Nancy Gore graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1970. She has performed with local civic companies, community theater, and university musicals and has also participated in numerous workshops and masters classes from Las Vegas to New York.

Nancy has owned and operated her studio, Ballet Abilene, since 1983. Her ballet company, Abilene Ballet Theatre, was also established in 1983 and became a performing member of Regional Dance America in 1987. In 1993, ABT hosted the RDA/Southwest Festival.

Nancy has served on the dance panel for the Texas Commission on the Arts for two years and currently serves as historian for the RDA/SW board. Most recently, Nancy served as Festival Chairperson for RDA/SW Festival which ABT hosted in Abilene in April of 2005.

Nancy is happily married to Richard Gore, and they have three children: Lisa, Eric and Laura, and two grandchildren: Lily Claire and Richard Miles Etter.

Lisa Gore-Etter graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance in 1996. While attending OU on a ballet scholarship, she performed with the Oklahoma Festival Ballet under the direction of Mary Margaret Holt. In 1994, Lisa was crowned Miss University of Oklahoma and received special recognition for her dance talent.

Lisa has enjoyed working for her mother, Nancy Gore, and teaching both ballet and jazz to all ages since 1998 at Ballet Abilene. She has continued performing with her former regional company, Abilene Ballet Theatre. In addition to performing, Lisa has choreographed several works for ABT. In 2002, Lisa was one of 10 in the nation to be awarded the Monticello Scholarship for Choreography at Regional Dance America/ Southwest Festival for her work, "Valse Triste." In 2005, Lisa was awarded the "Excellence in Choreography" Scholarship for her piece "Beyond the Sea" by RDA/SW.

Lisa is happily married to Cary Etter, and they have two children: Lily Claire and Richard Miles.