our DANCERS

  • JUDITH BRUGGEMAN

    APPRENTICE

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  • Emmanuelle Hendrickson

    APPRENTICE

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  • BLAISE HOUCHIN (He/HIM)

    APPRENTICE

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TRAINEES

BDM TRAINEE PROGRAM

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COMPANY DANCER INTERVIEWS

Get to know our dancers in our Beyond the Barre video series

megan boyette

Originally from Charlotte, NC, Megan began her studies at Charlotte Ballet under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Prior to joining BDM, Megan performed and toured professionally with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Ballet West, and BalletMet, where she danced in full-scale productions of Cinderella (Ashton), Swan Lake (Sklute), and multiple world premieres by Edwaard Liang. Her favorite roles with Ballet Des Moines have been Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Anastos) and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (Mattingly). Megan is honored to be a Jacob’s Pillow Alumni, having worked closely with program director/choreographer Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa. This is Megan’s fifth season with the company.

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Savannah Cox

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), in In the Middle Somewhat Elevated (Forsythe), and as Benvolia in Romeo & Juliet (Mattingly). This is Savannah’s sixth season with Ballet Des Moines.

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Gabriel Hartman

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 since joining Ballet Des Moines is Strung (Tom Mattingly). This is Gabe’s third season with Ballet Des Moines.

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Amelia Grubb Hillman

Amelia has called Iowa home since joining Ballet Des Moines as a company dancer in 2016. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, she completed her training on scholarships at the Kirov Academy of Ballet and the Akhmedova Ballet Academy. In addition to her 11 year career with Ballet Des Moines, Amelia has performed nationally and internationally with National Choreographer’s Initiative, English National Ballet, Richmond Ballet, the Washington Ballet, and Columbia Classical Ballet. Some of her most cherished moments on stage have been in the role of Cinderella, Christopher Wheeldon’s Je Ne T’aime Pas, and performing as Juliet in Tom Mattingly’s Romeo & Juliet with her husband, Logan Hillman. 

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Logan Hillman

Originally from northern Virginia, this is Logan’s eighth season with Ballet Des Moines. After completing his training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet and Akhmedova Ballet Academy, he worked professionally for the Columbia Classical Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Nashville Ballet before joining Ballet Des Moines in 2019. Favorite works include dancing in Who Cares? (Balanchine), Sech Tanze (Kylián), Sgt. Early's Dream (Bruce), Swipe and The Lottery (both Caniparoli), and as Romeo in Romeo & Juliet (Mattingly) with his wife, Amelia.

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Rune Houchin

Rune began his ballet training at the age of 11, moving 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 sixth season at Ballet Des Moines.

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Eddie Kidd

Born in 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. Following his training, Eddie joined Ballet Des Moines as an Apprentice in 2022, before being promoted to Company Dancer in 2023. 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 fifth season with Ballet Des Moines.

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Noah Klarck

Noah’s formal dance training began at Interlochen Arts Academy, where he studied from 2013 to 2017. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma, earning a BFA in Ballet Performance. During his senior year, he danced with Oklahoma City Ballet’s Studio Company. Noah joined Ballet Des Moines as a company dancer in the fall of 2021 and is now entering his sixth season. His favorite roles include Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos), Bugle Boy in Paul Taylor’s Company B, The Principal Man in Alejandro Cerrudo’s Lickety Split, and Shanon Alvis’s Crystalline. In addition to performing, Noah has spent several summers teaching Ballet, Pointe, and Men’s classes at Interlochen Arts Camp—an experience he finds deeply rewarding.

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Cameron Miller

Cameron trained on full scholarship with Kansas City Ballet and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Before joining Ballet Des Moines in the spring of 2021, Cameron danced with American Midwest Ballet and Ballet Vero Beach. Cameron’s favorite roles include The American (Wheeldon), Duty (Archibald), and Dr. Jekyll in Jekyll & Hyde (Mattingly), Theseus/Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos), and most recently Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet (Mattingly). This will be Cameron’s sixth full season as a company dancer this year.

