1. art and entertainment
2. dance
3. ballet

BOULDERBALLETSCHOOL
Growing up through Boulder Ballet is
more than just learning ballet steps. It is
a beautiful watercolor of friendships, role
models, artistry, confidence, life lessons,
and nurturing of spirit through dance.
- Annalise Woller
Student Achievements
2014-2015
BOULDERBALLETSCHOOL
World-Class Training
Teacher: Laura Spanioli
“In my career I have yet to see a ballet school that can match Boulder Ballet.
That may sound like an exaggeration, but I honestly have not encountered
another ballet school that can so successfully train professionals while including students that may not have professional aspirations.” –Ben Goodman
B
oulder Ballet School provides quality ballet training for all
ages in a uniquely artistic and creative atmosphere and is
dedicated to helping students achieve technical excellence
while nurturing their individual artistry. As a professional-track
ballet school, Boulder Ballet serves students interested in dance as
a career as well as those wanting to dance for fun in an atmosphere
of excellence. It has been voted “Best Dance Studio” in the annual
Boulder Weekly reader’s poll each year since 2008.
Cover Photo and photos this page: Keith Bobo/Photography Maestro
Teacher: Ana Claire
With their superb technical and performance abilities, many of our
students have earned regional and national honors. The Florence
Ruston Award for Overall Excellence in Dance has been awarded
three times to Boulder Ballet School students. This award is
presented at the annual Denver Ballet Guild Scholarship
Competition to only one of the more than 250 participants from
ballet schools throughout Colorado. Boulder Ballet School students
have also won awards at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the
world’s largest youth ballet and contemporary dance competition,
including the Grand Prix (the highest award) at the Denver
regional. To date, five Boulder Ballet School students have been
invited to perform at the YAGP finals in New York City along with
the finest ballet students from around the world, and Boulder Ballet
School’s team of teachers has earned the Best Teacher Award at
the Denver regional. Boulder Ballet School alumni have gone on to
dance with renowned companies such as American Ballet Theater,
American Repertory Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, Colorado
Ballet, Eugene Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Mark Morris
Dance Group, Miami City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, North Carolina
Dance Theater, Norwegian National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet
and San Francisco Ballet.
BOULDERBALLETSCHOOL
Ballet School Faculty
ANA CLAIRE
MELISSA COOPER
PETER DAVISON
BARBARA DEMAREE
KRISTEN DEMAREE
KATIE ELLIOTT
MELISSA HESLEP
KATELYN JACKSON
BECKY JANCOSKO
DEBORA ROBINSON KOLWEY
JAYNE PERSCH
TALIA SCOTT
LAURA SPANIOLI
JACOB TAYLOR
SUMMER TEMPLIN CULP
JAMES WALLACE
KATHRYN WAGNER
Photo: Keith Bobo. Teacher: Becky Jancosko
Ana Claire, Artistic Director
After serving concurrently as CoArtistic Director of Boulder Ballet and
School Director of the Boulder Ballet
School for 11 years, Ana Claire was
named sole Artistic Director in 2015.
The Boulder Ballet School has more than
tripled in size under her direction, and
Ana acts as Choreographer on many
Boulder Ballet company productions.
Although born in Boulder, Ana grew
up on a ranch near Fairplay, Colorado.
At the age of eight she saw American
Ballet Theatre perform Swan Lake and
fell in love with the art of ballet. In an
extraordinary gift of support, Ana’s
mother then drove her to ballet classes
in Denver throughout her childhood.
Ana has studied ballet with Maxine
Williamson, Fernando Schaffenberg,
Milenko Banovich, Barbara Demaree,
and Larry Boyette. She has performed
Photo: Sue Daniels
with Fort Worth Ballet, Fort Worth Opera,
Christian Worth Ballet, Fort Worth Opera, David Taylor Dance Theater, Aladdin
Theater, Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, Jan Justis Dance Company, and 3rd Law Dance/
Theater, among others. Ana was a principal ballerina with Boulder Ballet for many
years, and was twice voted “Boulder’s Best” by the Daily Camera. For 21 years she
has produced, directed, and choreographed an annual Storybook Ballet, each with
original music, scenery, and costumes created in collaboration with local artists, and
co-choreographed the 1998, ‘99, and all productions since 2001 of Boulder Ballet’s
Nutcracker. Ana originated Boulder Ballet’s acclaimed outreach program Steps in Time
which has been performed at numerous schools throughout the Boulder/Denver area.
