Faculty & Staff | UTAH COUNTY 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.
HEATHER THACKERAY
PRINCIPAL, UTAH COUNTY CAMPUS
Heather Thackeray was named Campus Principal in July 2020; prior Ms. Thackeray served as the Student Ballet Master and Academy Artistic Liaison. Ms. Thackeray has enjoyed over three decades of association with Ballet West. Her first experience with the company was as a child performer in The Nutcracker. She became a student in the Ballet West Academy, and then accepted a contract to join the company in 1991. Toward the end of her performing career, Ms. Thackeray transitioned to the artistic staff as the assistant to the artistic director. She is a well-respected master teacher and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Utah.
NANETTE REIMSCHUSSEL CHERTUDI
UTAH COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, INSTRUCTOR AND ADULT PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Nanette was born and raised in Ogden, Utah. Her early training at Ballet West Academy led her to receive a full scholarship offer from the University of Utah, while still in high school, where she performed with Utah Ballet. At the age of 16, she was offered a contract with Ballet West. Following her performing career, she began teaching ballet and developed her own ballet school through the Eccles Community Art Center in Ogden, Utah. Under her direction, the school became a satellite program for Ballet West which was being directed by Jonas Kåge. Prioritizing the needs of her growing family, she stepped away from teaching and eventually moved to Lehi, Utah. In 2017, she resumed her teaching career. She has a wealth of knowledge and over 20 years of teaching experience. Ballet West Academy welcomes her to the Utah County Campus where she is currently teaching the adult ballet classes.
SAMANTHA TAGGART
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Samantha Abrahamson was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah and began dancing as soon as she began walking. From a young age Ms. Abrahamson participated in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and tap classes. Ballet quickly became her favorite genre of dance because of the ornate costumes, the beautiful music, and the magnificent love stories. She spent one summer with Long Beach Ballet, and has participated in workshops at Utah Dance Center, Ballet West, and Municipal Ballet Company. In May 2020, she graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts, with an emphasis in Ballet from Utah Valley University (UVU). Performance is one of her first loves and she has had the opportunity to share the stage with Long Beach Ballet, Mountain West Ballet, and Repertory Dance Theater. She cultivated her artistry as part of UVU’s student ballet company, Repertory Ballet Ensemble. Through the dance program at UVU, Ms. Abrahamson had the opportunity to participate in the American of College of Dance Association conference, and loved performing in the gala alongside her ballet and modern dance major peers. Samantha’s love of dance does not end with performing, she has also found joy and passion in teaching.
Ms. Abrahamson began teaching under direction of Christy McQuaid, owner and director of Utah Dance Center, at age 15. She has also taught at Academy of Ballet Arts in South Jordan Utah, and at Evolve Dance Studio in Draper, Utah. Samantha enjoys bringing energy, hope, and determination to her classroom, and hopes to inspire dancers throughout her career.
IZZY ARRIETA
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Izzy was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela and raised in Utah. He attended Utah Valley University for Modern Dance Performance where he performed with their modern, contemporary and hip-hop dance companies. During his studies he was also cast in several musicals in theaters across the state of Utah. After university, he went on to dance with SALT Contemporary dance for 3 seasons. Alongside his love for dance, he tied it in with his love of photography and became a dance photographer. In 2019 Izzy moved to New York City where he booked a several commercial/film jobs and a musical in Arizona. After his return to Utah, Izzy is now focusing on teaching dance, photography, performance and directing/choreographing professional musicals. Izzy is excited to be joining the Ballet West Academy family.
JAMIE BUTLER
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Jamie received her formal ballet training at Jacqueline’s School of Ballet under the direction of Jacqueline Colledge. While there, Jamie had the opportunity to tour Europe and perform in the Young Tanzommer Festival in Austria. She later joined Utah Metropolitan Ballet (formerly Utah Regional Ballet), performing soloist and principal roles. Jamie was later accepted into the school at Pacific Northwest Ballet to train in the Professional Division and dance professionally with the company. She received full tuition scholarships to Regional Dance America’s Choreography Conference in Pennsylvania; the International Ballet Competition summer course in Jackson, Mississippi; and Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, WA. Jamie received her Bachelor degree from Utah Valley University. Jamie has been teaching for students in Utah since 2007.
