Isaac Allen began his ballet training at the age of 8 at Stillpointe Dance Studio in southern Oregon. He spent many of his summers attending intensive training programs across the country including San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theater. In 2015, Mr. Allen joined Oregon Ballet Theaters’s Pre Professional program. The next year he was accepted into the HARID Conservatory in Florida where he trained for 2 years under Meelis Pakri before joining ‪Milwaukee Ballet‬’s Second Company, performing in ballets such as Michael Pink’s Dracula, Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena, Bruce Wells’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream and many more. Mr. Allen spent 3 years in the second company before being promoted to the main company as an apprentice where he danced for 2 years. This is his second season with Kansas City Ballet.

Sidney Haefs was born in Los Angeles, CA. She began her training at the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy under the direction of Corinne Glover. Participating in Royal Academy of Dance Exams, she holds her Advanced 2 certificate with distinction. Ms. Haefs continued her education at the University of Utah where she graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Ballet and a Minor in Human Development and Family Studies. From there, she was offered a traineeship with Kansas City Ballet where she spent a year before joining the company as an apprentice in 2019. During her time with the company, she has had the opportunity to perform many roles including the Diamond Principal in George Balanchine’s Jewels, Snow Queen in Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker, Big Swans in Devon Carney’s Swan Lake, Peasant Pas de deux in Devon Carney’s Giselle, as well as the Emerald Ballerina in Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz.  She has also performed roles in Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, Adam Hougland’s Carmina Burana, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Edward Liang’s Wunderland, Jirí Kylián’s Petit Mort, Mark Morris’ Sandpaper Ballet, and Alexander Ekman’s Cacti. In addition to her performing background, Ms. Haefs holds her level one PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique) certification, DK Pilates Mat Certification, as well as an NASM Certified Personal Trainer certificate.

Heather Nichols began her training at West End Academy of Dance in Richmond, Virginia. In 2009, Ms. Nichols joined the Richmond Ballet as a trainee. From 2011-2015, Ms. Nichols attended Butler University and received her Bachelor of Science in Dance Pedagogy and Pre-Physical Therapy. After graduating in 2015, she accepted a contract with Ballet San Antonio, where she spent four years. In 2019, Ms. Nichols joined Kansas City Ballet as a company member.

Throughout her career with Ballet San Antonio and Kansas City Ballet she has danced leading and featured roles in works by Peter Anastos, Gerald Arpino, George Balanchine, Devon Carney, Yosvanni Cortellan, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, Parish Maynard, Emily Mistretta, Irene Rodriguez, Willy Shives, Price Suddarth, Ben Stevenson, Septime Weber, Bruce Wells, Haley and Easton Wells. She created her first choreographic work Meraki on the Kansas City Ballet in March, 2022. This summer Heather participated in her first season with National Choreographers Initiative where she worked with Emily Adams and Jennifer Hart.

Taryn Pachciarz was born in Kansas City, Missouri and received a majority of her training on full scholarship at the Kansas City Ballet School and the School of American Ballet, performing Waltz Girl in Serenade for the SAB workshop. Ms. Pachciarz was given her Corps de Ballet contract with the New York City Ballet and performed numerous Balanchine and Robbins ballets including, Stars and Stripes, Jewels, Symphony in Three Movements, West Side Story Suite, and The Cage. Ms. Pachciarz just completed her 12th season with The Kansas City Ballet and has been featured in numerous roles in The Nutcracker, The Four Temperaments, The Sleeping Beauty, Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort, Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Wendy in Peter Pan,  Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sylvie Pas From William Forsythe’s In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated, the Lead Woman in James Kudelka’s The Man in Black, Myrtha in Giselle, Russian girl in Serenade and the Principal girl in Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Rubies and Diamonds. Some of her favorite choreographers to originate roles for include Matthew Neenan and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.

