WSYB provides the highest caliber of training for young dancers in order to prepare them for a career in the performing arts as well as providing classes to dancers of all ages and levels in this community and beyond.
Creating the healthy dancers of today and the confident generation of tomorrow.
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to Washington State Youth Ballet. I am so proud of the dedication and growth of all our dancers in the Walla Walla Valley. WSYB will continue to aspire to high artistic standards. I will constantly work to provide rich and challenging educational opportunities for all students.
WSYB strives to create a safe and healthy environment for each student.
WYSB's goal is to prepare dancers to reach their maximum potential. Whether they want to have a career in the arts or dance just for the sheer love of feeling the music, a dance education requires consistency in training and artistic philosophy. Whether it be in ballet, jazz, tap, ballroom, modern, or commercial, our continuing goal is to expand WSYB to be a point of inspiration for dancers of all ages, abilities, and goals.
I have been so fortunate to have had a beautiful career spanned from coast to coast. There have been many teachers and directors who gave so much of themselves every day to make me the person that I am. One of the things that tied them all together was that they all had successful professional careers in companies worldwide. This created the foundation of my 25-year career in dance from a very early age. Being able to give back to Walla Walla in the skillful way that I have experienced in my life is a gift that I am truly blessed to be able to provide. Whether they want to grace the world's stages, become a doctor, or perhaps continue the legacy of teaching the next generation of dancers, every dancer will be trained in the same caring manner. Dance is an art form passed down from teacher to pupil. Although my moments on stage are behind me, the future of the youth I teach will always be in front of me.
Cheers to a continued bright future for the dancer in all of us.
Phyllis Rothwell
Director of Washington State Youth Ballet
Creating the healthy dancers of today and the confident generation of tomorrow.
P.C. Greg Mauger
Seventeen years ago, Phyllis came to the Walla Walla Valley as a guest performer for the Whitman Summer Dance Lab. The magic of the rolling hills, charming people, and beautiful sunsets always stayed with her. Throughout her career, she found herself coming back to Walla Walla. Five years ago, she re-experienced the community's beauty and artistic verve as a principal guest artist for Danza Classica Ballet Company. Since that fateful performance, Phyllis has returned to become an instructor at Whitman Summer Dance Lab and continues teaching master classes with The Dance Center of Walla Walla and DCBC. In 2018, she choreographed a ballet for DCBC's trip to Italy, which was received with praise and awards. After she retired from a 25-year career as a professional dancer, an opportunity to become an assistant director at The Dance Center of Walla Walla became a reality filled with a purpose to help train the next generation of dancers. Phyllis jumped at the chance to become a part of this vibrant community.
Now, she continues her dream by creating her studio, focusing on how her life experience within the ballet world can help mold and build confidence in her students in how their dreams guide them.
Phyllis Rothwell began her training at Chapel Hill Ballet School in North Carolina. She continued at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet under the direction of Hortensia Fonseca and Michelle Lees. As one of 20 dancers picked from across the country, she spent three summers at the Chautauqua Institute studying with renowned New York City Ballet icons Jean Piere Bonnefoux, Patricia McBride, Sandra Jennings, and Violette Verdy. At 15, while still dancing at Maryland Youth Ballet, she joined the Arlington Ballet Theatre. At 17, Phyllis was accepted on a full scholarship to the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet under Bo and Stephanie Spassoff, where she performed in company roles with The Pennsylvania Ballet.
She has danced for Southern Ballet Theatre(Orlando Ballet) and as a principal dancer with Charleston Ballet Theatre, Eugene Ballet, Company C Contemporary Ballet, and Ballet Idaho. Her most noted classical roles include Giselle, Cinderella, Carmen, Juliet, Kitri, Odette, Aurora, Esmerelda, Titania, Alice, and Sugar Plum. Her contemporary works include a collaboration with Eugene Ballet and "Pink Martini," "That's Life" in Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs, David Parson's "The Envelope," and principal roles in Balanchine's Serenade, Tarantella, Who Cares?, and Allegro Brilliante. Some of her favorite roles were Lucy in Jill Bahr's "Dracula" and The Mother in Kiesha Lamala's "The Bench" with Titus Bergess and Tobin Del Cuore. While dancing for Ballet Idaho,
Phyllis became the company's Assistant Ballet Mistress and Apprentice Director. She was the ballet mistress for Company C Contemporary Ballet in San Fransisco and the co-founder of Boise Dance Co-op with Jason Hartley, former principal of the Washington Ballet and Trey McIntyre Project. She has worked side by side setting and rehearsing ballets with some of the most noted repertoires, including rehearsal director with Paul Boos of the Balanchine Trust, John Selya of Twyla Tharp's "Moving Out," Danny Pelzig from Boston Ballet, Charles Anderson from NYCB, and Jeffrey Scott Bailey from Broadway and film. Phyllis has been part of the Spotlight competition family, judging regionals and nationals in Seaside, OR, and the principal ballet instructor at ArtsWest Performing Arts High School in Eagle, Idaho. She has been a principal guest artist with Oklahoma City Ballet for the "Stars of America Gala," Company C Contemporary Ballet, Wichita Ballet, Sun Valley Ballet, LED, Project Flux, and Tampa Bay Ballet Theatre, Artistic Ballet Theatre, Tupelo Ballet, Danza Classica and others.
Phyllis has choreographed new works for Ballet Idaho, Idaho Dance Theatre's "DanceFest," Boise Dance Co-op, Ballet Idaho Academy, Allegro Dance, The Dance Center of Walla Walla, and Danza Classica Ballet Company. Recently, she has been the continued director of the apprentice program for the Summer Dance Lab at Whitman College in Walla Walla. She created original works for the students and set famous classical works.
