About Us
Armour Dance Theatre empowers young people through high-quality dance training, academic enrichment, and holistic development, removing barriers to access while creating pathways to opportunity, confidence, and artistic excellence that strengthen vibrant communities and inspire the next generation.
In our Academy, students develop technique, discipline, and confidence through rigorous dance training and performance opportunities. Through Pointes of Impact—our philanthropic initiatives—we remove barriers to access, ensuring more young people experience the same high-quality training, academic enrichment, and guidance that extends beyond the studio for their overall growth.
Together, our programs create a connected community rooted in excellence and access, where students grow as artists and individuals, grounded in confidence and possibility.
75+ Years of Artistic Excellence
1949
1988
2000
2016
Our Mission
Armour Dance Theatre uses the power of exceptional dance training to ensure every student reaches their full potential.
Vision
Arts education builds crucial life skills and has the power to transform a child’s future. Armour Dance Theatre will continue its legacy of making dance accessible to all children in our community regardless of income, race, ethnicity, gender identity, ability, or body type.
Leadership
Executive Director
Artistic Director
Academy Director
Marketing Director
Development Director
Director of Community Programs
Personnel & Operations Assistant
Registrar
Marketing Assistant
Board of Directors
Advisory Council
Our Founders
Thomas Armour
was a world-renowned classical ballet dancer, trained in Paris by the legendary Olga Preobrajenska. During his career, he was a principal soloist with the Ida Rubenstein Company, the Nijinska Company, the Woijikowski Company, the De Basil Company, and finally, Leonid Massine’s famed Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo. His performing contemporaries included; Alexandra Danilova, Igor Youskevitch, Andre Eglevsky, Rosella Hightower, Alicia Markova, and Frederic Franklin. One of his most celebrated roles was Vaslav Nijinski’s “Spectre de la Rose”.
After being drafted into Military Intelligence during World War II, Mr. Armour’s performing career ended. In 1949, after the war, he returned to South Florida, where he took over a small ballet school. He started the Miami Ballet Guild, which became the Miami Ballet, with 501c3 non-profit status, in 1951. The Miami Ballet’s goal was to provide first-class training and stage experience for aspiring dancers, by presenting full-scale classical ballets, with professional guest artists, such as Cynthia Gregory, Edward Villella, Natalia Makarova, Peter Martins, and Violet Verdy, to name but a few. Ballets presented, including Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, and La Bayadere. The Miami Ballet was also a co-founder of the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association (SERBA). Mr. Armour was honored with many awards over the years, most recently a “Lifetime Achievement” recognition from Dance For Life for his contributions to the South Florida dance community.
Robert Pike
was a member of the Miami Conservatory faculty and administration for over 47 years. Mr. Pike received his dance training at the Chicago Conservatory of Music and Ballet, and later at the Ballet Theater school in New York with William Dollar and Anatole Vilzak. For several seasons, he performed with New York City Opera Ballet as a soloist and with the touring companies of ”The Student Prince” and “Bells are Ringing”. In 1953 Mr. Pike returned to Miami to study with Mr. Armour, and joined the faculty of the Miami Conservatory and the Miami Ballet Company as a dancer and choreographer. He danced in many ‘summer stock ‘ productions in Miami and in such musicals as “Red Head” and “Pal Joey”. For several years Mr. Pike performed on cruise ships sailing in the Caribbean. Mr. Pike retired from the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet in 2006.
Ruth Wiesen
For nearly four decades, Ruth Wiesen has shaped the lives of thousands of young people through her unwavering belief in the transformative power of dance. As Founder of Armour Dance Theatre’s nationally recognized community programs, Ruth pioneered a model that combines exceptional dance training with academic support, social-emotional learning, and comprehensive wraparound services to help every child reach their full potential.
Under her visionary leadership, Armour Dance Theatre has grown into one of South Florida’s leading arts education organizations, serving more than 1,000 students annually through both its Academy and Community Programs. Her work has inspired generations of dancers, educators, and community leaders, while establishing a lasting legacy of excellence, opportunity, and inclusion.
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