Naomi Tanioka, originally from Sapporo, Japan, started her training with Chida Toshiko
Ballet Studio. Ms. Tanioka was accepted to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in Canada,
where she concluded her 6 years of professional ballet training, and one year of the Aspirant Program. In 2014, Ms. Tanioka joined Ballet Arizona, where she performed many Balanchine and Bournonville ballets. She then joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2016, where she was pushed out of her box with a variety of repertoire performed there. Since joining Kansas City Ballet in 2019, she has been featured as Cinderella in Devon Carney’s Cinderella, Wendy in Devon Carney’s Peter Pan, Nellie in Val Caniparoli’s Jekyll and Hyde, Lucy in Michael Pink’s Dracula, Sugar Plum and Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, and performed works by Adam Hougland, Alexander Ekman, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, George Balanchine, Helen Pickett, Jiri Kylian, Lila York, Mark Morris, and Septime Webre.
Naomi Tanioka, originally from Sapporo, Japan, started her training with Chida Toshiko
Ballet Studio. Ms. Tanioka was accepted to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in Canada,
where she concluded her 6 years of professional ballet training, and one year of the Aspirant Program. In 2014, Ms. Tanioka joined Ballet Arizona, where she performed many Balanchine and Bournonville ballets. She then joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2016, where she was pushed out of her box with a variety of repertoire performed there. Since joining Kansas City Ballet in 2019, she has been featured as Cinderella in Devon Carney’s Cinderella, Wendy in Devon Carney’s Peter Pan, Nellie in Val Caniparoli’s Jekyll and Hyde, Lucy in Michael Pink’s Dracula, Sugar Plum and Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, and performed works by Adam Hougland, Alexander Ekman, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, George Balanchine, Helen Pickett, Jiri Kylian, Lila York, Mark Morris, and Septime Webre. 

Cameron Thomas began his dance training in his hometown of Rochester, NY. In 2013, he began performing regularly with the Rochester City Ballet. In 2015, Cameron received a full scholarship to attend the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. He then joined Kansas City Ballet II for the 2016-2017 season and was promoted to the company the following season. Now in his eighth season with Kansas City Ballet, Cameron has performed soloist and principal roles in Jiri Kylian’s Petit Mort, Alexander Ekman’s Cacti, Mark Morris’ Sandpaper Ballet, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz, Michael Pink’s Dracula, Lila York’s Celts, Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, and Devon Carney’s Cinderella, Giselle, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.  In October of 2023, Cameron performed in the North American premiere of Val Caniparoli’s Jekyll and Hyde as My. Hyde. As a choreographer, Cameron has created work for Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Ballet II, and Creative Intersections.

In addition to being a dancer, Cameron is a ballet pianist and has accompanied for the Kansas City Ballet School, Oklahoma City Ballet School, Williams Henry Contemporary Dance, and the Worldwide Ballet Zoom classes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cameron co-founded Creative Intersections, an outdoor performance project, with James Kirby Rogers to bring live dance back in a time when theaters were shut down.  Creative Intersections partnered with Owen Cox Dance Group to present outdoor programs directed by Cameron every summer, 2020-2024.

Danni Varenhorst is from Wichita, Kansas and began her dance journey with Kansas Dance Academy. She attended Loyola University Chicago where she received a BA in Dance and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Over the years she has had the opportunity to attend summer programs with Joffrey Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and most recently Orsolina28. In the fall of 2023 Danni was a trainee with Milano Contemporary Ballet in Milan Italy and returned home to Kansas in January of 2024. During her time in Wichita she performed as a guest artist with RKDC and in two works by Logan Pachciarz for Ballet Wichita; “Innovations” and “The Promise.” During his time she was able to dig further into her artistry and find her unique movement quality. Currently, she has aspirations to continue her professional career. his is her first time dancing with Moving Arts. She would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support and Logan Pachciarz for his mentorship.

Paul Zusi began his training at Southold Dance Theater at the age 6, inspired by his mother’s lifelong love of dance. Mr. Zusi attended summer programs at The School of American Ballet in 2018 and Boston Ballet School in 2019. Following the summer of 2019, he joined Boston Ballet as a member of their second company, working closely with renowned choreographers and teachers such as Jorma Elo, Peter Stark, Kathleen Mitchell, Larissa Ponomarenko, and Mikko Nissinen. Mr. Zusi’s professional repertoire includes Jorma Elo’s Carmen, Jerome Robbins’s Glass Pieces, Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker, and other classics including Giselle, Swan Lake, Serenade, The Little Humpbacked Horse, and Don Quixote. Mr. Zusi would like to thank his family and friends for their continued love and support.