Her love for teaching has made her sought after for masterclasses and private coaching throughout the Northwest. She taught multiple levels in the Ballet Idaho Academy and quickly became a favorite of the adult program and the academy. She helped stage the children's division for Ballet Idaho's Nutcracker and reprised many classical ballets for student performances. Phyllis has had the privilege of watching her students become professional dancers with companies including Netherlands Dans Theater, Ballet Idaho, Ballet Fantastique, Nevada Ballet Theater, and the Manassas Ballet Theatre, New Ballet and helped with achieving scholarships to colleges in dance and other majors. She has taught in summer intensives nationwide, including Pennsylvania, Alaska, Idaho, Utah, and Washington. Phyllis became a guest teacher at Maryland Youth Ballet in 2022, allowing her to give back to her alma mater. She has also been a company guest teacher for Paul Taylor and the University of Georgia. Currently, she is an adjudicator for Whitman College's Summer Dance Lab.
In 2020, Phyllis founded Washington State Youth Ballet in Walla Walla, WA. Since opening, WSYB created the first Nutcracker performed by the community's young dancers, giving outdoor shows at wineries and, most importantly, educational outreach performances at local Elementary Schools and Pre-Schools. The students of WSYB have competed in the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix and placed in the top 24, winning scholarships to summer intensives around the United States. WSYB students have been accepted to summer studies at The Bolshoi, The Royal Danish Ballet, Boston Ballet, School of American Ballet, New Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Austin Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Whim Whim, State Street Ballet, The Portland Ballet, New Ballet, and Summer Dance Lab as well as gaining company positions at New Ballet in California. Along with dancing, education is critical to WSYB. The school is proud to have students at prestigious colleges such as Barnard University, University of Washington, Columbia University, University of Arizona, Whitman College, and Walla Walla Community College. Phyllis continues to dance in the community, including being a part of the Raymond Carver festival in Port Angeles under the direction of Vicki Lloid.
Paula Vargas started her training at The Dance Center of Walla Walla and Walla Walla Dance Company. After experiencing all forms of dance, ballet became her focus, and she continued her training solely at The Dance Center of Walla Walla.
With her passion for dance, Paula hit the ground running and wasted no time pursuing her goals. After dancing for just two years, she was invited to be a Danza Classica Ballet Company member. In 2018, she and the members of DCBC performed in the Dance Grand Prix Italia, where they won multiple awards performing choreography from DCBC's Artistic Director Idalee Hutson-Fish and WSYB's Artistic Director Phyllis Rothwell.
In 2018, Paula was accepted into The Summer Dance Lab. One of the oldest continuous summer intensives in the country, she studied under Master Teachers and Principal Dancers from across the country. In 2019, Paula became an apprentice in the SDL program. She has danced with Eugene Ballet in their Nutcracker and Swan Lake. In 2020, Paula was accepted to Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's Summer Intensive. Paula attended Oregon Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive in 2021 and was asked to join their Academy for the entire year at the highest level. In 2022, Paula joined the Portland Ballet Theater, where she performed many classical roles and worked with internationally notable choreographers.
In 2023, Paula returned to Walla Walla and became associate director of WSYB. She initiated the studio's education outreach and created a massive following for very young dancers who want to experience the joys of dancing.
An emerging choreographer, Paula has created many works for WSYB and won choreographic awards, including placing in the top 24 in the renowned Youth America Grand Prix competition. She has continued to share her knowledge and expertise and created the contemporary program for young dancers at WSYB.
"I have had the privilege of watching Paula grow both as a dancer and as a person of fortitude. I was immediately impressed with her warmth and knowledge while teaching young children. I am beyond excited to have her be a role model for our very young WSYB dancers."
-Phyllis Rothwell - Artistic Director WSYB
Photo Credit: Steve Lenz
Oriana Golden is a dancer, actor, and choreographer with a passion for musical theater. She started dancing in Walla Walla at a young age. Although she focused on ballet at the Dance Center of Walla Walla she also trained in Jazz, Modern, and American Theater, including studying at Broadway Dance Center in NYC.
Her love for musical theater led her to pursue it as her major and dance as a minor at Whitman College. Recently, Oriana completed a rigorous semester of study at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center/National Theater Institute in Connecticut . She studied with some of the most renowned master professionals of musical theater, including Deidre Goodwin, Aimee Steel, Susan Blackwell, Forrest McClendon, and Carmel Dean.
While at Whitman College, she has professionally graced the stage at Gesa Power House in Caberet and 9 to 5 under the direction of Tyson Kaup. In 2018 Oriana choreographed the musical Spamalot for the Little Theater of Walla Walla as well as being the assistant choreographer for Spring Awakening for Whitman College.
Oriana embodies all that WSYB stands for. Starting with a ballet background, she found her desired path for her future. She believes that the performing arts are for everyone, and strives to help young performers grow.
"I am always excited to watch so many young dancers grow into adults filled with passion and drive. I was blessed in my early guestings in Walla Walla to both teach and dance along side of Oriana . Watching her grace the stage of the Gesa Power House as a professional dancer was thrilling. I can't wait for her to share her knowledge with WSYB and help give strength and confidence to the students."
Phyllis Rothwell - Artistic Director of WSYB
Bio coming!!!!
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Plus!!!!! Our 2nd Annual full length Nutcracker involving all of our WYSB students will be December 15 - 17th, 2023 at Gesa Power House Theatre!!!!