Artists of the Company
Our professional dancers hail from across North America, have extensive training in classical ballet, and share our passion for telling meaningful stories through the art form.
Sarah Clarke
Lead Artist
Originally from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, Sarah Clarke was homeschooled throughout her academic education. She discovered the joy of dancing to music along with her family at a young age. She began her training at a local Christian dance school at age six. A few years later, Clarke began training with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, where she performed works by George Balanchine, including Serenade, Emeralds with guest artists from New York City Ballet, Western Symphony, and others. She then relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina as a Trainee with Charlotte Ballet for two seasons (2018/19 - 2019/20). Throughout her dance training, Clarke has studied at summer intensives with CPYB, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. She joined Ballet 5:8 in 2020, performing in Julianna Rubio Slager’s world premieres of Reckless, Golden Sessions, Dry Bones, and Mercy. Clarke was promoted to Company Artist in 2021 and is also an instructor at the School of Ballet 5:8.
Valerie Linsner
Lead Artist
Solo Artist Valerie Linsner grew up in Champaign, IL and received her pre-professional ballet training at Champaign Ballet Academy, under Deanna Doty. After being deeply impacted by her experience at Ballet 5:8's summer intensive in 2013, Linsner joined Ballet 5:8's trainee program in 2017 and had the honor of performing with the main company in Scarlet, Compass, Four Seasons of the Soul, and The Space in Between. Linsner was promoted to Apprentice in 2019, Company Artist in 2020, and Solo Artist in 2021, performing principal and soloist roles in many of Julianna Rubio Slager’s works, including Reckless, Butterfly, Meditations, Brothers & Sisters, and Lost Women of Juarez. Linsner has been teaching at the School of Ballet 5:8 since 2018 and currently serves as Co-Director of the Pre-professional Program. She is incredibly thankful to her family for their endless love and support.
Samuel Opsal
Lead Artist
Lead Artist Samuel Opsal started dancing at the age of 16 in Pullman, WA. In 2014 he received a BFA in Dance from Cornish College of the Arts, graduating magna cum laude. While attending Cornish he was granted multiple awards for academic and artistic achievement. After college, Opsal worked with Iyun Harrison’s Ashani Dances in Seattle and then moved to Pittsburgh to train in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program. His performances include PBT’s Le Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, and La Bayadere. As a guest artist, he has performed principal roles in Giselle, Firebird, and Swan Lake. In 2015 he also had the opportunity to choreograph a duet that was performed by PBT’s ensemble group. Opsal joined Ballet 5:8 in 2016 and was promoted to Solo Artist in 2020. His repertoire includes many solo and principal roles in Julianna Rubio Slager’s Reckless, Dry Bones, Golden Sessions, Butterfly, Brothers & Sisters, The Space in Between, Four Seasons of the Soul, All God’s Children, Meditations, Ripple Effect, and Scarlet.
Libby Dennen
Solo Artist
Solo Artist Libby Dennen has lived in the suburbs of Chicago her entire life. She began dancing at the age of three at the local park district and continued her training at Turning Pointe School of Dance before moving to the School of Ballet 5:8. Dennen spent her high school years training in Ballet 5:8's Conservatory Program under Artistic Director Julianna Slager and Ballet Mistress Lauren Ader-Cumpston. She performed in numerous school performances, including lead roles in The Carpenter's Son, Racham, Beyond the Nutcracker, and The Toymaker. With the Conservatory, Dennen had the opportunity to perform at a Regional Dance America National Festival in 2016, as well as with Ballet 5:8's professional company in Slager’s Four Seasons of the Soul and Mi Familia. Throughout high school, Dennen attended summer intensives at Ruth Page Center for Dance, Charlotte Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Ballet 5:8. Dennen joined Ballet 5:8 as a Trainee II in 2016 and performed roles in Slager’s Surprised by Joy, Stor(ies) of You & Me, and Scarlet. Dennen was promoted to Apprentice in 2017, Senior Apprentice in 2018, Company Artist in 2019, and Solo Artist in 2021. She most recently performed principal and soloist roles in Slager’s Reckless, 4501, and Golden Sessions.
Kayla Kowach
Solo Artist
Kayla Kowach, originally from Waukegan, IL, began dancing at the age of 3 at her local park district. Her formal training began at Dancenter North, under the direction of Stacy Joy Keller, providing a solid framework for her artistic development. There she was given the opportunity to perform lead roles such as Sugar Plum and Paquita and was provided with high-caliber training in many dance forms. Kowach pursued summer intensive training at various summer programs, including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and Ballet 5:8. These experiences enriched her dance vocabulary and underscored her commitment to continual growth. In 2020, Kowach joined Ballet 5:8's Trainee program, directed by Brette Benedict and Julianna Rubio Slager. During her time with Ballet 5:8, she has gotten the opportunity to perform many of Slager's poignant works, including Dia De Los Vivos, BareFace, and Beyond the Nutcracker. Kowach was promoted to the 2nd Company in 2020, Apprentice in 2021, then to Company Artist in 2022, and Solo Artist in 2023. Beyond the stage, Kowach also serves as an instructor at the School of Ballet 5:8 as well as the Executive Administrative Assistant. Throughout her career Kowach is reminded of and grateful for the continued support of her family.