Ana studied dance pedagogy at Texas Christian University, attended the teacher training workshop with former New York City Ballet principal Jillana, and has over 27 years
of teaching experience. She is a passionate teacher, dedicated to helping students
achieve technical excellence while nurturing their individual artistry, and many of her
students have gone on to professional careers in dance.
School Awards
THE FLORENCE RUSTIN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX
BEST TEACHER AWARD, YAGP
BOULDER WEEKLY’S BEST OF BOULDER:
BEST DANCE STUDIO & BEST LIVE DANCE
Lance Hardin, Associate Artistic Director
Lance Hardin, is a native of Chicago, where he received his
training from Larry Long at the Ruth Page Foundation School
of Dance. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ballet
from Indiana University, where he studied under the direction
of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Patricia McBride, Jacques Cesbron,
and Violette Verdy. As a professional dancer, Mr. Hardin has
danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, North Carolina Dance
Theatre (currently Charlotte Ballet) , Chautauqua Ballet,
Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Nouveau Colorado, Boulder Ballet,
Springfield Ballet Company, and the Yoko Kasai Ballet Studio
located in Japan. He has performed principal roles by world
renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine
(Allegro Brilliante, Four Temperaments, Western Symphony, Who Cares), Paul Taylor
(Esplanade and Company B), Dwight Rhoden (Verge), Nacho Duato (Jardi Tancat), William Forsythe (In the Middle Somewhat Elevated), Michael Pink (Romeo and Juliet), and
Alonzo King (Map). Presently, Lance is enjoying many requests as guest artist, teacher,
and choreographer. Mr. Hardin has taught dance for the past 23 years and holds numerous choreographic credits including The Denver Independent Choreographer’s Project,
Springfield Ballet Company, Boulder Ballet and Fractured a collaboration with his wife
Amy Earnest for James Sewell Ballet. Lance and Amy have served since 2012 as Co
Dance Directors at The Myles Reif Performing Arts Center in MN.
Amy Earnest, Assistant School Director
Amy began dancing at the age of three in Atlanta, GA. Ms. Earnest received her training
with the School of Atlanta Ballet; under the direction of Tom Pazik, School of American
Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. As a professional dancer she
performed with Hartford Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre (currently Charlotte
Ballet), Tulsa Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. She performed principal roles in
George Balanchine’s;Four Temperaments, Prodigal Son, Apollo, Western Symphony,
and Who Cares; William Forsythe’s In The Middle Somewhat Elevated; Alonzo King’s
Map and Dreamer; Nacho Duato’s Arenal; Kirk Peterson’s Amazed in Burning Dreams,
Nutcracker; and Paul Taylor’s Esplanade. She also was a
finalist in the prestigious New York Ballet Competition of
1996 and was a member of the Chautauqua Ballet from
1998 to 2000. Ms. Earnest has been teaching and coaching
students for the last 12 years and is certified with the
American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum in
Primary through Level 3. Ms. Earnest owned and directed
Avant-Garde School of Dance, along with her husband
Lance Hardin, where they choreographed and produced
numerous performances including an annual Nutcracker.
Ms. Earnest has trained and coached students that have
continued their training with prestigious schools including
American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and Houston Ballet.
Current Student Achievements
Each year our students display their skills in competitions
and auditions for professional summer ballet programs.
Below is a list of current students who competed and were
accepted into summer programs in 2015.
