About Us
Minnesota Ballet is the premier classical ballet company in the Northland.
We have provided high-quality performances, pre-professional ballet training, and lively outreach programs for over 55 years.
Whether from our permanent home in Duluth, Minnesota or on our annual Midwest tours, we offer audiences vibrant new versions of classic works, faithful interpretations of masterpieces by legendary artists, and new commissions from established and emerging choreographers in a variety of dance styles.
Our Mission
to inspire appreciation of the art of ballet through performance and education.
Our Vision
to make the beauty, joy and passion of dance accessible to all members of the community.
A History of Artistic Excellence
Where innovation, diversity, and inclusion richly nourish the art of dance.
We Are The Ballet
Meet our current students, faculty, staff, and board of directors.
Select the termsDancers
Ximena Azurmendi
Company Dancer sponsored by Morgana and Leroy Kolenda
Born and raised in El Paso Texas, Ximena began her ballet training at the age of 13 with the El Paso Ballet Theater. While training there she had the opportunity to perform with the company in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Cinderella, and Giselle. She attended her first summer intensive at The Rock School of Dance Education in 2013 and then decided to pursue a career in dance. During the summer of 2014, Ximena attended The Art of Classical Ballet summer intensive under the direction of Magaly Suarez. In 2015 Ximena relocated to Florida to begin her intensive pre-professional training with Magaly Suarez, as well as being accepted into Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts where she graduated in 2016 as a Dance Major. In 2018 Ximena was offered a position with the second company at Orlando Ballet under the direction of Robert Hill. During her time with Orlando Ballet, Ximena performed with the company in many productions such as Robert Hill’s Carmina Burana, Bolero, The Nutcracker, Arcadian Broad’s “Seasons”, and Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella. Ximena joined Minnesota Ballet in 2020 and was featured as “Dew Drop” in Karl von Rabenau’s Nutcracker Suite: A Duluth Tale, and in Paul Taylor’s Dream Solo from Company.
Brooke Bero
Company Dancer sponsored by Jonathan Reznick
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 first season.
Brianna Crockett
Company Dancer sponsored by Claudia von Wilpert
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.
Matthew Frezzell
Company Dancer sponsored by Story North Productions
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 first season with Minnesota Ballet
Brian Guerrero
Company Dancer sponsored by Patricia Salo Downs
Brian Guerrero began his training at the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School in 2012 and graduated in 2020. During his time there he performed roles such as Cavalier in The Nutcracker and the lead in Grand Pas Classique. While there he also participated in Young America Grand Prix and was awarded 3rd place in classical and 1st place in pas de deux. Since then Brian has performed in numerous dance festivals in Cuba, the Festival Internacional de Ballet de Costa Rica, and performed with the Youth Ballet Company Panama. Brian has now joined the Minnesota Ballet as a company member.
Kyra Olson
Company Dancer sponsored by Ed Schumacher
Kyra Olson is originally from Wolcott, Connecticut where she began her training at Studio One and Triple Threat Dance Company. She danced competitively for seven years then decided to focus primarily on ballet after graduating high school in 2016. She attended Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts and graduated from their two year post-grad program. During this time, she was the Arabian soloist in the Nutcracker, Odette and featured in a contemporary ballet piece by Victoria Mazzarelli. In 2018, she joined the Ruth Page Training Company and had the opportunity to perform as Aurora, American Beauty Rose from the Nutcracker, Raymonda, Swan Lake Pas de Trois, Giselle Peasant Pas, Esmeralda Pas de Deux, Meetings Along the Edge by Venetia Stifler and Pasaje del Tiempo by Victor Alexander. She has attended summer intensives at Oklahoma City Ballet, Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, and Ruth Page Center for the Arts. In the summers of 2019, 2021 and 2023 she attended Ballet Summer Workshop in Estonia where she performed in their Gala and was featured in works by Viki Bromberg Psihoyos, Konstantin Keykhel, Triinu Upkin and Cristiano Principato. While with Minnesota Ballet she had the opportunity to perform Concourse by Petr Zahradnicek and in Karl von Rabenau’s Sleepy Hollow and The Nutcracker as well as contemporary works by Jennifer Miller and Karl von Rabenau. She is excited for her fourth season with Minnesota Ballet!
