Artistic Staff
Instructors: Access Remote Time Clock HERE.
Eryn Michlitsch – Artistic Director
Children’s Division Ballet, Youth Division Ballet, Pre-Professional Division Ballet and Pointe
Eryn began her 40 years of dance experience with Kay Englert, at Washington Contemporary Ballet in Tacoma, WA. She has been accepted to many professional summer programs: Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Kirov Ballet Academy, North Carolina School of the Arts, Houston Ballet Academy, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Pennsylvania Rock School of Ballet. Eryn attended PNB, SFB and NCSA and was asked to stay on at PNB and NCSA. She has had the opportunity to study under prestigious names like: Melissa Hayden, Flemming Halby, Patricia Barker, Frank Bays, Dale Merrill and Sara de Luis. Academically, Eryn received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Marketing from Bethany Lutheran College. Her instruction places a large emphasis on the history, terminology, and structure of classical ballet.
Kelsey Chester – Assistant Director
Children’s Division, Youth Division, and Pre-Professional Tap and Jazz
Kelsey has been dancing since she was three-years-old. Her training started with Dance Conservatory of Southern Minnesota, in Mankato. Kelsey has eleven years of teaching experience beginning with the Dance Conservatory of Southern Minnesota, and currently the Mankato Ballet Company. Her 25 years of dance experience has given her a strong background in Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Modern. Kelsey attended Minnesota State University, Mankato where she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a Minor in Dance. While there she participated in MSU Theater and Dance’s 2009 Spring Collection and the 2009 Fall Collection Dancing Communities. She also staged the production of Little Shop of Horrors for Merely Players. Kelsey is extremely excited to share her love of dance with Mankato Ballet Company.
Wendy Betters – Brand Manager
Children and Youth Division Ballet
Wendy’s dance experience began when she was 3 years old at Larkin Dance Studio learning tap, jazz and ballet. Her love for ballet grew and at the age of 13 she moved on to continue her training with Classical Ballet Academy (CBA), under the direction of Andrew and Cheryl Rist. She danced their repertoire including The Classic Nutcracker with roles in Snow, Flowers, Russian and Party Scene, Giselle, and At The Museum. After graduating in 1997 Wendy went on to study Art at the University of Minnesota, Duluth and was a dance minor under Doris Ressl. In the spring of 1999, her first choreographic work debut called Welcome to Heaven, in the Collaborative Spirits in Motion, Duluth, MN. Academically, Wendy has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from the College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, MN.
Rebekah Selvey – Rehearsal Assistant & Grant Writting
Children’s, Youth and Advanced Division Ballet
Rebekah received most of her 14 years of ballet training at Mankato Ballet Company, where she graduated in 2019. During her time training at MBC she was accepted into summer programs with the Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Arizona, San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Ballet Austin. Rebekah enjoyed dancing in many performances at MBC during the years of 2011-2019. Some of her favorite roles are The Nutcracker’s Dewdrop and Sugar Plum Fairy, as well as Sleeping Beauty’s Lilac Fairy. This is her first year teaching ballet, and she’s very excited to share her passion for expression and movement with young dancers.
Benjamin Johnson
Pre-Professional Division Ballet
Ashley Burkland
Children’s, Youth and Advanced Division Ballet
Ashley Burkland received her early training at the Kehl School of Dance, under the guidance of Susan Marsden, Shannon Gallagher, and Jo Ann Janus. She was a member of the youth ballet company Wisconsin Dance Ensemble, directed by Jo Jean Retrum. With this company, Ashley performed in various roles, including The Nutcracker, Coppélia, La Fille Mal Gardée, and Peter Rabbit Ballet. Ashley received a scholarship to study dance at the University of Arizona, where she performed in numerous Dance Department Showcases and ballets, such as Paquita, Gershwin Medley, and Carmina Burana. She also danced with the University of Arizona Pomline. Ashley completed her degree at the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance in 2004.
