Introduction
   Synopsis
   Cast List
   Orchestra & Chorus
   Biographies
   Ticket Info
BIOGRAPHIES
Artistic Staff
Jacques Cesbron, danced with the Paris Opera Ballet and also as soloist with the Harkness Ballet. He was Principal dancer at the Pennsylvania Ballet Company and Metropolitan Opera; and he taught with Joffrey Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Connecticut College and Theatre du Silence. Jacques has been guest teacher with American Ballet Theatre Company and Intensive Summer Program. His extensive choreography includes new productions of The Nutcracker, The Rite of Spring, Les Noces, Daphnis et Chloé and Madame Bovary for Indiana University Ballet Theater. For Carmina burana, he was awarded and Indiana Arts Commission Fellowship for Choreography. He has collaborated with School of Music composers to create five new works. In 2005 he will be choreographing the full-length Cinderella for the Indiana University Ballet Theater.
Virginia Cesbron, trained privately with Martha Manners and at the School of American Ballet and apprenticed with the American Ballet Theatre. A former dancer, she performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet Company, Metropolitan Opera Ballet and New Jersey Ballet. Ms. Cesbron taught and was ballet mistress with the Ballet Hispanico of New York, the Dance Movement and Theatre du Silence. In addition, she has worked extensively in Arts and Education in New York City, including original faculty member of Special Program for Gifted and Talented at The New Ballet School for the Feld Ballet, Director Swans Island Dance and Swans Island Maine. Her choreography includes numerous original works for Indiana University Ballet Theater and Pre-College Ballet Program.
  Doricha Sales received training at the Boston Ballet with founder, E. Virginia Williams, as well as the School of American Ballet and Walnut Hill School of the Arts. She has danced with Boston Ballet, Dance Theater of Florida and Florida Dance Theater. She has been an advocate of arts and education working as director of ballet for Rochelle School of the Arts, as a dance representative of the Hawaiian Alliance for Arts and Education and served on the Committee for Artistic Excellence in Florida. Ms. Sales has two degrees both of which she obtained at Indiana University: a B.S. in Ballet Performance and History and a M.S. in Ballet Pedagogy and Educational Psychology.
A native of China, Guoping Wang trained at the Shanghai Dance School, then danced with the Shanghai Ballet Company from July 1980 to October 1991. He then went on to study ballet in the graduate program at the School of Music of Indiana University. Mr. Wang joined Ballet Chicago in 1993 performing leading roles with the company through 1995. In 1997, while also a member of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Mr. Wang was recognized by the Chicago Dance Community with a Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Dance Achievement. Mr. Wang joined the School of Ballet Chicago in the spring of 2002 and is currently a visiting lecturer in ballet at Indiana University.
David Effron (Conductor) — Distinguished symphony and opera conductor, David Effron has, over a forty year career, conducted major symphony and opera companies throughout the world. Music Director of the Brevard Music Center, David Effron is also Professor of Conducting at the Indiana University School of Music. He previously held this same position at the Eastman School of Music for twenty years where he was Music Director of the Eastman Philharmonia. Other positions he has held include, Music Director of the Heidelberg Summer Festival, Principal Conductor of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Central City Opera Festival, and Music Director of the Youngstown Symphony. Maestro Effron has been a guest conductor for many leading North American ensembles, including the Aspen Music Festival, Chautauqua Music Festival, Bach Aria Group, orchestras of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Denver, Buffalo, Rochester, New Mexico, and the National Ballet of Washington. As an opera conductor, he has appeared on the podium of the San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Tulsa Opera, Greater Buffalo Opera, and Opera Columbus. In addition to his work as a conductor, he has continued his interest in piano performance and has accompanied such notable artists as George London, Sherrill Milnes, and Benita Valente.
C. David Higgins has been designing scenery since 1972, when he began working at the Indiana University School of Music as a master scenic artist. Now a faculty member, he teaches set design and has been designing opera and ballet scenery and costumes across the globe for theaters in the United States, England, Italy, Iceland, and Korea. With over 150 productions to his credit, he has been described as one of America’s finest scenic painters by Opera News magazine and is best known for his detailed, Italianate painting style.
Robert O’Hearn earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1943. He has been a scenic and costume designer for the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Vienna Volksoper, Hamburg Staatsoper, New York City Opera, Greater Miami Opera, Houston Opera, Santa Fe Opera, American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Ballet West. He served as professor for the Studio and Forum of Stage Design in New York from 1968 to 1988. Professor O’Hearn has also given guest lectures and classes at Carnegie Mellon, Brandeis and Penn State University.
