CSU Dance Alumni Careers and Successes
CSU Dance Alumni are enjoying a wide variety of careers and successes since graduation, including dancing for professional dance companies, starting their own dance companies and studios, working in as administrators in the performing arts, teaching dance, and attending graduate school.
CSU Dance alumni perform, choreograph, and direct for professional dance companies
- 3rd Law Dance/Theater, Boulder, Colorado
- Alaska Dance Theatre, Anchorage, Alaska
- Ashleyliane Dance Company, St. Louis, Missouri
- Ballet Ariel, Denver, Colorado
- Benita Bike's DanceArt Co., Los Angeles, California
- City Opera Ballet, Bellevue, Washington
- Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Denver, Colorado
- Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Boulder, Colorado
- Community Dance Project NYC, New York, New York
- Dance Khambatta Company, Seattle, Washington
- Denver Broncos Cheerleaders, Denver, Colorado
- Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver, Colorado
- DIAVOLO, Los Angeles, California
- Duplex Cabaret Theatre, New York, New York
- Eyes of a Blue Dog Dance Theatre, New York, New York
- FALL contemporary aerial dance, Nashville, Tennessee
- Forty Steps Dance, Nahant, Massachusetts
- Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Denver, Colorado
- House of Verlaine, Seattle, Washington
- hysterica dance co., Los Angeles, California
- Central Illinois Ballet, Peoria, Illinois
- IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- International Ballet Theatre, Kirkland, Washington
- Karma Dance Theatre, Canada
- Louder Than Words Dancetheatre, Denver, Colorado
- Montana Ballet Company, Bozeman, Montana
- Moraporvida Contemporary Dance, Denver, Colorado
- Nevada Ballet Theatre, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Olympic Ballet Theatre, Edmonds, Washington
- Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
- Saint Paul Ballet, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Whim W’him Contemporary Dance, Seattle, Washington
CSU Dance alumni perform and choreograph for professional productions and tours
- Alicia Keys
- American Girl
- American Idol
- American Music Awards
- Britney Spears
- Dancing with the Stars
- Enrique Iglesias
- Jennifer Lopez: All I Have, Planet Hollywood; Las Vegas, Nevada
- Pink
- Madonna
- Marc Anthony
- Mystic India: The World Tour
- Netflix
- N'SYNC
- So You Think You Can Dance
- Telenovela/Eva Longoria; NBC
- The Grammys
- The Latin Grammy's
- True Blood
- Usher
- Walt Disney Company
- Will Smith
CSU Dance alumni start their own dance companies and studios
- Alternative Motion Project, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- AXIOM Dance Theatre, Los Angeles, California
- Community Dance Project NYC, New York, New York
- Contemporary Dance Academy, Fort Collins, Colorado
- DANSPIEK Dance Theatre, New York, New York
- Henry Academy of Dance, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Industrial Dance Alliance, Denver, Colorado
- Life/Art Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado
- Peak Academy of Dance, Conifer, Colorado
- Recover and Revive Fitness, LLC, Erie, Colorado
CSU Dance alumni work for performing arts and arts-related organizations
- Citydance — Boston Ballet's outreach program, Boston, Massachusetts
- Colorado Community College System, Denver, Colorado
- Colorado Dance Education Organization
- Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver, Colorado
- Studio 9 Dance Academy, Parker, Colorado
CSU Dance alumni teach dance, Pilates, yoga, and movement
- 92nd St Y Harkness Dance Center
- A Body of Work, San Francisco, California
- Belliston Academy of Ballet, Denver, Colorado
- Colorado Center of Dance, Golden, Colorado
- Colorado Conservatory of Dance, Denver, Colorado
- Columbine Health Systems, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Fordham High School, Bronx, New York
- Hamilton-Wenham School of Dance, South Hamilton, Massachusetts
- High Country Conservatory of Dance
- New York City Ballet Education, New York, New York
- Peridance Capezio Dance Center, New York, New York
- Pilates for Buff Bones™
- The Living Room, Brooklyn, New York
CSU Dance alumni attend graduate school
- Colorado University at Anschutz Medical Campus
- Metro State University
- New York University
2022
- Kourtney Yadao – kourtneyyadao.com
- Binyamin Salzano – Dancer at ccballet.org
- Abbey Mann – Dancer at ccballet.org
- Elise Gusinde-Duffy – Instructor at mountain-kids.com
- Madeline Kling – Facebook
- Molly Strader
2021
- Franny Komperda – francesk08.wixsite.com
