Roy Kaiser

Roy Kaiser began tap dancing at age four and started his professional dance career by age seven. Together with his four brothers, he performed on television and across the United States, including the 1967 World’s Fair in New York. He began his ballet training at age 17 under the guidance of Karen Irvin and earned a scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet School and later with the School of Pennsylvania Ballet.

Roy joined Pennsylvania Ballet (now Philadelphia Ballet) in 1979. He was eventually promoted to Soloist and Principal Dancer, performing nearly every principal male role in the company’s classical repertoire. He also originated roles in works by such noted choreographers as Peter Martins, Robert Weiss, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Paul Taylor, Choo San Goh, and Christopher d’Amboise. In 1987, while still performing, Roy was appointed assistant ballet master. Upon his retirement from the stage in 1992, he was promoted to the position of Ballet Master. In October 1993, he was appointed Associate Artistic Director of the company under the leadership of Christopher d’Amboise and later succeeded him as Artistic Director in February 1995.

Under Roy’s direction, the company launched its 1994-1995 Season with a critically-acclaimed appearance at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., returning in 2000 as part of the Balanchine Celebration, which featured six companies highlighting 14 Balanchine works. In August 2005, the company made its international debut under Roy with its 40th anniversary commission of Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake at the Edinburgh International Festival. The company also performed at the Sinatra Festival in Portugal and the Meadows Award Ceremony honoring Paul Taylor at Southern Methodist University. And in November 2007, the company enjoyed its return to New York City Center for its first exclusive engagement in 22 years.

In June 2008, the company was invited back to The Kennedy Center for Ballet Across America, performing alongside nine other companies from across the nation to showcase the depth and history of American ballet. Roy returned to The Kennedy Center once again in November 2009 with Pennsylvania Ballet’s critically acclaimed production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, presenting Balanchine’s version of the beloved ballet for the first time ever in Washington, D.C. The company debuted that same production internationally in 2011 with a tour to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada. In 2014, in honor of Pennsylvania Ballet’s 50th Anniversary, Roy worked with Director Matthew Diamond to create “Pennsylvania Ballet at 50,” a PBS special which broadcast nationally to celebrate the milestone. That same year, the Company also performed for the first time at the prestigious Vail International Dance Festival.

In April 2014, after 19 years, Roy announced he would step down from his position as Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Ballet. Over the course of his time at the Company, he successfully enhanced the repertoire with 90 new ballets and 35 world-premiere works. He currently holds the title of Artistic Director Emeritus. In the fall of 2017, Roy was appointed Artistic Director of the Las Vegas-based Nevada Ballet Theatre following a national search; making him the fourth artistic leader in the Company’s history.

An active member of the dance community, Roy is often invited as a guest instructor and has served on numerous dance panels, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the Princess Grace Foundation.  He also served on the 2002 jury of the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria and was a member of the artistic committee for the New York Choreographic Institute.

Krista Baker

Krista Baker was born in Santa Ana, CA and began her dance training at the age of three with her mother, a former professional ballerina. Krista also trained throughout the country at various schools and intensives including the Kirov Academy in Washington, D.C., American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive and the Milwaukee Ballet School, where she attended on scholarship. Before joining NBT as its Rehearsal Director, Krista was a Company Artist for NBT for over 15 years. In that time her repertoire grew to include numerous full-length Ballets and contemporary works. She danced many lead roles including "Lilac Fairy" in The Sleeping Beauty, "Sugar Plum Fairy" and "Spring Fairy" in NBT's production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by James Canfield, and "Big Swans" in NBT's presentation of Swan Lake staged by the legendary Cynthia Gregory. Krista performed in Ballets by George Balanchine including Rubies, Serenade, Concerto Barocco, and Who Cares?, as well as the Principal role of "Helena" in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She was also featured in Paul Taylor's Company B, (Another you). Krista has choreographed numerous original works for NBT which have been showcased as part of the annual NBT and Cirque du Soleil collaboration, A Choreographers' Showcase, as well as NBT's subscriber-only benefit, The Studio Series.

Don Bellamy

Don Bellamy studied dance at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in his hometown of Washington D.C. He then began his career as a core dancer at Capital Ballet in Washington, D.C under the direction of Doris Jones (Jones-Haywood School of Ballet) and Billy Wilson. Don joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the Direction of Founder, Alvin Ailey. He has been a part of such prestigious companies as Dance Theatre of Harlem, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Donald Byrd/The Group, Elisa Monte Dance, and was a part of a collaboration between Dance Theatre of Harlem and New York City Ballet. Don has had the privilege of being a part of many Broadway productions, including The Red Shoes, Disney’s The Lion King, Porgy and Bess, and The Phantom of the Opera, both in Las Vegas and the third U.S. national tour; and has worked with many internationally renowned artists and entertainers including Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Celine Dion. He previously served as the Ballet Master/Coach for Contemporary West Dance Theater and has taught extensively throughout Las Vegas and beyond.

Dodie Askegard

Dodie Askegard began her training in Minneapolis, Minnesota with Minnesota Dance Theatre studying under Loyce Houlton and Bonnie Mathis. She continued her training at Ballet West, San Francisco Ballet, and in New York with Maggie Black. She danced as a soloist with Minnesota Dance Theatre, joined Spokane Ballet as a principal, and worked with MICA, Aponte and Company, and other theater groups in Minneapolis and Spokane. In 2004, she became the director of Ballet Arts Academy and was named the Artistic Director of Theatre Ballet of Spokane. Dodie is a certified ABT NTC teacher as well as in Progressing Ballet Technique, which she has used to create conditioning programs for ballet dancers and figure skaters. In addition to teaching, she is also an accomplished choreographer. She has been Children’s Rehearsal Director for The Nutcracker in Spokane with Alberta Ballet, Ballet Memphis, State Street Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. She attended the University of Washington in Seattle, WA where she graduated Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kapa with a BA in Political Science. Dodie also earned her Masters in Dance Education in 2017 from the University of Northern Colorado with her thesis focusing on teaching musicality in the dance studio. She has taught at summer programs across the country, and in 2019 was named Artist in Residence for the University of Las Vegas, Nevada (UNLV).