Our Dancers

Peninsula Dance Theatre 2020/2021
Dancer Biographies Below

Dancer Biographies

Principal Dancers

Muriel

Muriel is a senior in high school and a running start student at Olympic College. Muriel has been dancing with BDC since the age of two, and has been dancing as a company member since she was 11, this will be her seventh year with PDT. Muriel has enjoyed roles such as Ribbon Candy, Doll, and Arabian Princess in The Nutcracker, Chinese Doll, and a demi in Dance of the Hours in Coppélia, Duck in Peter and the Wolf, and many pieces in the annual Choreography Showcase. Last year would have been Muriel’s fifth year attending The Ballet Alliance festival. She has also attended BDC’s summer intensive for 9 years and the Summer Dance Lab summer intensive in Walla Walla.

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 Snow King and Mirliton Pas de Deux in The Nutcracker, Cavalier and Puss in Boots in Sleeping Beauty, Halarian in Giselle, Peter in Peter and the Wolf, and a soloist in I. Prelude II. Allegro. Outside of dance, Mr. Cisler spends most of his free time focusing on school and playing guitar.

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 senior 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, the Mirliton soloist and Spanish pas deux in The Nutcracker, and the White Cat in Sleeping Beauty and a Demi Wilis 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 the year before last attended The Ballet Alliance Festival. 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 9 years and is excited for his fourth 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.

Performing Members

Ginny

Ginny is a freshman in High School and a Performing company member with PDT. She has been dancing for 12 years and joined company 4 years ago. She has enjoyed the role of Fritz, Snow Corps, Harem, and Mirliton Corps in the annual Nutcracker performance. Ginny has attended 3 BDC summer intensives and this past year would have been her 3rd year going to TBA’s annual festival.

Sara Bell

Sara Bell is a freshman in high school. She has been dancing with Bremerton Dance Canter for 11 years. This is her 4th year as a member of Peninsula Dance Theater and her 1st 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 Ribbon Candy 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, Sara is a member of her High Schools orchestra and Varsity Cheer Team, she also loves to spend time with her friends and family.

MaryClare Gehring

MaryClare Gehring is a sophomore in high school and a performing member for PDT. She began dancing at Bremerton Dance Center five years ago and is very excited for her fourth 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, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. She has been in several productions including Choreography Showcase, Season Opener, and Spring Ballet. Her favorite roles with PDT include Clara and Doll in The Nutcracker and Wilis in Giselle. She is very thankful for all of her friends and family for supporting her.

Elise Greenlee

Elise Greenlee is a Sophomore in high school. She has been dancing with BDC for 12 years and PDT for 5. Her favorite roles in past performances have been Clara in The Nutcracker and Peter Pan in BDC’s recital Peter Pan. She loved attending 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 El Paso, Texas. Aside from dance Elise loves playing the guitar while singing for her family.

Aiyanna Huttleston

Aiyanna Huttleston is a freshman in high school. She has been dancing with Bremerton Dance Center for five years. Aiyanna is excited to start her second year as a Performing member. Some of her favorite roles have been Pinocchio in BDC’s recital Pinocchio, Snow Corps, Waltz of Flowers, and Mirliton corps in The Nutcracker, and Wilis in Giselle. Aiyanna has enjoyed attending BDC’s summer intensive program and The Ballet Alliance. She also attended Kansas City Ballet’s online summer intensive program in 2020. Before dancing with BDC, Aiyanna attended Ithaca Ballet, where she performed The Nutcracker and Cinderella. Aside from dancing, she enjoys skiing, listening to music, hanging out with family and friends, and taking care of her chickens.

Gabrielle

Gabrielle is a freshman in high school and has been dancing with BDC for 12 years and PDT for 4 years. She has performed in many PDT productions such as: School Tour, Nutcracker, Season Opener, Choreography Showcase, and Spring Ballet. Some of her favorite roles have been Snow Corps and Ribbon Candy in The Nutcracker and The Cat in Peter and the Wolf. Gabrielle has attended multiple summer intensives including Texas Ballet Theatre for 3 weeks and multiple Bremerton Dance Center Intensives over the years. When Gabrielle is not dancing she enjoys swimming, cooking, reading, and spending time with her friends. She is thankful for the love and support that she has been given by her family and friends over the years.

Marisa Oishi

Marisa Oishi is a freshman who has been dancing since the age of three. Some of Marisa’s favorite roles in the past include Jiminy Cricket in Bremerton Dance Center’s Pinocchio, a Wili in Giselle, and Clara in The Nutcracker. Outside of dance, Marisa enjoys reading and plays the clarinet. She would love to be a published writer someday.

Jessica Portrey

Jessica Portrey is a Junior in high school. This is her second year as a Performing Member with Peninsula Dance Theater. She began dancing with Bremerton Dance Center ten 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. Two summers ago 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.

Emmalynn Powell

Emmalynn Powell is a freshman in High School. She has been dancing for 9 years. She first started her training at Academy of Dance in Port Orchard, then later moved to Bremerton Dance Center where she has been studying for the past 3 years. Emmalynn has also been a part of PDT during that time. She attended Regional Dance America in 2018, and The Ballet Alliance in 2019. She also spent two weeks in Walla Walla, for Summer Dance Lab in 2019. Her favorite roles she has portrayed are the ballerina doll and harem in The Nutcracker, Geppetto in BDC’s Pinocchio, and a Wili in Giselle. She also enjoys participating in musicals, such as Newsies.

Marissa Quitevis

Marissa Quitevis is a Sophomore 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.

Fiona Skinner

Fiona Skinner is a freshman 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 start her first year as a performing member. Fiona enjoyed dancing the part of Peter, in Peter and the Wolf, and Ribbon Candy, in The Nutcracker. She also enjoyed the opportunity to perform in the piece Can I Can’t I be Country at the Kitsap County Fair last summer. Fiona had the opportunity to attend The Ballet Alliance annual festival in 2018 and 2019 and she is excited to return again this spring. When Fiona is not dancing, she enjoys playing piano, swimming, and spending time with friends and family.

Sydney Scott

Sydney Scott is a sophomore in high school. She has been dancing with BDC for 10 years and PDT for 3 years and is excited to start her first year as 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 Ribbon Candy and Mirliton in The Nutcracker. She has loved participating in The Ballet Alliance Festival and is looking forward to attending again. She has also enjoyed partaking in BDC’s summer intensives over the past 4 years. Aside from dance, Sydney loves skiing, biking, art, hiking, and playing the violin.