Company

Erika Overturff

Artistic Director

Erika earned her BFA in ballet performance and teaching from the University of Utah, which she attended on a full scholarship. She graduated cum laude in three years and was chosen outstanding senior by the ballet department faculty. Erika went on to dance with Montgomery Ballet, Alabama Ballet, and Omaha Theater Ballet. She has performed in a variety of soloist and leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire, and recently originated the lead role in Harrison McEldowney's full-length production of Swing, Swing, Swing. As a choreographer, Erika has received critical praise for her work. She has served as Resident Choreographer for the Omaha Theater Ballet and was recently selected to have her work performed in Dance Chicago's 15th Anniversary Spectacular. Omaha audiences have enjoyed Erika's choreography in such works as Ella, Rhapsody in Blue, Prison Blues, Feeling Good, Pizzicato Pas de Deux, Love Me or Leave Me, Tropico, and The Diner. She was also Repetitrice for Montgomery Ballet and her choreography has been performed by the Iowa Dance Theatre and the University of Utah. Additionally, Erika has been a faculty member, choreographer, and guest teacher for schools in Nebraska, Utah, Iowa, and Alabama.

Sarah Maloney

Administrative Director

Originally from Omaha, Sarah Maloney received her ballet training from Ballet Omaha and Omaha Theater Ballet School of Dance. She joined Omaha Theater Ballet in 2001 and has performed a variety of roles including the lead in French Songs, and Betty Boop in The Orpheum Nutcracker. In 2008, Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bellevue University with a B.S. in Healthcare Management. Since 2003 she has also worked in a clinical hospital laboratory where she has developed her managerial and organizational skills. Originally Assistant Director, Sarah was promoted to Director of the Omaha Theater Ballet Student Ensemble in 2007. With the Student Ensemble, she is responsible for coordinating performance and outreach programs for after-school groups, assisted living facilities, and other community organizations.

Clayton Cunningham

Clayton joins Ballet Nebraska after performing with Omaha Theater Ballet. Prior to that, he performed with the St. Louis Ballet for three years, under the direction of Gen Horiuchi of the New York City Ballet. Clayton trained and performed with the English National Ballet in London. He also danced with the Chautauqua Ballet in New York under the direction of former principals of the Paris Opera Ballet and New York City Ballet, Jean Pierre Bonefaux and Violette Verdy. Clayton would like to thank his mother and late father for making him who he is today, and without them, nothing would be possible.

Kristin Goeringer

Kristin Goeringer began dancing as a young girl in Rapid City, South Dakota. In high school, she enjoyed dancing the role of Aurora in Julie McFarland's The Sleeping Beauty. Kristin went on to study ballet at the University of Utah, where she completed her BFA in Ballet Performance with a Business Minor, under many teachers such as Conrad Ludlow, Sharee Lane, and Maureen Laird. Kristin danced two seasons with Omaha Theater Ballet and has enjoyed dancing many roles with the company. One of her favorite performances was Swing, Swing, Swing! Kristin also loves to teach dance to young children. With OTB, she was involved with their outreach program and was able to go to elementary schools around the city to share her love for the art. Kristin not only dances and teaches, she also likes to help make costumes in her spare time.

Avram Gold

Avram began his training in Fairfax, CA at Dance Theatre Seven with teachers David and Elyse Roxander, Jody White and Georgia Ortega. In 1998 he joined the well-known Houston Ballet, directed by Ben Stevenson, and performed in many classical ballet favorites such as Swan Lake. His mastery of technique and artistry took him to Ballet Theater of New Mexico, where he danced as a principal guest artist. In 2002 Avram joined Omaha Theater Ballet and since then has captivated audiences with his vibrant interpretations of principal roles in various ballets including Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, and The Nutcracker.

Claire Goodwille

Claire Goodwille received her training from Robin Welch at the Omaha Theater Ballet School of Dance. She has performed in many Omaha Theater Ballet productions as a student, including The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Her performance roles include Clara, a Snowflake, and a Flower in The Nutcracker and a Mazurka Girl in Coppelia. Claire joined Omaha Theater Ballet as an apprentice in the Fall of 2009.