Ellington Nichols
Solo Artist
Company Artist Ellington Nichols comes to Ballet 5:8 from Minnesota where she began her ballet training at the age of 10 at the North Ballet Academy under the direction of Stephanie Heston, Kim Norberg, and Breanna Dvorak. She performed with the North Ballet Youth Company in various lead roles including Clara, Dew Drop, and divertissements in consecutive productions of The Nutcracker. She then continued her pre-professional training with Tatiana Berenova, former Russian prima ballerina, with whom she also toured Pas De Quatre. Nichols expanded her training by spending summers attending prestigious summer intensives including Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC, Ellison Ballet, the Harid Conservatory, Butler University, Indiana University, Forrest Academy of Ballet New York (FABNY), as well as IBstage in Barcelona, Spain and the International Vivat Youth Ballet Festival under the Artistic Director Oleg Vinogradov, former director of the Kirov Ballet, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Nichols moved to Manhattan during her last year of high school to train full-time with Ms. Erin Forrest. She graduated from the Forrest Academy of Ballet New York in the spring of 2019. Nichols joined Ballet 5:8 as a Company Apprentice in 2019 and was promoted to Company Artist in 2020. With Ballet 5:8, Nichols has performed a wide variety of works, including Kevin Jenkins’s Still Waters, and Julianna Rubio Slager’s Reckless, Golden Sessions, Of Splendors & Horrors, 4501, The Rough-Face Girl, Butterfly, Brothers & Sisters, and The Space in Between.
Melanie Rodrigues
Solo Artist
Company Artist Melanie Rodrigues was born and raised in Dayton, OH, and began her dance training at Pontecorvo Ballet Studios under the direction of Barbara Pontecorvo. She later joined their resident pre-professional ballet company, Gem City Ballet, where she performed many new works and classical repertoire, as well as Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Serenade, and Raymonda Variations. Over the years at PBS and GCB she performed soloist and principal roles in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Giselle, Coppélia, La Bayadère, and PBS’s The Nutcracker. She also trained at many summer intensives including Ballet West, Miami City Ballet, and American Ballet Theater’s Collegiate Program. In 2017, Rodrigues joined Ballet 5:8’s Trainee Program, performing company repertoire, including Julianna Rubio Slager’s Compass Program, The Space In Between, and Four Seasons of the Soul. With the Trainee Program, she attended Regional Dance America, winning a cash scholarship. Rodrigues joined Ballet 5:8 as a Company Apprentice in 2019 and was promoted to Senior Apprentice in 2020 and Company Artist in 2021. She has performed a wide range of classical and contemporary works with the company, including Slager’s Of Splendors & Horrors, Dry Bones, Golden Sessions, Reckless, Butterfly, and 4501.
Natalie Chinn
Company Artist
Natalie Chinn was born and raised in Torrance, California. She began her formal dance training at South Bay Ballet (now Ballet California) under the direction of Diane Lauridsen. Throughout her years at South Bay Ballet, she performed in many productions and had the chance to perform solo and leading roles in many of them. She had the chance to work with many choreographers during that time, some including Eva Stone, Robert Kelley, and Tiffany Billings. She also trained at many summer intensives including American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, and Oklahoma City Ballet. Later, she joined Ballet 5:8’s Second Company for its inaugural season in 2020 where she had the opportunity to perform many works alongside the professional company, some including Julianna Rubio Slager’s Four Seasons of the Soul, Golden Sessions, Interplay, Reckless, Shades of Refrain, The Mother, and Kevin Jenkin’s Still Waters. She was then promoted to an Apprentice in 2022, and Company Artist in 2023. Since then she’s performed in a wide spectrum of repertoire with Ballet 5:8.
Katrina Clarke
Company Artist
Katrina Clarke was born and raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin where she danced at Misty's Dance Unlimited in Onalaska, Wisconsin and began her pre-professional training under the late Kennet Oberly (Stuttgart Ballet) and Larissa Oberly (Estonian National Ballet). She performed with Ballet La Crosse, dancing in ballets including Cinderella, Coppelia, The Little Mermaid, and excerpts from Konservatoriet. Katrina spent her summers attending programs at Ballet Magnificat!, The Nutmeg Conservatory, Ballet 5:8, Kansas City Ballet, and Bruce Wood Dance. Katrina went on to Belhaven University as a Dance Major, studying under Ravenna Tucker Wagnon (Royal Ballet), Laura Morton (Houston Ballet), and Cynthia Newland. She performed in both contemporary and classical works including Waltz of the Hours, Swan Lake, and Frescoes excerpt from The Little Humpbacked Horse.
