Faculty

Cassandra Voborsky received training from Pamela Lauer, the Peabody Conservatory, the Hartford Ballet, the Washington School of Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her performing experience includes Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, contemporary modern and jazz works with Hartford Dance Theater, and classical repertoire such as Swan Lake with The Washington Ballet’s Young Dancers. Her final year of high school was spent in Oldenburg, Germany, where she had the opportunity to perform with the ballet company of the Oldenburgishes Staatstheater.

In January 1992, Cassandra joined Ballet Magnificat! She became a member of the touring company in 1993 and toured for over twelve years both nationally and internationally. Together with husband Jiri Sebastian, Cassandra served as one of the technical directors on the road. She was promoted to the Assistant Artistic Director to Kathy Thibodeaux in 2000. Cassandra retired from her professional career as a dancer in December 2004 during the annual Christmas gala performances of Ballet Magnificat! in Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, Mississippi.

Since the completion of her performing career as an artist of the company, Cassandra has directed the Trainee Program, developing it into an international division of Ballet Magnificat! with students from the United States and many foreign countries, including Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Germany, Poland, Macedonia, Canada, and Japan.

Cassandra has conducted ballet technique Master classes all over the United States, as well as Singapore, Greece, Belgium, Israel, Mexico, Honduras, the Dance Center Conservatory in Prague, the Czech Republic, and most recently in ballet schools in East London and Cape Town, South Africa. Cassandra was featured in the Braun Buffel world-wide ad campaign, shot in Singapore during the 2003 Ballet Magnificat! tour.

Cassandra and Jiri have three beautiful children Benjamin Isaiah, Maya Terezka, and Solomon Jeremiah.

Ms. Sol Maisonet was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At age 12 she started her training in classical ballet. Ms. Maisonet received many scholarships from the Puerto Rico Institute of Culture to continue training in Cuba and in New York City. Her instructors included Madame Maggie Black, Ramón Segarra, David Howard, Melissa Hayden, Juan Anduze, and José Pares.

For more than 25 years, Ms. Maisonet performed professionally as a Soloist and Principal Dancer with companies such as Ballet Puertorriqueño, Ballet Theatre of San Juan, Ballet Concierto, and Ballets of San Juan. In 1983, she was invited by the government of Colombia to perform as a Principal Dancer with the “Ballet Nacional of Colombia,” under Artistic Director Ramon Segarra. During her time there, she danced as the lead role in several original ballets choreographed especially for her, such as "Val’s of Ravel," Stravinsky’s "Firebird," "Symphony in Three Movements," and "Ciclos."

She performed principal roles in many classical ballets, including "The Nutcracker," "Les Sylphides," "Swan Lake," "Rites of Spring," "Tango Expectro," "The Merry Widow," George Balanchine’s "Rubies," "Serenade," "Who Cares."

In 1990 she was invited to represent Puerto Rico in Barcelona, Spain, at the 5th Iberoamerican Festival. Performing Cuban choreographer Petra Bravo’s piece, “Que Signo Lleva el Amor,” she became a finalist. In 1992, she joined recognized choreographer Gabry Christa from Holland and Gloria Llompart from Puerto Rico to found the dance company "Danzadentro."

In 1994 she once again represented Puerto Rico in Barcelona, this time with her own choreography, "Una Vez al Mes." Ms. Maisonet represented Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, performing in the Latin-American Dance Congress with Bravo's choreography, "Un Solo Dueto," and Gabry Christa's "Matutina.”

Ms. Sol Maisonet has taught classical ballet since 1977. She developed and enhanced the Dance Department Ballet Curriculum for the School of the Arts in Carolina, Puerto Rico and choreographed for several children’s musicals including “Lilipun” and “Aladdin.”

She has been the Guest Master Teacher for Summer Intensives at San Augustine Conservatory of Dance in FL, Rejoice Dance Academy in MS, Ballet Aviv in LA, and Ballet 5:8 in IL. She has served as the Ballet Magnificat Trainee Program Director and the Ballet Magnificat II Artistic Director. From 2001-2011 she served at Ballet Magnificat! as the School of the Arts Principal and developed the Upper School Ballet syllabus which is still in use today. From 2011-2016, she served as adjunct Dance Faculty for Belhaven University and was the Dance Ministry Ensemble Artistic Director. In addition, she served as Rehearsal Director for the fall and spring Belhaven dance concerts. She has trained many successful professional dancers during her career.

Currently, Ms. Maisonet is the Ballet Mistress for Ballet Magnificat! Company and School of the Arts, and is a Rehearsal Director and Master Teacher for the Trainee Company.