Elizabeth Barnes
Invited to Attend
Kansas City Ballet Summer Intensive
Boulder Ballet Summer Intensive
Colorado Ballet Summer Intesive
Ari Bates-Vinueza
Invited to Attend
San Francisco Ballet Summer Session
(full scholarship)
Pacific Northwest Ballet Summer Course
American Ballet Theatre - New York Summer Intensive
Miami City Ballet Summer Intensive (full scholarship)
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix
Denver Ballet Guild’s Young Dancers Competition, 2nd place
Leah Baylin
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Classical Ballet Summer Intensive
Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive
Gabriel Brenza
Invited to attend
American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive (CA)
Ophelia Bryan
Invited to attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Oregon Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive
Ballet Chicago Summer Intensive
Boston Ballet Summer Intensive
Miami City Ballet Summer Intensive
Student Achievement Photos: Keith Bobo
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix
Denver Ballet Guild’s Young Dancers Competition
Celeste Carter
Invited to Attend
Kansas City Ballet Summer Intensive
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Savanna Howell
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Summer Intensive with Alice Necsea
near Vienna, Austria
Rachel Cass
Invited to Attend
Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive
Nutmeg Conservatory Summer Intensive
Joffrey Ballet Denver Summer Intensive
Ballet Magnifcat! Summer Intensive
University of Alabama Dance Program
Competitions
Denver Ballet Guild
Young Dancers Competition
Katherine Codrescu
Invited to Attend
Summer Intensive with Alice
Necsea near Vienna, Austria
Julia Curd
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive
Julie Kizhnerman
Invited to Attend
Classical Ballet of Colorado
Royal Ballet Summer School
Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Maria Kizhnerman
Invited to Attend
Classical Ballet of Colorado
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive
Katie Megerle
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix
Skylar Davidson
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Nicole Moyer
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Livia Diener
Invited to Attend
Bolshoi Ballet Academy - New York City (partial scholarship)
Bolshi Ballet Academy in Moscow (full scholarship)
Calais Osman
Invited to Attend
Patel Conservatory
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix
Denver Ballet Guild Young
Dancers Competition
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix
Eric Ellis
Cast in Boulder Dinner
Theater’s production of
Mary Poppins
Ada Peruzzi
Invited to Attend
Boston Ballet Summer Intensive
Austin Ballet Summer Intensive
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive (scholarship)
Bolshoi Ballet Summer Intensive (scholarship)
Competitions
Denver Ballet Guild Young
Dancer Competition
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix, Top 12 and Pas de Deux
Briah Danse - Young Dancer’s Project
Gabriela Rucker
Invited to Attend
Santa Barbara State Street Ballet
Summer Intensive
Jilana School Summer Intensive
Taylor Sanders
Invited to Attend
Kansas City Ballet Summer Intensive
Nutmeg Conservatory Summer Intensive
Eliza Schwartz
Invited to Attend
Houston Ballet Summer Intensive
Boston Ballet Summer Intensive
Miami City Ballet Summer Intensive
Competitions
Youth America Grand Prix, Top 12
Denver Ballet Guild Young
Dancers Competition (finalist)
Rory Sweedler
Invited to Attend
Colorado Ballet Summer Intensive
Joffrey Ballet Denver Summer Intensive
Eden Wagstaff
Invited to Attend
Kansas City Ballet Summer Intensive
Congratulations to our outstanding students!
Graduate Achievements
Students of Boulder Ballet School receive rigorous and
compassionate training which, regardless of their eventual
professional path, sets the stage for a life of confidence,
poise, and commitment to the pursuit of excellence. Many of
our students go on to pursue college-level dance training and
professional careers in ballet and dance.
Brittany Adams, Saint Paul Ballet. Brittany began her dance
training at Boulder Ballet School at the age of eight. She studied
under directors Ana Claire and Peter Davison, and performed as
an apprentice to the company in the 2008-2009 season. She has
attended many summer programs including Kansas City Ballet,
American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet,
and The San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. Brittany attended
Colorado State University and graduated in 2013 with a B.A. in
Dance. There, she studied under Carol Roderick, Chung-Fu Chang, Jane Slusarski-Harris, and Judy Bejarano. She was selected to work with guest choreographers Viktor Kabaniaev, Gabriel Masson, Kathryn Elliot, Judy Bejarano, Tommy
Parlon, and Richard Wacko. She co-directed many shows including her senior
capstone, Humanum in 2013. Upon graduation, Brittany was given The Faculty
Award for Sustained Achievement in Performance, Choreography, and Technique. She then became an intern at Boulder Ballet under Director of Development, Lee Stern. Currently Brittany is a dancer, teacher, social media coordinator
and outreach assistant for Saint Paul Ballet in Saint Paul, Minnesota under the direction of Boulder Ballet alum, Zoé Emilie Henrot. This is her first season.
Isabella Boylston, soloist, American Ballet Theater. Born in
Sun Valley, Idaho, Boylston began dancing at the age of three, and
began her training at Boulder Ballet School in 1994. It was here
that Boylston reveled in the more expressive and playful interpretive dance. This introduction to dance as not only a physical
challenge but also one of musicality, resonated with her. This
curiosity led Boylston to her local library, where she discovered
the film The Children of Theater Street, a documentary featuring
the students of Soviet Russia’s Vaganova Academy. Her fascination and newfound
determination led her to the Academy of Colorado Ballet in Denver, Colorado. It
was a testimony to her tenacity in that each day, at the age of 12, she commuted
two hours on the public bus to study there. Her hard work won her the gold medal
at the 2001 Youth America Grand Prix Finals in New York City. A year later, she
found herself at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida training with
Victoria Schneider and Svetlana Osiyeva.
