Faculty & Staff | BALLET CENTRE DOWNTOWN

Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy

ADAM SKLUTE

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, BALLET WEST

Since 2007, Adam Sklute has expanded Ballet West’s outlook, repertoire, and visibility with exciting company premieres, increased touring, heightened public exposure, and a greater focus on the Ballet West Academy. Mr. Sklute began his training in Oakland, California and was with The Joffrey Ballet for twenty-three years, starting in New York as a dancer where he was one of the last two artists personally chosen by Robert Joffrey for his company. He became Ballet Master in 1995 and was part of the team that moved the company from NY to Chicago. In 2004 he became the Associate Director of the Joffrey Ballet. Mr. Sklute has extensive television and film credits and is an Adjunct Professor at The University of Utah as well as a teacher, lecturer, coach, and judge for ballet schools, competitions, and companies worldwide. Mr. Sklute was listed as one of the 25 Movers and Shakers of the Utah Arts Scene in 2007. In 2014, he was named one of Utah’s Enlightened 50, and he received the Utah National Guard’s Bronze Minuteman Award for outstanding service to Utah and the nation. Mr. Sklute was awarded the Utah Diversity Connection’s Business Award for “Outstanding Commitment to Diversity Initiatives,” and Westminster College’s MLK Unsung Hero Award for his ongoing work to promote inclusivity and diversity in ballet and in our community. Most recently, Mr. Sklute was included in Deseret Magazine’s 25 Changemakers of the West for his efforts to build greater equity and inclusion in classical ballet. In 2016, Mr.Sklute took on the dual positions of CEO and Artistic Director of Ballet West for the year.

EVELYN CISNEROS-LEGATE

DIRECTOR, BALLET WEST ACADEMY

Evelyn Cisneros-Legate was Prima-Ballerina of The San Francisco Ballet for many years beginning under Lew Christensen (brother of Ballet West founder Willam Christensen) and continuing under its current Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson. Ms. Cisneros-Legate holds an honorary doctorate from both Mills College and the University of California at Monterey Bay. Considered one of America's leading ballerinas and the first Mexican-American principal ballerina, Ms. Cisneros-Legate is a renowned dance educator who has taught at some of the most prestigious dance schools in the world, a former Principal at The Boston Ballet School, she is a sought-after adjudicator and speaker. 

SARAH TAYLOR

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS, BALLET WEST ACADEMY

Sarah Taylor began her role at the Ballet West Academy in 2021 after previously serving as the Director of Company Management. In that role, Ms. Taylor coordinated tours, and managed wellness programs, budgets, contracts and licensing for the Artistic department. She worked closely across departments and was the primary contact for the Ballet West company dancers, beginning with the organization in 2014. She received a Master’s Degree in Art History from the University of Oregon in 2012 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts from Utah State University where she studied Art History, Music, and Philosophy. Ms. Taylor has taught introductory Art Appreciation courses at Utah State University since 2012. Education is the tradition in her family, with the legacy of both of her parents and several grandparents teaching everything from Piano, to Health, to AP Calculus. She is delighted to support the artists and educators that make up the Ballet West Academy. Ms. Taylor lives with her husband and two boys, the oldest of whom is a Beginning Ballet West Academy student.

KATHERINE LAWRENCE

PRINCIPAL, JESSIE ECCLES QUINNEY BALLET CENTRE AND TROLLEY CORNERS CAMPUSES

Katherine Lawrence was named Principal of the Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre and Trolley Corners Campuses in June 2021 upon her retirement from a thrilling 23-year performing career.  A native of Fairfield, Connecticut, Ms. Lawrence trained at Connecticut Dance School and The Harid Conservatory, where she graduated as Valedictorian in 1998.  She performed with The Hartford Ballet for a year before joining Ballet Internationale, Indianapolis in 1999.  There she quickly rose to the rank of Soloist.  In 2004, Ms. Lawrence joined Ballet West, retiring as a Principal Artist in May 2021.  She has also performed with The Universal Ballet of Korea, as a guest with numerous regional companies and schools, and is a founding member of contemporary dance companies NOW-ID, RUUDANCES, and Dance Grand Moultrie.  Ms. Lawrence holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Ballet with a Teaching Emphasis from the University of Utah and has been a sought-out guest teacher throughout the course of her performing career.  She is married to former Ballet West dancer Aaron Orlowski. Together they are the proud parents of two boys. 

JEFF ROGERS

PRINCIPAL FACULTY AND DIRECTOR OF ACADEMY MEN’S PROGRAM

Born in Virginia in a southern military family, Jeff Rogers began his early training at the age of nine in Germany under Maureen Gergun, a former Soloist from the Royal Ballet in London. He then continued his formation at the Olaker Youth Civic Ballet in Chester, Virginia, under Christine Parks, an original member of the Ballet Society, which became the American Ballet Theatre.