Ashley has since pursued professional dance, performing with Kanopy Dance Company, Jazzworks Dance Company, Madison Contemporary Vision Dance Company, Continental Ballet Company, and Cities Classical Dance Ensemble. While she enjoys performing, her true passion lies in teaching. With over 25 years of experience, Ashley has taught at various schools across the country. She owned and directed Ashley Ballet Arts Academy in Golden Valley, Minnesota, from 2012 to the spring of 2025. She is delighted to now have the opportunity to share the art and joy of dance education with the students of MBC and the Mankato area community she and her family have grown to love since relocating there in 2021. She currently resides in Madison Lake, Minnesota, with her husband and three children.
Rolando Pacheco
Pre-Professional Division Ballet
Rolano Pacheco founded McAllen Ballet Company and produced professional productions for the last 14 years for the city of McAllen, TX. His training includes Ballet Español de Cuba over the past twenty years, the Spanish Ballet of Cuba were he has won the privilege of being recognized as the ultimate expression of the genre in the country, for its respect for the purity of the broad horizon of its artistic work. He was also a principal dancers and director of ECOS Flamenco Company and performed around the world.
Rena Roszak
Youth and Advanced Division Modern
Rena Roszak is from Burnsville Minnesota. She has been dancing for 17 years and is still training with Minnesota State Mankato as a dance minor and is a part of Crash Dance’s pre-professional program callee CDP2. Throughout high school she was a competative dancer with Momentum Dance Project where she trained under Kaitlin Bell and Tara WF Caccciatore. This year she is going into her junior year of college where she will be studying nursing and dance.
Grace Smithback
Youth Division Ballet and Jazz
Grace grew up dancing at Mankato Ballet Company, where she trained in ballet, tap, and jazz from a young age. She is excited to return to the studio this year as an instructor for intermediate ballet and tap classes. Grace is currently a sophomore at Minnesota State University, studying psychology and planning to minor in dance. She is passionate about sharing her love of movement, creativity, and expression with her students, and she looks forward to helping them build confidence and joy through dance.
Kristyn Johnson
Children’s and Youth Division Jazz
Kristyn has been dancing for 19 years. She has trained in many styles including, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, tumbling, pom, clogging, musical theatre, and irish. Kristyn is passionate about continuing to dance throughout college and the rest of her life! Kristyn attended the University of Northern Iowa where she auditioned and became a Provisional Plus member of Orchesis Pre-Professional dance company. During her time in the company she continually trained in modern, ballet, and jazz, along with performing other styles in various showcases. Kristyn was chosen to dance at ACDA where she performed four dances and took masterclasses in various styles. In her second semester Kristyn received the title of a full company member. she also received “Rookie of the year” at the end of the semester. Kristyn’s sophomore year she auditioned and was selected to be a member of UNI’s Dance Team which traveled to state and UDA nationals competing in jazz, pom, hip-hop/game day. Kristyn recently had her first professional hiring where she danced a solo in a Christmas musical by the professional theatre company “Lights Up Productions” out of Sioux Falls SD. Kristyn now attends Minnesota State University (Mankato) where she auditioned and is pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. Her main topics of study for the up coming school year are contemporary, tap, jazz, and ballet, along with being chosen for ballet repertoire.
Anastasia Johnston
Children’s and Youth Division Jazz
Anastasia has been dancing from a young age studying ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and lyrical. She has taken classes from The Dance Lab, Rochester Dance Company, Conservatoire Jean-Philllipe Rameau, and Ballet Blake, as well as classes through multiple intensives. She is currently a student at Minnesota State University Mankato pursuing a major in both exercise science (Pre-PT) and dance, where she has performed in multiple dance concerts and shows. She has won awards through multiple dance competitions and performed on television for The Eagles Cancer Telethon since 2015. Anastasia is excited to get to work with the students at Mankato Ballet Company.
Cadence Brown
Children’s Division Ballet
Cadence was born and raised in Casper, WY. She has been dancing for 18 years where she has studied ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern, musical theatre, and acro. She has been teaching dance for 5 years, and has been choreographing performance pieces for 6 years. Cadence made the Wyoming All-State dance team all 4 years of high school, and choreographed pieces competed at the State Spirit Competition for her high school. She is currently a BFA dance major at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She has been accepted into intensives at Oklahoma City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Cadence recently attended ACDA north central conference where she performed with her fellow classmates and took class. Cadence’s favorite roles she has performed include Ocean Pearl from The Little Humpback Horse, Towns Person from Missa Brevis (a Límon company production), Kathi from La Vivandière, and The Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker.