Boylston joined the ABT Studio Company in 2005, the main company as an
apprentice in May 2006 and the corps de ballet in March 2007. During her time
as a member of the corps de ballet Boylston’s talent flourished in such roles
including the lead in Theme and Variations, the ballerina in The Bright Stream,
and had principal roles choreographed for her in Benjamin Millepied’s Capriccio and From Here on Out. Boylston was awarded the Princess Grace Award in
2009 and subsequently nominated for the 2010 Prix Benois de la Danse. She was
promoted to Soloist in 2011, and received the Clive Barnes Award that same year.
In 2012, she debuted as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake at the Metropolitan Opera
House. Other mentionable roles include the title roles in Giselle and The Firebird,
and Kitri in Don Quixote.
As a dancer, Boylston is known for her versatility, beautiful lines, powerful jump,
and her musicality, thus more diverse roles are not only a welcome challenge
but also a delight for choreographers. In addition to playing muse for Millepied,
Christopher Wheeldon and Alexei Ratmansky have created leading roles for her.
She has appeared as a guest star with the Royal Danish Ballet and the Mariinsky
Ballet in St Petersburg, Russia.
Annette Buvoli, The Royal Ballet, England. American dancer
Buvoli is an Artist with The Royal Ballet. She trained at The Royal
Ballet School and graduated into the Company in 2013.
Buvoli trained at the Boulder Ballet School in Colorado before
entering The Royal Ballet School. Her repertory at the School
included a role in John Neumeier’s Yonderling and The Woman
(Mark Annear’s La Destinée) in the School’s annual matinees.
While still a student Buvoli danced with the Company in Swan Lake and The
Nutcracker.
Claire Davison, American Ballet Theatre. Claire was born in
Boulder, Colorado. She received her initial ballet training at the
Boulder Ballet School. She attended the Boston Ballet School,
Pacific Northwest Ballet School, School of American Ballet and
San Francisco Ballet School summer programs on scholarship.
Davison was awarded third place at the Denver Ballet Guild
Young Dancers Competition and was a finalist at the Youth
American Grand Prix competition in New York City in 2009.
Davison was recognized as an international Young Medalist and performed at the
International Ballet Festival of Miami. She joined the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
School at American Ballet Theatre in 2010 and received the Ron and Toby Altman
scholarship at that time. She was promoted to “Corps de Ballet” status, where she
is appearing at the Metropolitan Opera House through June 2014 in several
ballets including Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, and
Onegin.
“I regard my time at Boulder Ballet with fondness and appreciation. It was my
second home from infancy until high school and truly a part of me. While the
admirable teachers helped develop my technique, they also served as nurturing family figures that shaped who I am today. Rarely can someone find a studio
that cares about YOU as an individual, but also offers such excellent training and
direction. The caliber of students and teachers at Boulder Ballet is extremely high,
which enables you to reach your fullest potential and achieve whatever it is you
want to in ballet. Without Boulder Ballet I would not be in New York City pursuing a professional career at American Ballet Theatre. Because of the performance
opportunities at Boulder Ballet, I was able to begin developing my artistic self at a
young age, which was essential in my acceptance into the Studio Company at ABT.
My love of performing began during the years of Nutcracker at Macky Auditorium.
The costumes, sets, lighting, and live orchestra created a magical production that
remains one of the best I have seen. Now, while I am learning and dancing ABT’s
corps de ballet snow and flower scenes, I still reminisce about Boulder Ballet’s
Nutcracker and hope to guest in it again in the future. Boulder Ballet was my second
home growing up, not solely because entire days and nights were spent there, but
because of the people I have come to consider family. The community at Boulder
Ballet will show you the beauty and joy of dance!”
