FOUNDER IDAHO BALLET THEATRE
Brandy Kelly Jensen began ballet at age eight in Los Alamos, New Mexico. She danced with Pajarito Ballet in Santa Fe, New Mexico until she left home at age 16 in order to dance with Utah Regional Ballet under Artistic Director Jacqueline P. Colledge. Brandy eventually became a soloist with URB and performed in many ballets including Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Coppelia, Hansel and Gretel and the Nutcracker. She enjoyed traveling and performing while attending Regional Dance America Ballet Festivals as an honor company dancer and choreographer. For seven years she was awarded scholarships to attend the RDA National Choreography Conference. She was also invited to attend the International Ballet Competition 1991. She took classes from many of ballet’s master teachers, including William Christensen, Robert Joffrey, David Howard, Richard England, and Jurgen Schneider. She also studied and performed jazz, flamenco, and modern dance.
Brandy taught and choreographed dance for Pajarito Ballet Theatre, Jacqueline P. College School of Classical Ballet, Utah Regional Ballet, and Idaho State University. She was also a qualified USA Gymnastics Judge, Junior Miss Judge and “Best of State Judge.” Brandy founded IBT in 2003 with the dream of bringing the highest standards of ballet training to the Idaho Falls area.
Brandy trained in New York City at the American Ballet Theatre summer of 2010-2012 and became a certified instructor of all the levels of the ABT National Training curriculum. IBT dancers have qualified for the New York City finals at the Youth American Grand Prix for 6 yrs. In 2016 they competed at the YAGP finals in New York City and successfully presented a level 5 class to American Ballet Theatre Adjudicator. Idaho Ballet Theatre dancers have received scholarships from American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, Miami City Ballet, Princess Grace Academy Monte Carlo, Berlin State Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, School of American Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Arizona Ballet, Utah Regional Ballet, Brigham Young University, and University of Utah.
As the Artistic Director of IBT, Brandy choreographed and set IBT’s Nutcracker productions. This performance ran under her direction for twenty years. She believed that a dancer’s training needed to include regular participation in a full length ballet. Throughout her twenty years, she choreographed and set Spring Performances and built her Nutcracker greater every year. Her Spring Performances included Hansel & Gretel, Coppélia, Four Seasons, Wizard of Oz, Through the Woods, Cinderella, Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Portrait of Alice, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood.
Brandy loved teaching and sharing her love for ballet and performing with such talented students. Brandy appreciated and attributed her success to the sacrifice and support from her parents, husband and three children. Her passion for ballet and her endless generosity in teaching inspired hundreds of dancers to push themselves to greatness. Her reputation was one of light, love and artistic expression.