MCB | Our Dancers

Our Dancers

	Melanie Auinbauh, 19, received her dance training at the Ballet Conservatory in St. Louis and at The Ballet Academy of Texas in Coppell, TX. From 2002 to 2008 Melanie danced with The Ballet Academy of Texas's resident pre-professional performing company The Ballet Ensemble of Texas. While with the ensemble she performed works by Fernando Bujones, Marius Petipa, Harrison McEldowney, and Keith Duncan to name a few. During the summer Melanie trained at Tulsa Ballet, Dallas Black Dance Academy, St. Louis Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, and Common Thread Dance Company. She also trained at Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy under full tuition scholarship in the summer of 2006 and under partial scholarship at the Glenda Brown Choreography Project in the summer of 2008. In 2006, while attending the Regional Dance America Southwest Festival, Melanie received the teacher's award for the Best Attitude in class from Priscilla Nathan-Murphy. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Missouri majoring in Nutrition and Fitness. Melanie is excited to be dancing in her second season with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet.
	Christopher Benjamin, 23, of Hannibal, Missouri. After graduating high school, Christopher moved to Columbia to earn his B.F.A. in dance, on scholarship, from the Stephens College School of Performing Arts. While there he performed with Dimensions Repertory Dance Company performing in original pieces by May O’ Donnell, Anna Sokolow, and Charles Weidman restaged by faculty members and guest artists. He has studied at the EDGE Performing Arts Center in L.A. and interned at Broadway Dance Center in New York. During his internship at B.D.C., he was personal assistant to Brian Friedman at the Pulse tour and he performed in the Summer Dance Festival at Bridge for Dance. This is Christopher's second season with MCB.
	Wendy Langton grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she trained with the North Star Ballet under the direction of Norman Shelbourne and Sue Jordon. She performed principal roles in classical works such as the Nutcracker, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland. Upon graduating high school in 2007 Wendy began her professional career with Richmond Ballet, where she stayed for two seasons. During these two years she performed in works choreographed by Malcolm Burn, Stoner Winslett, William Soleau, Marius Petipa, and George Balanchine. Over the years Wendy has attended summer programs with Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Kansas City Ballet, Boston Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Hubbard Street. In addition to dancing, Wendy is attending the University of Fairbanks Alaska full time by way of correspondence courses with a major in psychology. This is Wendy’s first season with MCB, and she couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.
	Noelle Lelakus, 23, is originally from North Canton, Ohio, and received her ballet training under Cassandra Crowley at the Canton Ballet, where she performed in a number of classical roles and contemporary works. During the summers, Noelle studied at American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet School, BalletMet, The University of Akron, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. After high school, she earned her B.A. in dance summa cum laude at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania, under the direction of Tauna Hunter. While at Mercyhurst, Noelle performed soloist roles in Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, La Bayadere, and Paquita, and worked with guest artists Laura Alonso, Bill Evans,Bridget Moore, Luis Montero, and Vivi Flindt. During college she also had the chance to perform professionally with SoMar Dance Works and Ballet Concerto. Noelle joined MCB in 2008 and performed in works by Shannon Lee West, Karen Mareck Grundy, Jennifer Medina, Eric Bean, and Iquail Shaheed during the 2008-2009 season. She is very excited for her second season with MCB would like to thank her family, friends, and teachers for all their continued love and support.
	Genene McGrath, recently graduated cum laude with a BA in dance from Point Park University. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, she grew up training with Nadezhda Pavlenko and Maxim Ponomarenko. She has worked with various choreographers like Robert Battle, Melissa Barak, Whitney Moncrief, Ann Reinking, and Jason McDole. Also she is grateful to have had the opportunity to perform one of George Balanchine’s variations in Raymonda Variations, this past year. Genene has also participated in the Northwest Professional Dance Project in Portland, Oregon under the direction of Sarah Slipper where she worked with Thaddeus Davis, Mark Godden, Lauren Edson, and Maurice Causey.
	Constanza Murphy, 23, trained at North Star Ballet in Fairbanks, Alaska before attending the University of Utah to receive her B.F.A in Ballet Performance. Freelancing has taken her across the states to perform classical and contemporary works with North Star Ballet, Utah Ballet, Mountain West Ballet, and Todd Rosenlieb Dance. Her experience includes leading roles in Cinderella, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Square Dance, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a variety of other ballets. Constanza is thrilled to become part of Missouri Contemporary Ballet in spring 2010.
	Fernando Rodriguez, 22, is originally from Port Huron, Michigan. He has graduated from Lakewood School of Therapeutic Massage and completed his third year at Grand Valley State University as a dance major. At Grand Valley Fernando has performed in faculty works by Jefferson Baum, Lisa Catrett-Belrose, Calin Radulescu and Shauna Steele and professional works by Robert Battle, Thang Dao, Pascal Rioult and worked with guest artist such as Micahel Phillips, George Smallwood, Thang Dao, Daniel Ulbrich and Chicko Imada. While at Grand Valley he performed with Grand Rapids Ballet Company in George Balachine's The Prodigal Son. During his summers Fernando has studied on scholarship at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre as well as American Ballet Theatre, Paul Taylor and with the Thang Dao Dance Company, where he performed in works by Paul Taylor, Kevin Iega Jeff, Gary Abbott and Jessica Lang. Fernando would like to thank all of his teachers, family and friends for their endless knowledge, love and support. And a special thanks to Gerry Schultz for introducing him to the beautiful world of dance.
	Cassie Roloff (Apprentice), , 20, is originally from Wausau, WI. She recieved her dance training from the Judy Peterson Dance Studio and Allegro Regional Dance Theater, under the direction of Tera Junion and Janne Dean. She has performed principle roles in the classical works of The Nutcracker, The Little Mermaid, and The Beauty and the Beast. During her summers, Cassie has trained with the Larkin Dance Studio, Northland School of Dance, and the Milwaukee Ballet. She is very excited to be dancing with MCB as an apprentice this year. A special thanks goes to all of the amazing people in her life who believe so much in her.