August Tye, RAD RTS
Founding Artistic Director and Ballet Instructor
Ms. Tye began her dance training in Kalamazoo, Michigan, under former Royal Winnipeg Ballet member Therese Bullard, studying ballet, modern, highland dance, and Irish dance. She performed with the Kalamazoo Ballet Company, taking on lead roles in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. At 15, she was awarded Best Young Choreographer by Regional Dance America and later received the Monticello Choreographers Award twice, leading to invitations to choreograph nationwide.
In 1991, August joined Maria Tallchief's School of Chicago Ballet as a dance instructor and began training at Joel Hall Dance Center. She has danced with many notable Chicago companies, including Joel Hall Dancers, Salt Creek Ballet, and Second City Ballet. Since 2005, she has served as the Ballet Mistress for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, choreographing and staging numerous productions.
In 1993, August founded the Hyde Park School of Ballet, now Hyde Park School of Dance, where she continues to serve as Artistic Director and principal ballet instructor. In 2017, she completed the Royal Academy of Dance Teachers Course and is a Registered Member of the RAD and certified to offer the RAD Silver Swans Program.