The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker
 

Presented by 

The Minnesota Ballet
Duluth, Minnesota

Artistic Executive Director 
Karl von Rabenau

Production Manager
Katie Kampfhenkel

Ballet Master
Jennifer Miller

Costumes
Rianna Ryan

Local Dance Choreography and Support
Candice Van Hove
National Dance Academy

Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited

The Nutcracker, Op 71, Act 1 & 2
By Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Show will last approximately 2 hours. There will be one 15 minute intermission.

Ansley Pierce

Sophia Morgan

Rebekah Docea

Isabella Blindauer

Luke Umphlett

Isaac Sharratt

Taylor Phillips

Jessica Lopes

Cecilia Hernandez

Pierce Gallagher

Matthew Frezzell

Juliana DeBellis

Brianna Crockett

Brooke Bero

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Ansley Peirce - Apprentice 
Ansley Pierce began her training at Hinsdale Dance Academy, then attended the same conservatory as HDA founder and director, Jennifer Grapes Croughan. At UMKC, Ansley trained under Paula Weber, Ron Tice (former dancer with The Zurich Opera-Ballet, The Grand Theatre of Geneva, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The North Carolina Dance Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre), DeeAnna Hiett (former dancer with Alvin Ailey), Garry Abbott (co-founder of Deeply Rooted), Tobin James (trained by Martha Graham), and David Justin (former dancer with Royal Birmingham Ballet). Ansley’s training includes a strong classical ballet foundation and modern repertoires of Horton, Graham, Limone, and the Cunningham style and choreography teachings. After two years at UMKC, Ansley transferred to Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance. Here, she trained under Judith Chitwood (former dancer with Cincinnati Ballet), Paula Frasz (founder of Dance Loop Chicago), Marc Macaranas (founding dancer of DanceWorks Chicago), Jennifer Grund (former dancer with Dayton Ballet), and Rich Grund (former dancer with Dayton Ballet and Joffrey Ballet faculty member). In college, Ansley studied pedagogy for ballet and modern, dance history, anatomy, improv, pas de deux, variations, analysis of movement, Jazz, Pilates, and choreography. Ansley has performed many soloist and principal roles, including An American in Paris, Pas de Deux; PHANTOM, by Marc Macaranas; Sea Songs by Paula Frasz; Carmina Burana, restaged by Paula Frasz; Carmen, by Septime Weber, restaged by Rich Grund; The Three Fates, by Ron Tice; as well as numerous works by student choreographers. Through her variety of performance experiences and varied coursework, Ansley discovered a love for choreography. Notably in her first year at NIU, she was the first-ever recipient of the Jerry Tulk Choreography Award and Scholarship. Ansley is now in her first season with the Minnesota ballet as an apprentice.

Sophia Morgan - Apprentice
Ansley Pierce began her training at Hinsdale Dance Academy, then attended the same conservatory as HDA founder and director, Jennifer Grapes Croughan. At UMKC, Ansley trained under Paula Weber, Ron Tice (former dancer with The Zurich Opera-Ballet, The Grand Theatre of Geneva, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The North Carolina Dance Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre), DeeAnna Hiett (former dancer with Alvin Ailey), Garry Abbott (co-founder of Deeply Rooted), Tobin James (trained by Martha Graham), and David Justin (former dancer with Royal Birmingham Ballet). Ansley’s training includes a strong classical ballet foundation and modern repertoires of Horton, Graham, Limone, and the Cunningham style and choreography teachings. After two years at UMKC, Ansley transferred to Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance. Here, she trained under Judith Chitwood (former dancer with Cincinnati Ballet), Paula Frasz (founder of Dance Loop Chicago), Marc Macaranas (founding dancer of DanceWorks Chicago), Jennifer Grund (former dancer with Dayton Ballet), and Rich Grund (former dancer with Dayton Ballet and Joffrey Ballet faculty member). In college, Ansley studied pedagogy for ballet and modern, dance history, anatomy, improv, pas de deux, variations, analysis of movement, Jazz, Pilates, and choreography. Ansley has performed many soloist and principal roles, including An American in Paris, Pas de Deux; PHANTOM, by Marc Macaranas; Sea Songs by Paula Frasz; Carmina Burana, restaged by Paula Frasz; Carmen, by Septime Weber, restaged by Rich Grund; The Three Fates, by Ron Tice; as well as numerous works by student choreographers. Through her variety of performance experiences and varied coursework, Ansley discovered a love for choreography. Notably in her first year at NIU, she was the first-ever recipient of the Jerry Tulk Choreography Award and Scholarship. Ansley is now in her first season with the Minnesota ballet as an apprentice.