Isaac Sharratt
Company Dancer sponsored by Betsy Holcomb
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.
Victor Smith
Company Dancer sponsored by Pamela and Ryan Arola
Victor Smith was born in Hong Kong and received his early ballet training at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. After moving to Australia at a young age, he continued his training at the Queensland Conservatoire of Ballet in Brisbane completing his Diploma of Dance. During that time, he studied the Cecchetti Method and the Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus, passing exams with honours. He then went on to Sydney at Alegria Dance Studios under the direction of Hilary Kaplan and Archibald McKenzie, with whom he performed at the Sydney Opera House. Victor then went on to extended his dance education in the United States with the Boston Ballet School as Trainee, Ellison Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy and the Joffrey Ballet School. Former companies include Joffrey Concert Group, Baltimore Ballet, Charlottesville Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Wilmington Ballet and most recently the American Midwest Ballet. He has performed numerous leading roles in the vast amount of classical and contemporary repertoire, dancing as Principal and Soloist. Repertoire highlights include Basilio in Don Quixote, Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Lead Male in Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain, Birthday Variations and Kettentanz and Bluebird in Gelsey Kirkland’s Sleeping Beauty. Original contemporary works choreographed by Dwight Rhoden, Africa Guzman, Ray Mercer, Michael Blake, Frank Chaves, Larry Kegwin and many others.
Victor is excited to be joining Minnesota Ballet for its 2023 - 2024 season!
Sean M. Sullivan
Company Dancer sponsored by Mary and Joe Gummerson
Originally from Dade City, Florida, Sean began dancing at age seven as a traditional Irish dancer and eventually went on to compete at the National and World Championships. At age 16, he began his ballet training at North Carolina Dance Theatre, under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride, before continuing on to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, under the direction of Susan Jaffe. While at UNCSA, Sean performed the role of Snow King in Ethan Stiefel’s The Nutcracker, in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Birthday Offering, and in Polovtsian Dances and Metallurgy, both choreographed by Susan Jaffe. He then accepted a full scholarship to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Graduate Program where he performed in works such as George Balanchine’s Serenade and Western Symphony as well as Arabian from Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker. In 2018, Sean accepted a position with the Lexington Ballet Company, performing many principal roles such as Cavalier in The Nutcracker and Rose Adage in The Sleeping Beauty. Since joining Minnesota Ballet, he has had the great pleasure of premiering the role of Brom ‘Bones’ Van Brunt in Karl von Rabenau’s Sleepy Hallow and performing as Oberon in Bruce Wells' A Midsummer Night's Dream. This is Sean’s Fifth season at Minnesota Ballet.
Sarah White
Company Dancer sponsored by Eric Huie
Sarah White is originally from Fort Myers, Florida, where she began her training at Gulfshore Ballet in 2006 under Melinda Roy, Roberto Munoz, Iliana Lopez, and Franklin Gamero. She spent her summers at intensives such as Saratoga Ballet, Boston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Carolina Ballet. In 2012, Sarah was accepted into the pre-professional program at Miami City Ballet School where she trained for a year. After her training, she received a full company contract with Florida Dance Theatre, where she danced with the company for three seasons. During this time Sarah performed multiple roles in ballets such as Dracula, The Nutcracker, Paquita, Swan Lake, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and many original contemporary works with the company. For Minnesota Ballet, Sarah has danced as Sugar Plum Fairy, Ice Fairy, and grown-up Clara in Allen Fields’ The Nutcracker; Princess Luciana of Spain and Odette in Robert Gardner’s Swan Lake, and Swanilda in Fields’ Coppélia.
Taylor Phillips
Sr. Apprentice sponsored by Pamela and Ryan Arola
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 second season with the Minnesota Ballet.
Jessica Lopes
Sr. Apprentice sponsored by Jack and Cindy Seiler
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”.
Isabella Blindauer
Apprentice sponsored by Pamela Nelson
Isabella Blindauer was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, and has been dancing at the School of Minnesota Ballet since 2014. She is currently in her senior year of high school and working towards her Associate degree. Her most notable roles include Clara and Madeleine in Allen Fields’ Manhattan Nutcracker and the Columbine doll in Karl von Rabenau’s The Nutcracker: a Duluth Tale. She is looking forward to dancing in her first season with the company.