- Payton Lauer – authenticgrooves.com
- Alayna Maddocks – Instagram
- Taryn Santeramo – littletondancecenter.com/tarynsanteramo
- Emily Wallace – Facebook; Life/Art Dance Ensemble
- Kaitlyn Carson
2020
- Samantha Lewis — Teaching and performing with Evolving Doors Dance Company
- Safiya Vanterpool — Mark Morris Dance Group Teaching Artist Program
2019
- Taylor Woolums — Apprentice of IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Canyon Concert Ballet, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Katelyn Doyle — Apprentice of IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Cassie Eron — Instructor of La Roche Academy of Dance, Castle Rock, Colorado
- Madison Martinek — Company member of Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Denver, Colorado
- Mohammed J. York — Company member of Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Denver, Colorado
2018
- Hannah Finnegan — Ashleyliane Dance Company
- Shannon Gerney — https://meritpages.com/dancer95; YouTube
- Julianna Williams — Dance instructor at Henry Academy of Dance, Fort Collins, Colorado
2017
- Chloe Milton — Dance instructor at Immersion Dance Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Ashley Shute — Company member of Ormao Dance Company, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2016
- Megan Emily Adams — Apprentice with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Lauren Kotre — Staff of Parker Arts, Parker, Colorado
- Bonnie Tomson — Dance with Danca Nova; Apprentice with Ballet Ariel, Denver, Colorado
2015
- Maggie Jung — Company member of IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Meaghan Suchomel — Formal dance faculty of Canyon Concert Ballet, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Lindsay Dighero — Co-director of Industrial Dance Alliance, Broomfield, Colorado
- Melissa Pite — Dancer of Ballet Arial, Denver, Colorado
- Alex Ader — Dance faculty of Turning Pointe School of Dance, Hudsonville, Michigan; Formal dance intern of Ormao Dance Company, Colordo Springs, Colorado
2014
- Emma Kimball — Company member with Canyon Concert Ballet, Fort Collins, Colorado; Company member with Built for Collapse, Brooklyn, New York; www.emmaskimball.com/
- Kayla Banks — Formal dancer of Dancing Earth Dance Company, San Francisco; IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado; and Shaking the Tree Theatre, Portland, Oregon. Formal dance faculty at Portland Ballet, Portland, Oregon; and Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado
- Blake Miller; www.danceplug.com/blake-miller
- Natalie Vinyard-Houx — Dancer of Life/Art Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado
- Alyssa Howell — Company member of Industrial Dance Alliance, Broomfield, Colorado
2013
- Brittany Pete (Adams) — Formal dancer of Saint Paul Ballet, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Company member of Ballet CO Laboratory, Saint Paul
- Anna Roehr — Formal dancer of Saint Paul Ballet, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Company member and school manager of Ballet CO Laboratory, Saint Paul
- Lauren Elster — Formal dancer of Countrapose Dance Company of Boston, José Mateo Ballet Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Saint Paul Ballet, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Montana Ballet, Wild Space Dance Company in Milwaukee; Founding member of Ballet North Texas
- Jennifer New — Dance faculty at The Studio
- Emily Aldag — Children fitness instructor, Shift Lead, Orlando, Florida
- Shannon McGee — Performed with Benita Bike's DanceArt Company, Los Angeles, California; Performed with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado; https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcgeeshannon/
- Mellissa Smith — Co-director of the Colorado Eagle Chicks; Training coordinator of Key Point Government Solutions
- Cheryl Senser — Formal dance faculty at Vail Valley Academy of Dance
- Sayaka Karasugi-Ruggles — Formal soloist of Colorado Ballet, Denver, Colorado; Formal CSU Ballet Instructor, 2013-2014; Facebook;
- Molly Gray — Dancer with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Cami McCullough — Formal dancer with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Brielle Oakes — Dancer with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado, 3rd Law Dance/Theatre, Boulder, Colorado
2012
- Jenna Smith (Spengler) — Company member with IMPACT Dance Company and Canyon Concert Ballet, Fort Collins, Colorado; Formal dancer with FALL Aerial Ballet Company, Nashville, Tennessee
- Cecillia McNeel
