Faculty & Staff | trolley corners campus

Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy

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. 

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. 

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.

JENNY LOWELL

TROLLEY CORNERS CAMPUS OPERATIONS MANAGER

Jenny Lowell trained in ballet, tap, and jazz at the Gunn School of Dance and the University of Utah. With 15 years of dance experience, Mrs. Lowell shared her love of dance choreographing for Dance Co, Cheer, and community theatre. Jenny was also a Master Pointe Shoe Fitter at Pat’s Dancewear.

Mrs. Lowell’s position at Ballet West Trolley Corners brings together her love of ballet and working with children! 

KATE WEEKS

TROLLEY CORNERS CAMPUS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

HANNAH ARGYLE

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

Hannah Argyle began her professional ballet training at the Ballet West Academy at Thanksgiving Point. In 2018, she was accepted into The University of Utah School of Dance, receiving scholarships from the ballet department and the U of U College of Fine Arts. Here she studied ballet and pointe pedagogy, as well as ballet performance. Ms. Argyle performed several principal and soloist roles in Utah Ballet.

In 2020, Ms. Argyle was invited to join Ballet West as a Trainee. Her joint trainee full scholarship allowed her to train both at The University of Utah and Ballet West Academy. She was able to perform with Ballet West II and work closely with Ballet West’s artistic staff as a Trainee. Ms. Argyle's favorite role was performing as a principal in George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15 with Ballet West Academy.

In the Spring of 2022, Ms. Argyle graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Ballet. Following graduation, she is now an instructor at Ballet West Academy and a professional dancer for Chrysalis Ballet, a new ballet company directed by Jennie Creer-King.

CLAIRE CAMPBELL

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

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.

MARIAH EDMUNDS

INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY AND TROLLEY CORNERS

Mariah started dancing at the age of 5 in a small basement studio doing both tap and ballet. At the age of 9 she decided to focus strictly on ballet and moved studios to Academy of Ballet Arts (ABA), where she continued her training in ballet, pointe, jazz, character and Pilates. She stayed with ABA until she graduated from high school. While training with ABA, Mariah was able to perform with Mountain West Ballet in many productions including- the Nutcracker, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Stars and Stripes and many other productions. Some of her favorite roles included- Dew Drop fairy, Lilac Fairy, big Swan, and most recently, Party Parent. Mariah also received training from Ballet West Conservatory (now Ballet West Academy) during their summer intensives. After high school, she continued her ballet education at the University of Utah, receiving her BFA in ballet with an emphasis in teaching. She has received her certification with Progressive Ballet Technique. She is also an award-winning choreographer for her original piece “Stars and Stripes.” Mariah has been teaching for almost 20 years at varying studios throughout the valley and loves to teach all ages- from preschool to preprofessional. She finds great joy at the chance to share her love of ballet with the next generation.

DAISY JEFFERS

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS AND UTAH COUNTY

Daisy Jeffers grew up in Southern California, where she began her dance training at the age of 13. Throughout her youth, she danced at a studio located in Aliso Viejo, CA training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and modern. Daisy graduated in 2023 from Utah Valley University (UVU) receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with an emphasis in ballet. During her time in college, Daisy, worked as a resident assistant at the Ballet West Summer Program in the summer of 2020 and the Hubbard Street Summer Intensive in the summer of 2022. She also attended Jacqueline’s School of Ballet Summer Intensive of 2021. During her time at UVU, Daisy has had the opportunity to be a part of the Repertory Ballet Ensemble and Synergy Dance Company. Daisy volunteered as a mentor at Tanner Dance in the fall of 2020, assisting the dancers with disabilities as they explored self-expression through dance. Daisy’s love of movement has had a huge impact on her life, and she plans to spread that impact by empowering others through dance.

WYATT JOHNSON

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

JAIDEN MORLEY

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

For the past 15 years of her life, Jaiden Morley has been training in ballet, choreographing, and teaching in her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. She trained at the Otto M. Budig Cincinnati Ballet Academy for the first 10 years of her life, Le Jeune Dance Academy for 2 years and Beyond the Barre LLC for the last 2 years. She has been assistant teaching for as long as she can remember and has taught her own classes since she was 15 years old. Jaiden has a strong passion for teaching and for sharing her love of dance to the kids she teaches. 

