Artisan School of Dance

Martha Carrasco Brem began dancing at the Royal Academy of Dance in Monterrey, Mexico when she was six years old. She studied classical ballet, Flamenco, tap, and modern dance. At age 13, Ms. Brem's love of ballet motivated her to seek a new ballet school where she would have performance opportunities with a Ballet Company. When the company director, Luz María Quintero, became ill, at age 16 Ms. Brem stepped forward to make her directorial debut with the company's last performance, Swan Lake. With Ms. Quintero's encouragement, Ms. Brem auditioned for La Escuela Superior de Música y Danza, a school of fine arts supported by the government of Mexico and established by Carmen Romano de López Portillo, then First Lady of Mexico. Ms. Brem and seven other dancers received coveted invitations to train a La Escuela Superior. Training included methodology of classical ballet taught in the Cuban Dance Technique, music appreciation, contemporary dance, music, anatomy of the human body, and child psychology. During the summers, Ms. Brem attended programs and workshops furthering her knowledge of classical ballet, including repertory, historical dance, and classical Spanish dance. As she continued to perform, her most notable performances include a performance in Mexico City in homage to Alicia Alonso, founder of the Cuban Technique. Ms. Brem also danced with La Escuela de Artes Escencias of the University of Nuevo León under the direction
of Carola Montiel and Ma. Eugenia Fuentes.

Ms. Brem's love of dance inspired her to send her résumè to the Joffrey ballet in New York City, where she secured an audition. As her parents, unfortunately, would not allow her to attend, she turned to Houston, TX, where an aunt resided. She married in 1982 and in began a family and in 1988 returned to dance with the Houston Ballet and Spring Academy of Dance. At this time Ms. Brem focused on specialized training for teachers by attending workshops with the Royal Academy of Dancing as well as in the school where she herself studied, La Escuela Superior in Monterrey, Mexico. Ms. Brem established her first business, The Dancing Bearettes, where she taught children under the age of 6. In conjunction with Lakewood Montessori School, Artisan School of Dance opened in 2000 offering instruction to students of all ages. Since 2003 Ms. Brem has been the sole Director and Owner of Artisan School of Dance. As a logical follow-up to her school, in 2007 Ms. Brem established Artisan Ballet Company, a non-profit company whose purpose is to encourage a love of dance in all her students as well as provide the Northwest Houston Community with quality ballet instruction and performances.