Faculty

School Director

Brandon Welch is a dancer, teaching artist and creator with a passion for utilizing movement as a catalyst for social change. He holds a BFA from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance with a semester on exchange at the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts. His performance career includes being a company member of Momix Dance Illusionists, Doug Varone and Dancers, Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Helanius J. Wilkins/SALT and Gibney Dance Company. During his time with Doug Varone, Brandon participated in Dance Motion USA’s cultural diplomacy program to South America and performed in Les Troyens at the Metropolitan Opera.

As an Artistic Associate of Gibney Dance, Brandon facilitated movement workshops for survivors of Intimate Partner Violence with guidance from Clinical Advisor Beth Silverman-Yamm. In 2017, he began bringing his movement practices into public schools as a teaching artist with the 92nd Street Y, home of the Dance Education Laboratory, and Columbia College Chicago. In 2020, Brandon created Moving Meditations in collaboration with Abby Corrigan, which offered continuing education credits for incarcerated men through the Denver University's Prison Arts Initiative.

Brandon currently resides in Longmont, Colorado and is a dancer, co-conspirator and community engagement coordinator forThe Conversation Series: Stitching the Geo-Political Quilt to Re-Body Belongingwith Helanius J. Wilkins. His guest artist teaching includes DOCH University (Stockholm), Mimar Sinan University (Istanbul), HIGHFest Masterclass (Yerevan), MuDa Africa (Dar Es Salaam) and Dance Ensemble Singapore. Recent creative commissions include the Lamont Opera Theatre, Mariposa Collective and Whitney Center for the Arts.

Ballet Mistress

Melissa Corr is a native New Yorker. She began her training with Russian Prima Ballerina Liana Hausler. She eventually joined her company, Genesee Civic Ballet and later Hausler and Company, where she enjoyed many solo roles in the Classics.

Upon arriving in Colorado, she continued her dancing with Denver Civic, now Colorado Ballet.

Through the years she became very interested in pedagogy,  and continued to study again in NYC , taking vigorous classes with such greats as Melissa Hayden, Patricia Wilde, Basil Thompson, Nadine Ravine, Zena Romett and  Gelsey Kirkland.

Returning to Colorado and rekindling her admiration and love for her Russian training, she studied and danced for Misha Tcherpakova, Meelis Pakri, Pavel Rotaru, Jilliana, Lorita Travaglia, and  Dmitre Roudnev.Melissa has been a pillar in the Fort Collins ballet community, working with the Chamber Orchestra, Fort Collins Symphony,  Fort Collins Opera, and the theater companies as well. She has taught and performed throughout the United States and Canada for over 50 years. She has been a member of CCBs fine staff since 1979.

Melissa retired from Colorado State University Music Theater and Dance Department in 2010, where she was the intermediate and advanced ballet technique professor.. She restaged many classic works and also choreographed numerous works of her own during those many years.

For the last 6 years she has taught during the spring semester for Escuela Profesional de Danza De Mazatlan,Mexico, a 4 year dance degree program, and also company class for Delfos, a world renown contemporary company. She has been invited to teach in several states in Mexico and also the National School of Ecuador.

Ballet 7

Natsuho grew up in Italy and started ballet at Il Borgo Danza, a local dance studio in Milan.

She continued her ballet training in Tokyo, Japan, and attended the Ballet Department at Showa University of Music.

She was awarded a merit-based scholarship for her outstanding grades during her studies and graduated with a Ballet Degree.

She then danced professionally with City ballet of San Diego, Atlantic City Ballet and Ballet Theater of Indiana. She performed a various repertory in Classical, Balanchine, Neo Classical, Contemporary and Character works and was featured in many soloist/principal roles, including Marie, Ballerina Doll in Act 1 from Nutcracker.

She started teaching ballet from 2016 and since then she has taught all levels from toddlers to pre-professional classes, in both Japan and the US. Many of her students have competed in recognized competitions and won prizes.

She is also a PBT level 3 certified teacher, which has significantly supported her students' progress even more.

She is really passionate about inspiring the new generation and extremely excited to join the CCB faculty.

