Our Dancers

Peninsula Dance Theatre 2018-2019
Dancer Biographies Below

Dancer Biographies

Principal Dancers

Muriel

Muriel is a junior in high school and has been dancing with BDC for 13 years. This year will be her sixth year as a member of PDT. Muriel has enjoyed parts such as Ribbon Candy and Doll in The Nutcracker, Chinese Doll in Coppélia, Duck in Peter and the Wolf and many pieces in the annual Choreography Showcase. She has attended The Ballet Alliance Festival for 4 years and last summer she spent two weeks in Walla Walla for the SDL summer intensive. She has also been going to BDC’s summer intensive for 8 years.

Malcolm Cisler

Malcolm Cisler began his training at Monona Academy of Dance under Jojean Retrum in Madison, Wisconsin. After he moved with his parents to Port Orchard, Mr. Cisler began dancing at BDC under Mallory Morrison, Diane Lau, Nicole and Jason Cisler. Mr. Cisler dances both ballet and tap, and has enjoyed dancing such roles as Chinese Soloist and Mirliton Pas de Deux in The Nutcracker, Cavalier and Puss in Boots in Sleeping Beauty, Halarian in Giselle, and Peter in Peter and the Wolf. Outside of dance, Mr. Cisler spends most of his free time fencing at the Kitsap Fencing Center, and playing guitar.

Nicole Malloy

Nicole Malloy is a senior in high school and a principle dancer at Peninsula Dance Theatre. Some of her favorite past roles include Spanish Chocolate and Doll in The Nutcracker and Amethyst in Sleeping Beauty. Nicole has attended Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s and Peninsula Dance Theatre’s summer intensives in the past. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys hiking, baking, and spending time with friends.

Hannah Matson

Hannah Matson is a senior in high school and a principal dancer for Peninsula Dance Theatre. One of her favorite parts she’s danced is Snow Queen in PDT’s annual Nutcracker. She also enjoys choreographing, and has had numerous opportunities to showcase her work at both the PDT Showcase and The Ballet Alliance in Spokane, Washington. She received a full tuition scholarship at The Ballet Alliance as a choreographer to attend their summer intensive. Outside of dance, she is involved in DECA as an officer and store manager. She plans on attending college to pursue business. In the future she hopes to continue to be involved in the dance community by choreographing. She wants to thank her family and her teachers for their support.

Ayla Nye

Ayla Nye began taking classes at Bremerton Dance Center in 2006, at the age of three. Since 2013 Ayla has been with Peninsula Dance Theatre. Now a junior in high school she is excited to start her year as a Principal member with PDT. She has performed in many PDT production such as The Nutcracker, Choreography Showcase, Spring Ballet and the annual Season Opener. Some of her favorite roles include Clara, Doll, and the Mirliton soloist in The Nutcracker, and the White Cat in Sleeping Beauty and a Demi Willi in Giselle. Since the age of ten Ayla has attended Bremerton Dance Centers summer intensive and is thankful for the scholarship she received from PDT for this intensive. For the past three years she has been to Regional Dance America Pacific and last year attended The Ballet Alliance Festival and is looking forward to attending it for a second time this upcoming year. Outside of dance Ayla enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She is thankful for the love and support her family has shown throughout her many years of dancing.

Brennan Rood

Brennan Rood is a college student, at Washington State University. He has been dancing for 8 years and is excited for his third Principal year at PDT. Some of his favorite parts are Prince Charming from Cinderella, Prince Desire from Sleeping Beauty, Albrecht from Giselle, and Snow King, Mirliton, and Cavalier from The Nutcracker. He also enjoyed being in PDT’s Choreography Showcase and Season Opener for the past 5 years. In the summer of 2015, Brennan attended ABT’s Summer Intensive in Alabama, and he attended Long Beach Ballet’s summer intensive in the summer of 2016.

Caitlin Settle

Caitlin Settle is a Senior in high school. Some of her notable roles include the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Autumn Fairy in Cinderella, and Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Giselle in Giselle. She has spent summers training with American Ballet Theatre, Olympic Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Atlanta Ballet. Caitlin has received scholarships for both Peninsula Dance Theatre and The Ballet Alliance to attend such programs. She has attend Regional Dance America and Ballet Alliance festivals since 2015. Caitlin has choreographed for Choreography Showcase and performs in the annual spring ballet. Outside of dance Caitlin is involved in leadership activities at school and loves playing with her animals at home.

