Faculty Bios
Michelle Anderson (MA): Michelle studied with the School of Ballet West and Virginia Tanner’s Children’s Dance Theatre. She received scholarships to the San Francisco Ballet School and University of Utah where she graduated with a B.F.A. in ballet. She danced with Ballet West for five years in classical and contemporary ballets including: Nutcracker, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Giselle, and Sleeping Beauty. Michelle has been on dance faculty at Virginia Tanner Creative Dance, Central City Dance, and has served on Janet Gray’s faculty since 1994.
Carly Anderson (CA): Carly studied with Janet Gray Studios and Children’s Dance Theater for over eleven years. While performing with CDT, she participated in the Dance and the Child International (DaCI) program in Saskatchewan, Canada. Carly regularly attends tap intensive workshops in Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. Carly completed her B.S. Mathematics, University of Utah.
Rosie Banchero (RB): Rosie has received numerous scholarships including; Tremaine, United States International University, and Repertory Dance Theatre Summer Scholarship. Rosie finished her B.F.A. degree as a Modern Dance Major at the University of Utah. She also performed with the original Jazz Girls NBA Jazz Basketball dance team, appeared in TCI Cable, and ESPN commercials. Rosie is a popular choreographer for Utah high school dance companies and she has served as guest faculty for American College Dance Festival. She recently returned from Africa where she studied dance and African movement and has created a new style called “afro-jazz-mod-hop”.
Annie Breneman (AB): Annie received her early training from Joan Miller’s Palm Beach Ballet Center and graduated from Palm Beach County School of the Arts High School. She attended summer ballet intensive training with the Houston Ballet Academy and North Carolina School of the Arts. She danced on scholarship with Utah Ballet and received her B.F.A in ballet. She joined Ballet West in 1998 as an aspirant, became a full company member in 2000, and was promoted to soloist in 2006.
Jennifer Cushing Clark (JC): Jenni studied at the Ballet West Conservatory and trained under Mr. Willam F. Christensen. Jenni received the Willam F. Christensen Scholarship at the U. of U. and completed her B.F.A. in Ballet with a teaching emphasis. She participated in summer intensives at The Rock School Pennsylvania Ballet and Houston Ballet Academy. She performed with Utah Ballet Company and with Ballet West in roles of ‘Snowflake’, ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ Nutcracker; Coppelia, and in Jonas Kage’s Swan Lake as a member of ‘swan corps’.
Andrea Curtis (AC): Andrea completed her BFA in Dance Performance at Southern Utah University. Andrea is also a certified Zumba® and Zumbatomic® Fitness Instructor. She is a popular choreographer for multiple local Jr. High School and High School dance companies. She created and directed her own dance company "Chance Dance Troupe" (2010-2011) a hip-hop group whose mission statement was based on volunteer work and community development.
Amy Thurston Jex (AJ): Amy is a respected choreographer for the Draper Arts Council community productions which include Fiddler on the Roof, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and A Time for Broadway. Amy also choreographed over 700 performers for the 2009 LDS Church Draper Youth Temple Celebration. Amy did her early training with the Janet Gray Studios and the Wm. F. Christensen Ballet West Academy. She completed her B.A. in humanities at B.Y.U. while also performing with the B.Y.U International Folk Dance Ensemble. She received a Trustee Scholarship along with the Mary Jensen Endowment award for folk dance, and completed her M.A. in Dance Pedagogy. Amy has served on Janet Gray’s faculty since 1999.
Karen Stone (K): Karen began her professional career with Ballet West and completed her B.F.A. at the University of Utah. She performed with Nevada Dance Theatre and has traveled the world as a featured adagio dancer/entertainer with the Jean Ann Ryan Production Company. She and her husband Zoli Bihari toured with Silver Seas and Norwegian Cruise Lines dancing featured roles in Cameron Mackintosh’s “Hey Mr. Producer.” They were also featured in the Sand Castle Resorts’ “Fantastique” and at the Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas.
Stephanie Pike Thomas (ST): Stephanie performed the lead dance role of ‘White Cat’ in Rodgers Memorial Theatre’s 2006 production of Cats, and has appeared in other RMT productions. Stephanie performed and was dance captain for Cabaret at the Egyptian Theatre Company Park City. She has proven herself to be a gifted choreographer and most recently choreographed A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Egyptian Theatre Company. Stephanie does free lance work, has appeared in television commercials, and has served on faculty for the United Spirit Association’s dance camps. She completed her B.S. Psychology, University of Utah, and has served on Janet Gray’s faculty since 1989.
Emily Sadler Wilson (ES): Emily studied with Janet Gray Studios, at the University of Utah, New Orleans, Pennsylvania, and New York City. She has served on faculty at Virginia Tanner Creative Dance U of U, and Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, PA, where she taught ballet, jazz, and yoga/pilates to children and adults. Emily earned her B.A. in Mass Communication and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah.