Elise Werchan is a dancer, choreographer, and rehearsal director from Arlington, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Indiana University Bloomington, where she had the opportunity to perform original works by esteemed choreographers including Elizabeth Shea, Beatrice Capote, Baba Stafford, Stefanie Nelson, Maya Orchin, and DeEun Jung. During her time at IU, Elise was an active member of the Student Ambassadors program, consistently recognized on the Dean’s List, and graduated with the highest distinction. Elise began her dance training at United Performing Arts Company and continued her studies at Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy. She further honed her technique and artistry through competitive and prestigious summer intensives at Joffrey Ballet School New York, Joffrey Ballet School Las Vegas, Zion Dance Project, Houston Contemporary, and through a wide range of master classes. At IU, Elise choreographed and performed in multiple student-led productions and served as a rehearsal director and choreographer, demonstrating her leadership and creative vision in collaborative settings. Her technical training spans Horton, Limón, Graham, contemporary, ballet, pointe, musical theatre, house, Afro-Cuban, Capotechnique™, and SomaLab™ techniques. Elise also gained professional experience as a performer with Relevations Dance Company and Blockhouse Studios in Indianapolis. In fall 2024, she joined 6 o’Clock Dance Theatre as a company dancer. In addition to her dance career, Elise is pursuing a nutrition certification and works professionally as a wedding planner, where she brings her organizational skills and creative sensibility to life’s most meaningful celebrations.

Emmerson Stephens was born and raised in Lakewood, Washington. She began her ballet training at Pacific Northwest Ballet. Then at eleven years old, she studied at The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. Emmerson then moved back home for three years to train under Deborah Hadley, a former principal dancer, with the Pacific Northwest Ballet. She then studied at Houston Ballet Academy where she performed in Ben Stevenson’s "Nutcracker" and Stanton Welch’s "Ladies". Emmerson continued her ballet training as well as her academic studies at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. After graduation, she accepted a trainee contract with Richmond Ballet. She trained under Cecile Tuzi, Igor Antonov, Judy Jacob and Malcolm Burn. Emmerson performed in their full-length classical productions dancing as a 'Fiancée' and 'Swan' in "Swan Lake" and 'Snow' and 'Flowers' in "The Nutcracker". She continued her dance training at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She studied under renowned faculty to include Carter Alexander, Leslie Peck, Silas Farley, Brandi Coleman, Mark Burrell, Anne Westwick, and Myra Woodruff. Emmerson’s collegiate repertory includes soloist in "Meadows Serenade" and principal in "Of Heaven & Earth", both by Silas Farley, soloist in Stephanie Martinez’s "Something To Remember You By", and a pas de deux in "Less" by Adam Hougland at the Winspear Opera House. She also performed in works by Mike Esperanza, Larry Keigwin, and Matthew Neenan. Emmerson had the opportunity to choreograph an original work, "The Four Seasons", which premiered at SMU’s Senior Dance Concert. Emmerson attended summer intensives at Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Kirov Academy of Ballet, The School of American Ballet, The Royal Ballet School, Next Generation Ballet, Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Juilliard School, Ellison Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Boca Ballet Theater. At Boca Ballet Theatre, Emmerson performed as the soloist in "La Source" by George Balanchine, principal in "Rhapsody in Blue" by David Palmer, and in the ensemble in "Sleep Study" by David Parsons. Emmerson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and a B.A. in Art History. She is currently pursuing her M.A. in Art History at SMU. Emmerson has been named Rehearsal Director of Ballet Papillon for the 2025-2026 season. In this new role, she brings a deep commitment to artistry, detail, and ensemble cohesion.

