Artistic Directors
Born in England, Cristina Stirling Munro, Artistic Director of the Corpus Christi Ballet, trained in ballet at the Arts Educational Schools in London and with some of Europe's finest teachers in the Cecchetti and Royal Academy methods of dance. She dances with Sadlers' Wells Opera at age 17 for one year, then joined the National Ballet of Holland. Ms. Munro returned to England for a special television production of Sleeping Beauty with Margot Fonteyn. She later joined the London Festival Ballet (now the English National Ballet) and was promoted to Soloist status. Cristina toured Europe, Asia, South America, and in Soviet countries. Then in 1968, Eliot Feld was invited to London to choreograph a ballet of the London Festival Ballet. Soon afterwards, Mr. Feld asked her to be a founding member of his newly-formed American Ballet Company. She danced as Principal soloist with the company in New York for two and one-half years.
Ms. Munro has also taught in various schools and as performed as a guest artist with other companies in the United States, including Edward Villella's New York Ballet Concert Company. She served as Co-Director of the Louisville Ballet with Richard Munro from 1973 to 1977. Cristina has taught on the faculty of the Dance Masters of America, the Southern Association of Dance Masters, and has been seminar coordinator of the Craft of Choreography Conference. She has produced several television specials on ballet, one of which won an Emmy Award. Ms. Munro was on the faculty of the Houston Ballet and served as the Ballet Mistress from 1980 to 1984. She has been the Artistic Director of the Corpus Christi Ballet since 1985, and she is the Director and Owner of the Munro Ballet Studios.
Cristina Munro
Alexandra Emory was a former Principal Dancer and Ballet Mistress for the Corpus Christi Ballet and now serves as a Co-Artistic Director. Alexandra received her dance training from the Houston Ballet, the Munro Ballet Studios, and Joffrey Ballet. She has performed leading roles in many of the Corpus Christi Ballet productions. Alexandra graduated from Carroll High School in 1994 and was invited to dance professionally with the Louisville Ballet Company. There, she performed in many of the classics, including: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Dracula, Coppelia, Peter and the Wolf, The Firebird, Carmina Burana, Raymonda, Les Patineurs, Gaite Parisienne, Billy the Kid, Gala Performance and numerous other works choreographed by the company. She returned to Corpus Christi in 1997 and joined the faculty at the Munro Ballet Studios. She also taught dance in the public school system at Chula Vista Fine Arts Academy for a year.
As a Principal artist with the Corpus Christi Ballet for eight years, some of her favorite roles include: "Snow Queen", and "Sugar Plum Fairy" in the Nutcracker. "Esmerelda Pas de Deux", "Odette" in Swan Lake, and "Swanhilda" in Coppelia. Alexandra has performed in Dallas and Abilene as a guest Artist in their Nutcracker, in the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. She was invited to perform in Naples, Florida, as Odette in Swan Lake and was a guest teacher with Abilene Ballet Theatre for their summer course. In 2005, Alexandra officially retired with her performance of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.
She will now concentrate on her role as Co-Artistic Director of the Corpus Christi Ballet and at Munro Ballet Studios teaching and coaching the next generation of dancers. She is thrilled to be married to Tom Emory, and they have five wonderful children between them!