Alex Davison began dance training at age seven in his father’s
Boyz Dance classes, and the love he discovered for dance,
juggling, mime, theater, and object manipulation has influenced
his life ever since. Boyz Dance soon led to ballet with his mother,
and the opportunity to spend summers studying on full scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle and American Ballet
Theater in New York City. After winning the regional Grand Prix
award in the Youth America Grand Prix competition, Davison
would later return to New York and dance as one of the top twenty male finalists
from around the world. After graduating from Boulder High School, Davison
attended the Miami City Ballet Summer Course at the personal invitation of the
company’s artistic director, renowned New York City Ballet dancer Edward
Villella. While at the summer course, Davison was offered a full scholarship to
study at the school’s year round program, which culminated in performances of
Balanchine’s Serenade and Four Temperaments. Davison was then offered a spot
in the Miami City Ballet as a company apprentice, and he spent the next year
learning and dancing pieces by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and John
Cranko, taking each performance to four different cities around Florida, and
joining the company for a three-week tour to Paris in which he danced at the
Théâtre du Châtelet. After returning to the States, Davison headed home to
Boulder to take a break and heal from what had become a chronic back injury.
Davison’s understanding of technique is based upon his years dancing as well as
insights gained from various physical therapies, and he is pleased to be teaching
and sharing this knowledge with the students.
Zoé Henrot, Saint Paul Ballet. Zoé Emilie Henrot graduated
summa cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in 2012 with a
double major in Dance and Biological Sciences. Having grown up
in Boulder, Colorado, Zoé received most of her dance training
from Boulder Ballet, becoming an apprentice with the company in
the 2007-2008 season. In addition to her training in Boulder and at
Mount Holyoke College, Zoé has trained with Kansas City Ballet,
American Ballet Theatre, and Joffrey Ballet. Working with prominent choreographers such as Peter Davison, Ana Claire, Jim Coleman, Terese Freedman,
Rose & Charles Flachs, Kinsun Chan, and Diane Coburn-Bruning has very
much influenced her artistry and choreography. In 2011 she started choreographing Becoming Undone, her largest work, which premiered in March 2012.
In November 2012, Ms. Henrot was invited to be a guest choreographer for the
Five College Dance Department in Massachusetts. Her most recent work
entitled Gray Matter premiered at the Southern Theater as part of the Minnesota Fringe Festival in August 2013. This is Zoé’s second season with Saint Paul
Ballet, and her first as Interim Artistic Director.
Max Levy, Staatstheater Nürnberg Ballett, Nuremberg,
Germany. Max started his ballet studies 2001 at the Boulder
Ballet School before he completed in 2006 a trainee program
with San Francisco Ballet. In 2007 and 2008 he took part in
Forsythe Improvisation Workshops taught by Amy Raymond and
Natalie Thomas. In 2008 he has been engaged as dancer with
American Repertory Ballet before joining North Carolina Dance
Theatre in 2009. Max Levy appeared in choreographies by John
Neumeier, Twyla Tharp,Graham Lustig and Peter Abbit amongst others. From
2002 to 2005 he yearly won the first prize in the Denver Ballet Guild Young
Dancer’s Competition. Since the season 2011/2012 he has been a member of
the company of Staatstheater Nürnberg Ballett. Photo credit: Jeff Cravotta.
“I now dance with Staatsballett Nürnberg in Germany, but I was only 11 when I
joined Boulder Ballet. I had just moved to the US from Japan, and it was a somewhat difficult change, culturally speaking. While I was still an awkward pre-teen
Japanese kid, Boulder Ballet helped me keep going at something I enjoyed. From
then on, it continued to provide what I needed to grow as a dancer. From a place
where I could continue a hobby, Boulder Ballet became a place to build my base
for a professional ballet career. I cannot discount other schools, teachers, and
help I received throughout Colorado, but at that time of my life, Boulder Ballet
was one of the main propelling forces that got me on my feet to become a professional. It was difficult to find strong male training in an area completely outnumbered by girls, but Boulder Ballet’s program gave me a great foundation on which
I was able to build.” Danielle Pite, Ballet Nebraska. Danielle is in her second
season as a Company Apprentice. She began her classical
ballet training at Boulder Ballet School. She graduated with
honors from Smith College in Northampton, MA with a double
major in dance and chemistry. Danielle trained during summers through Arts Umbrella at Ballet British Columbia, Alonzo
King’s LINES Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Kansas City
Ballet and Briansky Ballet. She performed leading roles in a
variety of works with Five Colleges Dance Department, including Rodger
Blum’s Sonnets of the Broken Hearted, Merce Cunningham’s MinEvents, Mark
Morris’s Gloria, and Megan McCool’s Interplay in G Minor. Danielle choreographed and performed for three years with Celebrations Dance Company,
the student dance company at Smith College. She performed as a trainee in
Ballet Nebraska’s Momentum, The Nutcracker, and was featured in Kennet
Oberly’s Alice in Wonderland as the March Hare.
