2008-2009 Season

Peter Anastos, Artistic Director

Peter Anastos has choreographed over 100 stage works for the finest national and regional ballet companies in the United States as well as for modern dance companies, theater, film and television, and his ballets are performed worldwide. Mr. Anastos enjoys a long-standing collaboration with Mikhail Baryshnikov and their projects together include American Ballet Theater’s Cinderella, CBS Television’s Baryshnikov in Hollywood (Emmy Award nomination), White Oak Dance Project and the photography book The Swan Prince for Bantam Books. He choreographed several television specials and two Hollywood films, Addams Family and Addams Family Values, both for Paramount Pictures. For the Broadway stage, he choreographed I Hate Hamlet, Where She Danced and Chess (national tour). He has directed opera for the Washington Opera, the Opera Company of Philadelphia and was choreographer-in-residence for the Santa Fe Opera and Robert Redford’s Sundance Theatre Festival. Mr. Anastos has published essays about ballet for the New York Times, LA Times, Dance Magazine, Ballet News, DanceInk and Ballet Review. Mr. Anastos directed the Ballet Project at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and has taught ballet technique in New York and throughout the United States.

Alex Ossadnik, Ballet Master

Alex Ossadnik was born in Soviet Union occupied East Germany and attended the Palucca School in Dresden from 1979-1987 and trained in the Vaganova Method in classical ballet, as well as modern, jazz, folkloric and improvisation. He joined the ballet company of the German National Theatre Weimar as a principal dancer at the age of 20. After the collapse of the East Block in 1989, he joined Ballet Theatre de Bordeaux (France) under the direction of Paolo Bortuluzzi. He has performed in such companies as Nevada Dance Theatre and Oregon Ballet Theatre, as well as a guest artist in Alabama, California, New Mexico and Texas. Mr. Ossadnik has worked over the past ten years in various capacities with artists of the Alberta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, New York City Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and Pennsylvania Ballet.

Wendy de la Harpe, Education Director (Ballet, Jazz, Character)

International choreographer Wendy de la Harpe holds an Advanced Teaching Diploma from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). She has studied jazz dance with Gillian Lynne (choreographer of Cats), Luigi, Matt Mattox and Anne Reinkin. As a member of the National Ballet Company of Zimbabwe, Wendy performed in Les Sylphides, Coppelia and Pineapple Poll. She has choreographed some of the largest and most spectacular stage and television shows in South Africa. Wendy has worked with Broadway directors as an assistant choreographer and director on international productions of West Side Story, Applause and Little Shop of Horrors. She has choreographed ballets for National Ballet of Zimbabwe, PACT Ballet Company of South Africa and the Columbia Dance Ensemble in Vancouver, Washington.

Wendy has directed and choreographed fund-raising events in Johannesburg that have raised over a million dollars and she has also staged fund-raising events with President Nelson Mandela, Hillary Clinton and Bill Cosby.

Lana Kroth, Head Teacher (Ballet, Jazz)

Lana Kroth is the former Artistic Director of the New Mexico Ballet Company and has taught beginning through professional levels of ballet, jazz and tap. Trained in the Vaganova and Cecchetti methods of classical ballet, Ms. Kroth studied ballet with Natalia Krasnoff, George Zoritch, Alan Howard, Peter Van Nuyden and Judith Pilgram. She studied jazz with Bill Cook, Steven Merritt, Luigi, Roland Dupree, Joe Tremaine, and Gus Giordano. Ms. Kroth founded and directed her own school in Albuquerque and has taught jazz for the University of New Mexico and ballet for the Public Academy for the Performing Arts.

She has choreographed more than 35 productions for various musical theatre groups in New Mexico, and her awards include Best Choreographer for the National Final Competition of Dance Olympus. She recently received a Citation for Meritorious Service to Dance Education in New Mexico by the National Dance Education Organization. In 2003, Ms. Kroth was recognized by the Arts Alliance of New Mexico with the Bravo Award, an award given to one artist in recognition of outstanding contributions to the community.

Stephanie Frahs (Ballet)

Stephanie Frahs received her early ballet training at the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England. Currently pursuing a B.S. degree in Health Science Studies with a minor in Chemistry at Boise State University, Ms. Frahs continues her local ballet training at the Pat Harris School of Dance, at Boise State University, and at Ballet Idaho. She has worked as a preschool teacher for the Parkside Schools and for the Boise River Montessori Center (formerly Keystone Montessori Center) and specializes in teaching children ages 2 through 5. She has also coached both gymnastics and dance students at Gem State Gymnastics Academy.

Amanda Micheletty (Modern)

Amanda Micheletty, a native of Boise, Idaho, has studied ballet with Sarah Arnold Phipps and modern dance with Kay Braden and Leah Stephens Clark. Locally, she has been a featured performer with Capital City Ballet, Balance Dance Company, and DROP Dance Collective, and she has worked with choreographers Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Sita Frederick, Amy O'Brien, Molly Headley, and Helene Peterson. Her previous teaching engagements include Boise State University, where she is currently working toward a bachelor's degree in English Literature, and Balance Dance Company. Ms. Micheletty joined the Ballet Idaho faculty in 2007.

Heather Hawk (Ballet)

Heather Hawk studied ballet as a child in Indiana, later going on to the Stone-Camryn School in Chicago, the Ruth Page Foundation and Chicago City Ballet School, where she trained under Maria Tallchief. In New York, Heather attended the School of American Ballet and after graduation was invited to study with Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. She joined the New York City Ballet and danced ballets by Balanchine, Robbins and Martins. She appeared in films of Balanchine’s Nutcracker and the Balanchine Celebration for PBS. Later, she danced with Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet Chicago and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She then attended New York University, where she graduated with a degree in liberal arts and teacher education. Heather began a teaching career at the School of Ballet Chicago and today remains part of the guest faculty. In New York, Heather has taught at Steps, Studio Maestro, Ballet Academy East, La Guardia High School and for the David Howard Foundation. She is also in the faculty of the Ballet School of Stamford, Connecticut. She is a performing member of Dances Patrelle.