Ballet 6

A native of Atlanta, Josh initiated his dance training at the age of 10 at the Conservatory of Dance and Fine Arts. At 14, under the direction of Armando Luna, he began classes with Atlanta Ballet where he graduated from the pre-professional division. Josh went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance from Kennesaw State University. He also studied in Taipei, Taiwan at the National Taiwan University of the Arts. While in school, he twice won top national titles at the American College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Josh has performed with The Georgia Ballet, Ballethnic, Ballet Mississippi, Tampa Bay Dance Theatre, the Madison Studio, and Atlanta Ballet. He’s also taught at Northeast Atlanta Ballet, the Grayson School of Ballet, Decatur School of Ballet, and Savannah’s Coastal Ballet Theatre. Josh joined the Covington Regional Ballet as a company member In 2016. He earned the title of

Ballet Master and later advanced to the positions of Artistic Director and School Director. He produced and directed three shows annually, concluding his work there with an original classical ballet production in May 2023.

Josh is thrilled for the opportunity to return his concentration to dancing professionally by

joining Canyon Concert Ballet as an Artistic Associate for the 2023-2024 season.

Ballet 5

Ballet 4

Anneke is from Stillwater, Minnesota where she began her Vaganova training at age 6 with St.Croix Ballet. She had the opportunity to attend many summer intensives. Her favorites include Dutch National Ballet, OWDF, Bolshoi Ballet, English National Ballet and Kirov Academy of Ballet, DC. She received her pre-professional training under Gelsey Kirkland in NYC. She accepted her first professional contract at age 17 with Continental Ballet as an apprentice. Later she joined Texas Ballet Theater’s Studio Training Company and performed with Ben Stevenson’s Alice in Wonderland. 

Anneke was a founding company artist with Magnum Opus Ballet. She has also danced professionally with St. Paul Ballet, Metropolitan Ballet, US International Ballet and Columbia Classical Ballet before joining Canyon Concert Ballet.

Anneke started teaching at her home studio in 2013. Since then she has taught and choreographed at numerous studios throughout the US, plus taught and assisted in directing many summer intensives in various dance styles. In 2019 Anneke was school rehearsal director for The Great Wilmington Nutcracker. One of her passions is character dance and she has had privilege to train under Ukrainian dancer Neka Tobak and has taught many Master classes. Her pedagogy training is in Vaganova, Bourneville and many styles of character. Her experience includes working with students of all ages and abilities, ranging from age 3 to pre-professional and adults.

Anneke is honored to share all that her teachers have imbued in her. Her desire is to help pass on this love, knowledge and joy of dance, from one generation to the next. She loves working with each student and seeing them reach their full potential in this art form. Anneke has immensely enjoyed the honor of serving in the interim as the School Director of Canyon Concert Ballet since January 2024. She is excited to be dancing and teaching with CCB!

Ballet 3

Amy joined Canyon Concert Ballet as a company dancer in 1993. She began teaching for the school in 1995, and loves working with students and helping them to be the best dancers they can be. She received her dance training from Colorado Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Ballet West, and has received instructor training in both the Royal Academy of Dance and Vaganova styles. Amy also choreographs ballets, solos, and contemporary ballet pieces for CCB’s Youth Ensemble and Professional Trainee programs and serves as a rehearsal assistant for some company productions. As well as teaching dance, Amy teaches English and sponsors the drama club at Lincoln Middle IB School.

MAP Director

Abbey Morgan grew up in Longview, Washington and moved to Fort Collins in 2018. She attended Colorado State University as a Dance Major and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in Spring of 2022. She began dancing at age 9 in Washington State when her aunt opened Higher Ground Dance Studio. She quickly fell in love with dance and has continued her training in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, modern, improvisation, choreography, acrobatics, musical theatre, hip-hop, character dance, and flamenco. She began teaching dance in 2015, and has a deep passion for inspiring and educating the next generation of dancers. Abbey has performed with Eugene Ballet Theatre, BodyVox Dance Company, Colorado Ballet, and Disneyland’s Dance the Magic. She is thrilled to teach dance classes and work as an Artistic Associate with Canyon Concert Ballet Company.

