The Company
Peter Anastos, Artistic Director 
Peter Anastos, a native New Yorker, 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. He has also choreographed in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and his ballets are performed worldwide. He was the founding Director/Choreographer of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and served as Artistic Director for Garden State Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet.
Mr. Anastos enjoys a longstanding collaboration with Mikhail Baryshnikov and their projects together include American Ballet Theater’s Cinderella, CBS Television’s Baryshnikov in Hollywood (Emmy Award nomination) and the photography book, The Swan Prince for Bantam Books. Mr. Anastos was also invited by Mr. Baryshnikov to create new work for the White Oak Dance Project.
Mr. Anastos has the rare honor of receiving two Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships in Choreography and four Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. He was the subject of a New Yorker Magazine Profile by the foremost American dance writer, Arlene Croce.
For the Broadway stage, he choreographed I Hate Hamlet and Where She Danced, based on the life of Isadora Duncan. Other Major theatre credits include 33 Variations (Arena Stage, Washington, DC) and Chess (National Company). He has choreographed several television specials and two Hollywood films, Addams Family and Addams Family Values, both for Paramount Pictures.
He has directed opera for the Washington Opera and the Kennedy Center and for the Opera Company of Philadelphia and was choreographer-in-residence for the Sante Fe Opera and Sundance Theatre Festival, part of Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute in Utah.
A writer and historian, Mr. Anastos has published essays about ballet for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Dance Magazine, Ballet News, DanceInk, and Ballet Review, where he is a member of the Editorial Board. He is a contributor to the book, Reading Dance, Random House, New York, 2008.
Mr. Anastos directed the Ballet Projects at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts and has taught ballet technique in New York and throughout the United States.
Alex Ossadnik, Balletmaster
Alex Ossadnik was born and trained near Dresden, in the formerly Soviet occupied East Germany. After his career on the stage in Germany, France and the United States, he served numerous companies as teacher, balletmaster, choreographer, and director since 1996 before joining Ballet Idaho in 2008.
As artistic director, choreographer and balletmaster, Alex has worked over the past fourteen years with artists from the Alberta Ballet (Canada), Boston Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, New York City Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Compania Nacional de Danza de Mexico and with personalities such as Natalia Krassovska and Galina Mezentseva.
Principal Dancers
Heather Hawk 
Heather Hawk joined Ballet Idaho in 2008. She has originated roles in A Little Night Music and Italian Symphony by Peter Anastos and The Four Seasons and Violin Concerto#3 by Alex Ossadnik. In the Anastos repertory, her roles include Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Odette in Swan Lake , Idaho and Sugarplum Fairy and Dew Drop in The Nutcracker. She grew up in Indiana and began her early training in Chicago at various schools,
including Chicago City Ballet. The artistic staff of Maria and Marjorie Tallchief and Paul Mejia greatly influenced her career. At age fourteen, she moved to New York City to study at The School of America Ballet. While with New York City Ballet, she danced many ballets from the Balanchine, Robbins and Martins repertory. She can be seen in the New York City Ballet’s movie, The Nutcracker and the PBS broadcast of The Balanchine Celebration. She has also been a member of the Pennsylvania Ballet and Ballet Chicago. Heather has taught extensively throughout the United States and joined the faculty of Ballet Idaho Academy in 2008 and continues to teach Upper Level at Ballet Idaho Academy.
Sponsored by Chris & Keron Privon
Phyllis Rothwell Affrunti
Phyllis Rothwell Affrunti trained at The Ballet School of Chapel Hill in North Carolina and continued at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet. She danced with Pennsylvania Ballet, Southern Ballet Theatre and as a principal for Charleston Ballet Theatre, Eugene Ballet and Ballet Idaho performing lead roles in Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, Tarantella, Who Cares? and Serenade. Since joining Ballet Idaho, she has been featured as Giselle, Carmen, Clara, Sugar Plum Fairy, Princess Florine, Lilac Fairy and Wendy in Bruce Steivel’s Peter Pan and has been featured in many of Toni Pimble’s works. Phyllis has worked with choreographers such as Jean Pierre Bonnefoux, Christopher Fleming, David Parsons and Eddy Toussaint. Phyllis is on the faculty of Ballet Idaho Academy.
