Michele Antonioli, Artistic Director
Ms. Antonioli is an Associate Professor in the University of Montana School of Theater and Dance, teaching ballet, pointe, kinesiology, and pedagogy. She studied professionally with the Harkness Ballet School and the School of American Ballet before dancing with the Houston Ballet and the Frankfurt Opera Ballet. She has a B.A. in Geology and an M.F.A. in Ballet from Texas Christian University. She has directed the Garden City Ballet’s productions of Cinderella and The Nutcracker.

Instructors

Jeanette Comstock (tap)
Ms. Comstock has studied tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, and modern for ten years. As a member of the Missoula Youth Tap Ensemble she studied under Linda Murphy for three years. She has danced with world renowned artists in Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York, Italy, and China. Ms. Comstock was a member of the Garden City Ballet Company in 2010, performing solo roles in The Nutcracker. This past summer she traveled to New York City to work as an intern for the American Tap Dance Foundation and to dance for Tap City: The New York City Tap Festival. Ms. Comstock is a student at the University of Montana majoring in Pre-Med and Physics.

Jordan Dehline (ballet, modern)
Ms. Dehline graduated from the University of Montana in 2008 with a BFA in Dance Education and Choreography/Performance. While at UM, Ms. Dehline received the Theatre/Dance Talent Scholarship, the 2008 Outstanding Senior in Dance Award, and an Undergraduate Research Award. She performed as a company member with Headwaters Dance Company, the CoMotion Dance Project, and Plateau Ballet Repertory Theatre of Washington. Ms. Dehline currently teaches in Missoula County Public Schools as part of the Montana Model Dance Education Program (MoDE), and is adjunct faculty at UM.

Linda Murphy (tap)
Ms. Murphy received a BFA in Dance from Southern Methodist University, and has been teaching dance in Missoula for the past 15 years. She has studied tap dance with master teachers such as Diane Walker, Josh Hilberman, Derick Grant, and Brenda Bufalino, and regularly attends Tap City (New York City tap festival). Ms. Murphy was awarded the teacher fellowship from Montana Dance Arts Association in 2004 and 2008, and she also teaches tap at the University of Montana. 

Collin Ranf (ballet)
Mr. Ranf began training at age 14 and went on to study at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School for two years. He is now a senior in the University of Montana’s dance program. Mr. Ranf has performed in Garden City Ballet’s The Nutcracker and with Headwaters Dance company. In the summer of 2010 he performed in Jerome Robbin’s West Side Story Suite at the American College Dance Festival. He also participated in the restaging of Susan Marshall’s master work Cloudless Suites (2011) and Bebe Miller’s Prey (2010) at the University of Montana. Mr. Ranf is an avid reader, art enthusiast and cook.

Colleen Rosbarsky (ballet, jazz)
Ms. Rosbarsky has been teaching ballet and jazz locally for the past 14 years. She received a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah, which she attended on a full tuition scholarship. She has additionally trained at Ballet West Conservatory and on MDAA scholarships at Stage 7 San Diego and Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago. She performed as a company member with Utah Ballet, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Garden City Ballet and Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre. In 2001 Ms. Rosbarsky was awarded the MDAA teaching fellowship.

Jessica Shontz (ballet)
Ms. Shontz has a BFA in Dance with an emphasis in Studio Teaching from the University of Montana.  She trained in ballet, modern, jazz and tap at Allegro School of Dance and Creative Arts Center in Helena. She has been teaching for BAA since 2007.

Board of Directors 2011-2012
Katie DeSoto (President)
Eamon Fahey (Treasurer)
Kathy Humphries
Virginia Rutherford (Secretary)
Shannon Scanlan