Marina Stillman received her formal ballet education at the Academy of Choreography in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she studied the Vaganova ballet method, with performance opportunities In Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater. She furthered her education at the prestigious Art and Dance College in Tver, Russia, where she earned a BFA in choreography and dance.

Since 1999, Marina has shared her passion for ballet across multiple states, including California, Arizona, Hawaii, and Colorado. Collaborating with renowned figures like Valentina and German Zamuel, and Marina Oreshkevich, she has mastered the fundamentals of Russian ballet training and developed a distinctive approach to the Vaganova method. Her expertise extended when along other teachers of Zamuel Ballet School they produced iconic ballets such as Nutcracker, Giselle, Don Quixote, and Firebird, among others.

Marina's students have consistently excelled under her guidance, earning top honors at prestigious competitions like NYCDA, YAGP and UBC finals, with her original choreography leading many to success. Her influence has reached beyond ballet, as she has coached Olympic-level ice skaters and dancers at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center since 2015 during their off ice training.

With a deep love for ballet, Marina is eager to inspire and mentor the next generation of dancers at CCB

Sadie became an apprentice with Canyon Concert Ballet in 2017 and joined the company in 2018. She has been training at CCB for 16 years. She has also trained with Colorado Ballet, Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, and The Boston Ballet school. She has trained in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, and Musical Theater. Sadie has also been accepted into the University of Alabama and Utah’s dance programs, and summer programs at Houston ballet, Ballet West, and American Ballet Theater. She is very excited to be able to perform on stage again. Some of her favorite roles in CCB’s productions have been The Arabian Princess and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, and The Rose in Alice in Wonderland. This is her third year teaching with the school and she is excited to show her love of dance and CCB with the students!

Emily Thompson began training in her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas at the age of two after ballet classes were prescribed to help treat her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. She later furthered her training at Ballet Academy of Texas and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School before joining Oklahoma City Ballet as an Apprentice. She then moved to Toronto, Canada in order to train under Evelyn Hart. While dancing professionally in Spartanburg, SC she began teaching dance at Wofford College as well as Boys and Girls Club chapters around the city. From then on, she has had the joy of teaching children and adults of all ages in ballet, contemporary, and jazz. Emily is starting her eighth year as a professional dancer, and her first year with Canyon Concert Ballet.

Taylor grew up in Michigan and began training at her local ballet studio where her passion and talent allowed her to attend on scholarship. She also attended summer intensives on scholarship at Cincinnati Ballet, American Ballet Theatre New York, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. These summer intensives were pivotal in Taylor finding her elusive and individualistic artistry. Taylor then continued her training with Cincinnati Ballet’s Professional Trainee Division during the 18-19 season and was promoted to second company for the 19-20 and 21-22 season. During her time there, she danced many highlighted roles, her favorites being the Dark Angel in Balanchine’s Serenade and the Vain Queen in Pamela Robinson Harris’s Snow White. During this time in Cincinnati, she was also a part of the ballet faculty at Beyond the Barre Academy and Planet Dance. In 2022, Taylor joined Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company. Some of her most memorable performances from last 22-23 season include Micheal Pink's Dracula and Ben Stevenson's Cinderella. With her move to Colorado Ballet, she had the opportunity to continue to expand her teaching resume. Here she worked with numerous ballet schools as well as creative dance outreach programs. She inspired young artists by creating a space for self-expression and focusing on creative empowerment. Taylor has experience teaching all levels and ages from Pre-K to adult classes, as well as a multitude of dance techniques and is certified in Safe Environment Training for teachers. Taylor is excited and grateful to be able to continue doing what she loves this season with Canyon Concert Ballet!

Sarah grew up dancing at the school of the Washington Ballet and continued with ballet and other genres at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Following college, she performed with 4M Dance in San Francisco and Oakland, California. She returned to school to earn a M.Ed. degree in Early Childhood Education and later trained in Anne Green-Gilbert’s methodology of dance instruction at the Creative Dance Center in Seattle. She joined the CCB staff in 2015, focusing on dance with toddlers & parents together and the Young Dancer’s Program. Sarah was honored to attend the CSU Carl S. Bimson Dance/Movement Education Seminar for Colorado K-12 Educators during the summers of 2016-17. Sarah works as a teacher at First United Methodist Cooperative Preschool in addition to being a dance educator.

