Dierdre Miles Burger,
Director Orlando Ballet School

Born in Burlington, Massachusetts, Dierdre Miles began her formative dance training with Margaret Prishwalko Fallon and subsequently the Boston Ballet School on a Ford Foundation Scholarship. Ms. Miles became an apprentice with Boston Ballet at age fourteen. Following her graduation from high school, she joined Boston Ballet as a full time member. From 1978 until 1982 Ms. Miles danced in New York City and Houston before returning to Boston Ballet in 1983. During her career she danced countless principal roles in the classical and contemporary ballet repertory but was most known for her portrayal of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and the Principal Stomper in Twyla Tharp’s Brief Fling. In June of 1993 Ms. Miles retired from performing and joined Boston Ballet’s Artistic Staff. In 1998, Ms. Miles was promoted to Artistic Coordinator. In September 2002 Ms. Miles was appointed Principal of Boston Ballet School. During this time she established Boston Ballet School Ensemble, Boston Ballet Trainee Program, and instituted a new school curriculum. Trained in dance notation, Ms. Miles was also on the faculty of The Boston Conservatory from 1991 until 2001. In the summer of 2006 she left Boston Ballet to move to Florida with her husband David Burger, where she continued to teach and coach on a free lance basis. In February 2009, Ms. Miles Burger became an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 7 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Since relocating to Florida Ms. Miles Burger has been a guest ballet mistress at Orlando Ballet on two occasions and taught in Orlando Ballet School's Summer Dance Program. In July 2010 she was appointed Director of Orlando Ballet School. She is thrilled and excited to be joining the fine group of artistic professionals that make up the Orlando Ballet!