Grace Smith

Grace Smith is currently a senior in high school. Grace began dancing at Bainbridge Dance Center at the age of 4. She continued her ballet training with Olympic Ballet School form 2014-2018 under Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorboulev; performing with Olympic Ballet Theatre in Coppélia, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Fall Program, Spring Program, Summer Gala, and their Beaux Arts Auction. She then joined PDT as a performing member in 2018. Her favorite roles with PDT include Arabian Princess in The Nutcracker and Myrtha in Giselle. She has attended summer intensives at Cornish College of the Arts, Olympic Ballet School, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Bossov Ballet Theatre, The University of Utah and Joffrey Academy of Dance Chicago. Grace is excited to start her second season with Peninsula Dance Theatre as a principal dancer and is grateful for the support from her family and teachers.

Jacob Soltero

Jacob Soltero is a senior in high school and this will be his fourth year with Peninsula Dance Theater and second year as a Principal. Jacob is excited about what the future entails, especially for dance. He has been honored with the opportunity to train at numerous intensives at prestigious schools-- such as San Francisco Ballet School and Pacific Northwest Ballet School-- on full-tuition scholarships. Additionally, he has gone to many Ballet Alliance festivals with the company-- in both Spokane, WA and Phoenix, AZ-- where he performed both emerging works and Residential Choreography that helped him to earn the opportunity to participate in the Honor Ballet classes. His favorite roles have been Snow King and Spanish in The Nutcracker, Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle, and Blue Bird in The Sleeping Beauty. He greatly appreciates the opportunities he has received in being a part of the company, for, without their help, his dance life would have never been the same. Also, he would like to thank his family for their support and love they give both him and his art.

Performing Members

MaryClare Gehring

MaryClare Gehring is a ninth grader and has been dancing with BDC since 2015 and is now a performing member with PDT. During the summer she has attended a variety of programs including Olympic ballet Theaters summer intensive and Johansen Ballet Centre summer intensive. She has loved many roles such as Ribbon Candy and Clara in The Nutcracker and a Wili in Giselle. She is very thankful for all of her friends and family for supporting her.

Elise

Elise is a freshman in high school. She has been dancing with BDC for 11 years and PDT for 4. Her favorite roles in past performances have been Clara in The Nutcracker, Peter Pan in BDC’s recital Peter Pan, and the Rainbow Fish in PDT’s School Tour The Rainbow Fish. She loved attended BDC’s 2016& 2017 summer intensive. She had so much fun going to The Ballet Alliance festival last year, and is looking forward to this year’s festival in Long Beach, California. Aside from dance Elise also enjoys singing in choir at her school, and loves playing the guitar while singing for her family.

Aiyanna Huttleston

Aiyanna Huttleston is an eighth grader in Middle School. She has been dancing with Bremerton Dance Center for four years. Aiyanna is excited to start her third year with Peninsula Dance Theatre. Some of her favorite roles have been Pinocchio in BDC’s recital Pinocchio, Snow Corps and Ribbon Candy in The Nutcracker, and wilis in Giselle. Aiyanna has enjoyed attending BDC’s summer intensive program and The Ballet Alliance. Before dancing with BDC, Aiyanna attended Ithaca Ballet, where she performed The Nutcracker and Cinderella. Aside from dancing, she enjoys skiing, hanging out with family and friends, and taking care of her chickens.

Jessica Portrey

Jessica Portrey is a sophomore in high school. This is her first year as a Performing Member with Peninsula Dance Theater. She began dancing with Bremerton Dance Center nine 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 and Arabian Harem in The Nutcracker. This summer she attended the Summer Dance Lab Intensive in Walla Walla for 5 weeks with a partial scholarship from the Dance Lab. Outside of dance, Jessica enjoys horseback riding and playing the flute.

Kaitlyn Riley

Kaitlyn Riley is a sophomore in high school. She started dancing at the age of 3 at Irene’s School Of Dance and then moved to Bremerton Dance when was 8. She has been dancing with PDT for 4 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 and ribbon in The Nutcracker, John from Peter Pan in recital, Blue fish from school tour and many pieces from choreography showcase. Kaitlyn has attended the Bremerton Dance Center’s summer intensive and the Donald Byrd 2019 summer workshop with a full tuition scholarship. When not dancing Kaitlyn likes to hang out with her friends and family, and likes to travel.

Stephanie

Stephanie, a Junior, has been dancing since the age of three. She enjoys performing in PDT’s productions including her favorite roles: Chinese soloist, Snow & Waltz Corps in The Nutcracker; and Friends in Sleeping Beauty. A scholarship provided in part from PDT has allowed her to participate in summer intensives with The Ballet Alliance, Bremerton Dance Center and Tacoma City Ballet. Traveling to Phoenix and Spokane attending RDA Festivals has been an enriching opportunity, and she’s looking forward to traveling this Spring to Longbeach, CA for The Ballet Alliance’s Festival. During her free time, Stephanie participates in 4-H, National Honors Society, Key Club, photography, traveling and hanging out with friends. Thank you to all patrons of the arts!