Alumni Spotlight: Dancing through Nutcracker and Other Holiday Shows
Avant Chamber Ballet dancers Sydney May (Ballet BFA ’20) and Martin St Pierre. Photo by Dan Huntley.
No doubt many dance enthusiasts can trace their discovery of the magic of dance to when they first saw a performance of The Nutcracker. This classic ballet is a seasonal staple, and while it can have a reputation for being a company workhorse, or even overdone, in the end there’s a reason we return to it year after year. Whether it’s the delicate bourrée of the Sugar Plum Fairy or the sweeping turns of the snowflakes, the spectacle of the Nutcracker reminds us all why we fell in love with dance in the first place.
Scan the list below to see where and what productions School of Dance students and alumni are involved in this 2024 season.
Abby Inglett Brant (Ballet BFA ‘21) - Ballet Spartanburg’s Nutcracker
Alicia Manica (Modern BFA ‘19) - Director of Stunning Dance Studio’s Jazz Nutcracker
Alicia Ross (Modern BFA ‘20) - Director of FemDance’s Tetrad Winter Show
Amanda Ahn (Ballet BFA ‘25) - OBT Trainee Dancer in Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker
Amanda Peabody (Ballet BFA ‘25) - SB II Dancer in Sacramento Ballet’s Nutcracker
Amy Novak (Ballet BFA ‘21) - Ballet Spartanburg’s Nutcracker
Ana Gellert (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Instructor in Utah Dance Institute’s Nutcracker
Annalise Wood (Ballet BFA ‘26) - Trainee/BW II Dancer in Ballet West’s Nutcracker
Anne Gutcher (Ballet BFA ’18) - Dancer in Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Nutcracker
Annie Clifford (Ballet BFA ‘24) - Dance in City Ballet of San Diego’s Nutcracker
Ari Hassett (Modern BFA ’18) - Dancer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Ashley Jian Thomson (Ballet BFA ’18) - Choreographer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Becca Webb (Modern BFA ‘21) - Choreographer in FemDance’s Tetrad Winter Show
Brooke Huebner (Ballet BFA ‘18) - Dancer in Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Nutcracker
Catherine Welch (Ballet BFA ’18) - Dancer in Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Nutcracker
Cati Snarr (Ballet BFA ‘20) - Director of Utah Dance Institute’s Nutcracker
Carly Schaub (Modern MFA ’15) - Choreographer in Oquirrh Mountain Ballet’s Nutcracker and Dancer/Choreographer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Daniel Do (Modern BFA ’17) - Dancer in Oquirrh Mountain Ballet’s Nutcracker
Ellie Hanagarne (Ballet MFA ’12) - Choreographer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Eri Nishihara (Ballet BFA ‘16) - Dancer in Richmond Ballet’s Nutcracker
Hannah Argyle (Ballet BFA ‘22) - Dancer in Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Nutcracker
Jalen Williams (Ballet BFA ‘18) - Dancer in Dayton Ballet’s Nutcracker and Dancer in Symphony Q Academy of Dance’s Nutcracker
Jennie Creer-King (Ballet BFA ‘94, MFA ‘99) - Director of Central Utah Ballet & Chrysalis’ Ballet’s Nutcracker
Karina Biancone (Ballet BFA ’17) - Dancer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Kyra Shimogori (Ballet BFA ‘21) - Dancer in Ballet Tucson’s Nutcracker
Loren Kahn (Ballet BFA ‘25) - OBT Trainee Dancer in Canyon Concert Ballet’s The Nutcracker Sweets
Lydia Pohly Martin (Modern BFA ‘18) - Dancer in FemDance’s Tetrad Winter Show
Madeline Colesano (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Apprentice Dancer in Avant Chamber Ballet’s Nutcracker
Madeline Jones (Ballet BFA ’19) - Dancer in Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Nutcracker
Madeleine Scott (Ballet BFA ‘17) - Dancer in Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Nutcracker
Marjorie O’hearne (Ballet BFA ’18) - Dancer in Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Nutcracker
Mary Claire Whitley (Ballet BFA ’26) - Dancer in Twin Cities Ballet’s A Minnesota Nutcracker
Michaela Gerard (Ballet BFA ’16) - Choreographer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Mindy Lasko (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Dancer in Colorado West Performing Arts Company’s Nutcracker
Misa Oga (Ballet BFA ’13, MFA ’19) - Director of MOGA Conservatory of Dance’s Nutcracker
Molly Korzep (Ballet BFA ’17) - Dancer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Natalie Montoya (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Dancer in Tallahassee Ballet’s Nutcracker
Natalie Taylor (Ballet BFA ’24) - OB II Dancer in Orlando Ballet’s Nutcracker
Oli ia Huseonica (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Dancer in Azara Ballet’s “Short & Suite” holiday show
Olivia Mason (Ballet BFA ’16) - Draper for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker & Choreographer/Costume Designer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Sarah Rinderknecht (Ballet BFA ’23) - Dancer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Sayoko Knode Peterson (Ballet MFA ‘11) - Choreographer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Sidney Haefs (Ballet BFA ‘18) - Dancer in Kansas City Ballet’s Nutcracker
Sierra Govett (Ballet BFA ’18) - Dancer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Sierra Willis (Ballet BFA ’27) - OB II Dancer in Orlando Ballet’s Nutcracker
Stacie Brown Riskin (Ballet BFA ’14) - Dancer in Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative’s “Winter Holiday Spirits Ball”
Sydney May (Ballet BFA ‘20) - Dancer in Avant Chamber Ballet’s Nutcracker
Terry Teruyo Davis (Ballet MFA ‘11) - Director of SLC Ballet’s Nutcracker
Tyler Piwowarczyk (Ballet BFA ’18) - Dancer in Twin Cities Ballet’s A Minnesota Nutcracker
Wyatt Pendleton (Ballet BFA ‘17) - Dancer in Ballet Memphis’ Nutcracker
Zephan Holt (Ballet BFA ‘22) - Dancer in Colorado West Performing Arts Company’s Nutcracker
Don’t see yourself or a fellow U Dance alumni listed? Tag @uofudance in your social media posts or send an email to merritt.mecham@utah.edu to receive a shoutout.