Artistic Leadership

Donna Marisa Bontrager

Artistic Director

Ballet Fantastiqe’s Artistic Director, Donna Marisa Bontrager, has studied the eight levels of the internationally recognized Russian Kirov training syllabus and performance of classical variations with Bernadine DeMike (Royale Dance Theatre New York) and Marvin Askew and Karl Singletary (Buffalo City Ballet). She has also studied extensively with former New Yorker Howard Epstein, previous co-director of the Conservatory of Classical Dance and student of Vaganova expert John Barker.

Donna-Marisa’s performance résumé embraces work with New York companies, including Empire Ballet, Buffalo City Ballet, Royale Dance Theater, and Festival Choir Ballet. In addition, she was one of ten dancers invited to perform as part of the international Feast of the Tabernacles in Jerusalem , Israel , and has been invited to join the World Congress on Dance. She has staged numerous full-length concerts and original ballets for Ballet Fantastique, including Sleeping Beauty and Cakewalk Ballet ; several Hult Center productions, including Danse Renaissance and Mosaico de Danza; and innovative collaborations with musicians and organizations, including Eugene Symphony, Traduza Dance Company, the Slavic Festival, and most recently, the Trio Voronezh.

Hannah Joy Bontrager

Executive Director

Executive Director Hannah Joy Bontrager has extensive experience as a professional dancer », teacher », choreographer, and arts administrator. Hannah graduated summa cum laude and phi beta kappa from the Robert D. Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon, where, as a full scholarship student, she earned concurrent degrees in Dance and English Literature and a minor in Community Arts through the graduate Arts Administration program. Her honors thesis, Moving Education: Building an Integrated In-School Dance Curriculum for Elementary School Classrooms, explores the challenges and opportunities of dance education under the No Child Left Behind Act, and is on the forefront in the national dialogue on integrated arts education and research. Hannah has lead a number of successful, cutting-edge initiatives for Ballet Fantastique, including the EXPERIENCE DANCE! Project, the Art Together Collaborative, and Project DanceREACH. Under Hannah&rdsquo;s leadership, Ballet Fantastique has earned repeat grant awards from Lane Arts Council, US Bank, and the Haugland Foundation. Hannah has given professional presentations on behalf of Ballet Fantastique for the American Association of University Women and the Rotary Club.