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Ellen Huston/ Artistic Director Ms. Huston began her dance training in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the Dieman-Bennett School of Dance. She studied ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, classical, east Indian and Spanish techniques. Ellen was accepted into the Dance Theatre of the Hemispheres Company when she was 15. Ms. Huston danced professionally with the Kansas City Ballet for five years. She earned a bachelor's degree in dance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and a master's degree in ballet from Indiana University School of Music. Ms. Huston has complemented her years as a professional dancer with experience in arts administration, teaching, and choreographing. Her experiences include positions as marketing manager at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, personal assistant to Yul Brynner, and teaching associate at U.M.K.C and Indiana University Schools of Music. Ellen taught at Rochester Ballet School from 1988 to 2000, where she directed and choreographed their annual production of The Nutcracker for 10 years. In addition to directing the Rochester Dance Company, Ellen teaches ballet and pointe at Janet Lang Dance Studio (JLDS) and lives in Rochester with her husband John, daughters Olivia and Beatrice, and son Cooper. Wendy Jahraus/ Chair Of the Board Of Directore Ms. Jahraus is the owner and director of the Janet Lang Dance in Rochester. She has been a dance instructor for more than 12 years, teaching many styles and levels of dance. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she was also a member and director of the University Dance Team. Wendy also enjoys choreographing for local high school theaters, Children’s Dance Theatre, and other Rochester community dance and performing groups. Currently, she lives in Byron, MN with her husband Stacy and daughters Aiden, Kiya, and Jace. Lelia Friel/ Ballet Mistress Ms. Friel began her dance training at age five at the Janette McDonald Dance Studio in suburban Pennsylvania. She continued her studies with the Pennsylvania Ballet, performing many principal roles. As the director of the Forsythe Studio of the Arts, she taught pointe, ballet, jazz and tap and traveled the U.S. choreographing for the James Waters Production Company, a commercial production company, staging many commercials for companies such as Scott Paper Co., Campbell Soup and the Architectural and Engineering News. With more than 30 years of teaching experience, Lelia has also worked with Ron Luddington, top world Olympic skating coach, teaching ballet and jazz technique to skaters and assisting with choreographing their skating routines. Since moving to Rochester in 1996, Lelia has been teaching pointe, ballet, tap, adult ballet, jazz and preschool classes at the Janet Lang Dance Studio locations in Rochester and Kasson, MN. As RDC's ballet mistress, Lelia is responsible for teaching Junior Company class and rehearsing the company. Pre-Professional CompanyThe two dancers listed below makeup the Pre-Professional Wing of the Rochester Dance Company. They are paid a salary and receive a shoe allowance. They are beautiful dancers and have worked extremely hard to achieve this honor. We applaud them!
Natasha Holm
Kelly Sciallis
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