In addition to dancing, Katrina choreographed her own works that were performed in multiple concerts, with several of her works being featured by the University. She was active in leadership and academics being the Treasurer for the DOXA Dance Club at Belhaven and a member of the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. She received the Bezalel Award for Outstanding Artistic Merit in 2018 and the Daniel Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement in 2021. Katrina graduated summa cum laude with a B.F.A. in Dance and a Minor in Business Administration.
After graduation, Katrina joined Störling Dance Theatre for one season, performing works by Mona Störling-Enna, Tobin James, and Carolyn Dorfman. She joined Ballet 5:8 as a Second Company Artist in 2022, was promoted to Company Apprentice in 2023, and promoted to Company Artist in 2024. While at Ballet 5:8, she has performed in works choreographed by Julianna Rubio Slager, Tobin James, and Steve Rooks including Transcendence, Wind, Día de los Vivos, The Sea is Flat, and Golden Sessions. Katrina is also the Preparatory Division Director at the School of Ballet 5:8, holds a Masters in Business Administration, and is a certified yoga instructor.
Miranda Rubio Opsal
Company Artist
Miranda Rubio Opsal was born in Jackson, Michigan. At age six she began dancing at The Academy of the Arts under the direction of Lori Ladwig and later Kate Price. Rubio spent many summers attending Ballet 5:8's Summer Intensive before joining the School of Ballet 5:8’s’ Conservatory Program in 2015, under the direction of Lauren Ader-Cumpston. With the Conservatory, she performed and originated roles in Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager's Beyond the Nutcracker, The Toymaker, Love Is, and Pilgrim's Progress. In addition, she performed the soloist role in Julia Rzonca's Conformity at Regional Dance America's 2017 National Festival. In 2017 Rubio joined Ballet 5:8's Trainee Program, training closely with Trainee Program Director Brette Benedict and Slager. During her time as a Trainee, she was given the opportunity to perform and tour a wide array of repertoire in both Company and Trainee-specific works. Some of her favorite roles with Ballet 5:8 include Slager’s Compass program, "The Lizard" in The Space In Between, "Rebellion" in 4501, and Petr Ginz in Butterfly. Rubio has performed as a guest artist in The Fox Valley Nutcracker in 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively, as well as at Willow Creek and with Vaudeville Nights by Chicago's Voice of the City. Rubio was promoted to Company Apprentice in 2020 and Company Artist in 2021. Rubio is also an instructor at the School of Ballet 5:8 and serves as the Pre-professional Program Co-Director.
Caedence Sajdowitz
Company Artist
Company Artist Caedence Sajdowitz grew up in sunny Southern California. She took her first ballet class at age 6, in a homeschool ballet class led by the future director of Ballet Hartford, 16-year-old Leyna Woods (Doran) at a local church. Caedence DID NOT joyfully embrace ballet. She cried before, during and after classes while other mini ballerinas twirled, leaped and smiled. Eventually, the tears stopped and encouragement from instructors spurred a new interest in dance.
At age 11, Caedence expressed her dream to perform with a professional ballet company. Ballet became her passion, and she began pre-professional training with Lauren Richter (Henry), the teacher who trained her first instructor. Further studies at Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy, followed by Richter Academy of Classical Dance set the foundation for her love of the art of ballet. Acclaimed instructors Dmitri Kulev, Jennifer Kulev, Lauren Richter, Sheri Giller, LJ Tashiro Nafarrete, and Stephanie Mehuys played major roles in her dance education. Caedence furthered her studies and technique through participation in the Bolshoi Ballet-Connecticut, Maple Leaf School of Russian Ballet-Canada, American Ballet Theater-New York, Ballet West-Utah, and BalletMet-Ohio summer intensives.
At 17, Caedence received an invitation to join the Professional Training Division at the prestigious Ballet West Academy in Salt Lake City. For three years she studied under renowned instructors: Peter Merz, Jeff Rogers, Chris Sellars, Cynthia Ridler, Catherine Batcheller, Katherine Lawrence, and Evelyn Cisneros-Legate. Caedence received the Ballet West Academy Shari Quinney Scholarship in 2020. Ballet West Academy offered many performance opportunities, such as competing group ensembles in YAGP, contemporary concerts, and flamenco performances. Her classical repertoire included Balanchine’s Western Symphony, Willam Christensen’s The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Raymonda performing many corps roles. Soloist roles included Balanchine’s Waltz of the Hours, Don Quixote, and Coppelia.
In 2022, Caedence joined Ballet 5:8’s Second Company, she became a Company Apprentice in 2023, Senior Apprentice in 2024, and Company Artist in December of 2024.
Marissa Woo
Company Artist
Artist bio coming soon!
John Szwast
Company Artist
Artist bio coming soon!