DANTZEL CHERRY
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Dantzel Cherry is a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho. She began her ballet training when she was 9 with former Ballet West dancer Becky Gili, and was drawn toward choreography and teaching from a young age.
She received a minor in Dance Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Idaho State University in 2011. While at ISU she earned several dance scholarships, and performed and choreographed with both the university dance company I-Move and student dance company Danson. In 2011, as a member of I-Move, she had the honor of performing in the Northwest American College Dance Festival Gala Concert.
Dantzel also has a deep passion for Pilates, which she uses to manage her scoliosis. She enjoys helping people of all ages and abilities to improve their strength, flexibility, and awareness. She has Pilates, yoga, and barre certifications/training through PhysicalMind Institute, STOTT Pilates, ISU, and YogaFit. She loves learning more about movement and is always adding to her body of knowledge with new courses and workshops. She is one of the few Level 2 MELT Method instructors in Utah, and is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique.
Dantzel owns and operates Mind Your Body Pilates in Eagle Mountain, and teaches Pilates and MELT Method at several studios in Utah and Salt Lake County, including for The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH) in Murray.
She enjoys baking, writing, and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Dantzel has been sharing her love of ballet for over 20 years in studios throughout Idaho, Texas, and now Utah. She particularly values working with young dancers, and strives to create a positive atmosphere where proper technique and joy of movement can take root.
IVY DRUMM
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
From a young age, Ivy Drumm has been passionate about ballet. She began her initial training at Central Utah Ballet Academy. She then continued her education at Ballet West Academy Thanksgiving Point and Utah Valley under the direction of Jennie Creer King, Maricar Drilon, and Heather Thackeray. During her time as a student, Ivy had the privilege of performing a variety of roles, including the Songbird Fairy from Sleeping Beauty, Little Bo Peep from Once Upon a Ballet, and Queen of the Dryads from The Enchanted Forest.
For Ivy, ballet is more than just a physical art form; it has the power to transcend the limits of the body and create something truly magical. As a ballet mentor, she is committed to inspiring others and to helping them discover this same sense of wonder within themselves. Ivy firmly believes that by exploring the discipline, technique, and grace of ballet, her students can achieve new possibilities as dancers and artists.
Regardless of whom she is working with, Ivy's goal is to share her love for ballet with others and help them unlock their full potential.
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.
SAMMY GOMM
UTAH COUNTY CAMPUS INSTRUCTOR AND ADMINISTRATOR
Sammy Gomm started dancing at the age of 7 where her passion began and has stuck with her throughout the years. Sammy graduated in 2021 from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with an Emphasis in Modern/Contemporary Dance and an Associates of Science in Dance. While at UVU Ms. Gomm was on scholarship for the pre-professional modern dance company, Contemporary Dance Ensemble. Here she was able to work and perform with companies such as Diavolo Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, and people such as Mike Esperanza, Francisco Gella, LajaMartin, and much of the UVU faculty. Ms. Gomm is excited to continue sharing her passion for dance with other young artists and hopes to inspire them in their dancing careers.
LINDSEY LARSEN LAFORD
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Lindsey Larsen’s initial ballet training began at age four and includes training with Barlow Arts Conservatory and with Ballet West Academy Thanksgiving Point, sponsored by the Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation. During her years with Ballet West Academy, Ms. Larsen trained under the direction of Jennie Creer King and Maricar Drilon and was a recipient of multiple merit scholarships. As a young student, Ms. Larsen enjoyed performing in The Washington Ballet’s “Cinderella” as the role of an Autumn Fairy Corps Member, several years in Ballet West’s “The Nutcracker”, and had numerous performing opportunities through Ballet West Academy including roles as Lilac Fairy and Lead Garland Fairy in “Sleeping Beauty”, and with Ballet West II as a Rosebud in “Beauty and the Beast”.
