Brian Youngkin
An accomplished soloist and choreographer, Brian Youngkin holds a BFA in Dance from The UNC School of the Arts. After guest appearances with companies such as the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, Mr. Youngkin served as ballet master at the 1,000 student Pierrette Sadler Danceurs Studio in Raleigh, North Carolina, for fourteen years.
He is proud of the many accomplishments of his students including appearances on Broadway, television, and film. Mr. Youngkin's students can be seen performing for Cirque du Soleil, Alvin Ailey, Disney, and Jose Limon, as well as teaching or studying at Julliard, Butler University, and The UNC School of the Arts.
He currently serves as Resident Choreographer and Instructor at Infinity Ballet Conservatory, and is co-founder, with his wife, Cari-Lenn Youngkin, of The Conservatory of Dance Arts (CODA).
Cari-Lenn Youngkin
Cari-Lenn Youngkin grew up in Raleigh, NC and started training in dance at a very early age. Upon graduation, she trained at UNCSA before joining the Certificate of Dance Program at the world-renown The Ailey School (formerly known as The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center) in New York City. At completion of the Certificate Program, Cari-Lenn joined the staff of The Ailey School under the Direction of Denise Jefferson. Her dance credits include Foot Prints Dance Company under the direction of Freddie Moore, Spirit Wings Dance Company, Earl Mosely Diversity of Dance, Crossroads Theater Company, Urban Bush Women (apprentice) as well as solo works that were created specifically for Cari-Lenn. One special highlight was being invited to perform with the Broadway cast of the Lion King as a featured performer for a special performance. Returning to Raleigh in 2010, Cari continued her love for the arts through teaching and served on faculty at various ballet conservatories within the Raleigh, Cary and Apex communities. In the past several years, Cari-Lenn has been choreographing for the prestigious YAGP and ADC|IBC competitions where her solo works and artists have been award winning and top-placing finalists. Her students have gone on to dance with distinguished ballet companies such as The Stuttgart Ballet among others as well as have received trainee positions and scholarships to The Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School, Richmond Ballet, The Institute for American Musical Theatre, Philadelphia Ballet, Houston Ballet along with collegiate schools of dance. Cari-Lenn currently serves as one of the modern dance instructors as well as ballet instructors at The Raleigh School of Ballet, and is honored to be the co-founder/director of CODA - The Conservatory of Dance Arts with her beloved husband, Brian Youngkin.
