Guest Artists (see Meggin Rose, guest choreographer below)
Photo by Katie Ging Photography
Rebecca Lerch, Demi-Character Dancer
Rebecca grew up in Radford, Virginia, where she graduated with a degree in Dance from Radford University. From 2008-2011, she performed various demi-character roles with Connecticut Ballet under the direction of Brett Raphael. Rebecca joined Ithaca Ballet as an Auxiliary company dancer for the 2011-12 season, has served on the Ithaca Ballet Board of Directors since 2013, and returned to the stage as a demi-character dancer in 2016. Roles with Ithaca Ballet include Swan and Candidate Bride (Swan Lake), Stepmother (Cinderella), Actor/Reveler (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and Clara's Mother (Nutcracker). Rebecca has a Masters of Education from the University of South Carolina.
Nick Hagelin (Prince Florimund, Sleeping Beauty) Cavalier in Geneva, NY
Nick Hagelin is an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, and ballet dancer, and Director of the Dance Division at J Pervis Talent Agency. Born in New York City and trained at the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, Nick has danced internationally with Carolina Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Opera, and the Kirov Ballet. He gained national recognition finishing in the Top 9 on NBC’s The Voice (2016) and currently plays Max Baker on Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias.
Born into a musical family, Nick began performing professionally at a young age, making his film debut at 13 in The Emperor’s Club. After graduating high school, he joined Carolina Ballet before relocating to Atlanta, where he continues to thrive as a freelance dancer, teacher, and performer. His original music has been featured on FX’s Atlanta, Saturday Night Live, and The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. Nick’s recent acting credits include roles in Class of ’09(FX/Hulu), The Staircase (HBO), The First Lady (Showtime), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), and the upcoming Starz series The Hunting Wives.
Jacob Taylor
Jacob Taylor received his formative training at Boulder Ballet School and in the summer programs of American Ballet Theater, The School of American Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet. Mr. Taylor is a graduate of the Ballet Performance Program at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music where he was coached by Violette Verdy and Michael Vernon. At IU he performed in works by George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp and Antony Tudor. His professional performance career includes dancing for such companies as Boulder Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet, and New Jersey Ballet. Mr. Taylor has taught ballet for Peridance Capezio Center, Brooklyn Ballet, Colorado Ballet Academy, and 92NY. He has been commissioned to choreograph new works for Boulder Ballet, Colorado Ballet Academy, New England Ballet Theatre, IU Opera Theatre, SoCal Choreography Festival, and Philadelphia Ballet.
Lavinia Reid, Guest Choreographer
Rainbow Dance Arts Co., Saga Ambegaokar and Dancers and others. Studied at the Boston School of Ballet with Tatiana Baboushkina, Boston Conservatory, American Ballet Center, Ballet Guild of Ithaca, and Village School. Choreographer and costumer designer for companies in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Texas, and the District of Columbia. Awarded scholarship to National Craft of Choreography Conference, and a residency at the Carlisle Project, funded by the Ford Foundation. Former faculty member, Ballet Center of Ithaca and the Seneca School of Ballet (Dundee, NY). Summer guest faculty, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Director of the Chambersburg Youth Ballet in Pennsylvania and teaches ballet at Wilson College in Shippensburg.
Nick Garvey
Nick Garvey, Guest Cavalier (Ithaca performance)
He was born in Maryland, United States. Nick began studies in dance at the Greater Annapolis Ballet in 2020 under the instruction of Margaret Russell. He then auditioned and was accepted to the Rock School of Philadelphia on a full scholarship. There he studied from 2021 to 2023 under the instruction of Telmo Moreira, Bo and Stephanie Spassof, and Peter Stark. Nick competed in 2020 at the Youth America Grand Prix, finishing in the top 12 in classical dance and third place in contemporary. In 2022, Nick competed again at the Youth America Grand Prix and won third place in classical, contemporary, and pas de deux dance. Repertoire includes: Laurencia , Diana & Actaeon, Flames of Paris , Don Quixote, Paquita , and parts of The Nutcracker such as Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Doll, and in the ballet corps. In 2023 he became part of the Ballet Concierto of Puerto Rico.
Brian Hall
Wayne Van Camp
Brian Hall, Demi-character Dancer
Brian Hall is a novelist who occasionally teaches creative writing at Colgate University. He is a former Ithaca Ballet parent and has played several character roles for IB in the past, including the Nutcracker Grandfather.
Meggin Rose, Guest choreographer
Meggin Rose
In these times I find agency in creating and expressing art which revolts against facism, ignorance and hate.
I was a member of the Dayton Ballet Company, choreographed my first dance at age 14 which was accepted to, and performed at, the North East Regional Ballet Festival. I studied with Marcus Shulkind and Ralf Farrington at the American Dance Festival, and in NYC. I studied theater, dance, poetry and special education at the University of Oregon. I taught dance at the Ithaca Ballet and the Community School of Music and Art, choreographed musicals at Trumansburg High School and the Lehman Alternative Community School. I became a public school teacher and taught 5-12 grades in Ithaca, intermittently doing some choreography for the Ithaca Ballet, including Blues in Pieces, Twelve Step Valentine, As It Is With Trees, All Our Sisters,, Inauguration Day, 2025.
I want to express my deepest appreciation for Cindy Reid, whose generosity and support have allowed me to work with her amazing dancers for over 30 years (!). I also want to thank the dancers who endured with grace and compassion, my messy choreography process. Your art is a gift to us all. Thank you.
Sage Korfine, Guest Alumn
Elden VanCamp-Ingiosi, Guest Alumn