MEET THE DANCERS
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KATE ANDERSON (SHE/HER)
Originally from Kansas City, Kate trained and performed with Kansas City Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Richmond Ballet before coming to Ballet Des Moines. Kate’s favorite roles include Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux, “Turning Girl” in Who Cares?, and Theme and Variations (all George Balanchine), Crystalline (Shannon Alvis), Duty (Jennifer Archibald),’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peter Anastos), Swan Lake (Nicholas Beriozoff), and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. This is Kate’s fourth season with Ballet Des Moines.
MEGAN BOYETTE (SHE/HER)
Hailing from Charlotte, NC, Megan trained and performed with Charlotte Ballet, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, Danish Ballet Masters, and BalletMet before joining Ballet Des Moines. Megan has performed in multiple world premieres by Edwaard Liang, Cinderella (Ashton), Swan Lake (Sklute), and The Nutcracker (Christensen). Megan’s favorite role was performing Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peter Anastos). Megan is honored to be a Jacob’s Pillow Alumni (class of 20’) having worked closely with program director/choreographer Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa. This is Megan’s third season with Ballet Des Moines.
SAVANNAH COX (SHE/HER)
Originally from Kansas, Savannah trained at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and Topeka Ballet and danced professionally with Tulsa Ballet, Louisville Ballet, and Eugene Ballet Company before coming to Des Moines. Professional highlights include performing in Who Cares? (Balanchine), as “Titania” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos), and In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (Forsythe). This is Savannah’s fourth season with Ballet Des Moines.
Gabriel Hartman (He/Him)
Gabriel grew up in Roselawn, IN, training at Indiana Ballet Theatre and A&A Ballet, Chicago. Gabe joins Ballet Des Moines after holding positions at Milwaukee Ballet and Indianapolis Ballet. Gabe’s favorite role so far is “Cavalier” in The Nutcracker, and he dreams of one day performing “Siegfried” in Swan Lake. This is Gabe’s first season with Ballet Des Moines.
AMELIA GRUBB HILLMAN (SHE/HER)
Amelia started dancing when she was 9 at the Kintz-Mejia Academy of Ballet in McLean, VA and continued her training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet and the Akhmedova Ballet Academy. In addition to Ballet Des Moines, Amelia has performed with Columbia Classical Ballet, English National Ballet, and Richmond Ballet. Some of her most cherished performances have been as a dancer with the National Choreographers Initiative in the summer of 2024, Cinderella at the Royal Albert Hall (Wheeldon), Screaming Silence (Ma Cong), Duty (Archibald), and with her husband, company dancer Logan Hillman, in Who Cares? (Balanchine). The most fun she’s ever had on stage was performing as “Puck” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos). Amelia is excited to return for her ninth season with Ballet Des Moines.
LOGAN HILLMAN (HE/HIM)
Logan Hillman, hailing from northern Virginia, trained at the Russel School, Virginia Ballet Company and School, and the Kirov Academy of Ballet. He has worked professionally for the Columbia Classical Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. Favorite works include dancing in Who Cares? (Balanchine), Sech Tanze (Kylián), Sgt. Early's Dream (Bruce), and Swipe and The Lottery (both Caniparoli). This is Logan’s sixth season with Ballet Des Moines.
RUNE HOUCHIN (HE/HIM)
Rune began his ballet training at the age of 11, moved from Colorado to Arizona to train at Master Ballet Academy before starting the trainee program at Tulsa Ballet. Prior to joining Ballet Des Moines, Rune appeared on stage with Tulsa Ballet, Fokine Ballet, and Phoenix Ballet. Rune’s favorite roles include Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux (Balanchine), “Cavalier” and “Snow King” in The Nutcracker, and “Lysander” and “Demetrius” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos). This is Rune’s fourth season at Ballet Des Moines.
EDDIE KIDD (HE/HIM)
Hailing from Boston, MA, Eddie trained with Boston Ballet School and the Cincinnati Ballet Professional Training Division, receiving notable awards including the Nancy Hebben and William Milberg Scholarship. Eddie’s favorite roles include the Spring Waters Pas de Deux Messerer), Valse Fantasie (Balanchine), and “Mr. Hyde” in Jekyll & Hyde (Mattingly). This is Eddie’s third season with Ballet Des Moines.
NOAH KLARCK (HE/HIM)
Hailing from Dearborn, Michigan, Noah trained and danced with Ballet Memphis, Interlochen Arts Academy, the University of Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma City Ballet Studio Company. Noah has enjoyed roles such as “Oberon” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peter Anastos) and “Mr. Hyde” in Jekyll & Hyde (Mattingly). This is Noah’s fourth season with Ballet Des Moines.