Mr. Rogers was awarded full scholarships to the School of American Ballet in New York where he trained under renowned teachers Stanley Williams, Andrei Kramirevsky and Richard Rapp. On another full scholarship at the National Academy of Arts in Illinois, he completed his formation in the Vaganova, Bournonville and Cecchetti techniques, working with such great teachers as Petrus Bosman, Georgina Parkinson and Valerie Taylor of the Royal Ballet and Francesca Corkle of the Joffrey Ballet, , Larissa Skylanskya, Flemming Halby and Toni Lander and Erik Bruhn of The Royal Danish Ballet.

The honor being one of the first recipients of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Award for Artistic Excellence in dance, ultimately led Mr. Rogers to a long career as Principal dancer with Ballet West in Salt Lake City under the artistic directorships of Bruce Marks, John Hart and Jonas Kåge.

Mr. Rogers has danced all of the major principal roles in the classical repertoire from Albrecht to Siegfried as well as in the best contemporary works by renowned choreographers including Val Caniparoli’s The Lady of the Camellias and Lambarena, John Neumier’s Age of Anxiety,Eugene Loring’s Billy the Kid, John Butler’s Carmina Burana, Paul Taylor’s Company B, Antony Tudor’s The Leaves are Fading, Hans Van Manen’sPolish Pieces, and William Forsythe’s Artifact II.

Currently a Principal teacher at the Ballet West Academy, company teacher for Ballet West, and a Master Teacher and Judge for the world renowned YAGP, he has also been an adjunct professor for the University of Utah’s Dance Department. Rogers also teaches at companies and schools nationally and internationally.

CATHERINE BATCHELLER

PRINCIPAL FACULTY AND ARTISTIC ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

Catherine Batcheller’s international career as a principal dancer spanned the San Francisco Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet and the Birmingham Royal Ballet where she worked with some of the 20th century’s most significant choreographers of our time such as Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Maurice Bejart, Sir Peter Wright, Hans Van Manen, David Bintely, Stanton Welch, James Kudelka and Wayne McGregor as well as dancing principal roles in works by John Cranko, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and Sir Frederick Ashton.

Ms. Batcheller has worked as a guest teacher and choreographer, working with such schools and companies as Alberta Ballet School, Atlanta Ballet, Belhaven University, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, Portland Ballet, San Fransisco Ballet, Indiana University, Texas Christian University, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Walnut School for the Arts and SLK Ballet.

From 2010-2016, she served as Dean of the Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy for six years where she directed both the year round program and their international Summer Intensive and also taught as adjunct faculty at Cincinnati College of Music. Prior to her work with Cincinnati Ballet, she was the Artistic Director at Ballet Conservatory of South Texas which included both a student company and academy.

In 2001, Ms. Batcheller co-founded and co-directed Configuration Dance, a project based company that showcased contemporary and classical ballets as well as commissioned works from established and emerging choreographers. It celebrated the diversity in dance by bringing different artists from different backgrounds together to dance in a variety of styles of work. In 2004, she founded and directed the school for Configuration Dance.

Ms. Batcheller holds a M.A. in Dance in Education and the Community from Birmingham University, England. For more information visit catherinebatcheller.com

COURTNEY HELLEBUYCK

PRINCIPAL FACULTY AND STUDENT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Courtney Hellebuyck began her professional ballet training at The San Francisco Ballet School. She progressed through all of the levels and was then invited to be a part of the inaugural year of the San Francisco Ballet Trainee Program. She then went on to dance professionally with Pennsylvania Ballet, and toured to Edinburgh, Scotland in Christopher Wheeldon’s “Swan Lake”. From there, Ms. Hellebuyck joined Smuin Ballet, under the Direction of Michael Smuin, where she danced in several World Premiere's created on her by Michael.  Ms. Hellebuyck then went on to join Cincinnati Ballet, and danced many leading roles including "Bomb Squad Girl" in Twyla Tharp's "Upper Room", "Marie" in Val Caniparoli's "Nutcracker", & "Demi-Soloist" in Balanchine's "Theme and Variations". After retiring from the stage, Ms. Hellebuyck became Full-Time Academy Faculty + Adult Programming at the Otto M. Budig Academy at Cincinnati Ballet. She has been certified to teach in Group Fitness from A.F.A.A. partnered through N.A.S.M. and has been certified in Barre Fitness at The Ballet Physique Fitness Studio. Ms. Hellebuyck has taught every Division at Cincinnati Ballet including Company Class, as well as being a Rehearsal Assistant for Nutcracker, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, Snow White, and the World Premiere of Victoria Morgan's Dancing to Oz. In August 2020, Ms. Hellebuyck became the Associate Artistic Director of Eastern Connecticut Ballet under the direction of Gloria Govrin, where she choreographed for ECB’s Virtual Nutcracker, as well as Spring Showcase. Ms. Hellebuyck is thrilled to now be Ballet West’s Student Rehearsal Director, where she can bring her knowledge and experience to the students, to bring to the stage for each and every performance.