Libby Bocht
Apprentice sponsored by Betsy Holcomb
Libby began at Stacey’s Studio of Dance Education, where she danced competitively for over five years. She was introduced to the style of ballet by her first teacher, a former Company dancer with the MN Ballet, Amanda Abrahamson Roseth. She joined the MN Ballet year-round after the 2019 summer intensive. She has been in productions of Sleepy Hollow, and The Nutcracker The Duluth Tale. She is thrilled to be joining the MN Ballet for her first season, and is thankful for her family’s support.
Anthony Cefalu
Apprentice sponsored by Patricia Salo Downs
Anthony Cefalu began studying ballet in Waukesha, WI, and Norwalk, OH. While in Ohio he was given the opportunity to perform Let’s Say It with Firecrackers from Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn for the Bellevue Society for the Arts as a Guest Artist in 2015. He moved to St. Louis, MO in 2017 to train at Saint Louis Ballet under the direction of Mr. Gen Horiuchi, performing in Saint Louis Ballet's The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and Coppelia. He moved to Milwaukee, WI in 2019 to train at the Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy under Rolando Yanes and Monica Isla, performing in the Pre-Professional Training Program’s Ascend and MBSA’s Twas the Night Before Christmas. In 2020 he moved to Louisville, Kentucky to join the Louisville Ballet Studio Company under the direction of Robert Curran and Mikelle Bruzina. During his two seasons with the Louisville Ballet Studio Company, he performed in company productions of Kentucky! Volume One, Robert Curran’s Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty, along with Louisville Ballet School’s Spring Dance Festival. He moved to Duluth in 2022 and joined the Minnesota Ballet, performing in Karl von Rabenau’s The Nutcracker: A Duluth Tale, Forward, and Marius Petipa’s Sleeping Beauty.
Juliana DeBellis
Apprentice sponsored by Shawn and Rachel Cefalu
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 second season with the Minnesota Ballet.
Luke Umphlett
Apprentice sponsored by Jayme Hartman
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 joining Minnesota Ballet for his first season!
Ansley Pierce
Apprentice sponsored by Jayme Hartman
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.
Kira Klinkhardt
Apprentice sponsored by Eric Huie
Kira Klinkhardt began her ballet training in her hometown of Brookfield Wisconsin. She has trained in many different styles such as jazz, contemporary, modern, and tap, but discovered her love for ballet, and decided to pursue a professional career in dance. Kira was a part of Milwaukee Ballet's pre-professional program where she was able to perform many different ballets such as Le Corsaire, Paquita, Raymonda, and Sleeping Beauty. Along with studying classical ballet, Kira has also had the opportunity to perform many contemporary works in Milwaukee’s Fringe Fest, Chicago's Elpis Festival, and with the contemporary company Dance Circus. She is excited to work with Minnesota Ballet this season and continue to learn and grow as a dancer.
Eleanor Darling-Vross
Apprentice sponsored by Penny Darling
Eleanor began their training at Northern Michigan Dance Academy, primarily under the direction of Kelley Lutey until she eventually transitioned to the Milwaukee Ballet. There, she trained under Karl Von Rabenau, Jenny Miller, Tatiana Jouravel and Denis Malinkine. Throughout her time there, they had the privilege of dancing in Michael Pink’s “The Nutcracker” and Septime Webre’s “Alice in Wonderland”. She also had the opportunity to participate in the Lake Arts Project with various local contemporary choreographers, including Katharina Abderholden. She then spent a short time at the Minnesota Ballet under the direction of Lila Coates-White. At 14, Eleanor began their schooling at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. While at UNCSA, she had the opportunity to study under the tutelage of Susan Jaffe, Jared Redick, Jennet Zerbe and Eva Draw, learning pieces such as George Balanchine’s “La Source” and participating in Ethan Stiefel’s ”The Nutcracker”. After graduating in 2021, she attended both Milwaukee Ballet and Colorado Ballet’s Pre-Professional Programs, respectively. In Colorado, they danced under the direction of Erica Fischbach and Domenico Luciano. Now, she’s starting her first season as an Apprentice with the Minnesota Ballet and could not be more excited!
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