Judy Bejarano teaches Modern Dance Technique for Canyon Concert Dance Center. She has also staged contemporary works on Canyon Concert Ballet’s Company. Bejarano received her Master of Fine Arts from C.U. Boulder in dance with an emphasis in choreography. She also teaches Improvisation, Choreography and Modern Technique at Colorado State University. Bejarano is the artistic director of IMPACT Dance Company, a dance/theatre company whose performances speak to issues in our everyday lives. She collaborates and creates custom events with area art groups as well as for private events. Bejarano is increasingly interested in redefining the relationship between performer and audience, therefore; IMPACT’s work can be found in nontraditional spaces, from art galleries, to storefronts, to airplane hangars. Bejarano is also interested in exploring the use of dance as a collaborative outreach tool and has a long term relationship with the arts programs at Pathways Hospice. The company also has a well established integrated arts outreach program called Every Voice Matters. Bejarano’s work has been selected for many regional and national festivals including National American College Dance Festival, Colorado Choreographers Showcase, and Gala Concert for the National Dance Association Festival. Her “topic driven work” often uses original text, dance and projection, and continues to be commissioned at the university level and by independent dance, theatre and music groups. Bejarano, an enthusiastic and demanding instructor, teaches workshops and residencies throughout the region.

Competitions Team Director

Morgan Militare started her dance training at 2 years-old in Westminster, Colorado where she danced competitively and performed in many studio showcases, and storybook ballets with Artistic Fusion Dance Academy. While growing up Morgan had the opportunity to learn from many teachers and choreographers including: Joey Dowling, Danny Lawn, Jen Jarnot and Kirsten Russel. During her high school years she completed American Ballet Theater testing, passing with both Honors and Merit. All of these experiences pushed her to take her dance career further by attending Colorado State University for her Bachelor's Degree in Dance.

During her time at CSU Morgan has performed in many works including those of: Chung-Fu Chang, Grace Gallagher, Judy Bejarno, and Madeline Harvey. Her choreography was adjudicated multiple times while attending CSU, allowing her to set choreography for the many spring dance concerts. Along with choreographing and performing, Morgan found her passions for health and exercise science and teaching dance through other classes taught at CSU.

Morgan loves teaching jazz, contemporary, and tap at Canyon Concert Ballet while also directing the competition team. She enjoys being able to choreograph for kids and bring them to community engagement events and competitions throughout the year!

A Colorado native, Binyamin began his dance training while attending Colorado State University. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Zoology in May 2022. While attending university, Binyamin had the opportunity to perform in numerous faculty and student-choreographed works, as well as residency pieces by internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, Andre Megerdichian, and Vincent Thomas. Binyamin also developed a strong choreographic voice at CSU, with some of his undergraduate works being selected for presentation at the American College Dance Association Conference and as a finalist in the New Century Dance Project Choreographic Competition in 2022. Upon graduation, Binyamin joined Canyon Concert Ballet as an artistic associate and faculty member, and he is now a principal dancer with the company. He also engages the Colorado dance community at large as an artist with The Soda Shop Movement Company, IMPACT Dance Company, and other organizations throughout the state.

Quentin began his dance training in a small town called Paola, Kansas under the tutelage of Miss Lacy at The Dance Studio, now Miami County Dance Movement. There he trained in ballet, jazz, and contemporary, while also taking an occasional hip hop class. Additionally, he partook in competitive cheer and was a collegiate cheerleader with The University of Missouri-Kansas City before moving to Colorado. He has received degrees in both Dance and International Relations from Colorado State University and The University of Northern Colorado respectively. He is happy to be dancing in the company with Canyon Concert Ballet! Quentin hopes to continue to bring dance to people with varying backgrounds and help bridge the gap in the arts both financially and culturally. In addition to dance, Quentin is also a cosplayer and model. He has modeled for shows such as Thailand Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, and Denver Fashion Week. When not dancing, he creates cosplays and props, attends conventions, and plans to begin competing in cosplay competitions. In his free time he plays Dungeon & Dragons, listens to Kpop, watches anime and Kdramas, and bakes!