Rebekah Docea - Apprentice
A Wisconsin native, Rebekah began her dance education at the age of 4 with a local ballet school located in Brookfield, WI. During her high school years, Rebekah trained with the Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy under the direction of Rolando Yanes, dancing full-time her senior year as a trainee. At MBSA Rebekah danced alongside both the professional Milwaukee Ballet Company and Milwaukee Ballet II in productions such as The Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Serenade, and the world premier of Michael Pink’s Beauty and the Beast. After her experience as a trainee, Rebekah was accepted into the ballet program at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where she graduated summa cum laude earning her BFA in Ballet performance and BA in French studies. During her time in Cincinnati, Rebekah performed a number of classical and contemporary ballets including Pas de Quatre (soloist), Giselle, Balanchine’s Serenade, and original works by the CCM faculty. Rebekah has spent two seasons as a professional artist with Roanoke Ballet Theatre under the direction of Rolando Sarabia performing various repertoire including Giselle, Norbert Nirewicz’s Dracula, The Nutcracker (Chinese Tea soloist), Paquita (soloist), and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. This is Rebekah’s first season with Minnesota Ballet.

Isabella Blindauer - Apprentice
Isabella Blindauer was born and raised in Duluth Minnesota, and began dancing at the Minnesota Ballet Academy in 2014. She now has her associates of the arts degree from Lake Superior College, and is working towards a bachelors in early childhood education from St. Catherine’s University. Since joining the company, she has performed in such works as Bruce Wells’ A Midsummer Night's Dream, Sleeping Beauty, and Karl von Rabenaus’ original works of POE, Nutcracker: A Duluth Tale, and Snow White. Her most notable roles include Clara and Madeleine in Allen Fields’ Manhattan Nutcracker, and the Sister and Farmer in Karl von Rabenau’s Nutcracker: A Duluth Tale. She is very happy to be continuing her work with the company and is looking forward to her third season here.

Luke Umphlett - Senior Apprentice 
Luke Umphlett is from Columbus, North Carolina, and has been dancing ballet for 10 years!  He has performed roles such as The Nutcracker Prince, The Rat King, The Sugar Plum Cavalier, and so much more!  He just finished his training with The Washington School of Ballet, and is very excited to be entering his second season with Minnesota Ballet!

Isaac Sharratt - Company Dancer
Isaac Sharratt began his ballet training in Tucson, Arizona, training first at Tucson Regional Ballet and then moving his training to Ballet Tucson in 2004. He was awarded scholarships to attend several summer intensive programs including; San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Milwaukee Ballet. Mr. Sharratt rose from Ballet Tucson’s academy into the company at the age of 16, where he spent three more years with Ballet Tucson as a company member. He performed the lead in Anthony Tudor’s “Little Improvisations”, as well as performing Tudor’s Continuo. He worked closely with ballet superstars John Gardner and Amanda McKerrow, as well as renowned Jeffery Graham Hughs, Pamela Raymond, and Lawrence Peck. He moved from Ballet Tucson in 2008 to join the Milwaukee Ballet II program, spending only one year in the program before being asked into the company. During his ten years with Milwaukee Ballet, Mr. Sharratt was cast in several world premiere full-length ballets by Michael Pink, doing lead roles in many and playing the title role in Michael Pink’s Beauty and the Beast. Over his time in Milwaukee Ballet Mr. Sharratt performed many restagings and has had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographers such as Trey McIntyre, Mauro de Candia, Tim O’Donnel, Val Caniparoli, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Mark Godden, Amy Seiwert, Septime Webber, Matthew Neenan, Ann Reinking, Frank Chaves, and many more. Most recently Mr. Sharratt danced with American Midwest Ballet from its 2019-2022 seasons. During the company's digital series Mr. Sharratt was given the opportunity to perform Frank Chaves’ “If Only” with his wife, Jessica. Mr. Sharratt is also an aspiring choreographer, having set many pieces on Milwaukee Ballet’s second company and main company, beginning in 2009 and continuing steadily through his stay with the company. He was given the opportunity to choreograph on the main company most recently in 2018, as well as having choreographed on Ballet Minnesota in 2017, and various solos for both domestic and international competition use.