Jaiden also has a strong passion for choreography. She has been choreographing full ballets for her ballet studio, Beyond the Barre, since she was 13 and also enjoys choreographing works in the contemporary style. Jaiden has choreographed works such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book, Finding Nemo, The Nutcracker, Peter Pan and pieces in Sleeping Beauty. 

Currently Jaiden is working on starting her professional career at Ballet West Academy with the Professional Training Division 3. She has previously performed principal roles such as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Sugar Plum Fairy and Rose in the Nutcracker, Mercedes in Don Quixote, and Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. She is working towards dancing for a ballet company in the future as a professional dancer and is very grateful and excited to be in Salt Lake City at Ballet West Academy.

ASHLEIGH RICHARDSON

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

A former member of Ballet West II, Ashleigh Richardson has studied ballet at Ballet West Academy, The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, PA, and at Imagine Ballet Theatre in Ogden, Utah, where she received the Laura Swensen and Jill Rasmussen Scholarship. In 2014, Ms. Richardson was awarded the Birger-Bartholin Scholarship for study at The Royal Danish Ballet School, which she attended for two summers. She has also attended the Bournonville Academy in Biarritz, France, under the direction of Dinna Bjorn, on full scholarship.

In spring 2016, Ms. Richardson placed Top 6 at the YAGP NYC Finals for Senior Classical Pas de Deux. As a soloist, Ms. Richardson has been a Youth America Grand Prix NYC Finalist three times, having received 1stand 3rd place awards in the Senior Women’s Classical Ballet category at YAGP Regional Semi-Finals. She also received 2nd place in the Senior Women’s Classical Ballet category at American Ballet Competition in 2014. 

Ashleigh has enjoyed dancing a variety of roles with Ballet West.  Her favorite part of teaching for Ballet West Academy is seeing the children achieve the things for which they have worked so hard and the happiness it gives them.

AUTUMN RYSKOSKI

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

Autumn Ryskoski was born in Austin, Texas where she began her ballet training. In 2018, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Nashville Ballet as a Professional Training Division student. After two years, she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to train in Ballet West’s Professional Training Division, where she is currently. She began teaching at Ballet West Academy in the fall of 2021. She is also currently working towards her BFA in Ballet and enjoys working with the next generation of ballet dancers.

CONNIE SMITH

INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY AND TROLLEY CORNERS

“Miss Connie” loves to create magic in her ballet studio. She has had the privilege of teaching thousands of children across the Wasatch Front and in the Willamette Valley for over 30 years. Ms. Smith also feels honored to be teaching a second generation of ballerinas, as many of her students are children of her former dancers.

Ms. Smith’s family has three generations of a strong ballet legacy. Several of her children and grandchildren have become ballet teachers and dancers.

Ms. Smith enjoys the entire process of ballet, including teaching, choreography, costuming, and performance. Her love of dance began as a young child, and she fondly remembers many years of her mother driving her to the Rowland Butler Ballet Academy. Ms. Smith went on to study at the University of Utah under Willam Christensen and Bené Arnold. She also trained in dance and theater at Brigham Young University. She has enjoyed many years of stage performance and choreography work.

Ms. Smith developed a passion for teaching ballet, and ran her own successful ballet school for over 20 years before joining Ballet West Academy.

Ms. Smith also loves gardening, writing, and spending time with her family and grandchildren.

“Miss Connie” loves her ballet students, and she strives to create a positive learning experience for every dancer.  

KRAMER SNEAD

ADULT CLASS INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS AND BALLET CENTRE

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.

SCOUT SUTTON

SUBSTITUTE INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

Scout Sutton is a junior at the University of Utah studying ballet and a third-year teacher for Ballet West Academy. Originally from Grantsville, Utah, Ms. Sutton's ties to Ballet West began at an early age when she was cast in The Nutcracker in 2009 at the age of 8. After performing in The Nutcracker, she joined the academy the following fall and received her formal training there until her graduation in 2019. After high school she decided to attend the University of Utah to gain a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet before pursuing a professional performing career. During Ms. Sutton's first semester at college, an opening for a teaching position became available at the academy and she began teaching part time. Since then, she has continued teaching and has also helped as a rehearsal assistant for The Nutcracker children’s cast. Aside from ballet, Ms. Sutton is also involved in her school and community by holding many leadership positions within the Delta Gamma organization and currently serving her hometown as Miss Grantsville 2021.  