Eliza began her training as a conservatory student with Coastal Dance Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. She was a participant in the Royal Academy of Dance examinations where she earned marks of distinction and performed with the  company.  She had solo performances and competed in YAGP and VKIBC.  Eliza began teaching in 2021 at Coastal Dance Center with a focus in RAD Exam coaching, Progressing Ballet Technique, Studio Fine Arts Club, and recreational ballet classes.  In 2023, Eliza graduated with a BA in Philosophy and minor in Dance.  Her decision to study philosophy was motivated by the goal of reaching students from all different backgrounds and ways of thinking as well as a focus in the philosophy of Aesthetics.  Eliza is excited to be dancing with Canyon Concert Ballet this season and looks forward to a year of teaching!

Liam is currently a fourth-year Dance/Business administration double major at Colorado State University. He received the majority of his 9 years of dance training at Colorado School of Dance in Parker, CO and received additional Summer training with institutions like Colorado Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. He has performed as a guest artist in the role of Cavalier in the Nutcracker 2021-2023, in “American Lullaby: Still Singing with IMPACT Dance Company, and is currently working as a performer with The Soda Shop Movement Company. In addition to performing and school, he is currently the assistant competition team director and a teacher at Canyon Concert Ballet.

Alison Coatman grew up in Broomfield, CO. She attended both the University of Northern Colorado and Lesley University for her BA and MA in elementary education with an emphasis in the creative arts. She has been a teacher in PSD for 23 years teaching primarily first grade. As an adult, she started taking ballet classes at UNC and in Fort Collins. Her youngest daughter has been a dancer at CCB for 11 years and she loves this community. She is excited to join the CCB staff to teach young children the love of dance and creativity.

One of Colorado’s original Hip Hop teachers, Kevin has an extensive background in all Hip Hop styles. He received training from industry pioneers- Clyde Evans, Eric Finn, Quickstep and Rennie Harris. He has performed with: Don Campbell Lock jr, Electric Boogaloos, Lady Jules of the BeatFreaks, and the lateGary Kendall of the Jabbawockeez, and is a former member of Motion UnderGround’s Hip Hop company EOM. He has Been a guest artist at the Arena in Switzerland, The San Francisco Hip Hop Festival, the Colorado College Dance Festival, The Breaking Point in Montana, CU Boulder, and CSU Fort Collins, Red Rocks community college and Front Range community college.

Kevin now is Bringing this unique flavor to many Studios in Colorado and is the Founder/Director of True 2 Form Dance Group. He has for years been spreading a fire about the history of Hip Hop and a vision for where it could go. At this time, Kevin is a member of Street Stylez b-boy crew, Performing core member with Machinez Remainz popping crew, and Rennie Harris Grass Roots Project. Witch has just finished a small performance tourof the Eastcost.

Cassidy Faulhaber is a recent graduate from Colorado State University. There she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, extensive community outreach experience, and the opportunity to bring dance to a wide range of demographics. There she choreographed four unique and investigative pieces, one of which was featured in Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival. Cassidy has over 18 years of dance training experience in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, musical theatre, and competitive dance.

Henry is a classically trained dancer who graduated from Ballet West Scotland in 2020 with a BA(Hons) Ballet and Fdn in Dance. His experience includes winning numerous awards at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival including the title of International Champions, and more recently has performed in multiple UK national tours including Giselle, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake, along with performing as a soloist at CCBallet for now a third season. 

Teaching credits include Head of Dance at the most prestigious non-vocational performing arts school in Essex, and more recently Director and Principal at a high-performance school in Cheshire, coaching members of British Gymnastics in dance and artistry, and founding the top-rated ballet school in the region. Past students have been accepted into professional courses in leading ballet schools both in the UK and the USA. With experience in teaching RAD, PBT, ISTD and IDTA, along with an extensive non-syllabus teaching history, Henry is excited to return with his holistic and supportive approach to the talented students of the Canyon Concert Ballet School for a third season.