Taylor Phillips - Company Dancer 
Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Taylor began his dance training at the age of nine at the Letha Fulton’s School of Dance. Letha truly fostered his love of dancing. He later danced at various studios in Grand Rapids including the West Michigan Youth Ballet, where he performed his first Nutcracker. At 16, he moved to Florida to train at the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School under the tutelage of Ariel Serrano and Wilmian Hernandez. In the fall 2022 season he started with the Minnesota Ballet. He will be going onto his third season with the Minnesota Ballet.

Jessica Lopes - Company Dancer
Brazilian born Jessica Lopes began her professional ballet training in 2014 at Escola de Dança Alice Arja, until joining and graduating Miami City Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program in 2016. After her time in Miami she returned to Brazil and joined Cia de Ballet do Rio de Janeiro as a Corps de Ballet member. Jessica returned to the states in 2017 joining the Milwaukee Ballet 2 Program where she spent two seasons training and performing alongside their main company. During her time with Milwaukee’s second company Jessica had the opportunity to perform in ballets such as Michael Pink’s Swan Lake and Dracula, excerpts of August Bournonville’s “Napoli”, and Bruce Well’s “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, being featured in Corps de Ballet roles throughout those seasons and receiving soloist casting in Milwaukee Ballet’s “Genesis; Choreographic Competition” as well as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. In 2019 Jessica joined American Midwest ballet for three seasons, including a digital series during the lockdown where Mrs. Lopes had the pleasure to perform Frank Chavez's “If Only” with her husband, Isaac. Jessica has had the opportunity to work with many renowned choreographers during her training and career including; Aleix Mane Saez, Kathy Posin, Pam Tanowitz, Gerard Ebitz, Michael Pink, Timothy O’Donnell, and many more. This is Jessica’s second season with Minnesota Ballet and her first season as a full company dancer. While with Minnesota ballet Mrs.Lopes has been featured as Princess Florine and Fairy of Courage (Finger Fairy) from Sleeping Beauty and contemporary works like Adam McKinney’s“Home Ablating Downstream” and Karl VonRabenau’s “Rinnovo”.

Cecilia Hernandez - Company Dancer
Cecilia Helena Hernandez, of Teaneck, New Jersey, began her ballet training at Nunnbetter Dance Theatre under the leadership of Mr. Leath Nunn. She continued her training at her home studio while also attending summer intensives at American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Academy East, Cincinnati Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Upon graduating high school, she spent two years in PBT’s Graduate Program, where she was honored to perform in the school productions of Don Quixote and Swan Lake. She then became an apprentice for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. With PBT, she has performed various corps roles in Swan Lake, the Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, the Sleeping Beauty, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, and Michael Pink’s Dracula. Her contemporary works include Bolero by Susan Jaffe and Monger by Barak Marshall. Cecilia is beyond thrilled to join the Minnesota Ballet for the 2024/2025 season.

Pierce Gallagher - Company Dancer
Originally from Waxhaw, North Carolina Pierce began his training at the age of 8 at Charlotte Ballet Academy where he spent his years training under Sarkis Kaltakchian, Laszlo Berdo, Kati Mayo and Patricia Mcbride. In 2021 Pierce joined Charlotte Ballet’s Pre-Professional program and was promoted to Charlotte Ballet’s second company a year later where he worked for two years. He has performed in works by George Balanchine, Sasha Janes, Helen Pickett, Christopher Stuart and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. Additionally he has attended summer intensives at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and the Chautauqua Institution. He is very excited for his first season with Minnesota Ballet!

Matthew Frezzell - Company Dancer
Matthew began his ballet training in Norfolk, Virginia at Ballet Virginia International under the direction of Janina Bove and Suzanne Lownsbury Long. In 2014, after attending the summer intensive program at Orlando Ballet, he joined the Orlando Ballet School Academy under the direction of Dierdre Miles Burger. Matthew became a trainee the following year and then joined Orlando Ballet II the next year in 2017 under direction of Robert Hill.  While dancing at Orlando Ballet Matthew had the opportunity to dance in original works by artistic director Robert Hill such as “The Firebird”, “Romeo & Juliet”, “Piano Concerto No.2”, Swan Lake and many more. From 2018-2020 Mathew was a company dancer with San Diego Ballet directed by Javier Velasco. Some of Matthew’s highlights dancing with San Diego Ballet were Basilio in “Don Quixote Suite”, Bottom in “A Midsummer's Night Dream” as well as many leading roles and original works by Javier Velasco. From 2020-22 Matthew danced as a company dancer with Columbia City Ballet under direction of William Starrett ,where he performed various soloist and corps roles such as Renfield in “Dracula:Ballet with a bite” and the Jester in “Swan Lake”. For the 2022-23 season Matthew had the opportunity to dance with Ballet San Antonio under the direction of Sofiane Sylve as a corps de ballet dancer. A few highlights include the King of Hearts in Brian Enos’ “Alice in Wonderland” and a member of the corps for Houston Thomas’s “Pauline Project”. Matthew has also had the opportunity to work with various notable teachers, dancers, choreographers, ballet mistresses and directors such as Susan Jones, Val Caniparoli, and Michael Pink, Lydia Roberts Coco, Lorraine Graves, Olivier Munoz, Julio Bocca, Kim Marsh, Yan Chen, Joseph Gatti, Adiarys Almeida and Joseph Phillips. This will be Matthew’s second season with Minnesota Ballet   