- Annessa Kohlhardt — Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Colorado University at the Anschutz Medical Campus in 2017
2011
- Thomas Phelan — Formal dancer of Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance Company, Alaska Dance Theatre, Olympic Ballet, International Ballet Theatre, Khambatta Dance Company, The Robbie Turner Revue, and IMPACT Dance Company; Company member of City Opera Ballet, House of Verlaine, Alana O. Rogers Dance Company, and Coriolis Dance Company
- Kim Norberg — Formal School Director and dancer of Saint Paul City Ballet, Saint Paul, Minnesota; Formal Program Director of North Ballet Academy, Saint Paul
- Mallory Hochwender — Formal dancer with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
2010
- Megan Meehleis — High Country Conservatory of Music and Dance (Family-owned dance school); appeared on America's Got Talent, 2014 (also view this video);
- Les Laura Martin (Siem) — Dance faculty at Performance Dancer, Aurora Dance Arts, and Avatar Movement Dance Company, Denver, Colorado
- Chantel Doyon — Karma Dance Theatre, Ottawa, Canada; Doctor of Physical Therapy, PhD from South College
- Alison Kruser (Bray) — Formal dancer of Legends in Concert, Los Vegas, Celebrity Cruises Entertainment Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean International, and RWS Entertainment Group.
- Blair Hanning (Whitley) — Wyldlife Director, Dance Team Coach at Collegiate High School, Wichita, Kansas; Formal dance teacher and company director at Suzanne’s School of Dance, College Station, Texas; Formal program director at Kanaku Camp, Branson, Missouri; https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-hanning-1582447a/
2009
- Grady Soapes — Formal Company Manager and dancer of 3rd Law Dance/Theater, Boulder, Colorado; Associate Producer & Director of Casting at Denver Center for the Performing Arts; New Works Festival Coordinator at Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp
- Richard Lugo — Artistic Director of DanSpiek Dance Theatre, New York City, New York; Full-time dance instructor at Fordham High School in Bronx, NY
- Mary Overton (Wilson) — Founding dancer of Life/Art Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado; M.A. in Languages, Literature, and Culture (Spanish, CSU, 2011)
- Mallory Henry — Director of Henry Academy of Dance, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Karleen Quackenbush (Hughes) — Founding dancer of Life/Art Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado; Formal dancer with Canyon Concert Ballet; Formal teaching artist at Boston Ballet's outreach program Citydance
2008
- Shari Callear — Founding dancer with Life/Art Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado
- Ariane Ruprai (Pfneisl) — Formal dancer of Louder Than Words Dance Theatre, Denver, Colorado
- Andrea Palesh — Performed with Eyes of a Blue Dog Dance Theatre, New York City; Nationally and Internationally toured with the Bollywood sensation, Mystic India: The Word Tour; CEO of Guilty Pleasures Cabaret, NYC; https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-palesh-3379bab/
2007
- Jennifer Girtell — Performed with IMPACT Dance Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Denna Thomson — Founder of Axiom, Performed with Hysterica Dance Co, and LA Philharmonic; Performed with: Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Ke$ha, Adam Lambert, Sigur Ros, and David Bowie; Performed at: the Grammys, American Music Awards, David Letterman, America's Got Talent, Saturday Night Live, and X Factor.
- Jessica Riggs (Olin) — Artistic Director of Life/Art Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colorado
2006
- Erica Bow-Gottschalk (Jurgens-Bow)— Performed with Diavolo Dance Theatre Dance Company, Los Angeles, California
- Erin Warner Prange — Dancer and Executive Director of Big Muddy Dance Company
2005
- Kristin Howe (LeLoup) — Owner/Teacher at Creative Kids Movement; Co-Founder/Artistic Director of Alternative Motion Project, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Katie Swenson — Performed with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, Denver, Colorado; Performed with Rennie Harris Grass Roots Project
- Arlee Chadwick — National and International Tours Shows: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, John Tartaglia’s Imagin Ocean, Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Live! The Little Prince, and many more.
2004
- Becky Kendall, Artistic Director of Momentum Dance Collective, Anchorage, Alaska, a non-profit corporation; momentumdance.org
- Carrie Demo, teaching artist at New York City Ballet Education Center, 2015-present