Amelia joined Ballet Papillon as the Resident Stage Manager. After graduating summa cum laude and holding her BA in French along with Minor Concentrations in both English and Geology, Amelia found her way to The Last Frontier and into the world of the performing arts. For 20 seasons Amelia has enjoyed being behind-the-scenes, as opposed to on the stage, as a contracted, theatrical artist in several backstage production roles across the performance realms of opera, dance, musical theatre, traditional plays, burlesque, and circus. Additionally, Amelia has explored opportunities in singular-venue front of house roles; facilitated guest services roles for one of the top arenas in the world; and, functioned within the customer service role of event staff team member for a central box office supporting a multi-venue performing arts facility’s patrons and resident companies alike. While working performance production contracts, Amelia spent a decade operationally supporting and ultimately relocating into an IT development team in the Lower 48 that deployed and maintained a scanning solution application for a multi-national supply chain logistics conglomerate. In her role as the project’s Sr. Business Application Analyst, Amelia was responsible for its oversight from initial conceptual discussions through to final, iterative global production releases which, at the time, were across 18 locations in nine countries on four continents. In wanting to pursue her passion for the performing arts on a full-time basis, Amelia elected to return to her alma mater and now holds her MA with a Theatre Concentration and Arts Administration & Arts Management Emphasis from Louisiana Tech University. Favorite production credits include: [LA Tech Univ] co-director/co-choreographer for "Vela Réveillez" and poet-playwright of "Transgressions"; [Dallas, TX] production stage manager for Tuzer Ballet’s "Nutcracker" (2022-2024), stage manager and uncredited associate lighting designer for the Dallas College, Mountain View production of "Godspell," projection operator for Leos Ensemble’s "Ten Arguments," and stage manager for IMPRINT Theatreworks’ "Puffs"; [Colorado Springs, CO] stage manager for two The Millibo Art Theatre "Circus of the Night" sessions; light board operator for "Noises Off!" and fly rail operator/deck crew for "Gypsy" with the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company; [Anchorage, AK] individual show stage manager for multiple TBA Theatre/Three Wise Moose’s "Alaska Overnighters" installments and six memorable seasons with the Anchorage Opera.

Denise is thrilled to be working with Ballet Papillon in their second season. With a Bachelor’s in Music and in Theatre, Denise enjoys being on the stage as well as working behind the scenes to do what she can to help others shine their brightest. She does have a history in ballet having taken a class when she was 5 years old and gave a stunning performance to the song, Good Ship Lollipop. Denise has done sound design for various productions in North Carolina, Connecticut, and DFW including Ballet Papillon’s “Unbroken”.

An accomplished Entertainment Designer, based in Dallas, TX, Ms. Kemble has experience in multiple design disciplines. While her focus has primarily been Lighting Design, she is also a talented Set and Costume Designer. Ms. Kemble is a creative self-starter who is motivated to get the job done on time and on budget. She is technically-minded as well as design-capable. Ms. Kemble has experience solving complex design questions for multiple show formats. She has been privileged to work on complex projects both Internationally and in the United States. Ms. Kemble enjoys being part of a creative team and telling stories that elevate, inspire, and transform the communities in which we live.

Abigail Hardy began her dance training at a young age developing skill in performance, choreography, and teaching. In her early training, Hardy studied through The Conservatory of Dance and Performing Arts in ballet, pointe, and jazz techniques. Her later years of training were taken through Belhaven University's renowned dance department, consisting of studies in ballet and modern performance as well as choreography. Hardy received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Belhaven University graduating with dance honors and receiving awards for outstanding service and artistic achievement. She has worked with teachers and choreographers from Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Houston Ballet, JoséLimón, Milwaukee Ballet, Dance Company Mooe, and The Royal Ballet. From 2013-2014, Hardy was a member of Bal Mahada Dance company on an international tour throughout South Korea. Hardy had the opportunity to perform in the Busan International Dance Festival and Alabama Dance Festival. She has traveled as a guest artist, choreographer and performer to France and Barbados. She is a member of the National Honors Society for Dance and an active artist of faith in the dance field. She performs as a free-lance dancer in project works and has been a dancer for the Chadash Contemporary Dance Movement since May of 2016. Now residing in Dallas, Texas, Hardy currently is Co-Director with her husband Vincent Hardy for the Zion Dance Project, a platform for believer artists to release the light of Christ in professional works, through video and performance.

