Vanessa Ballam has been performing professionally and teaching theatre around the country for over twenty years. Vanessa currently serves as a Professor, and Head of Acting in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Idaho State University and is the Associate Artistic Director and Education Director for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. She also serves as a Vice-Chair for The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival - Region VII. Vanessa has performed with companies around the country such as Theatre Under the Stars, PCPA Theatrefest, The Utah Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, Anchorage Opera, Music Theatre West, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre and Lyric Repertory Company. Vanessa spent three years as a Resident Actor at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA where she oversaw the first-year acting program. She has also served as a visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre at Utah State University. Vanessa is the founding director of the annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Utah affiliate for the NHSMTA – Jimmy Awards, and the Utah Festival Conservatory of the Performing Arts. A former Miss Utah, Vanessa was honored with the Bert Parks talent award at the Miss America Pageant. Vanessa is married to Actor Stefan Espinosa and together they have two miraculous children. She is a proud member of Actor’s Equity & VASTA and received her M.F.A.in Acting from Indiana University, and her B.A. and B.F.A. from Utah State University.

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Stefan has been working as a professional actor, director, fight choreographer, and dialect coach for the last 20 years. Some favorite past regional theatre companies include PCPA Theaterfest, Arizona Theatre Company, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Lyric Repertory Theatre, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival and Salt Lake Acting Company. Stefan is the Conservatory director for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre in Logan, Utah. This fall, Stefan will be teaching acting, directing and stage combat at Utah State University in the theatre department. Previously he taught Acting, Voice, Movement, Combat and Dialects in the Idaho State University Theatre Department for a decade. Some productions Stefan has directed include; The Lightning Thief, High School Musical, Narnia, Stop Kiss, Three Days of Rain, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical, and Ordinary Days. Stefan has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Arizona and a MFA in Acting from the University of Houston PATP.

Courtney Hellebuyck began her professional ballet training at the San Francisco Ballet School. She progressed through levels 1-8 and was then invited to be a part of the inaugural year of their Trainee Program. She then went on to dance professionally at the age of 17 with Pennsylvania Ballet, and toured to Edinburgh, Scotland in Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake. From there, Courtney joined Smuin Ballet, under the Direction of Michael Smuin, where she danced in several World Premiere’s created on her by Mr. Smuin. She then went on to join Cincinnati Ballet, and danced many leading roles including “Bomb Squad Girl” in Twyla Tharp’s Upper Room, Marie” in Val Caniparoli’s The Nutcracker, and “Demi-Soloist” in Balanchine’s Theme and Variations. After retiring from the stage, Courtney became Full-Time Academy Faculty + Adult Programming at the Otto M. Budig Academy at Cincinnati Ballet. She has been certified to teach in Group Fitness from A.F.A.A. partnered through N.A.S.M. and also certified in Barre Fitness at The Ballet Physique Fitness Studio. In August 2020, Ms. Hellebuyckbecame the Associate Artistic Director of Eastern Connecticut Ballet under the direction of Gloria Govrin, where she choreographed for ECB’s Virtual Nutcracker, as well as Spring Showcase. Courtney joined Ballet West as Student Rehearsal Director & Principal Faculty in 2021, where she trains the student performers to reach their maximum potential- both onstage and in the classroom.

Timothy Lynch is from Mineola, N.Y., and received his dance training from the School of American Ballet. In 1993 Tim joined Pacific Northwest Ballet, and performed featured roles in George Balanchine’s Agon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Four Temperaments and works by Jerome Robbins, Kent Stowell and Paul Taylor. He originated roles in works by Donald Byrd, Val Caniparoli, Kevin O’Day, Mark Dendy, Kent Stowell, and Lynne Taylor-Corbett. Tim’s rich performing experience includes character roles such as Carabosse in Ronald Hynd’s Sleeping Beauty, Herr Drosselmeier in Kent Stowell’s Nutcracker, and Gamache in Kevin Mackenzie’s Don Quixote.

