Cheryl Rist
Director: Classical Ballet Academy of Minnesota.
Cheryl, a graduate of the Cornish School of Arts in Seattle, was the recipient of (7) Arts Scholarships. Her teachers include Robert Joffrey, Loyce Houlton, Hanya Holm, Flemming Halby and Frank Bourman. She began dancing with Sacramento Ballet under the direction of Jean-Paul Comelin (formerly Paris Opera Ballet). She danced as a principal with the Banff Festival, the Minnesota Dance Theater (under the direction of Loyce Houlton) and Ballet Minnesota. n 1987 Cheryl and her husband Andrew co-founded the Classical Ballet Academy of Minnesota and in 1990 they co-founded Ballet Minnesota. Cheryl has a special gift understanding the art of Classical Ballet. She has restaged many of the classic ballets for Ballet Minnesota which include "Swan Lake", "Giselle", "Sleeping Beauty", "Les Sylphides", "Flower Festival pas de deux", "Coppelia" and "La Bayadere" In addition to all of this she designs and costumes all the works presented by Ballet MInnesota. Although she is a sought after designer, she concentrates her engeries on CBA and Ballet Minnesota.

Andrew Rist
Artistic Director: Ballet Minnesota
Andrew's interests have always been in the areas of teaching, directing & choreography. After dancing professionally for 14 years, Loyce Houlton encouraged Andrew to become Avocational Director of the Minnesota Dance Theater school (1986-87). In 1987 Andrew and his wife Cheryl co-founded the Classical Ballet Academy of Minnesota and in 1990 they co-founded Ballet Minnesota, of which Andrew became artistic director .Under his direction, Ballet Minnesota has developed a strong season which includes the Nutcracker, The Youth Concert Series, The Minnesota Dance Festival (which features the restaging of a classical ballet each year) and the River Songs Summer Series in collaboration with the National Park Service. As a choreographer, Anderw prefers working with original scores. He has created works in collaboration with Robert E Hindel, Charlie Maguire (National Park Service "Singing Ranger") and the rock group Mock Duck. His choreographic works include "Pachelbel", "At the Museum", "Nutcracker", "The Egg" and in 2003 "Italian Symphony". Andrew teaches in the school. He has been nominated and included in three editions of 'Who's Who Among American Teachers.' Only 5% of the nation's teachers are honored in each edition and less than 2% are included in more than one edition.

"Classic"   NUTCRACKER

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December 1989-2002
 composer:  Peter Tchaikovsky
 Nutcracker Photo Page
  
"This radiant production brought the spirit of Christmas thundering back"   
-Borcht Arts Magazine

       "Choreographer Andrew Rist's classic interpretation focuses on telling the story through dramatic flow
of the dancing. Notable for its stunning visuaL design and energetic performance."
-St Paul Pioneer Press

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ITALIAN SYMPHONY

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Premiere: April 4, 2003  -  Fitzgerald Theater
composer:  Felix Mendelsohnn

15th Minnesota Dance Festival 
' Italian Symphony ' Photo Page

Movement 1: Melanie Hughes, Gairy Ataly
Taylor Dreyling, Erin Warn, Julia Heggernes, Caitlin Mussmann
Movement 2: Taylor Dreyling, Erin Warn, Julia Heggernes, Caitlin Mussmann,
Carolyn Quisenberry, Tayden Kuhn, Marianna Wong, Emily Baierl,
Sarah Bulger, Elena Ahmann, Maggie Heath,
Bard Jacula, Royal Anderson, Colin Jarret

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The EGG

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Premiere: March 2000
composer:  David Greenberg, Charlie Mickelson
music: rock group 'Mock Duck'

14th Minnesota Dance Festival

Dancers: Brianna VandeVelde, Kirill Bak
Laura Paisley, Mara Forbes, Taylor Dreyling, Adam Stein
Cheryl Posthumus, Laura Teale. Jo Jacobson, Chelsea Horst

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1994 & 2005
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OLEON
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premiere:  May 17, 2000, Fitzgerald Theater
St Paul, Minnesota
composer:  Johann S Bach

14th Minnesota Dance Festival
Oleon Photo Page
            
original cast: Molly Bohnert, Julia Heggerness, Amanda Haag, Caitlin Mussmann,
Carolyn Quisenberry, Geoff Leung, Brian LeClair, Sigmund Hegstad

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LIGHT THE RIVER *
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 Premiere: August 16, 2002     Minnehaha Falls
Minneapolis, MN
Song & Music: Charlie Maguire
  
Mississippi River Songs Tour
sponsored by the National Park Service
River Songs PhotoPage

Dancers: Melanie Hughes, Julia Heggernes, Caitlin Mussmann, Chelsey Hauk

* This is one of over 50 songs which Andrew Rist and Charlie Maguire have
collaborated on over the years from 1989 - 2004

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WALTZ OF THE HOURS  (from Coppelia)

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   Ballet Minnesota premiere:  April 5-7, 2002, Fitzgerald Theater
St Paul, Minnesota
composer:  Leo Deliebes

Last performance: April 2003, Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul
15th Minnesota Dance Festival

Coppelia Photo Page

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NIGHTMARE
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Premiere: 1994:
composer: Robert E Hindel
6th Minnesota Dance Festival
St Paul Student Center, St Paul

Last performance: April 2001, Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul
13th Minnesota Dance Festival

Nightmare Photo Page

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EMPRESS NEW CLOTHES


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Premiere: 1996
composer: Robert E Hindel
8th Minnesota Dance Festival
O'Shaughnessy, St Paul

Last performance: April 2004, Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul

Nightmare Photo Page

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BLACK DOG CAFE
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                  Premiere, Friday, October 13, 2006
                      Student Center Theater      University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus, Buford Ave, Falcon Heights (Saint Paul)

ST.PAUL, MN- This unique dance piece choreographed by Andrew Rist, is presented by Ballet Minnesota. The ballet 'Black Dog Café' takes you to a coffee/wine shop in Lowertown, an artistic hub tucked away in Saint Paul, Minnesota (just a stone's throw from the Mississippi). The vision of the 'Black Dog Café' came from observing Lowertown artists as they come and go, wine and dine, socialize and create their own artistic visions everyday in their home away from home. The ballet uses the music that fills the air in the Café such as Wyclef Jean, Nina Simone and Beethoven. This piece uses a variety of dance styles such as ballet, hip-hop, modern, etc.

 

PACHELBEL CANON IN D