Faculty

JENNIE CREER-KING FOUNDER/DIRECTOR

Jennie Creer-King (Founder) is an accomplished professional dancer, teacher, choreographer and mentor. She danced professionally with Ballet West under the direction of John Hart from 1990-1994 in the corps de ballet. She also danced professionally with Oregon Ballet Theatre under the direction of James Canfield from 1994-1997 as a soloist and principal dancer. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1994 and a Master of Fine Arts in 1999 from the University of Utah Ballet Department. Jennie accepted a tenure track position at Brigham Young University from 1999-2004 as a Professor of Dance in the College of Health and Human Performance. At BYU Jennie was appointed the Artistic Director of Theatre Ballet Company where she taught ballet technique, pointe, variations, and choreographed original works as well as re-staging the classics. Jennie has received various awards for teaching and choreography, including the prestigious Presidential Scholars Teacher Recognition Award and Utah’s Own “Best of State” in the Choreography category in 2007 and 2008. Jennie was hired as one of two assistant choreographers in the Paralympics Opening Ceremonies in 2002 and has been a principal guest artist throughout the mid-west.

Jennie was awarded the title of Mrs. Utah United States in 2005-2006 and focused on the platform of “Enriching the Lives of Children Through the Fine Arts”.  She currently coaches and mentors young women in pageants and is a judge for various organizations across the country.

In September of 2004 Jennie opened Classical Ballet Academy fulfilling her dream of teaching children. She resides with her husband and three boys in Spanish Fork, Utah and is thrilled to be a working artist in Utah.

JESSICA HARSTON THOMPSON — INSTRUCTOR

Jessica Harston Thompson joined Ballet West in 1994 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1999. Principal roles included the title role in Birgit Culbergs’s Miss Julie, Sanquinic in George BalanchinesThe Four Temperments, the Sylph in Peter Schaufuss’ La Slyphide, Odette/Odile in Jonas Kage’s Swan Lake, Princess Aurora in Kage’sSleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy in William Christensen’s The Nutcracker as well as the Fairy Godmother and Winter Fairy in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella. Jessica has also been featured in principal roles in the Pas de Deux from Don Quixote, Hans van Manen’s Polish Pieces and Black Cake, and Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

Jessica retired from Ballet West in 2004 and continues to teach and choreograph. She is married to R. Scott Thompson and they have two daughters, Eva Bell and Marli Jane.

HEATHER FRYXELL — INSTRUCTOR

Heather Fryxell (formerly Heather Sanders) was born and raised in Florida. Upon leaving Miami, Ms. Fryxell attended the University of Utah and Brigham Young University on a full tuition talent scholarship. During her educational experience, Ms. Fryxell danced extensively with both universities’ dance companies and toured the west as a guest artist. Ms. Fryxell then danced with the Atlanta Ballet before joining Southern Ballet Theatre (currently Orlando Ballet) as a principal dancer. In addition to the positions Ms. Fryxell held a Southern Ballet Theatre, she also created her own dance therapy program in which she volunteered her time to teach dance to developmentally-disabled adults.In 2000, Ms. Fryxell co-founded the Central Florida Ballet and the Ballet Academy of Central Florida with Vasile Petrutiu. There she taught in and directed the school, directed the student company, developed her dance therapy program, and danced in the professional company. Upon returning to Utah in 2005, Ms. Fryxell began teaching at Ballet West and Wasatch Dance Center.Ms. Fryxell has danced the leads in all the great classics including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Cinderella, and Swan Lake, and has also performed extensively in contemporary works.Ms. Fryxell’s teaching career has spanned 3 decades, teaching ballet to students of all ages and skill levels at many schools throughout the country. Having also had extensive experience coaching dancers, Mr. Fryxell has had many award-winning students who have won top honors at national and international ballet competitions. Her greatest accomplishment is her twelve-year-old daughter, Emmaline. Ms. Fryxell is pleased to be part of Classical Ballet Academy.

LINDSAY FOLKMAN

Lindsay Folkman has been trained in a wide variety of dance genres since the age of three. She began with ballet and tap, then went on to jazz with a performing jazz company in St. George, Utah. Upon entering high school, Lindsay extended her jazz training with high school division competition jazz, where she served as a leader and choreographer to her peers and was awarded first in State for her first choreographed piece. Since this time she has had a profound love for choreography and began to expand her movement vocabulary at Brigham Young University. While attending BYU, Lindsay performed and toured with the International Folk Dance Ensemble from 1996-2001, there she gained her knowledge of natural, expressive styling and had the opportunity to dance throughout the United States, French Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and the British Isles. She received her BA with an emphasis in both World Dance and Modern Dance, as well as being awarded various Dance Department honors which included Dancers’ Choice, Excellence in Teaching, and the Cherrill Brown Liptak Citation (“awarded to one who through dancing will give and receive joy as well as inspire others to dance”).Upon Lindsay’s completion of her dance education at BYU, she performed as a Turkish dance soloist with an Eastern Arts dance company in various locations throughout Utah. She also began choreographing for high school competition dance teams where her pieces have been performed and awarded on a national level. From 2001 to 2008 she taught beginning through advanced levels in Jazz, Tap, Irish, and Contemporary at Academy of Ballet. During this time she also directed the studio’s jazz program and the advanced dance company, Athena Dance Company, where she fine-tuned her choreographic voice, setting approximately eighty original and imaginative pieces, including her inventive contemporary tale “The Land of Oz.” With her extensive training in various genres, and her firm belief that a great teacher never stops learning from her students, she has created for herself a signature fusion of eclectic and visionary movement, combining natural world style with artistic dance technique.In addition to directing the Contemporary Program here at Classical Ballet Academy, Lindsay continues to work as a freelance choreographer and an instructor in the BYU World Dance Division. She resides in Orem with her supportive husband and her two wildly creative children.

