Dancer Bios

December 11, 2021 Guest Dancers

MICHAEL BURKE

Michael Burke is originally from Mexico, MO. He studied at Presser Performing Arts Center, School of Missouri Contemporary Ballet, and Beijing Dance Academy. He also attended summer courses at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Point Park University, Milwaukee Ballet, Missouri Contemporary Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. After graduating with a BFA in Dance from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Michael danced with Kentucky Ballet Theater, Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance, Birmingham Ballet, Deos Contemporary Ballet and is currently in his sixth season at the St Louis Ballet under the direction of Gen Horiuchi. Highlights from his performance career include the principal pas de deux in Christopher Wheeldon’s The American; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; George Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie, Rubies, and Serenade; the Mad Hatter in Brian Enos’s Alice in Wonderland; Hilarion in Giselle; and Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, as well as works by Amy Seiwert, Kevin Jenkins, Emery LeCrone, Steve Rooks, and Tess Sinke.

REBECCA CORNETT

Ms. Cornett has been dancing as a company dancer with the St. Louis Ballet since 2014 where she has danced various roles such as Juliet in Gen Horiuchi’s Romeo and Juliet, the Turning Girl in George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Alice in Brian Enos’ Alice in Wonderland, Neapolitan in Gen Horiuchi’s Swan Lake, Winter Fairy in Gen Horiuchi’s Cinderella, Princess Florine in Gen Horiuchi’s Sleeping Beauty, among others. Ms. Cornett has also performed works by several choreographers including Twyla Tharp, Greg Dolbashian, Brian Enos, Emery LeCrone, Tom Gold, and Michael Uthoff. Prior to St. Louis Ballet, Ms. Cornett trained with Magda Auñón and Miguel Campanería before accepting a place at Boston Ballet School in 2010. She then accepted a professional division position at Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2013. Ms. Cornett also won the bronze medal in 2010 at the World Ballet Competition in the pre-professional category.