Sponsored by Mrs. Esther Simplot
Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye
Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye joined Ballet Idaho in 2007 and was promoted to Principal dancer this season. He is a native of Waterville, Maine. He began his training at the age of 15 at the Bossov Ballet Theatre under the direction of Andrei Bossov. Two years later, he was accepted into the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School of Professional Division on full scholarship. While attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, he had the pleasure of working with such teachers as Jorden Morris, David Maroni, Stephan Leaonard and Adrei Lewis. Upon graduation, Ryan was asked to participate in the famous Banff Summer Arts Festival in Banff, Alberta in 2005. There he originated roles in Salorina Matthews’ Losing Ground and Peter Quanzs’ Quanz by Quanz. He also performed the leading role in Fernand Knaughs’ Carmina Burana. Ryan has danced with Festival Ballet of Providence, Eugene Ballet, as well as many guest performances all over the United States and Canada. In 2007, Ryan was a competitor in the New York International Ballet Competition where he had the opportunity to work with dancers from all over the world.
Sponsored by Mrs. Esther Simplot and Annette Elg
The Company
Angela Napier 
Angela Napier, from Canby, Oregon, received early training from Willamette Ballet Academy and Allegro Dance Studio before attending Pacific Artists Dance Center. She attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, where she continued as a professional division student and performed in Symphony in C, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and in Swan Lake. In 2007, Angela earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from Texas Christian University and has performed in Portland, Oregon with Bouand Dance Company. In addition to dance, Angela is a certified Stott Pilates Instructor.
Sponsored by Dr. Erik & Michelle Meyers
Adrienne Kerr
Adrienne Kerr joined Ballet Idaho in 2008. She began ballet in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Karen Alwin and Deanna Encinias. Adrienne was the youngest student to be accepted in the Boston Ballet’s summer program and has received numerous scholarships to other internationally-recognized curriculums. She won third place in the Youth America Grand Prix competition and performed in New York City. She was a scholarship student at Pacific Northwest Ballet and made her professional debut in their The Nutcracker. Her full length ballets include The Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cinderella and The Nutcracker, as well as originating roles for Peter Anastos and Alex Ossadnik. Her repertoire consists of works by Luis Fuente, Bruce Wells, Kent Stowell, Marius Petipa and George Balanchine. Most recently, Adrienne studied roles in Giselle and Don Quixote with Gelsey Kirkland in New York City.
Sponsored by Dr. Mark & Lana Hollingshead and Cortney A. Taul & Hazel T. Rose
Jessica Sulikowski
Jessica Sulikowski grew up in Jackson, New Jersey. She has studied dance with the Academy of Dance Arts and has been a successful candidate of the Royal Academy of Dance major examinations. She has attended summer intensive workshops at Kirov Ballet, Princeton Ballet, the Washington School of Ballet, Steps on Broadway and Complexions. Jessica was a pre-professional dancer with the Company of Dance Arts in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty as Aurora, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and La Linda. In December, 2009, she appeared as the Arabian in Nevada Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. Jessica is a student at Boise State University under the partnership between BSU and Ballet Idaho. She is teaching this year at Ballet Idaho Academy.
Sponsored by Joan & John Carley
Monique Betty
Monique joins Ballet Idaho for her fourth season. She is from Pocatello, Idaho and began her training with Marius Zirra and attended Brindusa-Moore Ballet Academy where she studied under Sergiu Brindusa, Beth Moore and Florin Brindusa. She attended summer programs at American Ballet Theatre, Brindusa-Moore Ballet Academy, Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre and Ballet Idaho. Monique has performed roles in Yes, Virginia, Cinderella, A Midsummer’s Dream, Brahm’s Waltzes, The Rite of Spring and The Sleeping Beauty, as well as many classical and neoclassical ballets. She is a junior at Boise State University, seeking a major in Health Science Studies and a minor in Psychology. She is certified in The Method Mat and Apparatus Pilates through the Physical Mind Institute on New York City.
