Lynette Mason Gregg founded Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theater in 1976. Having been involved with dance since the age of 3, she left the Houston area to continue her studies internationally. After a time in Europe and Asia, she established her first school in the Imperial Ballet of Tokyo, Japan. During this time, Ms. Mason Gregg was also exposed to the world famous Kirov and Bolshoi Ballet companies. Prior to returning to Texas, she continued her studies in Washington, D.C and New York City. In 1972, she founded the Royal Academy of Fine Arts with a desire to establish a professional training facility for aspiring dancers and to enrich the overall cultural atmosphere of the community. Ms. Mason Gregg served as the past president of the Regional Dance America (RDA) Southwest Region and the treasurer of RDA’s National Board. She formerly served as the Gulf Coast Regional Director to the Texas Assembly of Arts Councils and developed a ballet curriculum for San Jacinto College District where she served on the faculty for 2 years. In 1981, Ms. Mason Gregg was named Outstanding Citizen of Deer Park by the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Mason Gregg had also served on the board of the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County, now known as The Houston Arts Alliance. Ms. Mason Gregg passed away in October 2014.