Our Dancers

Peninsula Dance Theatre 2021/2022
Dancer Biographies Below

Dancer Biographies

Principal Dancers

MaryClare Gehring

MaryClare Gehring is a junior in high school and a Principal Member for PDT. She began dancing at Bremerton Dance Center six years ago and is very excited for her fifth year dancing for PDT. She has enjoyed going to a variety of summer intensives including Bremerton Dance Center, Johansen Ballet Center, Tacoma City Ballet, Olympic Ballet Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Austin. She has been in several productions including Choreography Showcase, Season Opener, and Spring Ballet. Her favorite roles with PDT include Doll and Rose Queen in The Nutcracker and Autumn Fairy in Cinderella. She is very thankful for all of her friends and family for supporting her.

Elise Greenlee

Elise Greenlee is a junior in high school, and is starting her first year of Running Start at Olympic College. She has been dancing with BDC since she was 4, and PDT since she was 10. Her favorite roles in past performances have been Summer Fairy in Cinderella, and Spanish Soloist in The Nutcracker. She loved attending BDC’s 2021 Summer Intensive. She is looking forward to The Ballet Alliance's Festival in Austin, TX this year. Aside from dance, Elise spends most of her time snuggling with her dog, and focusing in school.

Aiyanna Huttleston

Aiyanna Huttleston is a sophomore in high school. She has been dancing with Bremerton Dance Center for six years. Aiyanna is excited to start her year as a Principal dancer. Some of her favorite roles have been Pinocchio in BDC’s recital Pinocchio, Arabian princes and, Waltz of Flowers in The Nutcracker, and Spring Fairy in Cinderella. Aiyanna has enjoyed attending BDC’s summer intensive program and The Ballet Alliance. Aiyanna has attended Kansas City Ballet’s summer intensive program in 2020 and 2021. Before dancing with BDC, Aiyanna attended Ithaca Ballet, where she performed The Nutcracker and Cinderella. Aside from dancing, she enjoys playing guitar, making art, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets.

Performing Members

Ginny Acker

Ginny Acker is a sophomore in high school. She has done the BDC summer intensive since she was 11, and enjoyed dancing the parts of Harem, Snow Corps, Waltz Corps, and Girl Cousin in the annual Nutcracker performance. She enjoys reading about mythology and drawing. She aspires to travel the world when she gets out of school.

Sara Bell

Sara Bell is a sophomore in high school. She has been dancing with Bremerton Dance Canter for 12 years. This is her 5th year as a member of Peninsula Dance Theater and her 2nd year as a Performing member. Some of her favorite roles have included Bluebird in Peter and The Wolf, Wally the Bear in BDC’s recital Teddy Bear Picnic, and Mirliton in PDT’s The Nutcracker. Sara has enjoyed getting to go to The Ballet Alliance festival, and is excited to go again. Outside of dance she loves to hang out with her cat, and play the piano.

Jessica Portrey

Jessica Portrey is a Senior in high school. She began dancing with Bremerton Dance Center eleven years ago. She has performed in many productions such as School Tour, Season Opener, Nutcracker, Choreography Showcase and Spring Ballet. Her favorite roles have been Snow Corps, Harem and Doll in The Nutcracker. Outside of dance, Jessica enjoys horseback riding and playing the flute.

Gabrielle Muller

Gabrielle Muller is a Sophomore in high school and has been dancing with BDC for 13 years and PDT for 5 years. She has performed in many PDT productions such as: The Nutcracker, Season Opener, Spring Ballet, and School Tour. Some of her favorite roles have been Snow Corps and Chinese trio in The Nutcracker and the Cat in Peter and the Wolf. Gabrielle has attended multiple summer intensives including Texas Ballet Theatre, American Ballet Theatre and Bremerton Dance Center. When Gabrielle is not dancing she enjoys swimming, reading, and spending time with her friends. She is thankful for the love and support that she has been given by her friends and family over the years.