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Chiyo Nishida

Having grown up in San Jose, California and Osaka, Japan, Chiyo calls both places home. They first learned their love for ballet at a small community program in Santa Clara, then went on to formally train in classical ballet at Homura Tomoi Ballet School in Osaka. Chiyo then attended college at Butler University where they received their BFA in Dance Performance and completed a minor in Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.  Chiyo’s notable roles include Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anastos) and the Principal role in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Mattingly). They have also enjoyed performing in Hollow (Archibald), Behind. Between. Beyond. (Jung), and the pas de deux from The American (Wheeldon). This is Chiyo’s sixth season with Ballet Des Moines.

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Jordan Powers

Hailing from Texas, Jordan trained at the Austin Dance Conservatory and competed successfully at the national level in classical and contemporary dance. Joining Ballet Des Moines as a Trainee in 2023, she received a position as an Apprentice in 2024 before being promoted to the full company for the 2025-2026 season. Her favorite roles thus far include Minnie, the small step-sister, in Cinderella (Mattingly), Dewdrop in The Nutcracker, and performing in Four Seasons (Mattingly), as well as Shadow Dances (Trope). This is Jordan’s third season with Ballet Des Moines.

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Elianna Price

Elianna hails from Rochester, NY, and trained at Odasz Dance Theater, Texas Ballet Theater, and Ballet Austin. Thus far in her career, her favorite roles have been Shadow Dances, choreographed by Eric Trope, and Snow Queen from The Nutcracker. Ellie’s dream role is to perform Swanilda in Coppelia. This will be Ellie’s third season with Ballet Des Moines, after spending two seasons as an apprentice.

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Judith Bruggeman

Judith, a Des Moines native, completed her pre graduate classical ballet training in Kansas City, earning several merit scholarships and YAGP placements. She attended Summer Intensives there, as well as at Pacific Northwest Ballet and Miami City Ballet. Last season, Judith enjoyed dancing in Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Mattingly), Behind. Between. Beyond. (Dayoung Jung), the role of Clara in The Nutcracker, and the role of Winter Fairy in Cinderella (Mattingly). Judith is proud to teach ballet to young dancers in BDM’s partnership with SEEDS as well as BDM's Community Classes. In her off time, Judith is pursuing her degree online in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis on Special Education. This is Judith's first season as an Apprentice with Ballet Des Moines.

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EMMANUELLE HENDRICKSON

Emmanuelle, originally from Indianapolis, IN, began her pre-professional training at Metropolitan Youth Ballet before earning a Bachelor of Science from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. There, she worked closely with Carla Körbes, former Principal Dancer of Pacific Northwest Ballet, whose mentorship while developing her portrayal of Odette from Swan Lake deeply influenced her artistry. Upon graduation, Emmanuelle joined Colorado Ballet, where she danced for three seasons, performing in a wide variety of works that strengthened her versatility as an artist. Career highlights include George Balanchine’s Serenade and Rubies, Mark Godden’s Angels in the Architecture, and Val Caniparoli’s Jekyll and Hyde, which she particularly treasures for their musical and artistic challenges. One of her most memorable performances was Balanchine's Serenade at Vail Dance Festival, alongside principal artists from American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet. This is Emmanuelle’s first season as an Apprentice with Ballet Des Moines.

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Blaise Houchin

Blaise was born in Fort Collins, CO and trained at Cary Ballet Conservatory where he performed several lead roles, including Snow King and Sugar Plum Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Principal in Who Cares? (Balanchine), and as the King of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland (Bahr). This will be Blaise’s second season as an apprentice with Ballet Des Moines.

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EVELYN BEARD

Evelyn is originally from Morgantown, West Virginia. She has trained at BalletMet, the Hungarian Dance University, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she graduated with her BFA in Dance and a minor in Arts Entrepreneurship. Her favorite role thus far has been Snow Queen in The Nutcracker (Kozadayev). This will be Evelyn’s second season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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AUDREY BOYD

Originally from Charlotte, NC, Audrey has trained at Charlotte City Ballet Company, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and summer intensives at both Oregon Ballet Theatre School and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Her repertoire highlights include Steel City Elegy (Houston Thomas) and Symphonie Concertante: A Playful Repartee (Durante Verzola), and her favorite role thus far is Les Sylphides Corps de Ballet. Audrey’s proudest moment of her dance career was having the opportunity to choreograph for the Choreographic Showcase at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and expanding her understanding of movement. This is Audrey’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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SCOUT CLAUSSEN

Scout was born in Des Moines and trained at Des Moines Danzarts, Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Joffrey Chicago, and most recently in Milwaukee Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program. Scout’s favorite role to date is the Bridesmaids Variation in Don Quixote. This is Scout’s second season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.  