Paige Delly
Children and Youth Division Tap and JAzz
Paige started dancing at age 3 in Ohio and traveled across the country performing in regional and national competitions. Growing up she enjoyed orchestra as it honed her musicality and knowledge of music for dance. She studied tap, jazz, lyrical and modern and studied under a New York City Rockette. Eventually she came to Indiana where she joined a professional dance group and focused more on teaching. Paige enjoys teaching tap and jazz most and has taken a break from teaching for the last several years. She is excited to be joining the MBC teaching staff and has reignited her passion for dance and looks forward to sharing all her experience with her new MBC students.
Liz Albenesius
Children’s Division Jazz
Liz has been training in ballet for 19 years, tap for 17 years, and jazz for 15 years. She began her training in Sioux City, Iowa, with Shirley Dill and Tracy Bennett. She now trains with and is mentored by Lizz Picini and Eureka Nakano Grimes of Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Liz has completed training programs at Broadway Dance Center and The Open Jar Institute in New York City. Along with training, she has been teaching and choreographing for 7 years. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre and minor in Business Administration at Minnesota State University. Liz has a passion for helping students grow as dancers, storytellers, and individuals.
Izabelle High
Youth Division Tap
Izabelle trained here at Mankato Ballet for 12 years. While at MBC, she trained in both ballet and tap, but now focuses more on tap. Izabelle is looking forward to teaching her classes and teaching the younger dancers!
Channa Puhrmann
Itty Bitty CLasses
Channa has been teaching dance and creating choreography in Mankato and the surrounding area for over 20 years. As the former artistic director of a local dance troupe, she has led dancers of all ages in performances that celebrate creativity, technique, and expression. Her dance background includes tap, jazz, ballet, dance fitness, and world fusion, reflecting a passion for both classical and contemporary forms.
In addition to her dance experience, Channa holds a strong foundation in early childhood education and currently teaches preschool during the day. After taking a few years away from the dance studio, she is thrilled to return to her roots and share her love of movement and music with a new generation of dancers. Channa is deeply committed to the performing arts, to teaching, and to inspiring children through the joy of dance.
Student Teacher Staff
Calista Asker
Children’s Division Ballet
Calista is a junior at Mankato East High School and has been dancing since she was 7 years old. Calista has been dancing with MBC for the last 5 years. She loves to dance with the performing company as well as taking ballet, tap, and jazz. She is so excited to be teaching Creative Movement this year!
Caleb Hartwig
Boys Ballet
Caleb Hartwig is a Junior at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School. He has been dancing for over 10 years and is currently a soloist in the Performing Company. He has studied many years of ballet, tap and jazz and recently attended Kansas City Ballet’s Summer Intensive program on scholarship. He is excited to teach Boys Ballet at Mankato Ballet Company.
Linnea Hendley
Children’s Division Ballet
Linnea is a junior at Mankato East High School and has been dancing at Mankato Ballet since she was 3 years old. She is part of the Mankato Ballet Performing Company, and takes ballet, jazz, and modern classes. She is so excited to be part of the student teaching staff this year!
Quinn Rassbach
Youth Division Ballet
Quinn is a Soloist in the Mankato Ballet Performing Company. She has been training at the Mankato Ballet Company since she was 3 years old, and has also trained at the Ballet West, Boston Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theatre summer programs. Quinn is a senior at St. Peter High school. She trains in ballet, jazz, and tap year-round, but has explored many other styles of dance at summer programs. Some of her favorite roles she has performed include Clara and Dewdrop in the Nutcracker, the Butterfly Fairy in A Midsummer’s Eve, and the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. Quinn loves to teach and is very excited to help train young dancers!