Marisa Oishi

Marisa Oishi is a high school sophomore who has been dancing since the age of three. Her favorite past roles include Clara in the Nutcracker, a Wili in Giselle, and Jiminy Cricket and Amanda in Bremerton Dance Center’s recitals. Marisa has attended several of BDC’s summer intensives and received a merit scholarship from Interlochen Arts Camp to attend their three-week program as a classical ballet major. In addition to dancing, Marisa loves to read, write, and play the clarinet, and is a founding member of her school’s literary and art magazine.

Marissa Quitevis

Marissa Quitevis is a Junior in High School and she has been dancing with BDC since 2012. This is her first year in Performing Company. Some of her favorite roles have been Ben in BDCs Teddy Bear Picnic. Wilis in Giselle, Snow Corps and Arabian Harem in The Nutcracker, and Wolf in Peter and the Wolf. Marissa has enjoyed attending The Ballet Alliance. Aside from dancing, Marissa enjoys swimming, hanging out with friends and baking.

Kaitlyn Riley

Kaitlyn Riley is a senior in high school. She started dancing at the age of 3 at Irene’s School of Dance and then move to Bremerton when she was 8. She has been dancing with PDT for five years. She has performed with PDT in Season Opener, Choreography Showcase, The Nutcracker and Spring Ballet performances. Some of her favorite parts have been Harem, Ribbon and Snow Corps in The Nutcracker, John from Peter Pan in recital, Bluefish from school tour and many pieces from Choreography Showcase. Kaitlyn has attended the Bremerton Dance Center’s summer intensive in 2018 and 2021 and has attended the Donald Byrd workshop in 2019 with the full tuition scholarship. Over Covid she has also attended The Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 2020 summer intensive and danced with them for the 2020-2021 season. Kaitlyn likes to hang out with friends and travel places. She plans on studying dance through college.

Ruth Ross

Ruth Ross is a junior in high school and running start student at Olympic College. She is a Performing company member at PDT. Ruth has been dancing with Bremerton Dance Center since she was 3 years old, and PDT since 2016. Ruth has enjoyed roles such as Strombolli in BDC’s Pinocchio, Spanish core in The Nutcracker and Ballroom Ladies in Sleeping Beauty. Ruth has attended many of BDC’s annual summer intensives as well as the TBA summer project where she had the opportunity to study choreography under Eva Stone. Ruth is very thankful for the opportunity to choreograph for TBA’s festival as well as PDT’s Choreography showcase in 2021, she hopes to continue growing as a choreographer and a dancer this year.

Fiona Skinner

Fiona Skinner is a sophomore in High School. She began studying dance with Bremerton Dance Center at the age of four and joined Peninsula Dance Theatre ’s Junior Company in 2016. She is excited to continue as a Performing Member with the company. Fiona enjoyed dancing the part of Lady in Waiting, in Cinderella, and Snow Corps, in The Nutcracker. She also enjoyed the opportunity to dance the part of Peter in Peter and the Wolf with the Peninsula Ballet Orchestra. Fiona had the opportunity to attend The Ballet Alliance annual festival in 2018 and 2019 and she is excited to finally return this spring. When Fiona is not dancing, she enjoys taking her dog on walks, swimming, and spending time with friends and family.

Sydney Scott

Sydney Scott is a junior in high school. She has been dancing with BDC for 11 years and PDT for 4 years and is a Performing company member. She has performed in many PDT productions such as The Nutcracker, Season Opener, Spring Ballet, School Tour, and Choreography Showcase. Some of her favorite roles include Clara, Ribbon Candy, and Mirliton in The Nutcracker. She has loved participating in Regional Dance America Pacific and The Ballet Alliance Festival and is looking forward to attending again. She has also enjoyed partaking in BDC’s summer intensives over the past 5 years. Aside from dance, Sydney loves skiing, art, hiking, and playing the violin.