Alexandra Emory
Professional Artists
Principal Dancers
Tyler Burkett
Olivia Awsumb
Mia Carvalho
Chrisi Carter
Elizabeth Hooper
Soloists
Emily James
Breanna Lozano
Magen Rangel
Company Members
Board & Staff
Administrative and Artistic Staff
Artistic Directors-Cristina Stirling Munro & Alexandra Emory
Rehearsal Assistant - Mia Carvalho
Resident Choreographer- Julie Green
Costumes- Jane Hooper & Elizabeth Hooper
Properties- Joe Krzeszewski
Special Effects -Joe Krzeszewski & Michelle Achenbach & Norm Achenbach & Faith Staudt
Photography -Alexandra Emory & Jim Hooper
Boutique Managers- Nicole Blalock & Amy Atkinson
Program Design- Jose Adrian Hernandez & Russell Rodriquez
Office Coordinator- Emily James
Office Assistant- Catherine King
Corpus Christi Ballet Board 2026/27
Executive Officers
President- Anita Saenz-Carvalho
1st Vice- President Ruben Lerma
2nd Vice- President Amy Atkinson
Secretary- Jackie Heath
Treasurer- Annette Morgan &
Nicole Blalock
Directors
Suzanne Lerma Perez
Shay Raymond
Amanda Urban
Julie Green
Emily Sefcik
Linn Byrum
Melinda Contreras
Mary Esther Martinez
Sarah Montez
Ashle Aligno
Rita Patrick
Stacey Tanet
Diana Quintania
Robin Murray
Sustaining Members
Deborah K. Wright
Gloria Ragan
Jennifer Henderson
James Kirkpatrick
Honorary Members
Xavier Barrera
Sue Carey
Ceatrice Kitchen
Charles & Mabs Pate
Larry & Bettye Roquemore
Ella Ilse Schmidt
Past Presidents
1974 - 1978 Larry Roquemore
1978 - 1983 Bill Woodhouse
1983 - 1984 Andrew Sewell, D.D.S.
1984 - 1985 Philip Cole
1985 - 1986 Kay Viles
1986 - 1987 Deborah K. Wright
1987 - 1998 Mary Anne Wilkinson
1988 - 2000 Becky Mingle
2000 - 2002 Carmen I. Bonelli
2002 - 2003 Joye A. LaBarrett
2003 - 2005 Brad Condit
2005 - 2007 Karen McIntire
2007 - 2009 Kimberly Kemp
Robin Murray
Anita Saenz
Orchestra
Maestro William Reber
William Reber (Conductor) is Director and Principal Conductor of the Lyric Opera Theatre at Arizona State University. Conductor for the Corpus Christi Ballet since 1986, Dr. Reber also serves as Studienleiter and head of the vocal coaching program for the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. As a recital accompanist, he has performed with singers and instrumentalists in Germany, Austria, Macedonia, and throughout the United States. Assistant conductor for the Arizona Opera production of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen in the summer of 1996, he is a frequent lecturer on opera with the Arizona Opera and in other venues. He has held the post of music director of the Minnesota Opera Company Studio, conducted the Corpus Christi Symphony's educational outreach concerts for six years, and was a member of the musical staff of the Minnesota Dance Theatre. He is the former music director of the symphony and opera at California State University, Fullerton and was founder and music director of the Chamber of the Symphony at the University of Texas at Austin. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Opera and Conducting at the University of Texas at Austin under the guidance of Walter Ducloux.
Corpus Christi Ballet Orchestra
Under the direction of William Reber
Violin Flute Trumpet
Philip Johnson Diana Sipes, Principal Chris Carrillo, Principal
Steven McMillan Naomia Seidman Ron Ledbetter
Co-Concermasters
Dawn Fairchild
Karen George Piccolo Trombone
Sixto Elizondo Jasmine Bartz Paul Hageman, Principal
Jose Flores Ed Avila
Oscar Diaz
Violin II Oboe Tuba
Nina Mavrinac, Principal Larry Mueller, Principal Dan Sipes
Nancy Reyes Amy Burgos
Kathleen Kono
Teresa Nyugen
Viola English Horn Timpani
Jennifer Cahill Clarke, Principal Serena Rowe Randy Fluman, Principal
Melissa Melendez
Stephanie Phillips
Jennifer Alger
Bass Clarinet Clarinet Percussion
James Warth Nancy King Sanders, Principal Victor Lara
Alan Olson James Young
Cello Bassoon Celeste
Susan Sturman, Principal James Roberson, Principal Arlene Long
Sarah Milnarich Cara Luffy
Jon Dexter
Colin Ferguson
Bass Horn Ballet Orchestra Manager
Melba Chatham, Principal Roger Simmons, Principal Robert Reed
Jeff Stone Sammy Posada
Alonzo Martinez
Wanda Avila Ballet Orchestra String Contractor
Nina Mavrinac