Phyllis Rothwell Affrunti (Ballet)

Phyllis began her training in North Carolina at The Ballet School of Chapel Hill and continued her training at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet under Hortensia Fonseca. She has danced with Pennsylvania Ballet, Southern Ballet Theatre and as a principal for Charleston Ballet Theatre, Eugene Ballet, and Ballet Idaho. She has performed many lead roles in ballets such as Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, Tarantella, Who Cares, and Serenade. Since joining Ballet Idaho she has been featured in Giselle, Carmen, Clara, Sugar Plum Fairy, Princess Florine, Lilac Fairy and Wendy in Bruse Steivel’s Peter Pan. She has also been featured in many of Toni Pimble’s noted contemporary works, including Eine Leben, which premiered in collaboration with Eugene Ballet and the Pink Martini musicians. Phyllis has worked with such choreographers as Mark Diamond, Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, Marc Bogaerts, Christopher Fleming, Davis Parsons, Salvatore Aiello, Robert Battle, Danny Pelzig, Jill Eathorne Bahr, Alan Hineline, and Eddy Toussaint

Sarah Ellis (Ballet)

Sarah received her early training with the Giacobbe Academy of Dance in Slidell, LA. She continued her training with John Adamson in Katy, TX and with Barbara LeGault and Angela Jackson in Spring, TX. She danced with Houston Dance Theater performing many soloist and principal roles including the Snow Queen, Nikiya in La Gayadere, and the Glove Seller in Gaite Parisienne. She spent her summers training with Ballet Austin, Dance Aspen, Delta Festival Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet. Sarah attended the Unversity of Oklahoma School of Dance on dance and academic scholarships and trained with Margaret Holt, Dennis Marshall, Jeremy Lindberg, Densie Vale, Donn Edwards, and Steve Brule. As an undergraduate, she was featured in many soloist principal roles including James Clouser’s Carmina Burana, After completing her B.F.A in Ballet Performance she joined the Montgomery Ballet where she danced soloist roles in Paquita, The Nutcracker and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. From Montgomery she joined the Alabama Ballet under the direction of Wes Chapman and Roger Van Fleteren. With the Alabama Ballet, Sarah performed in Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, The Firebird, Cinderella and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. She also choreographed Unseelie Court for the company’s New Works program. Sarah has performed as a guest artist in Tennessee and Texas, and has performed under the direction of Ann-Marie Holmes at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Ballet Adriatico in Italy. Sarah has just completed her Master in Fine Arts in Dance from the Unversity of Oklahoma, performing in Balanchine’s Serenade, Bruce Well’s Less Patineurs, Gerald Arpino’s Reflections,and faculty choreography in addition to fulfilling choreographic and teaching responsibilities.

Angela Napier (Pilates)

Angela Napier is from Canby, Oregon. She received early training from Willamette Ballet Academy and Allegro Dance Studio before attending Pacific Artists Dance Center. She did summer intensives at the School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, where she continued as a professional division student. At PNB, Angela performed in productions such as Symphony in C, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker; and also danced in Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake from the gala opening of Seattle’s McCaw hall. In 2007, Angela earned her B.F.A. in Ballet from Texas Christian University and since then has been performing in Portland, Oregon with Bouand Dance Company. In addition to dance, Angela is also a certified Stott Pilates Instructor.

Katie Ponozzo (Learning Through Dance)

Katie Ponozzo was born and raised in Orofino, Idaho and started dancing when she was ten years old. As a committed student she drove to Lewiston and Moscow from her home every day for dance class. She has performed in the Nutcracker as a party child and flower, and in the recent past took a year away from college to spend time in Italy. She has performed with Idaho Dance Theatre and has taught for several years. Miss Katie graduated from BSU where she earned a BA in Theatre with dance emphasis Cum Laude.

Aidan Riordan-Buell (Ballet, Jazz, Learning Through Dance)

Aidan Riordan-Buell recently obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts with Dance and Performance options and English Literature from Boise State University. Aidan is an Idaho native who has studied with Ballet Idaho, Pat Harris School of Dance, Dance Pros, Capital City Ballet Center, and Eagle Performing Arts Center as well as several summer workshops. In addition to ballet Ms. Riordan-Buell is also trained in tap, jazz, and modern dance. She has taught at Treasure Valley Ballet Academy, the Treasure Valley YMCA, Sarah Morris’s After School Dance Program and Dance is Everything! This past year she won second place in Ballet Idaho’s annual Choreography Competition.

Echo Waldron (Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Adult Ballet)

Echo Waldron began her dance education at the Ballet West Conservatory and the Marius Zirra School of Ballet and subsequently pursued a degree in fine arts at Idaho State University. From 2000 to 2002, Ms. Waldron performed as a company member of Idaho Dance Theatre. In addition, she has performed with Drop Dance Collective and has also choreographed for the Boise State University gymnastics team.

Diane Jorgensen

Diane Jorgensen received her ballet training at the San Francisco Ballet School, the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England and Theatre Duarte, Paris. Diane danced professionally with San Francisco Ballet and opened her own school of ballet in McCall Idaho in 1989. Today she is the owner and director of the McCall School of Ballet. Diane has been a Teaching Artist for Ballet Idaho Learning Through Dance since 2005. She started the residency at one school and is now going to five schools in the McCall Donnelly area