Jordan Richardson, Ballet West. Jordan is a company member
of Ballet West, Salt Lake City, Utah. She recently appeared with
the company in The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center in
Washington DC.
“I grew up dancing with Boulder Ballet from the time I was two
and a half years old through my senior year in high school.
Boulder Ballet created an environment that cultivated dance and
made it accessible to everyone. They made dancing fun, yet still focused on
technique and developing strong dancers. Boulder Ballet provided me with the
vital, foundational training that prepared me for moments of opportunity that I
encountered, first with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. And my experience at Pittsburgh
Ballet Theatre helped to prepare me for a contract with Nevada Ballet Theater in
Las Vegas and now with Ballet West in Salt Lake City. I have been so blessed and I
have gotten so many wonderful opportunities to work with world renowned choreographers, learn beautiful ballets, dance on some of the most incredible stages
in the nation, and even be a part of a TV show, “Breaking Pointe”. I am thankful to
Boulder Ballet for the years of discipline and training that gave me a foundation
Jacob Taylor, Boulder Ballet
Jacob Taylor is a recent graduate of
the Ballet Performance Program at
Indiana University’s Jacobs School of
Music and is currently on faculty at
the Boulder Ballet School and Colorado Ballet Academy. He received
extensive classical training at IU
from Violette Verdy, Michael Vernon,
Jaques Cesbron, Shawn Stevens and
Guo Ping Wang. At IU his repertoire included ballets by George
Balanchine, August Bournonville,
Martha Graham, Agnes de Mille,
Bronislava Nijinska, Dwight Rhoden,
Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp
and Antony Tudor. Jacob danced in the IU Opera Theater’s production of
Jerome Robbin’s West Side Story and was commissioned to choreograph IU
Opera Theater’s production of Cendrillon after his choreographic success
within the Ballet Department. In addition to ballet performance, Jacob studied
dance pedagogy at IU and has taught ballet and jazz to multiple level students. Jacob has been a guest artist with Alabama Dance Academy, Boulder’s
Dinner Theatre, Colorado Ballet, Indiana Festival Theater and Indianapolis
School of Ballet. He received his formative training at Boulder Ballet School as
well as such summer programs as American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Kaatsbaan, and Perry Mansfield. Jacob could not
be happier to be back dancing with the company that nurtured him tremendously as a young artist and still nurtures him to this day. This is Jacob’s first
season in the company of Boulder Ballet.
“I was about 9 years old when I started dancing in Boulder Ballet’s The Nutcracker
and that was a major contributor to me catching the theatre/dance “bug”.
I loved being onstage and moving to music. Boulder Ballet School really gave me
the opportunity to grow so much as a dancer and as an artist in general because
it gave me the opportunity to not only take strict classical ballet class but also the
opportunity to choreograph myself for the annual Choreographers Showcase. It
also provided me with the opportunity to take classes in Modern, Character, and
Physical Theatre which added tremendously to my marketability as a performing
artist. The classical training also gave me the confidence I needed to be successful at Indiana University Ballet Theatre.”
Makaila Wallace, Ballet British Columbia, Canada. A Canadian born in Vallejo, California, Makaila Wallace started
dance training at a very young age in Boulder, Colorado. Deciding to increase her development as a dancer at about the
age of 8, she decided to join the Boulder Ballet School where
she studied until the age of 12. At that time she enrolled in the
Colorado Ballet School for one year before heading to Canada to continue her professional dance training at the Royal
Winnipeg Ballet School at age 14. During two summers, Makaila attended
Bolshoi Ballet summer programs in both Vail, Colorado and Hemsedal, Norway. After graduating school, she danced with the RWB as an apprentice and
then moved to Stockholm, Sweden to join the Royal Swedish Ballet company
where she performed many soloist roles. After three years, she returned to
Canada and joined Ballet BC. Becoming one of Ballet BC leading dancers she
has performed nationally and internationally. Her personal performance
highlights have included works by choreographers Johan Inger, Crystal Pite,
Aszure Barton, Serge Bennathan, Jorma Elo, Jiri Kylian and Medhi Walerski,
among others. In 2009, she worked with Roberto Campanella and Robert
Glumbek (ProArte Danza) and also taught at the Okanagan Summer Dance
Intensive in Kelowna. And in 2010 performed in the Opening Ceremony of
the winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. After more than 10 years, Makaila has just completed her time dancing with Ballet BC and is now an independent artist living in Vancouver, Canada.