Jennifer Mabus is a Dallas-based choreographer, performer, and educator whose work blends dance, kinesthetic empathy, and immersive theater. She has performed with renowned choreographers and companies including Robert Battle’s Battleworks, Amy Marshall Dance Company, Heidi Latsky, Takehiro Ueyama, Bruce Wood Dance Project, NobleMotion Dance, and Dark Circles Contemporary Dance. Her choreography has been presented at national festivals and commissioned by companies such as Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, Avant Chamber Ballet, Houston Contemporary Dance, METdance, and Contemporary Ballet Dallas, as well as by the Foundation for Modern Music and Windsync ensemble. She has served on the faculties of Texas Christian University, UT Dallas, University of St. Thomas (founding program chair), Booker T Washington HSPVA, Interlochen Arts Academy, Texas Ballet Theater, Houston’s HSPVA, and Sam Houston State University. She has been an artist in residence with Arts Mission Oak Cliff, Agora Artists, Dance Source Houston, Noble Motion Dance and Rice University. Mabus is currently building Grackle Dance Collective, a collaborative dance company that aims to create performances that move between the intimate and the expansive—blending collaboration, immersive theater, and the transformative power of dance. Mabus holds a BFA from Southern Methodist University and an MFA from Sam Houston State University. She is also a yoga teacher and Argentine tango dancer with a strong interest in Dance Movement Therapy.

Alyssa (Nebraska, USA) IG: Livin_my_dreamz began her training at PMDI, where she received the Academic Scholarship Award and achieved ISTD Level 1–Advanced Ballet certification. At 17, she became the youngest dancer in school history accepted into the University of Nebraska–Omaha’s The Moving Company. She went on to perform in "The Wiz", "Beauty and the Beast", Omaha Dance Project’s "Swan Lake" (Demi Soloist), and the Russian Moscow Ballet’s touring "Nutcracker" ('Arabian'). She is a recipient of the Nebraska Young Artist Award and the Omaha Entertainment Arts Award for Best Featured Dancer. Alyssa continued her training with Kansas City Ballet and The Ailey School (Level 1 Scholar) on Scholarship. She traveled as demonstrator for Milton Myers (Horton), and Dudley Williams (Graham) before joining Dallas Black Dance Theatre in 2012, where she was promoted to Soloist in the first company in 2013. Her repertoire includes works by Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle (Angelitos Negros), Ulysses Dove, Francesca Harper, Rennie Harris, Christopher L. Huggins, Ma`hew Rushing, Bridget Moore, Nejla Yatkin, Dianne McIntyre, Kirven Boyd, Hope Boykin, and Garfield Lemonious. Over the span of her career, she has brought to life more than 6,000 performances on stages around the world, including features at The Joyce Theater (NYC), the West Virginia Dance Festival, Bliss Centre for Performing Arts (Belize), and international engagements. She has been highlighted in commercial campaigns for WFAA News, Toyota Prius, and was honored at the NYIT Animation & Film Festival (NYC) for her organic and inspirational performance style. Alyssa became a representative for Brown Girls Do Ballet and Fabletics. She has choreographed for YAGP, Radix, Intrigue, Prime Time, Live Arts Conservatory, Royale Ballet Academy of Dance, CBD, and Dance for the Planet. Her work was released in partnership with suicide prevention and human trafficking/domestic violence advocacy groups. Her students have been accepted into prestigious programs such as SAB, ABT, MCB, Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet (FR), English National Ballet (UK), Royal Ballet School (UK), and Princess Grace Academy (MC). Her career currently extends into luxury and entertainment, with guest performances for The Bachelor, The Real Housewives, Jordin Sparks, Billie Eilish, John Mayer, Josh Groban, Paris Hilton, Rihanna, and high-profile events for Rolls-Royce, Netflix, Disney, the NBA, and the NFL. Currently based in Los Angeles, Alyssa is Ballet Faculty at Mather Dance Company, Ballet Director at XJ Star Academy (Dallas, TX), Resident Choreographer for Chamberlain School of Ballet and Kitty Carter Dance Factory, and Guest Choreographer for Ballet Papillon. Adjudicator for Icon Dance Awards and nationally at the collegiate and professional level. She is also a Certified Lead Instructor, Instructor Manager, and Training Coach for The Bar Method. (Hermosa Beach, West Hollywood, and Palos Verdes).