  Michael Schwandt
Dancers
Julie Kent began her dance training with Hortensia Fonseca at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet. She attended the American Ballet Theatre II Summer session and the School of American Ballet before joining American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in 1985. In that same year, Kent won first place in the regional finals of the National Society of Arts and Letters at the Kennedy Center. In 1986, she was the only American to win a medal at the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition, and she became a member of ABT's corps de ballet. Kent starred in the Herbert Ross film Dancers in 1987. She was appointed a Soloist with ABT in 1990 and a Principal Dancer in 1993, the year in which she won the Erik Bruhn Prize in Toronto. In April 2000, Kent won the “Prix Benois de la Danse” which was held in Stuttgart. She is the only American ever to have won this prize. Kent starred in the motion picture Center Stage (2000), directed by Nicholas Hytner with original choreography by Susan Stroman.

Ms. Kent’s numerous roles with the ABT Company include the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Kent is married to Associate Artistic Director Victor Barbee and they are the parents of a son, William Spencer Babee. Ms. Kent's appearances with American Ballet Theatre are sponsored by Cole Haan.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Damian Woetzel began taking dance lessons at age four at a local school in Newton, Massachusetts. At the age of seven, he enrolled at the Boston Ballet School, and he appeared frequently in the Boston Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. In 1983, at age 15, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, where he joined the Los Angeles Ballet and graduated from high school the same year.

In December 1984 Mr. Woetzel became a student at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, and less than six months later joined New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. In early 1989 he was promoted to the rank of Soloist, and later that same year, he was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer. Mr. Woetzel has danced more than 50 featured roles in the Company’s repertory. He danced the “Cavalier” in the film version of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, released in the winter of 1993, and he appeared in Dance in America’s presentation of “Dinner with Balanchine.”

Mr. Woetzel performs frequently as a guest artist around the world, and in addition to his New York City Ballet repertoire, he has danced principal roles in with such ballet companies as the Kirov Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Hamburg Ballet. Mr. Woetzel made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in the winter of 2002 as the harlequin in their production of John Dexter’s “Parade.”

In addition to dancing, Mr. Woetzel has choreographed a number of ballets. In the spring of 2001, Mr. Woetzel received the prestigious Dance Magazine Award. And in 2003 Mr. Woetzel received a Choo-San Goh Grant for young choreographers to create a new ballet for Carolina Ballet.

Claire Bletz, (Dew Drop Fairy, Dec. 3 & Dec. 5) a native of Pennsylvania, is in her final season with the IU Ballet Theater. She will graduate in May 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Comparative Literature. Ms. Bletz received her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and attended the national summer program at the Boston Ballet. During her four years with the IUBT, Ms. Bletz has been in numerous productions and has been a featured dancer in Sleeping Beauty Act III (Spring Ballet 2004), and was the Dew Drop Fairy in last year’s Nutcracker.
Sarah Durham, (Lead Mirliton, Dec. 3) a native Texan, is a graduating senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Psychology. Ms. Durham trained at the American Academy of Dance, and attended summer programs of the American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Ballet (San Antonio). While with IUBT, Ms. Durham has performed in numerous ballets including L’estro armonico (Fall Ballet 2002), Voices of the Last Seal (Fall Ballet 2002), Serenade (Spring Ballet 2003), and The Nutcracker. In addition to her artistic pursuits, Ms. Durham is an active member in the Alpha Lambda Delta and Phi Eta Sigma academic honor societies.
Erin Ginn, (Clara, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5) a Tennessee native, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Communication and Culture at Indiana University. Ms. Ginn received training most recently at Walnut Hill School of the Performing Arts, and participated in numerous summer programs, including those at the San Francisco Ballet School and the National Ballet School. Before joining IUBT in fall of 2003, Ms. Ginn performed as an apprentice with the Cincinnati Ballet.
Lydia Grace Haug, (Snow Queen, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5) is in her final season with IU Ballet Theater. In her a native Florida, she trained at the Arts Triumphant Dance Conservatory. While with IUBT, Ms. Haug has been highlighted by IU faculty members as well as Guest Choreographers such as in Hymning Slews (Fall Ballet 2002), American Quartet (Fall Ballet 2003), as Arabian in The Nutcracker, and most recently in Viva Vivaldi! and Glassworks in Fall Ballet 2004. In May of 2005, Ms. Haug will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in English.
Theodore Keener, (Drosselmeyer, Dec. 3 & Dec. 4 eve; Snow King, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5) a Pennsylvania native, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Business and a French Minor. Mr. Keener has trained with the North Carolina School of the Arts (Chancellor’s Award for Excellence) and the Rock School of Ballet (Full Scholarship). In addition to Indiana University School of Music awards, Mr. Keener also has an academic scholarship from the Honors College. During his two seasons with the IUBT, Mr. Keener has been in several ballets including Quartet in D-Major (Fall Ballet 2003, Herr Drosselmeyer and the Snow King in The Nutcracker (2003) and most recently in Viva Vivaldi! and Glassworks in Fall Ballet 2004.