STACEY MAHAN

PRINCIPAL FACULTY AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM

Ms. Mahan danced with New York City Opera Ballet, Ballet Repertory, and Ballet Ambassadors. In addition, she performed with Anna Sokolow’s Player’s Project, a Graham style modern dance company. Recognizing her passion for education, Ms. Mahan retired from the stage early in her performing career to pursue teaching the next generation of dancers.

Ms. Mahan earned her bachelor's degree from New York University, where she graduated with Magna cum Laude Honors and her Masters in Arts Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. At Harvard, she studied cognitive development and was awarded the Van Otterloo Scholarship for Excellence in Early Childhood Education.

Ms. Mahan began her teaching career as the youngest faculty member at STEPS on Broadway in New York City, where she taught ballet and developed curriculum for ages four through pre professional. Ms. Mahan worked in the Education Department of American Ballet Theatre for ten years. There, she adjudicated the national audition tour for the summer intensive program, designed the premier Young Dancer Program Summer Intensive, and worked extensively in educational outreach; including teaching and choreographing for the award winning Make a Ballet Program, which is presented at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center.

Ms. Mahan’s early training began with her mother, Sondra Forsyth, who trained with Thaila Mara; as well as Frank Ohman, a former New York City Ballet dancer; and Jan Hanniford Goetz, a former Joffrey Ballet dancer. Her later teachers included David Howard, Wilhelm Burman, Nancy Bielski and Peff Modelski, as well as Olga Kostritsky for character dance.  This blend of training that includes Balanchine, Vaganova and Checchetii methods informs Ms. Mahan’s current teaching practices.

Additional teaching credits include School of Ballet Arizona, Arizona School for the Arts, Manhattanville College, Director of Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance.

In 2014, Ms. Mahan moved to Utah and began teaching at Ballet West.  She is delighted to be a part of the quality training offered in a positive atmosphere. Ms. Mahan and her husband have two boys and two dogs and love living in Salt Lake City.  

JAMES PAYNE

PRINCIPAL FACULTY & TRAINEE COORDINATOR

James Payne began his training in Phoenix Arizona with Michel Fokine’s niece Nina Marlow. His performing career with Ballet West (1989-1994) and Houston Ballet (1994-2001) gave him the opportunity to perform internationally working with exceptional choreographers and coaches. He has over 35 years of professional experience in the Art of Ballet.

Excelling at both classical and contemporary work allowed him to perform soloist and principal roles in all the classics as well as work by Ben Stevenson, Christopher Bruce, Ronald Hynd, George Balanchine, Val Caniparoli, Glen Tetley, William Forsythe, John Neumeier, Eugene Loring, Helgi Tomasson, Peter Martins, Jiri Kylian, Trey McIntyre, and more.

Upon his retirement from the stage, he served as Houston Ballet’s company manager and then co-founded and directed a student performing company and school for 17 years in the Woodlands, Texas. Jim has choreographed and produced 5 full length ballets and many one act ballets. He has served as Philadelphia Ballets School Director, Houston Ballet Academy faculty, and sat on the board of AGMA. Jim continues to serve as a Master Teacher and judge for YAGP and repetiteur for Trey McIntyre, staging his ballets internationally.

After his family, Jim’s biggest passion is teaching and mentoring the next generation of Artists. 

CALVIN KITTEN

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP

DIRECTOR OF BALLET WEST II/REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, BALLET WEST

Calvin Kitten began his dance training at the California Ballet School in San Diego, and continued training at the State Ballet School in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, and at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. Calvin joined the Joffrey Ballet in 1991. During his 19 years with the Joffrey, Calvin performed many principal and soloist roles while touring within the United States and internationally. Calvin has received two Ruth Page Awards, been featured on the cover of Dance Magazine, and appeared in numerous films. In 2010, Calvin joined the teaching faculty at the University of Utah’s ballet department. Calvin joined the Ballet West artistic staff as Director of Ballet West II in 2015.

PAMELA ROBINSON-HARRIS

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP

PRINCIPAL REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, BALLET WEST

Pamela Robinson-Harris has served as Ballet Mistress for Ballet West for 20 years, as well as the Company’s Interim Artistic Director from 2006-2007. Her career began with the Cleveland Ballet, followed by the State of Alabama Ballet in 1982 and Ballet Mississippi in 1984.

Pamela joined Ballet West in 1985, advancing to Principal in 1988. During her career, Pamela performed in some of the most prestigious theatres in America, performing principal roles in most major classical works, including those of George Balanchine, Val Caniparoli, Sir Frederick Ashton, and Ben Stevenson. Pamela, together with Associate Director of Ballet West II, Peggy Dolkas, co-choreographed three ballets for Ballet West’s Family Series – The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. She also reworked major sections of Ballet West’s productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Giselle, and has choreographed for Ballet West II and the Ballet West Academy Professional Trainee Division.