WILSON DOMINGUES

Wilson Domingues performed with the Gulbenkian Ballet, Lisbon, Portugal in Europe for 16 years as a Soloist and toured internationally having had the opportunity of working with some of the most renowned choreographers such as: Paul Taylor, Amanda Miller, Jiri Kylian, Hans Van Manen, Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Christopher Bruce, Christopher House, Itzik Galili and Angelin Preljocaj among others. His pieces have been presented in the National Dance Conservatoire of Lisbon – Portugal, having had one of his choreographies inserted in the program of the Lisbon 94 European Capital of Culture, was also invited to create works for the Aveiro Dance Company and The Dance Project in Portugal. Along with a position as a Ballet Teacher in a private school from 2001-2005 also did choreographic work within the school. Wilson is currently a scholarship recipient at UVU and is pursuing his Bachelors of Fine Arts Ballet emphasis. In 2009 was the winner of the professional category of the Choreography Design Project organized by the Utah Regional Ballet. Wilson has had his choreography selected to be presented in the informal concert at the 2009 ACDFA conference. He is presently teaching at BYU and UVU.

RACHAEL DAILEY GOODWIN

As a New York City graduate of Musical Theater, Rachael understudied the role of Roxy in Ken Alan’s production of Chicago, the Musical. She has performed Off-Broadway in various shows in New York City, where she was also a member of dance faculty at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy teaching ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and theater dance. On tour, Rachael danced for L’OREAL Paris International, the original production of Breakin’ Faustus, and was offered a role in the National Tour of Copacabana.

Rachael has trained and/or performed with the Joffrey, San Francisco, Pacific Northwest, and Christensen Ballet Schools, and Steps (NYC). She was also presented with additional scholarship/training opportunities with American Ballet Theater, Houston Ballet Academy, Virginia School of the Arts, the School of American Ballet, and Utah Ballet.

Rachael was an AMDA Dance Finalist (NYC), dancer/actress with the New York Dinner Theater, WNBA Utah Starzz dancer, 2002 Winter Olympic Ceremonies dancer, performer with Full Force Dance Co., and has performed in several other venues with well-known artists such as B-Girl Shorty.

For the past three years, Rachael has enjoyed her position as Assistant Director for Jennie Creer-King’s The Nutcracker, featuring the Provo Civic Ballet.  Rachael’s choreography has also been performed Off-Broadway in New York City, and at several venues in Utah, including: Brigham Young University, Franklin Covey Center for the Performing Arts, American Leadership Academy, and various local high schools.

Currently the Ballet Mistress for Classical Ballet Academy’s Nutcracker productions, Rachael was previously the Ballet Director for Expression’s Dance Studio. She also instructs/choreographs for Wasatch Dance Centre & various other dance schools/workshops/programs in Utah, including Brigham Young University. With her diverse dance background, Rachael continues to add to her thirteen years of teaching experience in many genres, including: ballet, pas de dieux, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, break-dance, tap, and theater dance.

In addition to her formal dance and musical theater training, Rachael has completed an LDS Mission, a Bachelors of Science (honors), and she is finishing up a Masters in Public Administration degree from Brigham Young University to prepare her for a career in arts management. Rachael enjoys marathon running, triathlons, waterskiing, and humanitarian travel abroad with her wonderful husband when she is away from the dance floor.

CHELSEA ELLIS

Chelsea Ellis (MFA, University of Utah; BS, Southern Utah University) has been a member of NY Dance Collective Dance Company and Transfusion Hype Dance Company.  Chelsea has performed at The Cunningham Theater, Dance Theater Workshop, The Slipper Room and the Abingdon Arts Complex in NYC. Her work and scholarship has been presented at Idaho State University’s ‘The Art of Gender in Everyday Life Conference’, Rocky Mountain Theater Assoc., The American College Dance Festival, Univ. of Utah Student and Graduate Concerts, Southern Utah University, The Fresh Fruit Festival NYC (Outstanding Performer of the Year Award), UDEO High School Gala, and The International Dance Festival in NYC.  Chelsea has also choreographed for the Utah Regional Ballet, Youth American Grand Prix, Miss Utah Pageant, Utah Flash and many High Schools throughout Utah.  Recently, Chelsea presented choreography and was a guest teacher at the prestigious Luis del Rio Conservatorio Professional de Danza in Cordoba, Spain and Maria De Avila Centro de Superior de Danza in Madrid, Spain.  Currently, Chelsea teaches Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop at Utah Valley University, Jacqueline’s School of Ballet and Classical Ballet Academy.

POLLY SUTTON

ELIZABETH MARTINEAU

Elizabeth Martineau began her training in Las Vegas where she studied at various studios. She attended programs such as Alvin Ailey, Kirov Academy, and North Carolina School of the Arts. Elizabeth is a graduate of the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts High School after which she attended the University of Utah on a modern dance scholarship. She has performed in many television shows and commercials and performed with Orion Productions “Iron Beats” in Tampa, FL, Booking Dance festival in China during the 2008 Summer Olympics and is currently in her 7th season with Odyssey Dance Theatre where she has toured around the United States and Europe. Elizabeth has received numerous awards for her choreography including American Grand Prix, The American Ballet Competition, New York City Dance Alliance, Pulse, and West Coast Dance Explosion. She is a graduate of University of Utah in behavioral science, health and nutrition.  Elizabeth enjoys sharing her passion for dance with positive methods.