Peninsula Dance Theatre 2012 - 2013
Dancer Biographies Below
2012 - 2013 PDT Company Dancers
Dancer Biographies
Principal Dancers
Sena Anderson
Sena Anderson has been dancing as a member of PDT since 2005 and has been taking classes with Bremerton Dance Center, since 1999. Over the years, some of her more favorable roles have included Taglioni in Pas De Quatre, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and the Grand Pas De Deux in The Nutcracker. After graduating in 2012, Sena has decided to continue with PDT and BDC as a dancer and teacher and plans on studying sports medicine in the years to come.
Nikole Starks
Nikole Starks is a senior at Bremerton High School. She has been dancing since she was 3 years old. This is her first year as a principal dancer with PDT. Her favorite roles she has performed are Arabian Princess in the Nutcracker and Mazurka in Coppelia. During the summer, she has attended Summer Dance Lab in Walla Walla, WA for two years and Northwest Dance Intensive in Olympia, WA for one year. When not dancing, Nikole enjoys working at Grocery Outlet, keeping up with her studies in high school as well as learning the welding trade, learning how to play the guitar and hanging out with friends.
Athen Bollozos
Athena Bollozos is a senior at South Kitsap High School. She began taking classes at Bremerton Dance Center towards the end of 8th grade. Since then, she has found herself indefinitely attached to the company and to the allure of performing. A few of her favorite roles include Clara and Doll in The Nutcracker, and Jester in Romeo and Juliet. She also enjoyed performing the various company pieces during Choreography Showcase. Observed in her natural habitat, one may find her nestled on the couch with her snuggie watching various shows on Netflix or out and about with friends grabbing several bites to eat. Sadly, this will be Athena's last season with PDT as she plans to attend University next fall in accordance with her goal of becoming a doctor. She would like to thank her family, friends, Lawan, and teachers, both artistic and academic, for their support.
Sophie Robertson
Sophie Robertson joined PDT in 2011 as an apprentice and continued on to principal in the 2012 season. Sophie is a sophomore in high school and lives in Gig Harbor. She has studied ballet since she was three years old along with other styles of dance including jazz and contemporary. Sophie has played the roles of “Pony” in Secret Garden, Rosetta in Tinkerbell and at PDT has played the roles of Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Grisi in Pas de Quatre, and Prayer in Coppelia. During the summer months in the past few years, she has attended the Houston Ballet's Summer Intensive for two years, New York City Dance Alliance's Summer Intensive, and Boston Ballet's Summer Dance Program. Her dreams for the future are to continue her academics while majoring in dance at Barnard University in New York City. She would like to thank PDT and her teachers for furthering her goals.
Ryan Marshall
Ryan Marshall has been performing off and on with PDT since 1996. Ryan is a Sheet Metal Mechanic at PSNS, having graduated from his apprenticeship in2008. A few of his favorite past roles include Cavalier, Snow King, and Herr Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker. As well as, Hungarian Prince in Swan Lake and Prince Désiré in Sleeping Beauty.
Chris Williams
Chris Williams has been a principal dancer with PDT for many seasons. He has danced such roles as Spanish Chocolate, Snow King, Herr Drosselmeyer, and Cavalier in The Nutcracker; Prince in Cinderella; Romeo and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet; Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty; Dr. Coppelia in Coppelia; and Basil in Don Quixote. He has also performed internationally in Russia (Rudolf Nureyev International Ballet Festival), Europe, Canada and Australia.
Performing Members
Dalton Alden-Welfl
Dalton Alden-Welfl, a junior at Klahowya, has been studying dance with Bremerton Dance Center (BDC) since the age of 3. While performing with BDC she held the lead roles of the Caterpiller in Alice in Topsey Turvey Land and Wendy in Peter Pan. Through her graduation to the performing company of PDT, she has appeared in numerous productions of the Nutcracker, Season Opener, and Choreography Showcase and held supporting roles in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppellia. She has performed the lead role of Porsch, Mercutios saucy and pugnacious love interest in PDT's rendition of Romeo and Juliet and most recently Spanish Chocolate Pas de Duex in The Nutcracker.
