Company Dancers

Hannah Joy Bontrager

Photos: Deborah Mundorff, Alex Dubedat, Mike Gillette

Hometown: Eugene, OR

Hannah has been a principal dancer with Ballet Fantastique since 2003. Hannah trained in the eight levels of the Vaganova Syllabus and Vaganova pedagogy under her mother, Donna Marisa Bontrager (Academy of Ballet Fantastique). In addition to completing two summer study programs at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. under Artistic Director Oleg Vinogradov (also Artistic Director of the Kirov Ballet in Russia), she was one of five students invited internationally to join renowned Kirov prima ballerina Mme. Alla Sizova's advanced class. Hannah also trained with Vaganova Academy graduate Inessa Pakri-Plekhanova at the Academy of Colorado Ballet and expert Vaganova coach Dina Fadayeva.

In addition to Ballet Fantastique, Hannah has performed professionally with a number of companies, including Colorado Ballet and Manassas Ballet Theatre. She has performed soloist and principal roles from a number of ballets, including the classics as well as many original works with Ballet Fantastique. Her original choreography includes collaborations with Artistic Director Donna Marisa Bontrager for Ballet Fantastique productions with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Eugene Symphony, Oregon Mozart Players, composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp, and the Trio Voronezh. With Ballet Fantastique, Hannah has earned rave reviews in dozens of soloist roles, including: Kitri in Don Quixote (Danse en Rouge and on tour to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Aviary in Carnival of the Animals (with Eugene Symphony); Marguerite in Ballet Fantastique's Love at the Cafe Terrace (a collaboration with composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp); the Nymph from Rusalka in Song to the Moon (Dvořàk); the Lover in La Vie en Rose; and as Peter Rabbit in Tales of Beatrix Potter, to name just a few.

Hannah graduated summa cum laude and phi beta kappa in 2007 from the Robert D. Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon, where, as a full scholarship student, she earned concurrent BA's in Dance and English Literature and a minor in Community Arts.

Ashley Blake Bontrager

Photos: Tony Lee, Jerry Gowins

Hometown: Eugene, OR

Ashley has studied classical ballet since she was four years old, and trained at Buffalo City Ballet, the Conservatory of Classical Dance, Ballet Fantastique, and the University of Oregon. Under Ballet Fantastique Artistic Director Donna Marisa Bontrager, Ashley has performed many roles, including: Little Red Riding Hood in Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf; Wanda in Love at the Cafe Terrace (a collaboration with composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp); Leila, the priestess, in Je Crois Entendre Encore; Fossil in Carnival of the Animals with Eugene Symphony; a nymph in Daphnis and Chloe (commissioned by Eugene Symphony); the Fox in Tales of Beatrix Potter; a Sister in Je Suis une Enfant; New York Tango, Argentine Tango, and Strauss Polka with the Trio Voronezh; Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's; a Novel Experience with the Oregon Mozart Players; and in numerous contemporary ballet pieces, many of which she has played an active role in choreographing. Ashley has appeared in Ballet Fantastique chamber company concerts touring in venues across the Northwest, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (2009 and 2010), Umpqua Dance Festival (2008), and the Slavic Festival (2007, 2008, 2009).

In addition to her work with Ballet Fantastique, Ashley completed a Journalism-Broadcasting major at the University of Oregon in 2008 with specializations in both news and documentary, and was honored when one of her documentaries aired on Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Leanne Michelle Mizzoni

Photos: Mike Gillette, Monovita

Hometown: Burke, VA

A Northern Virginia native, Leanne started her training under Susan Blazy at the Metropolitan Ballet School. She later went to Virginia Ballet, where she trained under former Ballets Russes dancers Oleg Tupine and Tania Rousseau. Leanne continued her training at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Pedagogy. At Hartt, Leanne trained under Peggy Lyman, Peter O'Brian, Alla Nikitina and Hilda Morales. She performed with American Ballet Theatre in Kirk Peterson's Nutcracker and Jean Gran-Maitre's Romeo and Juliet. Leanne also trained at the Joffrey Ballet for four summers and one summer at Virginia School of the Arts.

