Dancers
In alphabetical order.
Allison Doughty Marquesen has been performing and teaching dance in the Minneapolis area for eight years. In 2010, she spent seven months teaching in Thailand for The Chiang Mail Ballet and Sangdao Performing Arts where she was honored by the US Consulate for her choreographic work. Her diverse dancing background has blessed her with the opportunity to perform ballet, modern, jazz and tap concert works on stages across the US. After two years on scholarship at STEPS on Broadway in New York, and two years with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, she returned to Minneapolis to complete her BFA in Dance from the U of MN. Allison was a founding member of SPCB Company, and has been a soloist with jazz dance company Eclectic Edge Ensemble since 2006. She has also had the opportunity to perform locally in works choreographed by Uri Sands, Anna Sokolow, Zoe Sealy, and Joe Chvala. Allison is a 200 hr Yoga Certified Teacher and when not dancing, can be found on her yoga mat. Additionally, she is currently working toward her MA in Holistic Health Studies at St. Catherine University.
Jennifer Rockwell Edwards is an academic and dance aluma of the Walnut Hill School for the Fine Arts in Natick, MA. After completing high school, she moved to France to work with Rosella Hightower’s Jeune Ballet International, where she danced “The Black Swan Pas de Deux” from Swan Lake as well as various new works. Upon returning to the United States, Ms. Rockwell worked as a principal dancer and guest artist with the Amherst Ballet and Pioneer Valley Ballet in Western Massachusetts, dancing such roles as “Swanhilda” in Coppelia, and “Aurora” in The Sleeping Beauty. Simultaneously, she attended The University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she graduated summa cum laude with a BA in psychology and a BFA in Dance Performance.
Since moving to Minneapolis in 2004, Ms Rockwell has danced soloist roles with The Minnesota Dance Theater as well as with other companies in the Twin Cities. She has been a member of the Saint Paul City Ballet Company since its inception in 2007, dancing the principal roles in Nutcracker Magique, Raymonda, La Boutique Fantasque and The Sleeping Beauty. Ms Rockwell has also begun choreographing and setting choreography on the company as well as the school. She continues to study technique, pedagogy, and physiology with coach Dr. Andrew Carr, and she feels blessed to dance with such wonderful colleagues, particularly her husband Ross Edwards
Andrew Lester Andrew graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BFA in Dance. He began his formal dance training with Carlos Stroia in Central Minnesota. Mr. Lester has performed professionally with the Eclectic Edge Ensemble, Ethnic Dance Theater, Continental and Metropolitan Ballet companies and Shapiro and Smith Dance. He is a founding member of Saint Paul City Ballet Company. Highlights of Mr. Lester’s career include performing for modern dance icon Merce Cunningham, and performing at the Kennedy Center’s National Dance Festival in Carl Flink’s This Bleeding Heart. He has performed the “Faune” in L’ Apres-Midi D’ Un Faune, the “Grand Pas” in Nutcracker Magique, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, and “Bluebird” in The Sleeping Beauty.
Joanna Lowry received her ballet training from Boitsov Ballet School in Chicago, IL under the direction of Madame Elizabeth Boitsov. She was a member of Boitsov Ballet Company, performing principal and soloist roles from The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle and Carmen while earning her B.A. in psychology from North Park University. Joanna danced five seasons with Continental Ballet Company, directed by Riet Velthuisen. In addition, Ms. Lowry has preformed as a part of Kari Jensen’s Moving Arts Ensemble for two Minnesota Fringe Festivals. She received her masters in social work from the University of Minnesota.
Michelle Ludwig is currently a junior at the University of St. Thomas studying for a double major in K12 education and Spanish Linguistics, as well as working towards a dance minor through Macalester College. Michelle comes from an eclectic background ranging in studies of hip hop, modern, and contemporary dance to classical ballet, studied primarily under the direction of Juli Mickelson and the Dance Endeavors studio where she continues to teach all ages. Michelle has studied intensively through both the Joffrey ballet program in New York City and the Magnus Midwest program in Flint, Michigan and performed locally in the 2010 Minnesota Fringe festival under the direction of Sharon Varosh. This has been her first year working and performing with Saint Paul City Ballet.
Katherine Rane trained at the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre, Ballet Arts of Southern Utah, Walnut Hill School in Boston, Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, and the Houston Ballet Academy.
Katherine graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in Dance: Ballet Emphasis and was Valedictorian of the Dance Department at Brigham Young University. She performed as a principal dancer with the BYU ballet companies and the Utah Regional Ballet. Katherine has taught ballet and jazz at various studios and was most recently teaching ballet as adjunct faculty at Utah Valley University in Orem, UT.
Ted Sothern grew up in Minneapolis and trained with Frank Bourman before joining Minnesota Dance Theater, where he danced for both Loyce and Lise Houlton. While a soloist with Washington Ballet, he toured China, the Philipines, and performed in the Olympic Arts Festival in Seoul, Korea. He has been a member of American Repertory Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theater and Southern Ballet Theater. He is at home in classical or contemporary roles.
Guest artist:
Kristina Vozni is pleased to appear with SPBC by invitation. Kristina trained at Mankato Ballet, Royal Winnepeg, Andahazy Ballet, and Ballet Minnesota. She has performed with Mankato Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Cleveland/San Jose Ballet, Continental Ballet Company, Minnesota Dance Theatre, and Hamline Dance Ensemble. Her classical ballet performance experience includes roles in The Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, La Bayadere, Paquita, the “Lilac Fairy” from The Sleeping Beauty, and Raymonda. She has also performed several modern and neo-classical works such as Gentle Breath Suspended, Q, and her own choreography-Blue, based on images from Picasso’s Blue Period. She is a Hamline University graduate, and works at Medtronic full-time in the Neuromodulation division as a Senior Clinical Research Manager.
Apprentices left to right: Alli Bader, Fallon Gleason, Katie Wynn, Rebecca Culp