Teruyo (Terry) S. Davis
Owner, Artistic Director
Terry S. Davis was born and raised in Japan and trained with Yurisu Ballet before moving to the U.S. Ms. Davis received her BFA (2009) and MFA (2011) in Ballet Pedagogy, choreography and character dance from the University of Utah. She also completed the teacher’s training course with the Vaganova Dance Society, held in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2012. Ms. Davis has been the owner, director, and the primary teacher of SLC Ballet since 2012.
While studying at The University of Utah, she served as assistant director of the Character Dance Ensemble (CDE) and a graduate teaching assistant and taught character dance classes, organized international tours and fundraiser performances in the department.
As a member of CDE, Ms. Davis studied in Spain, Japan, Greece, and Costa Rica. She performed in Edmonton, Canada, as guest artist in Vaganova Dance Society’s 20th anniversary gala in 2008. She also performed in the international gala performance as a dancer and choreographer in Tokyo, Japan in 2009, and at the National University of Costa Rica in 2010.
Her choreography has been presented in many local and international events such as Ballet Showcases and Graduate Concert at the U, ACDFA, Utah Ballet, Utah Regional Ballet, and galas in Japan and Costa Rica. Recently, her choreography has won 1st place at the Universal Ballet Competition in November of 2024.
Ms. Davis has staged excerpts and full length of many classical ballets for her school performances. These include: Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Le Corsaire, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, and Paquita.
Ms. Davis has been teaching ballet, pointe and character dance for 22 years now. Outside of her own school, her guest teaching experience include: the University of Utah, Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University, Utah Metropolitan Ballet, Clara Ballet School (Japan).
Her students have placed top 12 and qualified for NYC finals at Youth America Grand Prix competition, finalists and have been placed at top 3 at the Universal Ballet Competition Finals, and have been accepted to Vienna State Opera Ballet School, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, School of American Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Harid Conservatory, San Francisco Ballet School, Ballet West Professional Training Program, ballet programs of Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Utah Valley University, and University of Cincinnati.