BARBARA VALLES

INSTRUCTOR AT TROLLEY CORNERS

Born in Caracas, Venezuela Ms Valles has over 35 years of experience teaching Classical Ballet. She started her ballet training at the Ballet- Arte School. Lidija Franklin Foundation, for 8 years. She danced and started falling in love with the art of teaching classical ballet under the guidance of Maestra Graciela Diaz. Received her BFA in Ballet from University Institute of Dance in Venezuela. She is certified in Methodology of Teaching of the Classical Technique by Ramona De Saa (Cuban Technique). Cuban Ballet Teaching Methodology (USA International CUBALLET. Elementary & Professional level) by Laura Alonso, Reynaldo Muniz Delgado and Deborah Marquez, Maestro Rumen Rachev, Artistic Director of Ballet Nacional de El Salvador and Maestro Vladimir Issaev, Artistic Director of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida (Vaganova Technique). She has extensive training in programs, workshops and seminars including:““Advanced Workshop for Ballet Teachers” (by Master David Howard), “Advanced Workshop for Dancers (by Master David Howard), International Seminar and Workshop of Science and Sport (by Gatorade Sport Science Institute). Seminar of “Medicine and Art”. Floor Barre Workshop (by Ines Marino form Alvin Ailey). Pre & Pointe shoes course by Alice Arja. Ms. Barbara is a PBT Progressing Ballet Technique certified Level 3 and member by Marie Walton-Mahon and Megan Berlint-Nicko. She danced with the Youth Ballet of Venezuela under director and professional dancer Eva Millan. Also she was Ballet Teacher, Choreographer, Programs Coordinator of Activities and Performances at the Fredy Reyna Music and Ballet School.

Ms. Barbara was also a faculty member for the Dance Program of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport of Venezuela. She also served as a Ballet Teacher at The Municipal School of Rhythmic Gymnastics in Caracas, Venezuela. She continued her education by studying Physical Education, (6 semesters), at the Pedagogic Experimental University El Libertador en Caracas, Venezuela. Ms. Barbara was a Ballet Teacher faculty member for 15 years at America’s Ballet School in Tampa, Florida, actual name is Tampa City Ballet School and for 3 years at Tampa City Ballet. During her tenure at America’s Ballet School she coached for the Youth America Grand Prix and the American Dance Competition.

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. 

KYOHEI YOSHIDA

INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY, BALLET CENTRE, TROLLEY CORNERS, AND ADULT CLASSES

Kyohei is a former international professional ballet dancer who started his training in Tokyo, Japan. He began attending the Elmhurst School in the UK on full scholarship where he got to perform with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. While attending the school, he received medals from major competitions in Japan and China.

He also trained at prestigious schools such as the Rock School of Dance in Philadelphia, San Francisco Ballet School, and The Washington Ballet in Washington D.C.

He went on to compete at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, considered the largest and most renowned ballet competition in the world. He performed six different ballet pieces and was awarded bronze medal in 2010.

He then performed and danced professionally in Slovakia, Japan, Michigan, Miami, and California.

Some of his roles included Melancholic in Balanchine’s “The Four Temperaments”, Principal in “Etude”, Basil in “Don Quixote”, Ali in “Le Corsaire”, one of the four Lead Dancers in Ulysses Dove’s “Red Angels”, The Prince in “Nutcracker”, “Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux”, Principal Man in “Raymonda”, Bronze Idol in “La Bayadere”, Principal Man in “Paquita”, the Principal Soloist in Kirk Peterson’s “Amazed in Burning Dreams”, the Principal Man in Balanchine’s “Rubies”, Iago in Jose Limon’s “The Moor’s Pavane,” Prince Desire in “The Sleeping Beauty,” and Prince Siegfried in Kent Stowell’s “Swan Lake.”