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TESS COGLEY

Tess is from Arlington, Virginia, and trained at BalletNova Center for Dance, American Ballet Theatre, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she graduated with her BFA in May 2025. Her favorite role so far is the Firebird from Firebird. This will be Tess’s second season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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GRACE ANN FRANDSON

From Story City, IA, Grace Ann began her dance training at Robert Thomas Dancenter, before transitioning to School of Classical Ballet and Dance in 2022 to study classical ballet technique. Her favorite role to date is Center Dew Pas de Deux in The Nutcracker (Grooters/Usta), and she dreams of dancing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Throughout her career, Grace Ann has competed at Youth America Grand Prix and Universal Ballet Competition, receiving multiple awards and scholarships, including placing Top 24 at YAGP in the Senior Classical Solo Division and reaching YAGP Finals in 2025. This is Grace Ann’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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CAYLON HULL

Caylon is originally from Creston, IA, and has trained with Nolte Academy, as well as summer intensives with Ballet Des Moines, Dance Vision, Point Park’s International Dance summer program, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. During his time at Nolte Academy, he also participated in their Classical Ballet Team, and had the opportunity to perform in a variety of pieces, including pas de deuxs, classical variations, and contemporary solos. He has also performed the role of the Nutcracker and Lead Spanish in Nolte’s production of The Nutcracker. Caylon’s favorite piece he has performed yet is Upstairs, choreographed by Henry Steele Dillion during his time at Pointe Park International summer dance program. This is Caylon’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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REN LIVINGSTON

Ren is from Omaha, Nebraska, and trained at Omaha Academy of Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. Ren’s favorite role thus far in her career has been Flora in The Awakening of Flora. This is Ren’s second season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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Sophia Millen

Originally from Minnetonka, Minnesota, Sophia has trained at CREO Arts & Dance Conservatory, Next Generation Ballet, St. Paul Ballet, and Oklahoma City Ballet. She has performed roles such as Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker (CREO Arts) and Swan Corps in Swan Lake. This is Sophia’s second season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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EMMA TERRY

Originally from Castle Rock, CO, Emma has trained with International Ballet School (CO) and Joffrey Chicago, in addition to summer intensives at Ballet Austin, Tulsa Ballet, and City Ballet of San Diego. A few of her repertoire highlights include Sea Change (Keelan Whitmore), To Carry Our Own Names (DaYoung Jung), and performing the role of Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland (International Ballet School). Her dream is to dance the role of Kitri in Don Quixote. In addition to her training, Emma has also competed at Youth America Grand Prix, Denver Ballet Guild, and Universal Ballet Competition, earning awards such as Top 12 Contemporary (YAGP), Top Ten Finalist (DBG), and an eighth place contemporary finish (UBC). This is Emma’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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KAT UMLANG

Kat, originally from San Antonio, TX, trained with Premiere Ballet Academy and has attended summer intensive with Atlanta Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet. Over the course of her career, she has performed the role of the Winter Fairy in Cinderella (Premiere Ballet Ensemble) and Swanhilda in Coppelia (Premiere Ballet Ensemble), and she dreams of dancing in Alice in Wonderland or A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her proudest moment so far was being a role model for younger dancers, and being able to encourage them and share their excitement while waiting backstage for bows. Being able to see the joy of ballet through their eyes made the show even more meaningful than the performance itself. This is Kat’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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Lucy Weber

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 in Romeo & Juliet (Mattingly). Lucy dreams of performing as Nikiya in La Bayadere. This will be Lucy’s third season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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LAUREN WOODWARD

From Littleton, CO, Lauren comes to Ballet Des Moines from BalletMet 2, where she danced following her training with Littleton Ballet Academy, American Ballet Theatre JKO School, and the BalletMet Trainee program. During her time with ABT JKO School, Lauren was honored to be awarded a full tuition scholarship. Her repertoire highlights include La Bohéme (Wörtmeyer), Dracula (Nixon), and Soloist in Divertimento 15 (Balanchine). Her favorite role so far has been Liza in Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan, and she dreams of dancing in more ballets by George Balanchine, Justin Peck and Christopher Wheeldon. This is Lauren’s first season as a Trainee with Ballet Des Moines.

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