Genevieve Waterbury, Nevada Ballet Theatre. After attending Colorado State University, where she pursued her BA in
dance, Genevieve accepted a traineeship with Nevada Ballet
Theatre. She has since performed corps de ballet roles in The
Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia as well
as in a collaborative contemporary production with Cirque du
Soleil. Photo Credit: Virginia Trudeau
Annalise Woller, Dayton Ballet
Annalise Woller is originally from
Boulder, Colorado, and began dancing at Boulder Ballet when she was
six years old. She attended many
summer ballet intensives including
Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, and
Juilliard. Annalise went on to study
dance at Goucher College. After
only three years, Mrs. Woller graduated from Goucher College with
Honors in Dance Performance and a
minor in mathematics. In 2009, Annalise returned to Boulder to dance with
Boulder Ballet where she was featured as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.
She also danced professionally with
Delusions of Grandeur Productions
and The Dayton Arts Project. Annalise joined Dayton Ballet and will be
going into her sixth season with the company this fall. She has particularly enjoyed
performing From Foreign Lands and People by Jessica Lang, Finding Almost by Amy
Seiwert, and You Are Here by Gina Patterson. In addition to being a dancer in the
company, Annalise has also been rewarded the role of Rehearsal Assistant going on
three years now, and teaches fitness for dancers in the Dayton Ballet School. She
thanks her husband and family for their continual love and support.
“They say home is where the heart is, and for me, that is Boulder Ballet. Now that
I live in Ohio I always love coming back to Boulder, not only to see my wonderful
family, but my Boulder Ballet family as well. Growing up through Boulder Ballet was
more than just learning ballet steps, it was a beautiful watercolor of friendships, role
models, artistry, confidence, life lessons, and nurturing of spirit through dance. I feel
absolutely blessed to have grown up at a studio where competition, whether for roles
or body image issues, was widely surpassed by camaraderie and the ultimate goal of
bettering every student. To this day I relish the indescribable bond I have with many
dance friends created through sweat, laughter, and the occasional tears. I would also
be remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible teaching staff at Boulder Ballet, who have
had a large hand not only in my training but my person as well. I can say with certainty
that I wouldn’t be who I am today without the ever guiding wisdom of Ana Claire, Becky
Jancosko, and Barbara Demaree to name a few.I know I will never forget the many wonderful years there or the people that made it so spectacular. From the rickety stairs at
Tom’s Tavern to the beautiful studios at the Dairy center, the magic and light of Boulder
Ballet continues today.”
Join Boulder Ballet for an
Exciting 2015-2016 Season!
Ballet in the Park
June 14-21, 2015
In Broomfield, Highlands Ranch, and Boulder
The 11th annual outdoor concert series is free to the public! This
family-friendly repertoire concert features excerpts from the season
along with new works in classical and contemporary styles. Come
early with a picnic, enjoy a beautiful summer evening with us.
The Nutcracker
November 27 - December 6, 2015
At Macky Auditorium and Vance Brand Civic Auditorium
America’s favorite ballet is once again brought to life in a grand
production featuring a cast of over 80 dancers, full scenery, costumes, and special effects, in addition to the live orchestra. Our
classical choreography is infused with theatrical magic, circus arts,
and a rare sense of humor. And the new scenery debuts in 2015!
Rodeo
January 16, 2016
At Macky Auditorium
A new collaborative production of Aaron Copland’s iconic ballet
with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra.
Photos: Mihail Codrescu
Stepping Out
February 19-21, 2016
Boulder Ballet unveils the cutting edge of ballet technique and artistry in our contemporary show. Each season, we invite innovative
choreographers to create new and imaginative works for a unique
and varied evening of dance and theater.
An American in Paris
May 8, 2016
A special event for Mother’s Day, this popular show celebrates and
reinterprets the Tony Award-winning Broadway production.
Photo: Keith Bobo
BOULDERBALLETSCHOOL
At Boulder Ballet, we seek to create,
explore, and extend the artistry,
passion, and joy of dance in community
with our artists, students, and audiences.
Your support helps our talented students
to reach their potential. THANK YOU!
BB2 Student Portrait by Mihail Codrescu