JANE VICTORINE WOOD

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP

ACTING PRINCIPAL REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, BALLET WEST

Born in Washington, DC, Jane Victorine Wood  received her formative training at the Washington School of Ballet with Mary Day, Alice Bralove and Julio de Bittencourt.

At 15, she was invited to perform with the Grand Theatre de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, where she performed numerous Balanchine ballets under the direction of Patricia Neary and George Balanchine.

After returning to the States, Ms. Wood continued her studies at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, as a ballet major on a Ballet West Guild scholarship. She joined the corps de ballet of Ballet West in 1981 and rose through the ranks to Principal Dancer in 1986, where she performed until 2001.

Ms. Wood performed title roles in Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Coppelia, Giselle, and Lady of the Camelias, as well as a full range of classical and contemporary works by world renowned choreographers, including George Balanchine, John Neumeier, Val Caniparoli, Peter Anastos, and Lila York, to name a few.

During her last year of dancing with Ballet West, she completed her B.F.A. in Ballet with a Performance Emphasis, and joined the faculty of the ballet department at the University of Utah. From 2001-2003 she served on the faculty at Florida State University as a Visiting Assistant Professor.

Returning to Utah, Ms. Wood continued to teach at the University of Utah, for Ballet West company class and for the Ballet West Academy.

In 2011, she was invited by Adam Sklute, Artistic Director of Ballet West, to join the artistic staff of Ballet West as Ballet Mistress.

With her current title as Rehearsal Director of Ballet West, Ms. Wood teaches the main company and second company, restages and rehearses the current repertoire, performs character roles and teaches in the Ballet West Academy Summer Intensives.

JENNIFER HILDRETH

SENIOR ACADEMY OPERATIONS MANAGER AND ADMINISTRATOR PARK CITY CAMPUS

Jennifer Hildreth has trained in dance her entire life and is currently based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance and a minor in Business. She began dancing at the age of 3 and trained with the Rockbridge Ballet in her hometown of Lexington, Virginia. Jennifer joined Ballet West Academy in 2019, where she worked as an Intern, Administrative Assistant, and Campus Administrator. Recently, she was promoted to the Senior Ballet Centre Operations Manager. Ms. Hildreth has a passion for performing as well as working in arts administration. She hopes to continue pursuing a career in arts administration alongside a professional company. In addition, Ms. Hildreth loves to travel and spends a lot of her time in national parks and other wilderness areas. In her spare time, she enjoys swing dancing, skiing, hiking, and horseback riding. She hopes to inspire others by sharing her love for dance, the outdoors, and art.

JESSICA BAYNES

FULL-TIME FACULTY AND ADULT PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Jessica Baynes is a dance artist and educator based in Salt Lake City, Utah. A former TEDx speaker and United Nations presenter, Ms. Baynes is a passionate advocate for the arts. Ms. Baynes graduated from San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts with an emphasis in dance, and attended University of Utah School of Dance on merit scholarship, where she received her BFA in Modern Dance. In 2016, Ms. Baynes founded an arts-and-medicine initiative called Healing in Motion Dance, which offers rehabilitative ballet classes to patients with neurological conditions that impair movement such as Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. 

Ms. Baynes work in dance education and adaptability have been featured by platforms such as TED.com, United Nations Civil Society, and National Dance Education Organization. She has received dance educator awards and scholarships from organizations such as National Dance School of Panamá, Movement Exchange, and National Dance Education Organization.

Most recently, Ms. Baynes taught on faculty at the University of Utah Department of Ballet, teaching Authentic Pilates™ to ballet majors. Currently, she is on faculty at Ballet West Academy.

JORDAN DEBONA

SENIOR MANAGER OF STUDENT LIFE AND SUMMER INTENSIVE COORDINATOR

EUNICE KIM STAFFORD

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL, TROLLEY CORNERS CAMPUS AND STUDENT LIFE MANAGER

Eunice Kim Stafford is from SLC, UT where she started dancing at the age of 6. She received most of her early training from the Ballet West Academy, and William F. Christensen. She attended the University of Utah where she received her BFA in ballet, and danced principal and soloist roles with their performing company, Utah Ballet. In between her junior and senior year of college she took time off to tour and perform with Eugene Ballet Company. After graduation she went on to become a principal dancer with Ballet New England, and Festival Ballet of Providence. Her repertoire includes many classical ballets as well as a large and varied amount of contemporary and modern works. She was often partnered by soloist and principal dancers from American Ballet Theatre, and Boston Ballet.