CAMERON MILLER (HE/HIM)
Cam trained with Kansas City Ballet and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Cam served in both Principal and Soloist roles with American Midwest Ballet and Ballet Vero Beach, appearing in more than two dozen main stage productions before joining Ballet Des Moines in 2021. Cam’s favorite roles include The American (Wheeldon), Duty (Archibald), and “Dr. Jekyll” in Jekyll & Hyde (Mattingly). This will be Cam’s fourth full season as a company dancer this year.
CHIYO NISHIDA (THEY/THEM)
Originally from Osaka Japan, Chiyo studied at Homura Tomoi Ballet School before receiving their BFA in Dance Performance, minor in Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Butler University. Chiyo’s notable roles include “Puck” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos), the Principal role in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Mattingly) and in the pas de deux from The American (Wheeldon). This is Chiyo’s fourth season with Ballet Des Moines.
APPRENTICES
THOMAS MONTGOMERY (HE/HIM)
Thomas has attended Boston Ballet School and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as the recipient of the Dorothy L. Herriman Scholarship. His favorite role to perform is Edwaard Liang’s Für Alina as the male lead, which he performed at I.U Ballet Theater. This will be Thomas’ second season as an apprentice with Ballet Des Moines.
JORDAN POWERS (SHE/HER)
Hailing from Texas, Jordan trained at the Austin Dance Conservatory and won Top 15 at ADCIBC 2022 and 2023 in both classical and contemporary, as well as reaching the YAGP finals in 2021, 2022, and 2023. She enjoyed dancing the role of “Kitri” in Don Quixote and her proudest moment was dancing at the Conservatório Internacional de Ballet e Dança Annarella in Portugal. This will be Jordan’s first season as an apprentice, after being promoted from the Ballet Des Moines Trainee program in 2024.
Elianna Price (SHE/HER)
Elianna hails from Rochester, NY, and trained at Odasz Dance Theater, Texas Ballet Theater, and Ballet Austin. Thus far in her career, her favorite role has been “The Bird” in Peter and the Wolf (O’Keefe). Ellie’s dream role is to perform Swanilda in Coppelia. This will be Ellie’s first season as an apprentice with Ballet Des Moines.
TRAINEES
Judith Bruggeman (SHE/HER)
Judith was born in Des Moines, and began her dance training at The Pointe Academy, moving to Kansas City at the age of 14 to train with Kansas City Ballet. Her training included Kansas City Ballet School, Kansas School of Classical Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. She has performed numerous roles in The Nutcracker and Coppelia, and her dream is to perform in Jewels (Balanchine) and Giselle. This is Judith’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.
Brock Duhachek (HE/Him)
Brock was born in Council Bluffs, IA and trained at the Heartland Conservatory of Dance, the JCC dance program, Bloom dance studio, and Smitty’s Performing Arts. Brock’s favorite role to date is Cavalier in The Nutcracker. Brock is excited to join Ballet Des Moines’ ranks as a Trainee this season.
Joleen Gamez (SHE/HER)
Joleen was born in West Des Moines, and trained at The Pointe Academy before attending the University of Kansas. Joleen received her AA from DMACC and is currently pursuing a BA in Mass Communications and Media Studies from Arizona State University. Joleen has performed multiple roles in The Nutcracker and appeared in BDM’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos) in 2024. This will be Jolene’s first season as a trainee with Ballet Des Moines.
cora miller (she/her)
Cora’s training spanned the Ballet Arts School of Dance in Kalamazoo, the Grand Rapids Ballet School, Butler Ballet, Texas Ballet Theatre, and the Cecchetti Council of America, and Palm Beach Atlantic University before joining the St. Louis Ballet’s Professional Division in 2022.Cora has enjoyed performing roles in Swan Lake, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos) and The Nutcracker. This will be Cora’s second season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.
MORGAN MONTOUR (SHE/HER)
Morgan earned her BFA in Ballet from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she performed as the Lilac Fairy, a Big Swan, and as understudy as a soloist in Raymonda. This will be Morgan’s second season as a trainee with Ballet Des Moines.
VICTORIA VOWELS (SHE/HER)
Victoria hails originally from Kansas, and trained in Texas at the Austin Dance Conservatory. Victoria’s favorite roles so far have been Myrtha in Giselle and the Bridesmaid Variation in Don Quixote. Victoria dreams of performing in Akram Khan’s Giselle, and is excited about Ballet Des Moines’ premiere of Romeo & Juliet this season! This will be Victoria’s first season as a trainee with Ballet Des Moines.
lucy weber (SHE/HER)
Lucy is from the Des Moines area and has trained with Capital City Dance Center, Des Moines Danzarts Studio, Master Ballet Academy, San Francisco Ballet, BalletMet, and Ballet West. Her favorite role to date was as a “Flower Soloist” in The Nutcracker, and Lucy dreams of performing as “Nikiya” in La Bayadere. This will be Lucy’s first season as a trainee with Ballet Des Moines.