Welcome To Washington State Youth Ballet

Phyllis Rothwell began her training at Chapel Hill Ballet School in North Carolina and 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 Jean Piere Bonnefoux, Patricia McBride, and Violette Verdy. At 17, Phyllis was accepted on a full scholarship to the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and performed with Pennsylvania Ballet in company roles.

She has danced for Southern Ballet Theatre 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 Lalama's "The Bench" with Titus Bergess and Tobin Del Cuore.

While dancing for Ballet Idaho, Phyllis became Assistant Ballet Mistress and Apprentice Director for Ballet Idaho. She has also been Ballet Mistress of Company C Contemporary Ballet in San Fransisco, Ballet Mistress for Anchorage Ballet, and Co-Artistic Director/Founder of Boise Dance Co-op. She has worked side by side setting and rehearsing ballets with some of the most noted repertoire including: Ballet Mistress 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 both regionals and  nationals in Seaside, OR. She has been a guest artist with Oklahoma City Ballet for their "Stars of America" Gala Wichita Ballet, Sun Valley Ballet, LED, Project Flux, Anchorage Ballet, Tampa Bay Ballet, Artistic Ballet Theatre, and Danza Classica among others. 

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 both the adult program and the academy. She helped stage the children’s division for Ballet Idaho’s Nutcracker and reprised many classical ballets for the student performances. Phyllis has had the privilege of watching her students become professional dancers with several companies and helped with achieving scholarships to colleges in dance and other majors.  She has taught in summer intensives throughout the nation including Pennsylvania, Alaska, Idaho, Utah, and Washington. She has also been a company guest teacher for Paul Taylor and at the University of Georgia. Currently, she is an adjudicator for Whitman College’s Summer Dance Lab. She continues to teach privates to students so that they may understand their own  personal growths and goals. 

A budding choreographer, Phyllis has created many works for professional companies: 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 was the director of the apprentice program for the Summer Dance Lab at Whitman College in Walla Walla and created an original work for the students.