Sponsored by Don & Iris Hendrickson
James Brougham
James Brougham was born and raised in California and started dance training at the age of twelve in Marin County. He attended the San Francisco Ballet School on full scholarship and continued at Pacific Northwest Ballet also on full scholarship. He has performed in both San Francisco Ballet’s and Pacific Northwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker and in Prodigal Son, The Concert, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Who Cares? and Cortege Hongrois.
Sponsored by Keh McCracken & Gary Grant and Annette Elg
John Frazer
John Frazer is a graduate of the Ballet West Academy. He was accepted into Ballet West II for the studio company’s first two years under Jonas Kage and Peter Christie. In 2006 he joined Ballet West where he danced for four seasons. John has danced in a variety of classical ballets as well as contemporary pieces such as Rite of Spring, 9 Sinatra Songs and But Never Doubt I love. He also enjoyed performing many character roles such as a stepsister in Cinderella, Stefano in Tempest and Bottom in The Dream.
Sponsored by Tom & Teresa Killingsworth
Graham Gobeille
Graham Gobeille started dancing in his home town of Fort Collins, Colorado. He received his training from Melissa Corr and Scott Ranagan at Canyon Concert Ballet. In 2006, he joined Ballet West 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has also participated in Ballet West for Children, an outreach program dedicated to bringing ballet to schools throughout Utah. This is Graham’s fourth season with Ballet Idaho.
Sponsored by Sue Richardson
Andrew Taft
Andrew Taft returns to Ballet Idaho this season. He was born in Miami, Florida where he began his classical ballet training at the age of nine with Ruth Wiesen at the Miami Conservatory along with Thomas Armour, Robert Pike, Nancy Raffa and various professional guest artists. He trained in both Limon and Graham technique at the New World School of the Arts. His ballet training continued in New York City with private coaching by Johan Renvall and David Howard. Andrew has attended summer programs at American Ballet Theatre, Kaatsbaan and Dance Theatre of Harlem on full scholarship, all of which where he danced soloist roles. He has danced leading roles with Michael Uthoff Dance Theatre, Miami Ballet, Francis Patrelle and Miami City Ballet. Notable roles include Franz in Coppelia, Soloist in Theme and Variations, Prince Charming in Cinderella and The Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty.
Sponsored by Dr. Christian & Kathryn Zimmerman and Bertram & Brandy Stemmler
Ashley Hartigan
Ashley Hartigan joins Ballet Idaho for her first season. She is from El Dorado Hills, California and began her training at Deane Dance Center. She attended summer courses at The School of American Ballet for three years on scholarship and danced in the professional division at Pacific Northwest Ballet School for two years. While a student at Pacific Northwest Ballet School, she danced leading roles in Pinocchio and Western Symphony for the school and performed corps de ballet roles with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Giselle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cinderella, Glass Pieces, Coppelia, The Four Temperaments, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.
Sponsored by Rodney & Jenise Reider
Nathan Powell
Nathan Powell is from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he received his early dance training. At sixteen he moved to Winnipeg to study at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, dancing on tour with the school throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. He received a RBC Youth Excellence Scholarship in 2006 as a member of Festival Dance at the Banff Centre and performed with Northern Plains Ballet before joining Festival Ballet Providence for three season under Mihailo Djuric. Nathan has spent several summers with Ballet Montana and before coming to Ballet Idaho danced with Ballet San Antonio. This will be Nathan’s first full season with Ballet Idaho.
Sponsored by Carol Lofto
Apprentices
Ashley Badali 
Ashley Badali was born in Okinawa, Japan and has lived in North Carolina, California and Utah. She began her training with Vacaville School of Classical Ballet in California. She most recently attended Ballet West Academy and performed in Ballet West’s The Nutcracker. Her most recent summer training included Ballet Idaho, which brought her to join Ballet Idaho for her first season.