Kadence Nicholle
Children’s Division Ballet and Tap
Ella Barker
Children’s Division Ballet
Julia Shabrack
Youth Division Tap
Julia is a junior at Mankato East High School. She is also a demi-soloist in the Mankato Ballet Performing company. This will be her 10th year dancing at MBC, where she trains in ballet, jazz, and tap. She is excited to share her knowledge of dance with the younger dancers!
Ella Urban
Children’s Division Ballet
Ella is a junior at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School and has been dancing with MBC since she was 3 years old. She loves taking ballet and jazz classes and being in the MBC Performing Company as a demi-soloist. Some of her favorite roles she has performed are Clara and Clara’s Friend in the Nutcracker and Cinderella’s stepsister in Sleeping Beauty. Ever since Ella was younger she has dreamed of being a ballet teacher at MBC and is overjoyed to get this opportunity. She is so excited to be able to be a Student Teacher this year and share her love of ballet with her students!
Zella Erickson
Children’s Division Ballet
Zella currently dances at MBC. She is a Junior in high school as well as a Demi Soloist with MBPC. She has had a passion for dance ever since she could walk. Zella has danced many styles such as Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Musical theater, African Contemporary, and Lyrical.
She has also participated in a summer intensive with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Zella has performed many roles in her years at MBC. Her favorites include Clara and the Coffee Lead in the Nutcracker and Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty. Zella has always had a love for teaching, as she enjoys being able to spread her love for dance to others. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach as a Student Teacher and can’t wait to have an amazing year with her students.
Alton Vo
Children’s Division Ballet
Alton attends Mankato West High School, Class of 2027. She danced with Young Dance MN in her early years and has been with Mankato Ballet for over 10 years. She studies ballet and tap and can’t wait to teach Pre-Ballet 1 this year!
Charlotte Cummings
Children’s Division Ballet
Charlotte is a Demi Soloist in the Mankato Ballet Performing Company and a Junior at Mankato West High School. She takes ballet, jazz, and tap. She has attended summer intensives with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Ballet Royale. Her favorite roles that she has performed are Clara and Snow Queen in the Nutcracker and Fairy of Audacity and Cinderella in Sleeping Beauty. Charlotte is so excited to teach this year and can’t wait to meet her students!
Olivia Carleton
Children’s Division Jazz
Olivia is a junior at Mankato East High School. She’s been dancing at Mankato Ballet Company since she was five years old. Currently she trains in Ballet, Jazz, and Modern. She’s attended summer intensives at Kansas City Ballet and Ballet Royale where she explored many other styles of dance. Shes looking forward to her fourth year in the Performing Company. She can’t wait to meet and teach younger dancers!
Gabi DeVos
Children’s Division Ballet
Gabi is a junior at St. Peter High School. She began dancing at Mankato Ballet Company at age 4. She takes classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Modern throughout the year and is a part of the Performing Company. She has attended summer intensives at Ballet Austin, The School of Philadelphia Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. Gabi has been a teacher’s assistant at MBC for the past three years and is super excited to join the teaching staff this year!
Brynn Sandmann
Children’s Division Jazz
Brynn is a Junior at Mankato West High School and has been dancing since she was 8. Brynn has been with MBC for 8 years, where she enjoys dancing with the company as well as doing ballet, tap, and jazz. She is so excited to be teaching Pre-Jazz 1 this year!
Rosemary Sullivan
Youth Division Ballet
Rosie Sullivan will be teaching Ballet 1A this year. She is a senior at Mankato East High School and has been a student at MBC for 12 years. She is currently a Demi Soloist in the Mankato Ballet Performing Company. She is super excited to teach this fall at Mankato Ballet Company!
Support Staff
Hannah Sawyer
Office Coordinator
Hannah is a student at Mankato State University with a dance background. She is excited to be part of the MBC administrative staff and looks forward to greeting our MBC families in the office.
Lauren Shoemaker
Costume Mistress
Lauren has been involved in costume making for many years and was one of our volunteer seamstresses when her daughter dancers with MBC. Lauren is a music instructor for Saint Peter Schools and is now hired officially as the MBC Costume Mistress.