While dancing full time, Ms. Stafford taught at the School of Ballet New England and also at the School of Festival Ballet. She also served as an assistant to the artistic director at Festival Ballet. Upon retiring from performing, Ms. Stafford turned to her teaching career. She taught, choreographed, directed and coached for seven years in Morgantown, West Virginia where she lived with her two daughters. Since moving back to Salt Lake City she has taught ballet at The Winner School, Ballet West Academy, Treehouse Dance, UDA, and was also one of the founders of The Dance Project SLC. Most recently she taught at Jazz Dancer Studio where she taught and choreographed. She also taught company class for SALT Contemporary Dance. Some of her former students have gone on to dance with companies such as Batsheva Ensemble, Momix, Hubbard Street, Boston Ballet, Avant Chamber Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence, Nevada Ballet, Houston Metropolitan Dance, Radio City’s Rockettes and others.

AMANDA KINDT

RESIDENT ADVISOR

Amanda Kindt grew up dancing in her home town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  She studied many genres of dance at Lititz Academy of Dance and was a part of the CoJoMotion Dance Company.  She then continued her studies of classical ballet, modern technique, choreography, dance kinesiology, and more by pursuing a degree in dance.  Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude with her B.F.A. in Dance from The University of Akron in the spring of 2020.  A special highlight of her college experience, was when her own choreography, “Elysium”, was performed and adjudicated at the American College Dance Association festival. 

After graduation, Amanda was a trainee with American Repertory Ballet for two years where she performed various roles in productions like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Giselle.  She then went on to dance with Montgomery Ballet, where she performed soloist roles such as Chicken in Carnival of the Animals, Arabian Lead in The Nutcracker, and Pas de Trois in Le Conservatoire.

 Amanda has worked for artÉmotion and Ballet West Academy as the Head Resident Intern for their Summer Intensive programs since 2021.  She is currently the Resident Advisor for the new Ballet West Academy housing program.  In her free time, Amanda enjoys teaching dance and being a freelance artist. 

SILVER BARKES

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE

Silver Barkes received most of her training with the Marin Ballet in the SF Bay Area and San Francisco ballet schools. Joining State Street Ballet in the year 2000 was a wonderful "stepping stone" to her career at Ballet West in Salt Lake City Utah from 2004-2011 as a Corp de Ballet member. In her years at Ballet West she was fortunate to work with the Balanchine trust and many  esteemed Choreographers. As a Corps de Ballet member she did numerous soloist and demi-soloist roles over the years. In 2012, she came out of retirement to once again dance with the company and join the cast of the hit reality TV show, Breaking Pointe, as one of their main characters.  Not only has she had a ballet career, she also is an accomplished professional Makeup Artist, receiving her degree in 2012.

Currently, Ms. Barkes teaches at Creative Arts Academy in Bountiful as co-ballet director creating a beautiful program for their students and directing a ballet production with upwards of 2,000 students. Most recently she has excitedly joined the staff at Ballet West Academy in 2017, teaching all levels. Ms. Barkes has also found her passion for choreography. Her pieces have been chosen and awarded in many competitions as judges’ choice.

Ms. Barkes also has started coaching for YAGP resulting in many of her students making it to finals throughout the years.

Ms. Barkes’ love for ballet throughout her career has inspired her as a teacher. She is so excited to continue to work and grow as a teacher and share her knowledge with her students!

JAZZ KHAI BYNUM

ADULT BALLET INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE

Jazz Khai Bynum is a company corps artist in Ballet West. She began training at the age of 5 with Hudson Repertory Dance Theatres’ after school program. She continued her training in Maryland where she danced at Maryland Youth Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlems’ Residency Program at the Kennedy Center. Ms. Bynum has also received her B.F.A in Contemporary Performance with an emphasis in ballet from The Boston Conservatory. Her goals as a ballet dancer are to become a principal dancer, be apart of the change to normalize black faces in ballet companies and dismantle microaggressions in our workspace, be an example for young brown and black ballerinas that we do belong, and to create awareness and better care for young dancers and dancers in higher education to have the proper facilities to recover from injuries and daily care. Ms. Bynum came to Ballet West as a Trainee in 2018, joined Ballet West II in 2019 and now is in her first season in the main company. In addition to becoming a professional ballerina Ms. Bynum wants to publish a few books, and open her own Wedding and Event Planning business. Ms. Bynum lives her life passionately and will always strive to spread love and positivity.

BRUCE CALDWELL

ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP

REHEARSAL DIRECTOR/COMPANY ARCHIVIST, BALLET WEST

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bruce Caldwell began his ballet training at age 10 with Bene Arnold.  His first appearance on stage was in Willam F. Christensen’s “The Nutcracker”  in 1961, as Drosselmeyer’s Nephew. After joining The Utah Civic Ballet (predecessor to Ballet West), in 1968, he moved through the ranks, and in 1971 became a Principal Dancer.  Over the next 20 years he performed all of the major roles in the Ballet West repertoire, including Prince Seigfried in “Swan Lake”, Prince Florimund in “The Sleeping Beauty”,  Sugar Plum Cavalier in “The Nutcracker, Oberon in “The Dream”, as well as leading roles in over 15 Balanchine works. 

