Faculty
Gisele Bethea Farnsworth
Gisele began dancing in her hometown of Mesa, Arizona at four years old. She began serious ballet study at age of eleven after receiving encouragement from her ballet teacher Olga Tarasova. She attended the Young Dancer Summer Intensive program at American Ballet Theater for two summers and also the Royal Ballet School Summer Intensive at White Lodge during this time. Gisele began per-professional training with coaches Slawomir Wozniak and Irena Wozniak in 2011.
Gisele attended Youth America Grand Prix New York City Finals in 2012 and 2013 winning the Natalia Makharova Award for Artistry and the Youth Grand Prix Award respectively.She was also awarded Silver Medals at Tanzolymp 2012, World Ballet Competition 2012, and the Beijing Invitational for Ballet Schools 2012. Gisele was honored to perform in Moscow, Russia at the Bolshoi Historic Theater stage in where she won the Silver Medal for the Moscow International Ballet Competition in 2013. in 2014, she won the Gold Medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. She performed in the Gala and Encore Gala performances for the competition.
In 2011, she performed the role of Clara in her first Nutcracker at the Orpheum Theater for Phoenix Ballet. Thereafter, she performed the role of Sugar Plum Fairy for Phoenix Ballet in 2012, 2013, and 2014. She also performed the role of Sugra Plum Fairy for Fokine Ballet Company in 2013 with partner Slawek Wozniak and Ballet Mississippi with partner Michal Wozniak. Gisele traveled to Beijing, China in 2014 and performed in the 60th Anniversary Gala for the Beijing Dance Academy in an original work entitled "Solstice" choreographed by Francisco Gella. She performed principal roles with Phoenix Ballet in an original production called "Rising", which toured Poland in 2015.
Gisele began her first season with the Studio Company at American Ballet Theater in the 2015-2016 season. Soon after, she was
promoted to the Corps de Ballet in January of 2016. Giselle continued to dance with ABT as a member of the Corps de Ballet in New York City for two more seasons, performing a multitude of classical ballets and repertoire furthering her experiences as a professional ballerina. She performed on many stages across the country and world during her time with ABT including the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, as well as the Bastille Opera House in Paris, France, among others.
After the 2018 season with American Ballet Theater, Gisele has continued to pursue her passion for dance, through independent study and performing. She plans on striving for more opportunities and growth through her love of dance as she continues her pursuit of a long and happy ballet career.
This is Gisele's second year as an instructor for Utah Festival Ballet.
Erickell Hyde
Erickell has been dancing since the age of three and intensively studying ballet since the age of six. She studied at Barlow Arts Conservatory in their Pre-professional program. Erickell has competed in YAGP semi-finals and received top 12 for both ballet variation and contemporary. Erickell attended the Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York City for three years competing in small group ensemble. She attended both Barlow Arts Conservatory Summer Intensive and also Saratoga Summer Dance Intensive in Saratoga Springs, New York on scholarship. She also received scholarship offers from Ballet West to
be in their trainee program.
Erickell graduated from Skyridge High School and was apart of the dance company for two years, and danced on scholarship in the University of Utahs ballet program for a semester. She has been teaching ballet for three years at various schools across the Utah county and in Salt Lake City.
This is Erickell's first year as a faculty member of Utah Festival Ballet
Lindsay Folkman
Lindsay Folkman began her dance training at age three and soon embraced a wide variety of genres. While competing in high school division jazz, she led and choreographed her peers, earning top state honors for her first choreographed piece. Since that time she has had a profound love for choreography.
Lindsay began to expand her movement vocabulary at Brigham Young University. She performed and toured with BYU’s International Folk Dance Ensemble from 1996 to 2001. As she danced throughout the United States, French Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and the British Isles, Lindsay developed natural, expressive styling. She earned various dance department honors, including Dancers’ Choice, Excellence in Teaching, and the Cherrill Brown Liptak Citation (“awarded to one who through dancing will give and receive joy as well as inspire others to dance”). She received her bachelor of arts degree with an emphasis in world dance and modern dance.
After completing her dance education at BYU, Lindsay began freelance choreography for high school competition dance teams; these pieces have been performed and awarded at both state and national levels. From 2001 to 2008 Lindsay coordinated the jazz and tap program at Academy of Ballet, and she introduced Irish and Contemporary dance into the curriculum. She also directed the studio-based Athena Dance Company, where she fine-tuned her choreographic voice by setting approximately 80 original and imaginative pieces.