Elizabeth Luse, (Snow Queen, Dec. 3 & Dec. 4 eve) a native Floridian, will graduate from Indiana University this May with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Applied Health Science. Ms. Luse has previously trained with the Southern Ballet Theatre in Orlando, FL as well as the summer program of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. During her four years with IUBT, she has performed in numerous ballets including The Nutcracker, Voices of the Lost Seal (Fall Ballet 2002), Swan Lake, Act II (Spring Ballet 2003), and Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004). In this year’s Fall Ballet, she was a featured soloist in Viva Vivaldi!
Michelle May-see Mahowald, (“Chinese”, Dec. 3; Lead Miriton, Dec. 4 eve) is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in English Literature. Before joining the IU Ballet Theater, Ms. Mahowald trained with the Continental Ballet Company in her native Minnesota and attended such nationally recognized summer programs as American Ballet Theater in New York. During her two years with IUBT, Ms. Mahowald has performed in Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), Glassworks (Fall Ballet 2004) and Viva Vivaldi! (Fall Ballet 2004). When Jacques Cesbron re-choreographed “Chinese” in 2003, Ms. Mahowald was one of the dancers chosen as he created this new section for The Nutcracker.
Lauren Menger, (Dew Drop Fairy, Dec. 4 mat; “Arabian”, Dec. 4 eve) a New York native, will be graduating in May from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Business. Ms. Menger trained with the Long Island Ballet Center and Seiskaya ballet Academy, and also attended the Miami City Ballet, the American Ballet Theater, and the Joffrey Ballet (tuition scholarship) summer programs. Ms. Menger performed as an apprentice with the Washington Ballet. While with IUBT, she has performed as Dew Drop Fairy, Arabian, and Lead Mirliton in The Nutcracker, and has been a featured dancer in Souvenir de Florence (Spring Ballet 2004), Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), and Voices of the Last Seal (Fall Ballet 2002).
  Jennifer Marie Moll, (Sugar Plum Fairy, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5) a native of Ohio, trained at the Christine Jones-Meneer School of Dance before coming to IU on both academic and merit scholarships. A former corps member of the Ohio Ballet, Ms. Moll also received training from American Ballet Theatre Summer Program. During her four years with the IUBT, she has been featured in several pieces created and staged by IU faculty and Guest Choreographers such as Hymning Slews (Fall Ballet 2002), Voices of the Last Seal (Fall Ballet 2002), Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux (Fall Ballet 2002), as the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker 2002 & 2003),Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), Souvenir de Florence (Spring Ballet 2004), and most recently in Glassworks & Viva Vivaldi! (Fall Ballet 2004). In May of 2005, Ms. Moll will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Psychology.
  Joseph Morrissey, (Cavalier, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5; Prince, Dec. 3 & Dec. 4 eve) a Massachusetts native, will graduate this May with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance. Mr. Morrissey has trained with the Boston Ballet School (Volunteer’s Assistant Scholarship, 1997) and the Harid Conservatory (full scholarship). He returned to the Boston Ballet as an apprentice for the 2001-02 season. While at IU, he has received the Kenneth Whitener Award for Ballet and the School of Music Dean’s Award. He has been featured in a number of IUBT productions including featured roles in The Four Temperaments (Spring Ballet 2003), Cavalier in The Nutcracker (2003), Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty Act III (Spring Ballet 2004), Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), and most recently in Sonatine and Viva Vivaldi! in Fall Ballet 2004. Mr. Morrissey also has several choreographic accomplishments including original works for Boca Ballet Theater and Central Florida Ballet.
Christopher Nachtrab, (Snow King, Dec. 3 & Dec. 4 eve; Drosselmeyer, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5; “Chinese”) trained at the Harbor Ballet Theatre in his native New York. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Comparative Literature, Mr. Nachtrab also acts as the Student Representative of Ballet and is a member of Phi Eta Sigma an academic honor society. His many honors include the Marina Svetlana Award (NSAL), the Kenneth C. Whitener Award for Ballet, and the Founders Day Scholastic Award. During his three years at IUBT, Mr. Nachtrab has been featured in several ballets including Herr Drosselmeyer and the Snow King in The Nutcracker, Gold in Sleeping Beauty Act III (Spring Ballet 2004), and as a featured soloist in Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), Glassworks (Fall Ballet 2004), and Viva Vivaldi! (Fall Ballet 2004). This past summer Mr. Nachtrab performed as an apprentice with the Chautauqua Ballet Company where he also received the Mark Diamond (of North Carolina Dance Theater)Award for Best Choreography.