 In 1991 he moved to the Artistic Staff of Ballet West, assuming duties of staging ballets, rehearsing and teaching the company, continuing on to this day.He has been awarded the Governors Excellence in the Arts Award,  the Chamber of Commerce Artist of the Year Award, and most recently, the Ballet West Guild Arts Legend Award.

NATALIE DESCH

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE AND TROLLEY CORNERS

Natalie Desch, a BFA graduate of the Juilliard School and an MFA graduate of the University of Washington, performed for five seasons with the Limón Dance Company and eleven seasons with Doug Varone and Dancers in NYC. She additionally danced in various productions at the Metropolitan Opera and other regional opera companies (Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Palm Beach Opera, Longleaf Opera (NC), Lincoln Center Institute (NYC). Jennifer Dunning of the New York Times wrote of her, she is “…one of those wonderful movers who can simultaneously and clearly communicate both the wide sweep and the fine detail of a choreographed sequence.” From 2005-2012 she taught at Hunter College (City University of New York) and has also been a visiting faculty member at Weber State University (UT), University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Beijing Dance Academy. She additionally has taught for the following summer festivals: Doug Varone and Dancers, the Limón Dance Company, UNCSA, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, the Bates Dance Festival, Ririe-Woodbury, and the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theater, among others. Natalie has restaged the works of José Limón, Doug Varone, Jirí Kylián, and Daniel Charon on performing groups around the world, and her choreography has been presented at venues throughout the US. In 2014 Natalie relocated to Salt Lake City, UT, and began teaching at Ballet West Academy, Westminster College, Utah Valley University, and Salt Lake Community College. Natalie joined the University of Utah’s School of Dance as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 2019.

TYLER GUM

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE AND ADULT CLASSES

Tyler Gum is from Calhan, Colorado. He studied with Holly Marble at the Ballet Society of Colorado Springs, and with Fernando Schaffenburg at the Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre. He attended summer programs at Walnut Hill, Harid Conservatory and the Pacific Northwest Ballet School on scholarship. Tyler attended the University of Arizona where he performed with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and was featured in Jory Hancock's Tonadas Pas de Deux. He competed in the Youth America Grand Prix where he received first place with his classical ballet solo at regional competition and a contract with Ballet West II at the New York City finals. Tyler is in his 13th season with Ballet West currently performing as a First Soloist. With Ballet West, Tyler has performed featured roles in Ballet West’s The Sleeping Beauty and Giselle, Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, George Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Jewels, Divertimento No. 15 and Who Cares, Val Caniparoli’s The Lottery, Jiri Kylian’s Forgotten Land, Overgrown Path and Petite Mort, Willam Christensen's The Nutcracker, John Cranko’s Onegin and Romeo and Juliet, Ben Stevenson’s Dracula. Tyler has performed in world premiers such as Emily Adams' Regarding Us and Way of the Rain, Edwaard Liang‘s Constant Light, Avichai Scher's White Noise and in Nicolo Fonte’s Rite of Spring, Carmina Burana and Fox on The Doorstep.

JESSICA HARSTON THOMPSON

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE

Jessica Harston Thompson is from Orem Utah and began her early training with Utah Regional Ballet. She joined Ballet West in 1994 under the direction of John Hart and was promoted to principal dancer in 1999 by Jonas Kåge. 

Some of her favorite principal roles include the title role in Birgit Culbergs’s Miss Julie, the Sylph in Peter Schaufuss’ La Slyphide, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy in William Christensen’s The Nutcracker, Bianca in John Cranko’s Taming of the Shrew, and Titania in Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Ms. Thompson has also been featured in ballets by esteemed choreographers such as Hans van Manen, Ted Brandsen,  Ronald Hynd, William Forsythe, Frederick Ashton, Anthony Tudor, and Jerome Robbins.

After retiring from Ballet West in 2004, Ms. Thompson has continued to teach, choreograph, and coach at many different ballet academy’s, universities and schools. She has had the opportunity to set and coach many excerpts and full length ballets on the students she’s worked with, including sections of Swan Lake, La Sylphide, The Nutcracker, Giselle and Sleeping Beauty.

While dancing professionally with Ballet West, Ms. Thompson had the opportunity to work closely with many world renowned teachers, coaches, and artists. Their influence on her has given her a unique perspective on both classical and contemporary ballet. She enjoys using her experience and expertise to help the students she works with develop as artists and technicians. Ms. Thompson has had the opportunity to mentor several young classes of dancers from their early training all the way to their graduation into university programs and professional careers.

Ms. Thompson is married to Scott Thompson and they have four children together. 

