Eryn Michlitsch - Artistic Director
Professional Division Ballet, Pointe, Variations and Pilates
Eryn began her 25 years of dance experience with Kay Englert, founder of Washington Contemporary Ballet, as the youngest member of the company at 12. In 1994, after auditioning, she was accepted to many professional summer programs: Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Kirov Ballet Academy, North Carolina School of the Arts, Houston Ballet Academy, Hartford Ballet School, Oregon Ballet Academy, Pennsylvania Rock School of Ballet, and at that time chose to attend Pacific Northwest Ballet. She continued with Pacific Northwest Ballet until deciding to attend San Francisco Ballet School and North Carolina School of the Arts. She has had the opportunity to study under such prestigious names as Melissa Hayden, Flemming Halby, Patricia Barker, Frank Bays, Sara de Luis and many others.  Academically, Eryn has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, with a Concentration in Marketing from Bethany Lutheran College. After 13 years of teaching experience her instruction places a large emphasis on the history, terminology, and structure of true classical ballet.

Riley Thomas Weber
Professional Division Ballet 
Riley received his primary ballet training under Marnee Brant at the Brant School of Dance Arts in Fargo, ND and spent three years studying at Trollwood Performing Arts School. Riley has performed at venues in Minnesota,  Chicago, Florida, California and in the 2008 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Riley moved to the Twin Cities in 2008 on music scholarship to study music and dance at The University of Minnesota. In 2010, he began his first season dancing for Ballet Minnesota and performed in Beethoven's 6th Symphony, The Classic Nutcracker, and Don Quixote. He also wrapped up his first performance with Cities' Classical Dance Ensemble. Riley has taught all over Minnesota, including Janet Lang, Allegro School of Dance, Dancing off Broadway, and also teaches at South Metro Dance Academy. Riley is beyond excited to be teaching at Mankato Ballet Company.

Renee Guittar
Pre-Professional, Professional Division, Pointe
Renee began her dance training sixteen years ago at the True Dance Academy in Lincoln, Nebraska. Trained extensively in ballet, pointe, jazz, and modern, Renee joined the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Company at the age of 15 and performed in numerous ballet productions with the company including “The Nutcracker” and “Snow White”.  Renee currently attends Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota where she will receive a B.A. in Dance in the spring of 2012. At Gustavus, Renee performed in several student and faculty concerts, been a member of the Gustavus Dance Team, and choreographed numerous pieces for student concerts.  In 2011, two of Renee’s modern dance pieces were selected by the Gustavus Department of Theatre and Dance to be performed in the annual Spring Dance Concert and Renee’s solo piece “Temporary” was selected to be performed at the American College Dance Festival where  the judges described her choreography as having “spot on clarity, sensitivity, nuance, and maturity”. Renee is extremely excited to share her love and passion for dance with the Mankato Ballet Company.

Jacqueline Vietor
Children's Division Ballet, Teen/Adult Ballet
Jacqueline began her dance training at age three at Dance Dimensions in Longmont, CO and continued training at Brenda's School of Dance in Farmington, MN and the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts in Winona, MN. She studied a variety of dance forms including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, flamenco and ballroom dancing. Jacqueline has also attended Summer Intensive programs at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts and the Colorado Ballet in Denver, CO as well as The Pulse and The Chicago Human Rhythm Project. Throughout her 21 years of dance she has performed in numerous productions including Paquita Paella, Tappin' to Connick, Dance Chronicles, Swan Lake and many productions of The Nutcracker as part of the Snow and Flower Corps, Chinese Tea and The Dew Drop Fairy as well as choreographing pieces for the MCA's Young Choreographers Showcase. Jacqueline is exhilarated to share her passion as a part of the Mankato Ballet Company.

Kelsey Chester
Tap 1 and Tap 2
Kelsey has been dancing since she was three-years-old. Her training started with Dance Conservatory of Southern Minnesota, in Mankato. Kelsey has seven years of teaching experience beginning with the Dance Conservatory of Southern Minnesota, and currently the Mankato Ballet Company. Her 21 years of dance experience has given her a strong background in Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Modern. Kelsey attended Minnesota State University, Mankato where she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a Minor in Dance. While there she participated in MSU Theater and Dance’s 2009 Spring Collection and the 2009 Fall Collection Dancing Communities. Kelsey is extremely excited to share her love of dance with Mankato Ballet Company.

Phoebe Boulester
Summer Intensive Ballet and Pointe
Phoebe has been dancing for over fourteen years. Her training started with the Mankato Ballet Company, and continued with other companies in the Mankato area. She has also studied with Allen Shannon, Ed Parish, Kiril Bak of the Russian Academy of Ballet, and Bil Badalato from NYU. She has spent a summer in New Mexico studying under Jillana, a former dancer for Balanchine, and Alonzo King. Phoebe has 4 years of teaching experience beginning with the Dance Conservatory of Southern Minnesota, and currently the Mankato Ballet Company. She has choreographed works that have been in dance concerts presented by these schools and is currently continuing her dance education at Minnesota State University, Mankato with a major in dance.

Dani Friedman
Creative Movement, Modern, Jazz and Tap
Dani started her dance training in Sioux Falls, SD.  She attended Minnesota State University – Mankato and studied Dance, K-12 Dance Education, and Elementary Education.  She performed in many MSU Theatre and Dance productions including THERMOfusion, Spring Dance Concert 2009, and Cats.  Before graduating last December, she spent the summer interning for the National Dance Educational Organization in Silver Spring, MD.  While interning, Dani attended the NDEO National Conference in New York City and the ClancyWorks Dance Educators Institute Conference in Baltimore, MD.  Dani is very excited to be joining the Mankato Ballet Company!

Carla Bode
Summer Intensive Modern, Jazz and Tap
Carla carries with her an extensive background in dance and dance education. Previously she has served as dance adjunct faculty for Minnesota State University-Mankato and was the dance specialist for the Buffalo Arts Magnet High School. She has her degrees in Dance Education (K-12) from Minnesota State University-Mankato and Communication Arts and Literature Education from Winona State University. Ms. Bode is the co-founder of Rural Route Dance Company and also teaches fro the Waconia Performing Arts Center.

Deridre Murnane
Lyrical and Professional Division Ballet
Deirdre grew up in Los Angeles, California where she studied ballet and jazz and danced with Tanya Lichine's Los Angeles Ballet Society. Since moving to Minnesota at 18 she has performed with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Zenon Dance Company, The Children's Theatre, Ballet of the Dolls, Minnesota Opera, Shawn Maconnoloug and her Orchestra, and Open Eye Figure Theatre. Deirdre has been teaching ballet, lyrical and jazz dance since 1983 and yoga since 1999.

Benjamin Johnson
Summer Intensive Partnering Professional Division Ballet

Michelle Lyles
Summer Intensive Ballet and Pointe
Michelle is an accomplished dancer and performer of fifteen years. She has had the pleasure of performing with Minnesota Dance Theater School, Joffrey Ballet, and other notable companies on the great stages of the Orpheum, Northrup, O’ Shaughnessy, and State theaters in repertoire including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Esmeralda, and work by Toni Pierce & Uri Sands. She premiered the principal role in St. Paul City Ballet’s The Golden Bough.  She began her training in the Russian style at Andahazy Ballet, and was instructed by masters of the Kirov Ballet.  At the age of 15, Michelle was accepted to the summer program of the Joffrey Ballet and went on to attend American Ballet Theater’s program. Her greatest dance experience yet was teaching children at an AIDS Orphanage in Thailand, and participating in a customary dance with the Akha hill tribe people in 2008!