Prior to joining Ballet Fantastique, Leanne was a company dancer for four years with Manassas Ballet Theatre, performing soloist roles to rave critical reviews, including Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Arabian and Spanish in The Nutcracker, Michaela in Carmen, Canary Fairy in Sleeping Beauty and many pieces choreographed for and premiered by the company. Leanne joined Ballet Fantastique in 2009, and has appeared in a number of soloist roles with the company, including: Chloe in Love at the Cafe Terrace (a collaboration with composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp); Carla in Ma Jeunesse and one of the three Sisters in Je Suis une Enfant (both to the music of Carla Bruni); the Lost Love in Apres un Reve; and the Butterfly in Le Papillon, with choreography by Dina Fadayeva and guest pianist Dr. John Jantzi.

Alonzo Lee Moore IV

Photos: Moore, Woden Photo

Hometown: Ashland, OR (born in New Orleans, LA)

Alonzo began his dance training in the fall of 2002 in Loyola University's Ballet Repertory Program. While there, he worked with resident guest artists from Miami City Ballet, Nashville Ballet, and Alabama Ballet. He also danced for the New Orleans Metropolitan Opera and New Orleans' only professional ethnic dance ensemble, Komenka. While with Komenka Ethnic Dance and Music Ensemble, Alonzo participated in three separate European tours, performing across Poland, Bulgaria, and France. Since relocating in the Northwest, Alonzo danced in Traduza Dance Company, Rita Honka Dance Company, and Dance Theatre of Oregon. Alonzo has also been a featured performer in Oregon Festival of American Music (OFAM) productions of South Pacific and Babes in Arms. Currently, Alonzo also performs as a member of Dancing People Company in Ashland, OR, where he appears and tours regularly with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as well.

Alonzo has performed principal roles with Ballet Fantastique since 2007, including: Renaldo in Love at the Cafe Terrace (a collaboration with composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp); New York Tango, Strauss Polka, Russian Ragtime, and the Russian Dance with the Trio Voronezh; Jeremy Fisher in Tales of Beatrix Potter; the Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood; the Poet Werther in Pourquoi me Reveiller; the Rake in Breakfast at Tiffany's; the Clown in Fairy Doll; and Garcon Milord (to the music of Edith Piaf). He has actively contributed to the creation of many original works for Ballet Fantastique, including A Novel Experience with the Oregon Mozart Players, and Daphnis & Chloe (commissioned from Ballet Fantastique by Eugene Symphony).

Krislyn Ann Wessel

Photos: Joanne Ashman Wessel, Burnett M. Flake

Hometown: Idaho Falls, ID

Krislyn, a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, trained at The Ballet Society under the direction of Janice James and John Nelson. Krislyn then spent four years at Brigham Young University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance with a Ballet emphasis, performed extensively with the Ballet Showcase Company, and earned a departmental dance scholarship. Krislyn spent summers performing with Burklyn Ballet Theater in Vermont and training at Kaatsbaan under international prima ballerina Martine Van Hamel.

After graduating from BYU, Krislyn moved to New York City to train and perform with Ajkun Ballet Theatre. With Ajkun, she toured New York and was invited to Albania where she joined with the National Opera Ballet of Tirana, Albania to perform Spartacus and Raymonda. After her work with Ajkun, Krislyn received a contract with Columbia City Ballet in South Carolina. There, Krislyn performed in many original works by Artistic Director William Starrett, including Dracula, Frosty the Snowman, Cleopatra, Lion King, and The Little Mermaid. She is thrilled to be back in the Northwest as a member of Ballet Fantastique's chamber company.

Amelia Rose Unsicker

Photos: Anne Nunn, Woden Photo

Hometown: Portland, OR

Amelia began her ballet training at Pacific Festival Ballet under John Gardner. In 2000, she was accepted into the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, where she trained for seven years while concurrently appearing in a number of company productions. Amelia attended American Ballet Theatre's Austin summer intensive in 2003. With OBT, Amelia performed various roles in Il Distratto, La Source, Napoli, Peter and the Wolf, Raymonda, Snow White, Swan Lake, and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker.

Amelia joined Ballet Fantastique in 2008. With Ballet Fantastique, Amelia has appeared in many soloist roles, including: the Rose in a series with classical guitarist John Jarvie (performances included a tour to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Charlotte, the forbidden love in Pourquoi me Reveiller; one of the three Sisters in Je Suis une Enfant (to the music of Carla Bruni); Argentine Tango and Strauss Polka with Trio Voronezh; the Lion in Carnival of the Animals with Eugene Symphony; Lola, the lead in Love at the Cafe Terrace (collaboration with composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp); and Jemima Puddle-Duck in Tales of Beatrix Potter.

Amelia is currently completing her final year of studies at the University of Oregon, where she is majoring in Biology.