Chloë McAllister is a professional ballet artist whose performance experience spans a diverse classical and contemporary repertoire with Nevada Ballet Theatre and Nevada Ballet Theatre II. Her repertoire with Nevada Ballet Theatre includes Romeo & Juliet, Peter Pan, and Nevada Ballet Theatre’s first licensed production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker under the artistic direction of Roy Kaiser, where she performed in Marzipan, Snow, and Flowers. As a member of Nevada Ballet Theatre II under the direction of Don Bellamy, Chloë performed the lead role in Paquita, dancing the Grand Pas de Deux and principal soloist variation. Her repertoire also includes George Balanchine’s Serenade, staged by Judy Fugate for the George Balanchine Trust; Francisco Gella’s Stitching and Moonlight; and a featured soloist role in Averee Walker’s For Life, For Love, For All. Chloë received her early ballet training at Cache Valley Civic Ballet. She later continued her pre-professional training at Ballet West Academy, where she performed principal and featured roles including the Bluebird Pas de Deux and Temperament Fairy in Sleeping Beauty; the Queen of the Waters Variation in Paquita; featured roles in George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, staged by Colleen Neary and Michele Gifford for the George Balanchine Trust; the Wheat Pas de Deux in Coppélia under the direction of Christopher Sellars; and La Bayadère with Ballet West Trainees, staged by Jim Payne. She also performed with Ballet West in William Christensen’s The Nutcracker and was a member of Ballet West Academy’s Current Contemporary Group, performing original contemporary works choreographed by Joshua Whitehead. In addition to her performance career, Chloë has trained extensively with distinguished ballet educator Catherine Batcheller through individualized coaching at Ballet West Academy and in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She has also attended summer intensives with Nevada Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Boston Ballet. Chloë will earn her bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah University in 2026. Her academic studies enhance her approach to teaching by providing a strong understanding of child development, human growth, family relationships, and the importance of positive mentorship. Passionate about inspiring the next generation of dancers, Chloë is dedicated to developing strong classical technique, artistry, and a genuine love for ballet. Returning to Cache Valley Civic Ballet as a guest instructor is especially meaningful, as it is where her own ballet journey began. She is honored to share the knowledge, artistry, and professional experience she has gained while giving back to the studio that first nurtured her passion for dance.

Jane Miller began dancing at the age of 3. She has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, and acro tumbling. Growing up, she competed with her studio and also as a soloist. She was a member of her high school drill team, the Logan High School Hi-Lo’s, and served as both Drill Mistress and Vice President. After graduation, she danced on the Utah State University Dance Company. She also worked as an instructor for the Universal Dance Association and has had the opportunity to work with many teams on the West Coast. At age 20, she became the head coach for the Logan High School Hi-Lo’s Drill Team. She led them to a region championship, state military championship, and national military title. After two years of head coaching, Jane decided to finish her schooling. She enjoys still being involved in drill team as a UHSAA certified drill team judge. She also had the opportunity to be the assistant coach for the Weber State University Dance Team in 2018 and helped them win an NDA national title in hip hop. She has choreographed routines for teams and soloists in Utah, Nevada, Washington, and Idaho. Jane is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing through Weber State University and enjoys teaching at Dance Illusion in Logan, Utah.

Carly Schaub is a dance artist residing in Salt Lake City and teaches Ballet, Modern Dance/Contemporary, Early Court Ballet and Screendance. She works as an adjunct faculty member at Westminster University, and Salt Lake Community College. She also teaches young students at Wasatch Arts Center as well as individuals living with Parkinson’s in the regular open classes hosted by Westminster University and Deseret Experimental Opera. Carly currently serves as Board President of Deseret Experimental Opera (DEXO) and is a regular teacher and dancer with Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative which is also under DEXO’s programming. She moved to Salt Lake City to attend graduate school at the University of Utah in earning a B.F.A. in Modern Dance with Screendance Certification. She earned a B.F.A. in Theatre and Dance from the University of Wyoming. Prior to graduate school, Carly danced, choreographed and served as the Education Coordinator at Northern Plains Dance in Bismarck, ND which led her all over the state performing, guest teaching and choreographing numerous musicals for Sleepy Hollow Summer Theatre and Bismarck State College. Carly likes to spend her free time with her cats, dog, rabbit, chickens and her human partner, Keith.

Heather Thackeray was named Campus Principal in July 2020; prior Ms. Thackeray served as the Student Rehearsal Director 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.