MARIA HILLARD – Instructor
Miss Maria has been studying dance at the Joan Harris Centre for over the past three decades. Throughout her career she has performed in hundreds of dances and numerous supporting roles including the Bar Wench in 2011’s production of Don Quixote, Courtier in the school’s 2010 production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Mercedes in the 2000 performance of Don Quixote. She assayed the role of Queen Clava in the original ballet Corciev, the Grieving Wood. Mrs. Hillard was the eloquent Queen in the 2015 production of The Sleeping Beauty. Most recently, Miss Maria wrote, staged, and directed the Halloween Shows production of “Twisted Pan.” She was a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers Dance Team. Maria served as a stage manager for a production of Smokey Joe’s Café and worked for Broadway Bound, a touring theatrical company that choreographs shows for the Queen Elisabeth II cruise ship. Maria directed the “Munchkins” for the National Tour of The Wizard of Oz. She also choreographed the Biblical musical The Song of Mark at St. Mary’s Church in Wilkes-Barre and portrayed “GOD” in the 2010 production of
Tales of Wonder. She also has performed in liturgical dance at the church for their Christmas and Easter masses. Maria graduated from Penn State University, main campus, in May of 2004 where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Human Development/Children Youth and Family and received her Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching from the University of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Hillard is a full-time teacher for the Wilkes-Barre Area School District where she also served on the reading curriculum committee, as chairperson. Maria helped conduct Kistler Elementary’s Spring Concert and choreographed their Flash Mob. Mrs. Hillard was the director of the school’s talent show. Maria works part-time for Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Emergency Room. She loves spending her “free time” with her handsome son Connor, coaching his soccer team, watching his baseball team and helping with his scouting troop. She has coached an “Odyssey of the Mind” team at Fairview Elementary and teaches CCD and CLOW at St. Jude Church in Mountain Top. Miss Maria also enjoys taking her beautiful girl, Mia Ann, to dance, gymnastics, t-ball and spending some relaxation time with her husband Michael.