Juliana DeBellis - Company Dancer
Juliana DeBellis, originally from Carlsbad, California, grew up training at San Elijo Dance and Music Academy under Benjamin and Lauri-Michelle Houk. Juliana also attended intensives at Kansas City Ballet, Princeton Ballet, and Ballet Austin before joining Texas Christian University’s School for Classical and Contemporary Dance. At TCU, Juliana performed in such works as Sleeping Beauty, August Bournonville’s “Konservatoriat,” Gabrielle Lamb’s “Waveform,” Francesca Harper’s “Angela, Gloria, and Io.” In 2022, she graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Ballet and a minor in Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship. Juliana is excited to return for her third season with the Minnesota Ballet.

Brianna Crockett - Company Dancer 
Brianna began her training at International Ballet School in Littleton, Colorado, at age 10. At 15, she was awarded the Florence Rustin Award as well as first place at the Denver Ballet Guild competition. Later that year, she was invited to attend the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program in New York City, where she remained until graduating in 2016. In 2015 she performed in Danse Boheme at Lincoln Center during the Youth America Grand Prix Stars of Today Meet Stars of Tomorrow Gala. Brianna also attended a number of summer intensives on partial or full scholarships including Joffrey Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, Ellison Ballet, and the School at Jacob’s Pillow. Brianna joined Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company in 2016 and remained there through the 2017-2018 season. During her time at Colorado Ballet, she performed various roles in the company’s major productions including a corps de ballet Swan in Swan Lake, a Flower and Snowflake in The Nutcracker, and a corps dancer in Serenade. She also danced the role of Young Girl in Michael Pink’s Dracula and one of Rosaline’s friends in Derek Deane’s Romeo and Juliet. In 2017, Brianna had the opportunity to work privately with guest artists Jairo Heli Garcia and Paola Rubio from Crisol Dance in Guadalajara, Mexico, to prepare a pas de deux for the choreographers’ piece RedBeat, which was staged for the Studio Company. She has also guested for BRIAH Danse in Boulder, Colorado, performing a number of contemporary works, and for Atlantic City Ballet’s Swan Lake. Brianna is in her fourth season with the Minnesota Ballet. From 2018-2019, she performed roles such as Chosen One in Robert Gardner’s Rite of Spring and grown-up Clara, Ice Fairy, Dew Drop Fairy in Allen Fields’ The Nutcracker. In 2020 to 2021, she danced the role of Clara/Sugar Plum in Karl von Rabenau’s The Nutcracker: A Duluth Tale and Aurora in an excerpt from Sleeping Beauty in the spring production Dancing Through.

Brooke Bero - Company Dancer
Brooke Bero, originally from Pewaukee Wisconsin, began her training with Milwaukee Ballet under the direction of Rolando Yanes and Michael Pink. During her years with Milwaukee Ballet she had the privilege of performing in some of Michael Pink’s original works including Peter Pan, The Nutcracker, and Cinderella. She then went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Point Park University under the direction of Susan Stowe. During her time at the University she performed works including George Balanchine‘s Serenade and Nicolas Petrov‘s Romeo and Juliet. Her professional career began at Eugene Ballet under the direction of Toni Pimble where she was a part of newly created works including Toni’s Great Gatsby and The Snow Queen. She’s also spent seasons dancing with Charlottesville Ballet, Ballet Fantastique and as a freelance artist in Portland, Oregon and Melbourne, Australia. Brooke is thrilled to be back in the Midwest dancing for Minnesota Ballet for her third season.