Jillian Nealon, (Lead Mirliton, Dec. 5) a native New Yorker, is a graduating senior completing her Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Athletic Training. Her numerous summer programs include American Ballet Theater, Miami City Ballet, and the Kirov Academy. While in attendance at IU, she has been awarded the E.H. Claus Scholarship and a faculty award. Ms. Nealon has performed several IUBT productions including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Act II, and The Four Temperments; she was a featured dancer in Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004).
  Angelina Sansone, (“Arabian”, Dec. 3 & Dec. 5) a North Carolina native, is in her second season with IUBT and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance at Indiana University. She trained at the Harid Conservatory and spent several summers studying at the Joffrey Midwest Workshop, both on scholarship. Before joining IUBT, Ms. Sansone apprenticed with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. While with IUBT, Ms. Sansone has been a featured soloist in Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), Viva Vivaldi! (Fall Ballet 2004), and Glassworks (Fall Ballet 2004).
Shannon Stobbe, (Lead Mirliton, Dec. 4 mat) a native of Michigan, will graduate in May of 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Telecommunications. Ms. Stobbe trained with Michigan Classic Ballet and Michigan Ballet Theater along with attending summer programs of Boston Ballet and Joffrey Ballet in New York. She has also received scholarships from Brooklyn Ballet and Ballet Met. During her four years with IUBT, Ms. Stobbe has performed in several ballets including Swan Lake Act II (Spring Ballet 2003), Serenade (Spring Ballet 2004), and The Nutcracker.
Joshoa Sutton, (“King Mouse”; “Arabian”, Dec. 3, Dec. 4 mat, Dec. 5) a native Georgian, is a graduating senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance. Mr. Sutton has trained with the Joffrey Ballet School, the Interlochen Academy of the Arts, and the University of Michigan (full scholarship). At IU, he has received the Nina Neal and Hudson Holland Scholarships. He has appeared in several ballets while with the IUBT including Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake (Spring Ballet 2003), and the principal dancer in Voices of the Last Seal (Fall Ballet 2002), and has been a featured dancer in Glassworks (Fall Ballet 2004), The Four Temperaments (Fall Ballet 2002), and American Quartet (Fall Ballet 2002).
Samuel Seaton Turner, (The Nutcracker, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5; “Spanish”, Dec. 3, Dec. 4 mat, Dec. 5; “Arabian”, Dec. 4 eve) a Florida native, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with a Minor in Fitness at Indiana University. He trained at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and attended summer program with the Boston Ballet (full scholarship) and Ballet Florida (full scholarship). While with the IUBT, Mr. Turner has been featured as “Spanish” and “Arabian” in The Nutcracker (2002), and a soloist in Glassworks (Fall Ballet 2004).
Kaitlin Windle, (“Chinese”, Dec. 4) a native of Washington, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Business with a minor in Economics. Ms. Windle has trained with the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet (merit scholarship), Cleveland City Dance, and Cleveland Can Jose. Her summer programs include San Francisco Ballet School, National Ballet of Canada, and the Boston Ballet School. She has also performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet as a trainee. Ms. Windle has performed in numerous ballets during her three seasons with IUBT and has been featured as Silver Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Act III (Spring Ballet 2004). When Jacques Cesbron re-choreographed “Chinese” in 2003, Ms. Mahowald was one of the dancers chosen as he created this new section for The Nutcracker.
Jenna Wolf, (Clara, Dec. 3 & Dec. 4 eve) a native Georgian, will be graduating this May from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Business, which Ms. Wolf completed in three years. Trained at the Ruth Mitchell Dance Theater, Ms. Wolf has excelled at IU both academically and artistically. Her skills have earned her the Robert Byrd Scholarship, second place in the National Society of Arts and Letters (2003 and 2004), an IU Honors College Scholarship, and a ballet merit scholarship. Ms. Wolf has appeared in several ballets while with the IUBT including Clara in The Nutcracker (2002 and 2003), and Silver Fairy in Sleeping Beauty Act III (Spring Ballet 2004), and most recently in Sonatine (Fall Ballet 2004).
Justin Zuschlag, (Fritz; The Nutcracker, Dec. 3 & Dec. 4 eve; Prince, Dec. 4 mat & Dec. 5; “Spanish”, Dec. 4 eve; “Chinese”) is in his second season with the IU Ballet Theater. Previously trained at the Harid Conservatory on full tuition scholarship, Mr. Zuschlag also attended summer programs at the School of American Ballet in New York and the Boston Ballet as a full scholarship recipient. While with the IUBT, he is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in English; he has performed as Fritz in The Nutcracker (2003) and was most recently featured this Fall Ballet in Sonatine and Glassworks.