Ms. Larsen has been privileged to receive training from Irena and Slawomir Wozniak, Alaine Haubert, Alexei Moskalenko, Pamela Robinson-Harris, Jan Fugit, Jessica Thompson, Lindsay Folkman, Albert Blaise Cattafi, Wilson Domingues, Zherlin Ndudi, and Calvin Kitten.
She has also attended summer intensive courses with the Washington Ballet under the artistic direction of Septime Weber, Ballet Hawaii, Master Ballet Academy, and Ballet West Academy.
Ms. Larsen was crowned Miss Lehi 2019 and received the talent award for her performance of La Esmerelda. Through her service as Miss Lehi, she created a program that brings dance education to students with special needs at the high school level and has participated in the Movement Mentor program as an adaptive dance mentor/teacher at Ballet West Academy. She was awarded second runner up at Miss Utah 2021 and now currently serves as Miss Utah 2022. She is currently pursuing a BFA in classical ballet at the University of Utah with an emphasis on performance and teaching.
KATELYN MILNER-PACKER
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Katelyn began her ballet training under the tutelage of Jennifer Barlow, Attila Ficzere, and Yi Qi Cheng at Barlow Arts Conservatory. She later attended the University of Utah ballet department where she was a recipient of the Willam F. Christensen scholarship and programs high school submission. Katelyn completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts, with an emphasis in Ballet from Utah Valley University. While at UVU she performed as a member of Repertory Ballet Ensemble under the direction of Mark Borchelt and Nichole Ortega. This awarded her the opportunity to perform soloist and demi soloist in many classical and contemporary works. Katelyn is a certified instructor in PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique) and just entered her tenth year of teaching.
ALESHA TULEY RAMOS
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY
Alesha grew up dancing in Utah. She participated in Children’s Company Dance at BYU. Alesha began teaching social dance while receiving her education degree at USU in 2008. She continued various styles of social dance between 2008 and present and opened a children’s dance studio in 2015, focusing on musicality basics and inclusivity.
JOSHUA TRADER
INSTRUCTOR AT BALLET CENTRE
Born in San Francisco, CA, Joshua Trader trained at the Academy of Ballet under the Direction of Richard Gibson. After completing his training he joined Eugene Ballet for two years where he danced numerous leading roles. He then joined Tulsa Ballet for eight years where he expanded his classical and contemporary works and was privileged to dance in the works of the world’s leading choreographers including Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Val Caniparoli, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Hans van Manen, Christopher Wheeldon, Nicolo Fonte and Stanton Welch among others.
Mr.Trader was always interested in teaching ballet and began teaching early into his dance career. Some of his teaching credits include The Joffrey Ballet Summer Workshop in San Antonio, TX, Ballet Idaho Academy, Tulsa Ballet Center For Dance Education and Tulsa Ballet’s junior company Tulsa Ballet II. Upon retiring from the stage in 2010, Joshua began teaching full time at his alma mater the Academy of Ballet in San Francisco, CA. While teaching at the Academy he was instrumental in helping young students achieve their goal of becoming professional dancers. His students joined the likes of National Ballet Of Canada, Kansas City Ballet, Ballet West II, The Julliard School, and Fordam University among others.
In the fall of 2015, Mr. Trader and his family moved to Santa Rosa and he joined the faculty of Santa Rosa Dance Theater. In the Summer of 2017, Joshua was honored to be named the Artistic Director of SRDT. After 7 years of directing Santa Rosa Dance Theater, Mr. Trader is excited to join the faculty of Ballet West Academy.
KYOHEI YOSHIDA
INSTRUCTOR AT UTAH COUNTY 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.”