She has twice been recognized as "Outstanding Choreographer" at Youth America Grand Prix (2013 and 2020); been awarded the "11:00 Award" Judges Choice for her piece "Embrace" at 24Seven Dance Convention (2021); has won several “Judges’ Choice” honors at the Utah Dance Festival (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), is a favorite performing ensemble in the Utah Dance Film Festival Awards Gala (2017, 2018, 2019), and is a 9x recipient of Utah's BEST OF STATE medal in Choreography, 2014-2019, 2021-23.
With her extensive training in various genres, Lindsay has created a signature fusion of eclectic and visionary movement. Driven by her belief that
“in teaching, you will learn,” she helps students merge diverse individual style with emotionally charged artistic freedom.
Lindsay is excited to be on staff at Utah Festival Ballet.
Brooke Sanderson
Brooke is from Huntington Beach, California. She grew up dancing starting at the young age of three, and trained under the direction of Anthony and Terri Sellars. She started in ballet and tap but spread her skills to contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. She continued with ballet, jazz and contemporary all the way until she graduated high school. She competed in many styles until she was 17. She was accepted into BYU and joined BYU Theatre Ballet in 2014. She's performed in many shows with this company and toured to many places throughout the United States. Some roles include the principal role of Alice in
Alice in Wonderland in 2016 and the principal role in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations in 2017. She continued to dance with Theatre Ballet for 3 years.
Some roles include the principal role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland in 2016 and the principal role in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations in 2017. She continued to dance with Theatre Ballet for 3 years. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Athletic Training in December 2018. She is married to River Sanderson and has 2 beautiful daughters, Isabelle and Mazie. She plans to continue teaching ballet with her background in athletic training and help the students understand the human body. She has been teaching ballet since 2015 and found her passion and love for teaching ballet through these experiences.
Aside from being a faculty member of UFB, Brooke performs as an Honorary Dancer for many of our productions.
Jordan Strang
Jordan Strang is a classical ballet dancer, pianist, and freelance artist currently based in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. Jordan began his dance training with former Los Angeles Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet dancer, Cynthia Strang and later began working with Anaheim Ballet artistic director Larry Rosenberg. He continued his training and spent several years dancing in the performing company of Northwest Classical Ballet under former artistic director and founder, Maricar Drilon where he performed many lead roles in both classical and neoclassical productions.
He currently dances as a freelance artist and has been a guest of many different companies and schools throughout the Pacific Northwest, Southern California, and the Southwest United States. He has originated roles for esteemed choreographers, and worked for many different master teachers and artistic directors. Since 2016, Jordan has worked as a ballet class and rehearsal pianist for many different studios and companies.
His work as a ballet class pianist is directly influenced by his work and extensive training as a classical ballet dancer. He is fully committed to creating beautiful music that moves and inspires dancers. All of Jordan’s work as an artist is driven by the commitment to his belief that all art is intrinsically connected, and one art form teaches us about another art form. Jordan seeks to continue making classical art and music relevant and accessible to all people in a rapidly changing society.
Jordan is currently a Resident Guest Artist for Utah Festival Ballet and on his first year as a UFB Faculty Member.
Sicily Redd
Sicily was born and raised in Lehi, Utah. She is currently dancing professionally with Chrysalis Ballet, and will be going into her 3rd year dancing and performing with Chrysalis. She began her classical ballet training at the age of 2 years old at “Classical Ballet Academy”. At the age of 9, she was awarded a Full Merit Scholarship from “The Barbra Barrington Jones Family Foundation“ to Ballet West Academy in Thanksgiving Point. She was awarded the same scholarship for 6 years in a row.
From there, she trained with Jennie Creer-King, at Central Utah Ballet. Immediately after graduating she joined with Chrysalis Ballet. She has studied with numerous ballet schools in the United States in summer intensive programs throughout her years of academy training. Sicily has also been able to perform in lead roles as a Guest artist for “Utah Festival Ballet” and “Imagine Ballet Theater”. Last year, Chrysalis Ballet was invited to perform in the Florence Dance Festival, and had the opportunity to dance with several amazing artist from all over the world.
From a very young age Sicily new she wanted teach dance. As a young teen she helped assist ballet and contemporary classes. After graduating she has been able to teach for different studios and schools around Utah. She is so excited to continue her teaching journey along with her professional career.
Sicily has frequently performed as a Guest Artist for Utah Festival Ballet and has been an instructor for UFB for two years.
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Emma Wadsworth
Coming Soon