Nana Chen, founder of XJ Star Academy, graduated from the Performance Program of the Chinese Classical Dance Department at Beijing Dance Academy. She began her dance journey at the age of 5 and was admitted to the Academy's affiliated middle school at 11. At 17, she pursued her undergraduate degree at Beijing Dance Academy. With a deep passion for dance, Ms. Chen has dedicated her career to dance education after graduation, serving as an examiner for the Chinese Dance Examination Syllabus (CDES) and a judge for national dance competitions. She has conducted numerous academic seminars across China and participates in advanced teacher training programs at Beijing Dance Academy. Throughout her career, she has received multiple awards, including Outstanding Young Teacher in Beijing (2008) and first prizes in competitions such as the Taoli Cup and Hehua Cup. With 22 years of teaching experience, she covers a wide range of instruction, from early childhood education to preparing students for professional art school entrance exams. Ms. Chen has also contributed to dance textbooks and organized arts festivals for over 1,000 students in Beijing. An accomplished choreographer of Chinese dance dramas, she authored the original dance textbooks for XJ Star Academy’s U.S. campus to mark its 5th anniversary in 2023. Her students are pursuing dance careers worldwide, making her a true educator with global influence.

A native of Maryland, Markel began his artistic journey in Musical Theatre. It was from there that he found his passion for dance and began his training at Mid-Shore Dance Academy. He received his B.F.A. in Dance: Performance and Choreography from Towson University in 2022. While there, Markel performed in works by Ray Mercer, Glenn Allen Sims, Runqiao Du, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, and Carolyn Dorfman along with many others. He would also extend his artistic experience dancing with Ballet Embody in 2021. In 2022, Markel joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore!. In addition to an annual appearance or two on stage with Ballet Papillon, Markel began teaching company classes in 2023. He is also a faculty instructor with the Dance Studio Network and performs in their annual Nutcracker production.

Sean trained with Goh Ballet Academy, Ballet British Columbia’s Mentor Program, and The Ailey School. He has performed with Ballet Creole (Toronto, Canada), Bruce Wood Dance Project (Dallas, Texas), Rhythmic Souls Tap Company, African American Repertory Theater, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre where he danced for 14 seasons and also served as Rehearsal Director. Sean has performed with Dallas Theater Center in "The Wiz" (2011) and "Hairspray" (2018). Sean is currently in rehearsals with Dallas Opera. Sean has choreographed three works for Dallas Black Dance Theatre: "Monologues" (2013), "Interpretations" (2017) and "Swipe Left" (2023) and one work for DBDT: Encore!, "Dollhouse" (2015). Sean also choreographed and conceptualized a modern-day interpretation of "Petrushka" in collaboration with Fort Worth Symphony in 2024. Sean has also choreographed for Boston Conservatory Summer Intensive, Joffrey Ballet School Texas, and I.M. Terrell Academy. Sean will be joining as Guest Faculty at Dupree Dance in 2025. Sean is also a Company Class Instructor at Ballet Papillon.

Alex has over 30 years of experience in video production with the specific knowledge of most current video cameras and video editing software operations up to complex cinematic equipment, such as commercial broadcast cameras and studio equipment. For the past 20 years, he has specialized in stage productions and corporate video. During 2011 – 2013 Alex served as a President of the Dallas / Fort Worth professional Videography Association. He has received multiple awards for his video production work.

Ariel was born and raised in the DFW area. She danced from an early age, which led to a love of human movement. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma, where she received a B.S. in Health and Exercise Science before going on to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2011. Additionally, she is a certified Pilates instructor through the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute. She utilizes Pilates-based exercises in rehabilitation programs, dance conditioning programs, and in the wellness space. She has a deep passion for helping dancers stay healthy, prevent and rehabilitate injuries, optimize performance, and achieve career longevity. She is a proud wife and mom to three children. In her spare time, she is either spending time with family, drinking coffee, doing Pilates, cooking, or being active in her church.

Dr. Gray is excited to be providing performing arts dance medicine for Ballet Papillon dancers this season. She is from Everett, WA and was trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet. She attended summer intensives around the country and went on to dance at Ballet Theater of Boston, Boston Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, as well as guesting with smaller companies. She fnished her B.S. in Biology at UNT and worked with the Dance Department under her mentor, Arleen Sugano. After deciding her calling was providing healthcare to dancers and their families, she completed medical school at Rocky Vista University in CO and residency in Fort Worth TX. She continued to dance and still takes classes at Contemporary Ballet Dallas. Her D.O. degree in Family Medicine allows her to do broad spectrum primary care, sports medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatments, as well as specialty integrative medicine, hormones, weight loss, and regenerative stem cell therapies. She married a Texan and has 2 busy kids, but loves being backstage at all the local shows as the “DFW Dance Doctor”!