DAVID HUFFMIRE

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE

David Huffmire is from Reno, Nevada.  He became a Ballet West Academy Trainee in 2014, and he joined Ballet West II in 2016.  He was then promoted to the main company in 2018 and to Soloist in 2022.  With Ballet West, David has danced the leading roles of Renfield in Stevenson’s Dracula, Mercutio in Smuin’s Romeo + Juliet, Balanchine’s Tarantella, and Dolin’s Variations For Four, among others.

Ballet West Academy Trainee: 2014
Joined Ballet West II: 2016
Joined Ballet West: 2018
Promoted to Soloist: 2022

VERA KOTOVA

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE AND TROLLEY CORNERS

Vera Kotova started her folk stage dance training at the age of seven in her hometown of Almaty, Kazakhstan.  Shortly thereafter, she became a member of Solnechniy Krug, a folk dance ensemble, where she received guidance from Lina Alexeevna, a graduate of the Vaganova School, and Ulzabaev Sundet, a graduate of the Almaty Choreographic School.

During her 10+ year dance career, Ms. Kotova has performed as both a soloist and a group dancer in a wide range of European national and folk dance styles, including Greek Sirtaki, Italian Tarantella, Spanish Jota de Aragon, Hungarian dance, Czech polka, and, of course, folk dances from the former Soviet republics, such as Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and many more.

Prior to moving to Salt Lake City with her family in 2007, Ms. Kotova practiced law for a decade, having received a law degree from Kazakh State Law University.

Ms. Kotova is delighted to share her love of character dance with the younger generation. Ms. Kotova joined Ballet West Academy as a character dance instructor in 2022.

STEPHEN LEGATE

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE

Stephen Legate DC was a professional dancer for 21 years, 6 years as a soloist with the National Ballet of Canada and 15 years as a Principal Dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. He began his training in California with Riverside Ballet Arts at 8 years old and at 12 attended the National Ballet School of Canada on full scholarship for 5 years. Upon graduation he joined the National Ballet and quickly rose to the rank of Soloist and won the prize for Best Male Dancer in the Erik Bruhn Competition in 1989. In 1992 Dr. Legate joined the San Francisco Ballet and remained a Principal Dancer there for 15 years dancing a broad repetoire of works including the roles of the Prince in Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, the Cavalier in the Nutcracker, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Colas in La Fille Mal Garde, Basilio in Don Quixote, and Cassio in Othello. In addition to the classics, he danced the leading roles in many of the greatest contemporary works from Balanchine (Rubies, Who Cares, Symphony in C, Agon, The Four Tempermants, Western Symphony), Jerome Robbins, Glen Tetley, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Mark Morris, Val Caniparoli, Hans Van Manen, and Kenneth McMillen among many others. Dr. Legate was honored with an Isadora Duncan Award for Best Performance along with BW Academy Director, and wife, Evelyn Cisneros for their performance of Balanchine's Rubies in 1999. 

 Dr. Legate retired with a featured performance in 2006 and attended Chiropractic college, where he graduated with honors, and has been a practicing Chiropractic Physician for 13 years. Since retiring he has remained active in the dance world as an instructor, coach, and choreographer. Dr. Legate has been on the faculty of Boston Ballet and presently at Ballet West.

BRIDGET PAYNE

PRINCIPAL FACULTY AND COSTUME COORDINATOR

Bridget Payne began her Ballet training in her hometown of Manitowoc, WI, with Jean Wolfmeyer. At 14 years old she began training on full scholarship at the National Academy of Arts in Champaign, IL, where she trained with Petrus Bosman and Valerie Taylor from the Royal Ballet, Robert Dicello, and former American Ballet Theatre soloist Maria Youskevitch. After graduation, she began an eight-year performing career with Ballet West, under the Direction of John Hart, CBE. She has performed soloist and leading roles in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella; Willam Christensen’s The Nutcracker; Paul Taylor’s Company B; Sleeping Beauty; Swan Lake; multiple works by Balanchine, Ronald Hynd, Val Caniparoli, Andre Prokovsky, and more. In 1995 she was personally invited by Ben Stevenson, OBE, to teach at the internationally acclaimed Houston Ballet Academy, where she was personally mentored by Clara Cravey Stanley. She soon became a Principal Teacher in both their Pre-Professional and Professional Divisions. During her time at HBA, she helped further their syllabus and worked closely with Shelly Power to create two successful Teacher Training Workshops where she led sessions on beginning and Intermediate Pointe work. Ms. Payne and her husband, Jim, opened Payne Academy of Ballet in 2001 in The Woodlands, TX, where they developed a successful school of over 250 students; She was also Co-Artistic Director of Woodlands Ballet Ensemble. She has choreographed and staged many works and full-length Ballets including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, La Bayadere Act III (Kingdom of the Shades) and The Nutcracker. Most recently, she was the Principal of Student and Professional Programs at the School of Philadelphia Ballet. She has taught at Houston Ballet Academy and Ballet West Summer Intensives and has coached several dancers for Ballet competitions. Ms. Payne is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 5 of the National Training Curriculum.