Ryleigh Hazen
Ryleigh Hazen
is a junior at Central Kitsap High school. She has been dancing at Bremerton Dance Center for 13 years and is in her sixth year as a member of PDT. Her favorite role to date has been Clara in The Nutcracker. Ryleigh has taken summer intensive workshops with PDT for the last five years. She choreographed in last year’s summer program and last year’s performance of Choreography Showcase. Ryleigh traveled to New York City with PDT in 2010. She attended Seattle Theatre Group's Dance This! in 2009 and went to the 2011 National Choreography intensive in North Carolina on full scholarship. This past summer, Ryleigh enjoyed visiting France with the rotary exchange program and gaining a lifetime friend. Ryleigh’s favorite activities are hanging out with friends, excessive talking, reading, and spending time on the lake in the summer.
Alexandra Murray
Alexandra Murray is a junior in high school and is a performing company member of Peninsula Dance Theatre. Alex attended the summer ballet intensive in Santa Cruz California this summer for the second year in a row. She also attended the Mid-Columbia ballet intensive in the tri cities this summer for the first time. Alex has been in many of PDTs productions, including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, and many more, and is looking forward to the performances to come. Aside from dance, Alex enjoys golf, spending time with her family at Haven Lake, and snowboarding.
Rachael Spear
Rachael Spear is a sophomore at Klahowya Secondary School. This is her 12th year dancing and her 5th year with PDT. This is her 2nd year as a performing member. So far, her favorite role has been Aemelia in Romeo and Juliet. When she is not dancing, Rachael enjoys going to sporting events and hanging out with her friends. Rachael would like to thank all of her teachers and her mom.
Michelle Ascencio
Michelle Ascencio has lived in Bremerton her whole life, and is currently a freshman at Bremerton High School. She has been dancing for ten years, and is beginning her fourth year as a member of Peninsula Dance Theatre. Michelle has performed in PDT’s Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, and Choreography Showcase. Out of all of these, “Fantômes Colorés in 2012’s Choreography Showcase has been her favorite. This past summer, Michelle attended Idyllwild Art Academy’s two week dance camp in Southern California, along with Bremerton Dance Center’s one week intensive. At the 2012 RDA Festival, she was awarded a full scholarship to Idyllwild Art’s Summer Program. Outside of school and dance, Michelle enjoys photography, travel, math and science, reading, painting, and playing her flute in BHS’s marching and concert bands.
Hailey Ennen-Lawson
Haliey Ennen-Lawson is a sophomore at Olympic High School, and has been dancing at BDC for 3 years. She is excited for her first year as a performing member of Peninsula Dance Theatre. Some of her favorite ballet roles she has played include the sea witch in, BDC’s recital, The Little Mermaid and Harem in The Nutcracker. Hailey aspires to become a contemporary choreographer. For the past two summers, PDT’s summer intensive has allowed her to experience what being a choreographer is like. She will never forget the experience, and she hopes to have many more like it.
Ceilidh Countryman
Ceilidh Countryman is a sophomore at Olympic High School. She began dancing at age three with Liberty Bay Danceworks, and started dancing with Bremerton Dance Center at age eight. In addition to attending Regional Dance America’s festival for the first time, she studied for two weeks at Summer Dance Lab in Walla Walla last summer and four weeks at ABT Austin this summer. She has participated in three of PDT’s summer intensives, and choreographed for this year’s intensive with two other dancers. When not dancing, Ceilidh enjoys reading, swimming, and spending time with friends and family.
Lydia Caldwell
Lydia Caldwell is thrilled to be returning to PDT for her second season as a performing member. Lydia is a 15 year old freshman at Bremerton High School and has been dancing for 11 years. Lydia looks forward to performing in her 9th production of PDT's The Nutcracker this year. Over the summer, Lydia received a full tuition scholarship from PDT to attend a weeklong intensive at Mid-Columbia Ballet in Richland, WA. When not dancing (which is not very often), Lydia enjoys hanging out with family and friends, listening to music, and laughing.
Hailey Somerday
Hailey Somerday is a ninth grader at Hawkins Middle School. This is second year performing member with PDT. She has been dancing at Bremerton Dance Center (BDC) since she was three years old. She held one of the lead roles as “The Blue Fairy” in BDC production of Pinocchio, which has been her favorite role so far. Hailey has performed in many PDT productions including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, and Choreography Showcase. The past two summers Hailey attended BDC’s summer dance intensive. While not dancing, she enjoys hanging out with friends and spending summers at Lake Roosevelt with family.
