Another face we are adding to our production of The Classic Nutcracker is Riley Thomas Weber. Riley will be dancing the role of the Nutcracker Prince this season.
Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Riley received his primary ballet training under Marnee Brant at the Brant School of Dance Arts, and spent summers performing at Trollwood Performing Arts School where he studied ballet and musical theatre. Riley holds his B.A. in Dance from the University of Minnesota where he performed repertoire by HIJACK, Maggie Bergeron and Shapiro and Smith. He has performed in the 2008 Scottish Fringe Festival and in the 2011 Minneapolis Fringe Festival. Professionally, Riley has danced as a Soloist and Principal dancer with Cities Classical Dance Ensemble, Saint Paul City Ballet, Ballet Minnesota and Continental Ballet. Riley has danced numerous contemporary and classical ballets including Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Morning in Beijing, Rite of Spring, Don Quixote, Raymonda, Cinderella, Peter and the Wolf, Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake and La Esmeralda. He was the dance captain for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and danced in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Old Log Theater. He is currently a dancer with Collide Theatrical Dance Company where he has danced leads in Romeo and Juliet, Class of ’85, Zoot Suit Riots, CLU” and Dracula. (bio from Mankato Ballet Company website)
Riley is currently the resident Ballet Master for Mankato Ballet Company and ballet instructor at Larkin Dance studio (Maplewood, MN).
We are excited to have Riley as part of this years production of The Classic Nutcracker.
