Faculty & Staff | Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet

The people of CRYB Jamestown, New York

Every dancer is shaped by the people who believe in them.

Meet the artists, educators, and leaders who bring care and experience to the studio each day.

01 / Leadership

Leading with purpose.

Portrait of Samantha Barczak — Samantha Barczak
School Director

01 Artistic leadership

An Upstate New York native, Samantha Barczak received most of her early dance training at Myers Ballet School before continuing her studies on scholarship at The Rock School for Dance Education, American Ballet Theatre, and the New York State Summer School for the Arts.

She began her professional career as a freelance dancer, appearing as a guest artist with Dayton Ballet, Northeast Ballet Company, Long Island Ballet Theatre, BalletFleming, and Contrast Dance Theatre. She also served as Ballet Mistress and Répétiteur for choreographer Christopher Fleming’s ballets in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. In 2009, she became Principal Dancer and Outreach Coordinator for The Rebecca Davis Dance Company.

After guest appearances with Pennsylvania Ballet, she joined the company full-time in 2011. Her featured roles there included works by George Balanchine, Matthew Neenan, Jiří Kylián, and Christopher Wheeldon. Alongside her performance career, she has taught as guest faculty at regional schools and continues to share her knowledge and passion with the next generation of dancers.

Portrait of Elizabeth Bush — Elizabeth Bush
Executive Director

02 Organizational leadership

Elizabeth Bush holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in Music Performance from Northern Michigan University. She brings a strong foundation in arts administration and nonprofit leadership to CRYB.

Previously, she served as Administrative Assistant to the Vice President at the Rhode Island School of Design and as Executive Director of the Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony. There, she tripled the organization’s operating budget and expanded its programming from one student group to three orchestras.

Her longstanding relationship with CRYB includes service as a Board Member and Stage Manager before becoming Executive Director. Now in her 14th year in the role, she oversees operations, development, and communications, working closely with the School Director to support the ballet’s artistic and organizational future.

02 / In the studio

The art of teaching.

Distinct paths, a shared commitment to helping dancers grow.

Portrait of Charles Fuller — Charles Fuller
Dance Instructor

Charles Fuller graduated from SUNY Fredonia in 2023 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. He began his training at The Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, studying music and dance.

He is pursuing a Master of Science in Biology at SUNY Fredonia. His thesis explores the relationship between posture and proper muscle usage while dancing. During graduate school, he choreographed works for the Merrins Fall Chamber Concert and Fredonia Dance Ensemble. He looks forward to helping dancers move safely and efficiently.

Portrait of Erin Saxton-Filkins — Erin Saxton-Filkins
Dance Instructor

Originally from California, Erin Saxton-Filkins studied classical ballet at Mojave Movement Arts, Phares School of Dance, and the California State Summer School for the Arts at California Institute of the Arts. She attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles and New York City.

For 24 years, she has worked in musical theatre as a choreographer, director, costume assistant, and designer. She directed and choreographed Finding Nemo Kids for Bemus Point Elementary in 2023 and designed costumes for The Great Comet of 1812 at Jamestown Community College. She has also spent seven years working with special education students and looks forward to helping CRYB dancers build a strong technical foundation.