Natasha Grimm

Natasha began her ballet training at Omaha Theater Ballet School of Dance with Robin Welch at the age of 14. Natasha joined Omaha Theater Ballet as an apprentice three years later and at 19 she began her professional ballet career. She spent her summers training on scholarship with Kansas City Ballet and touring with Manhattan Dance. Natasha has enjoyed performing with the Omaha Symphony and Opera Omaha. She has had the opportunity of working with such choreographers as Bill Hoteling, Kristin Sudeikis, Sean Curran, Paula Weber, Harrison McEldowney, Rochelle Zide and Kennet Oberly. Her favorite performances include Princess Vasilisa in Firebird, Spanish and Arabian in The Nutcracker, The Gossip in La Fille Mal Gardee and the dancing Amneris in Aida. Natasha's passion for dance allows her to bring great style and flair to the stage.

Alberto Liberatoscioli

Originally from Italy, Alberto Liberatoscioli joined the Omaha Theater Ballet in the Fall of 2009. He received his training in Balanchine and Vagonova technique in Milan under Iride Sauri. He was a member of Slovak National Ballet where he performed in such classics as Le Corsaire, La Bayadere, and Swan Lake. Later, Alberto became a soloist at Columbia Classical Ballet in South Carolina. There he danced in productions such as Tryptich, Rite of Spring, and George Balanchine’s Scotch Symphony.

Bret Samson

Bret began dancing at age 8 at Lake Shore Dance in Saukville, Wisconsin. Her formal training began with Rafael Delgado and Melissa Anderson in Milwaukee, where she became a founding member of BalletCenter Performance Company. Bret went on to become a founding member with Madison Ballet Company. She also spent a season with Milwaukee Ballet II before joining Omaha Theater Ballet as an apprentice in the Fall of 2009.

Carrie Wanamaker-Gold

A charter member of the Omaha Theater Ballet, Carrie received her training from Robin Welch at both the School of Ballet Omaha and Omaha Theater Ballet School of Dance. She was featured in Omaha Theater Ballet’s production of Clowns and Other Fools, choreographed by dance legend Lotte Goslar. She has captivated audiences with her portrayal of the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Lucy in Dracula, the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty and Mette in Hans Christian Andersen.

Sasha York

Originally from Chelyabinsk, Russia, Sasha started his ballet training after coming to the United States in 1995. He began his training at Paavola School of Dance and in 1999 returned to Russia where he studied with Urey Urivich. Eight months later, he returned to Paavola School of Dance where he trained until he was accepted into Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School’s Pre Professional program. While in Pittsburgh, he had a chance to perform with the company in productions such as Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. Sasha has worked with choreographers such as Victor Plontikov and Septime Weber. In 2008, Sasha joined Omaha Theater Ballet.

Angela Zolczynski

Originally from Rapid City, SD, Angela is a graduate of Walnut Hill in Natick, MA, where she was trained under the direction of Michael Owen from American Ballet Theater. Angela performed with the Omaha Theater Ballet for six seasons and has been featured in many soloist roles, such as Chinese in the Imperial Nutcracker, and lead mazurka in Coppelia. Angela has also taught ballet, jazz, and tap at the Omaha Theater Ballet School of Dance since 2004 and been the Assistant Director of their Student Ensemble since 2007. Angela is the outreach coordinator for Ballet Nebraska.

Rachel Vickrey

Guest Artist

Rachel Vickrey received her early dance training from her parents, Robert Vickrey and Robin Welch, in New Haven, Connecticut. At the age of 11 she became one of the youngest students to be awarded a full scholarship to the San Francisco Ballet School. She continued to study on scholarships at some of the most prestigious ballet schools in the U.S. and Canada eventually beginning her professional career at the age of 16. Rachel has danced as a company member in Ballet Omaha, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Banff Festival Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theater, and Omaha Theater Ballet. Her passion for expression and a clean versatile technique has given her many opportunities to perform a diverse variety of principal roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Swanilda in Coppélia, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Valse Fantasie, Allegro Brilliante, and Agon. She has performed works by such renown choreographers as Brian MacDonald, Salvator Aielo, Kennet Oberly, Charles Arnie, Loyce Holton, Lew Christensen, Alvin Ailey, Agnes DeMille, Erika Overturff and Harrison McEldowney. Rachel has also spent the last 10 years as the rehearsal assistant for the Omaha Theater Ballet Company and the Educational Outreach Coordinator and Outreach Instructor for the Omaha Theater Company.

Jim Williams

Company Photographer

Jim is a talented dance photographer, who has been enriching the Omaha dance community for the past twenty years. In addition to his skillful eye for photography, Jim is responsible for recording archival-quality video footage of the performances. The company applauds Jim for his constant dedication to the art of dance.