ANDIAMO 2024 Company Members
JESS BERTO
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Jess is the Founder and Artistic Director of Andiamo Dance Company, as well as a company dancer and choreographer. She began her dance career right here in Ketchikan at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. At the age of sixteen she left home to continue her dance training at the performing arts high school, Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California. Upon graduation, Jess continued her education and dance training in New York City at Marymount Manhattan College. She soon transferred to University of Arizona where she graduated Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in Dance.
Jess then moved to Denver and danced with 7Dancers and taught all levels and styles of dance at Cherry Creek Dance. She also freelanced with 3rd Law Dance and Evolving Doors Dance, both based out of Boulder, Colorado. Jess has also studied at San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Alvin Ailey, Dance New Amsterdam, Steps on Broadway, Peridance, and Broadway Dance Center. Dancing at each of these locations provided her the opportunity to work many incredible artists including: Summer Lee Rhatigan (Artistic Director of San Francisco Conservatory of Dance), Christian Burns (Co-founder of The Foundry), Leslie Browne (Principal with American Ballet Theatre), and many more.
GRACE JACKSON
DANCER
Grace Jackson started dancing at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet when she was six. She went on to train in ballet, and later joined jazz as well. Since graduating high school, she spent a year studying dance at the University of Idaho. In her time there, she took classes in ballet, modern, dance improvisation, and dance composition. She also spent time there teaching ballet and jazz at Festival Dance Academy. Grace has since moved back to Ketchikan and enjoys teaching ballet and jazz at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. She is excited to be in her 5th season with Andiamo Dance Company!
CHRISTINA HUGHES
DANCER
Originally hailing from the east coast, Christina Hughes is a Ketchikan-based dancer. She is the co-founder of the nonprofit dance company Hughes And Vecchione Dance Projects, and is the curator of the Ketchikan Dance Film Festival. She is so grateful to be entering into her fourth season with Andiamo Dance Company, and looks forward to all the performance opportunities that lie ahead!
EMILEE ENRIGHT
DANCER
Emilee Enright began her dance journey at four years old with Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. She danced with KTB until her junior year of high school before transferring to Idyllwild Arts Academy. During her time at KTB she performed in all of KTB’s annual productions including: Autumn Showcase, The Nutcracker, An Evening of Dance, and Spring Gala. She trained with wonderful teachers/choreographers including Jess Berto, Kimberly Stone, Elizabeth Schultz, and Zach Leighton, just to name a few. In 2016, she performed the role of Clara in The Nutcracker and in 2019, her final year with KTB, she was given the roles Dew Drop Fairy and Arabian Lead in the Nutcracker. In one of her final performances with KTB she was given a solo choreographed by Jess Berto, which was a bittersweet process to create and perform.
In 2021 Emilee transferred to the dual curriculum performing arts high school, Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, California for her junior and senior year. At Idyllwild she continued to nurture her passion for dance. She had the opportunity to work with many amazing choreographers/instructors including Ellen Rosa Taylor, Jonathan Sharp, Stephanie Gilliland, Patrick Frantz, and Leslie Stevens. Stephanie Gilliland created her favorite piece, “Buffalo.”
Upon graduation from Idyllwild in 2022, Emilee moved back to Ketchikan, Alaska. Shortly after her return she reached out to Jess Berto about joining Andiamo. Emilee absolutely loves being a part of Andiamo. Getting to dance with former teachers and classmates has been a wonderful experience and has brought back so many fond memories. She is so excited and honored to create and work together these wonderful dancers on these beautiful pieces and is thankful for the opportunity.
Bella Roberts is from Ketchikan, Alaska and has loved dance since the age of four. She trained at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet for 14 years in ballet, jazz, and tap. During her time there she was also a member of their Senior Company for 5 years which led to her having opportunities to travel to New York City several times to take classes at Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, and Steps on Broadway. She is currently studying at The University of Idaho for her Bachelor of Science in Dance and is expecting to graduate spring 2024. She was awarded A Dance Promise Scholarship in the spring of 2021, 2022, and 2023 for growth potential in coursework, studio practice, and academic achievement. She has had the opportunity to perform works by Aaron Wood, Kevin Jenkins, JazzAntiqua, and Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. During her time so far as a student she has also had the opportunity to choreograph works for the university's spring performance. Bella is currently working toward completing her BASI Pilates certification.
LAUREN GATES
DANCER
Lauren Gates began her dance journey at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet at the age of seven. She first enrolled in ballet and eventually added tap and jazz to her KTB dance repertoire. Following High School graduation she studied Fine Arts and Dance at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Lauren later transferred to Western Washington University to continue her dance education. From 2016-2018 Lauren taught the younger level ballet and jazz classes at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet where she discovered her love of teaching. While located in Bellingham, Washington she taught ballet, tap, and hip-hop at OPUS Performing Arts.
Lauren found herself being drawn back to her roots and now Ketchikan is where she finds gratitude, fullfilment, and excitement in many aspects of her dance career. Andiamo Dance Co. has enriched her life in countless ways. She found a home outside of home with her fellow company members who she now considers family.
Last but not least, Lauren became a mother to her son, Malakai, in January of 2022. A newfound source of motivation and inspiration for Lauren is being a strong woman who can continue to express herself artistically while also balancing the ups and downs of motherhood.
Lauren is honored and thrilled to be in her fourth season with Andiamo!
SHAWNA SEIBEL
DANCER
Shawna has been a part of Ketchikan Theatre Ballet before she was even born, and began there officially when she was five. Partaking at some point in all of the styles KTB had to offer, she continued with ballet and jazz until her high school graduation in 2011. She attended University of Montana where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education, as well as a Concentration in Dance in 2015. After joining and coming home from the Peace Corps, she started substitute teaching throughout the school district. She also taught six levels of ballet and the youngest jazz class for the 2018-2019 dance season at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. She is now a full-time 5th grade teacher here in Ketchikan and is so happy to be a part of Andiamo for her 6th season.
DEVYN SADER
DANCER
Devyn Sader was born and raised in Ketchikan. She danced as a student at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet from age 4 until she was 18, participating in ballet, pointe, and jazz. During her time in Senior Company at KTB, Devyn travelled to New York City twice. She took dance classes of many genres at Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, Steps on Broadway, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In addition, Devyn was always eager to participate in any extra classes or intensives offered by KTB. She is currently attending Grand Canyon University and is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Dance. Devyn is so excited to be in her fourth season with Andiamo!
Domenica was born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska, where she danced at Ketchikan Theatre Ballet (KTB) from ages 4 to 16. Her junior and senior years of high school, Domenica attended Idyllwild Arts Academy (IAA), a boarding arts high school in Idyllwild, California; she graduated from IAA in May of 2023. Currently Domenica attends Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, where she’s majoring in Dance Pedagogy, and loving college life!
Domenica’s true passion for dance is choreography and teaching. She has been teaching dance since she was 15 years old, and has taught and choreographed performance pieces at KTB and IAA.
This is Domenica’s second year dancing with Andiamo Dance Company. In addition to dancing with the company, Domenica choreographs pieces for Andiamo, and is looking forward to setting many more pieces on them in years to come!
Claire Rhein is a local Ketchikan girl and Alumni of Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. Being a 2023 graduate of University of Wyoming, Claire received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. After being away for higher education, she is rediscovering the dance opportunities in her home town and grateful to perform in her first season with Andiamo. The privilege to work alongside Jess Berto is both humbling and exciting.