Holly Mickelsen
Holly Mickelsen is a native of Idaho Falls. She received her classical and contemporary ballet training with Idaho Falls School of Ballet under teachers Deborah Bean, Liuba Kosireva Paterson and Julie Strong. Holly has attended Summer Intensive study programs at Houston Ballet and Ballet Idaho and has danced roles in Eugene Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. She joins Ballet Idaho in her first season as an apprentice.
Brodrick Todd
Brodrick Todd was born and raised in Bremerton, WA. He trained at Peninsula Dance Theatre under the direction of Lawan Morrison. During his time there he performed various roles including his favorites Cavalier, Bear, Chinese and Fritz in The Nutcracker. He also enjoyed his role as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet in 2010. He has studied with American Ballet Theatre on both full and partial scholarship. This past summer he had the privilege to attend Ballet Idaho’s Summer Intensive on full scholarship. Brodrick now embarks on his first year with Ballet Idaho as an apprentice.
Amanda Murray 
Amanda was born in Wenatchee, WA and began her classical ballet training at the age of five at the Joan Shelton School of Ballet. She received classical Russian training at the San Diego Academy of Ballet and also studied at the the Jillana School under full scholarship. She danced her first pas de deux at the age of thirteen in Les Sylphides. Other roles include parts from the The Nutcracker, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, River Scenes, Raymonda, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, La Sylphide and Serenade.
Elizabeth Herrmann-Barreto
Elizabeth Hermann-Barreto received her early dance training at La Grande School of Ballet in Oregon under the direction of Swannee Hermann. She attended various summer intensives that include American Ballet Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre and Anaheim Ballet. She won third place in the Youth America Prix competitions and performed in New York City, after which she was selected to perform in the Young Medalists Gala at the International Ballet Festival in Miami. Formerly a member of Anaheim Ballet, Elizabeth has performed roles in The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Awakening of Flora, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Raymonda and various contemporary ballets. This is Elizabeth’s first season with Ballet Idaho.
Adam Bloodgood
Adam Bloodgood is originally from Seattle, Washington and trained at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School for 12 years under the directorship of Francia Russell and Kent Stowell, succeeded by Peter Boal. Along with dancing many corps de ballet roles with the company, Adam also had the privilege of performing George Balanchine’s Chaconne, Stars and Stripes and Cortege Hongrois and originated roles in works by Bruce Wells, Jonathan Porretta and Stanko Milow with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Adam was the only student to perform in Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Most recently, Adam created the roles of the giraffe and a priest in Stephen Mills’ new production of The Magic Flute with Ballet Austin. Adam has had additional training from the School of American Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet School and the American Ballet Theatre School. Adam joins us for his first season with Ballet Idaho.
Daniel Ojeda
Daniel Ojeda joins us for his first season with Ballet Idaho. He first trained in all the skills required for musical theater at a small school in Queens, New York with Mark and Teresa Cassese Aubel. He performed in musical theater productions and ballet from age six to twelve with various companies, including some off Broadway productions. He then decided to pursue ballet full time and trained with private coach, Barbara Walczak with summers at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. At 14, Daniel was accepted to the School of American Ballet and trained there for four years. He then moved to Seattle, Washington to become a professional division student with Pacific Northwest Ballet where he performed with the company as well as in school performances.
Sponsored by Brian & Christine Nicholas
Jake Lowenstein
Jake Lowenstein was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Balletmet Columbus. He attended summer programs on full scholarships at Houston Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Jake trained on full scholarship for two years in the professional division at Pacific Northwest Ballet. He also spent one year on full scholarship at Pittsburgh Ballet School. Jake joins us for his first season with Ballet Idaho.
Sada Popick
Sade Popick has been dancing with Ballet Idaho for the last two seasons and was previously at the Portland Ballet Academy and Youth Company. She studied at Oregon Ballet Theatre and attended summer intensive courses at San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Richmond Ballet, Joffrey Workshop, Ballet Austin and Ballet Idaho. She has performed roles in Les Sylphides, La Sylphide, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Paquita, Coppelia and The Nutcracker.