard, Jimmy Capp and Laura

Young at Boston Ballet, David Howard at Steps, Jeanette Neill, and the Dance Complex of

Boston.

She went on to dance professionally with Festival Ballet of Rhode Island (now Ballet RI),

founded by Christine Hennessy and Winthrop Corey. During her career with the company,

Elizabeth performed numerous soloist roles in full-length classical ballets, including The

Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Midsummer, Grand Pas de Quatre, and

Giselle. Elizabeth also had the privilege of dancing Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie as well as

Arthur Mitchell’s Rhythmetron during her time at Festival Ballet. In addition to her classical

repertoire, she appeared in a variety of contemporary, modern, and jazz works through the

company's new choreographic showcases and repertoire performances. In recent years, she

has performed as a guest character artist with Festival Ballet Providence, Heritage Ballet, and

Ocean State Ballet.

For nearly four decades, Elizabeth has shared her passion for dance as a teacher of classical

ballet, pointe, and jazz. While dancing with Festival Ballet, she also coordinated outreach

programs for Providence schools and volunteered her time teaching ballet in after-school

programs. She also served as a rehearsal assistant and school choreographer, helping to

cultivate the next generation of dancers.

Throughout Rhode Island and other New England studios, Elizabeth has taught in numerous

dance intensives and workshops and served as Ballet Director at a local Rhode Island dance

school, where she choreographed, among many other classical pieces, a full-length production

of The Nutcracker. She has also spent more than twenty years choreographing and coaching

dancers for YAGP and other regional and national dance competitions.

Beyond her work in the dance community, Elizabeth holds a Master’s Degree in Education with

a concentration in Reading and is a certified Reading Specialist/Consultant and Elementary

Teacher. She has dedicated twenty-five years to educating students in the Providence and

Pawtucket school systems.

A former Miss Rhode Island, Elizabeth has remained active in the pageant community as both a

mentor and judge, and believes deeply in the Miss America mission of empowering young

women to lead through education and scholarship opportunities. Today, she continues to enjoy

teaching adult and teen ballet and jazz classes and finds great joy in watching her daughter

share the same love and appreciation for dance that has shaped so much of her own life. She

looks forward to continuing to inspire, educate, and share her love of dance with future

generations.