Ms. Payne has over 25 years of professional teaching experience. She genuinely cares about the mindful and thorough development of the next generation of dancers. She and her husband, Jim Payne, are the proud parents of a son, a rigging artist, and a daughter, a dancer.

JUSTINE SHEEDY-KRAMER

INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE AND TROLLEY CORNERS

Justine Sheedy-Kramer received her BFA and MFA degrees from the University of Utah Ballet Department, with emphases in Teaching, Choreography, Performance, and Character Dance. She also studied and performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Washington Academy of Performing Arts, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Utah Contemporary Ballet, Exit 12 Dance Company, CONNetic Dance, and Dimensional Dance. Ms. Sheedy-Kramer has toured nationally and internationally with Character Dance Ensemble and Eastern Artists as both a dancer and choreographer, and continues to be involved with these organizations.

Ms. Sheedy-Kramer teaches Character Dance, Ballet, Pointe, and Music courses for the University of Utah School of Dance. She has taught at Utah Valley University, served as Operations Director and faculty member for Salt Lake City Ballet, was Co-Director of the Middle/Upper School Dance Program at Saint Mary’s Hall, and has been a guest instructor for numerous programs including Ballet West Academy, Ballet Northwest, Emerald Ballet Theatre, and the University of Utah Ballet Summer Intensive. Ms. Sheedy-Kramer’s variety of teaching, research, and choreographic experience includes staging the full-length productions of Coppélia and Don Quixote; partnering with the Turnaround Arts initiative as part of the President’s Committee on the Arts & the Humanities; establishing collaborative projects between the Ballet Program and School of Music at the University of Utah; publishing her research on educational tools for collaboration between music and dance; and creating several new works for the University of Utah School of Dance. Ms. Sheedy-Kramer is a violinist in the Wasatch Symphony, where she also serves on the board of directors.

KRAMER SNEAD

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS, BALLET CENTRE, AND ADULT CLASSES

Kramer Snead has been dancing for 10 years traveling over the United States performing and competing. His training includes dancing at Pennsylvania Ballet, Hubbard Street, Central Pennsylvania Ballet, and Ballet Chicago where he was part of their pre-professional company. He trained in many styles of dance, in addition to ballet, including Contemporary and Hip Hop. He now wants to put his focus more on teaching. He recently moved to Salt Lake City to further pursue that passion! 

He was on Faculty at Project Ballet, and Fort Wayne Dance Collective. He is also currently teaching at Millennium Dance Complex, Salt Lake City.

ELIZABETH WELDON

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS, BALLET CENTRE, AND ADULT CLASSES

Originally from Duxbury, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Weldon came to Utah to dance for Ballet West where she spent almost 9 years dancing in the company. Some of her featured roles include Tall Swans in Swan Lake, Zulme in Giselle, Arabian and Doll in The Nutcracker, side woman #2 in William Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, as well as numerous leading roles in Ballet West’s dancer choreographed works. While at Ballet West, Ms. Weldon had the opportunity to dance works by world-renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Sir Frederick Ashton, Jiri Kylian, Nicolo Fonte, Helen Pickett, Val Caniparoli, Matthew Neenan, among many others. She has also been a model for BLOCH and Eleve Dance Wear. 

Ms. Weldon holds a Bachelor of Arts from Stonehill College and has written articles that have been published by A Ballet Education and Utah Business Magazine. She is also a yoga teacher for Myriad Genetics’ corporate wellness program and is an avid yoga practitioner and meditator. Elizabeth loves to share her passion for ballet with others and teaches open adult classes at Trolley Corners and for Ballet West Academy at the Ballet Center. 

PENELOPE BROWN

ACCOMPANIST

Penelope Brown is a classically trained composer and musician with an extensive ballet background.  She has danced from the time she was very young but over the last few years her interests have shifted more to the musical side of the studio, composing and arranging her own music inside and out of class.  She currently studies under the instruction of Dr. Koji Atwood and Walter Bellini.  Formerly she studied with Julie Rencher and Sarah Lund.  Miss Penelope’s Piano Concerto #1 in G Major recently premiered at Rocky Mountain Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet.  

Penelope began her American ballet training in Dallas, Texas under the tutelage of Amanda Dalton and has since been immersed in the Vaganova technique under the direction of Alexei Dovgopolyi, Maureen Laird, Sarah Lund, Justine Sheedy-Kramer, Victoria Stocki-Kim, Misha Tchoupakov, Vladimir Tsal, and Joy Womack, and Charlotte Kelly. She is currently an assistant faculty member and choreographer for Preparatory Ballet.