THE DANCERS
Nickerson-Rossi Dance Company dancers embody a rare duality—technicians of the highest caliber who also channel profound emotional depth. Their performances are not just seen, they are felt—reaching into audiences with honesty, vulnerability, and breathtaking control.
Heidi Buehler
Bio
Heidi is from the SF Bay area, where she received her dance training in classical ballet. She graduated with her BFA in Dance from UC Santa Barbara, where she gained her modern and contemporary training and was a recipient of the 2008 Alice Condodina Performance Award. Her professional career includes dancing for various SF Bay Area ballet and modern dance companies, being a solo dancer in a 2-year national tour of Peter Pan, and performing locally in Southern California for an Ovation Award-nominated musical, as well as with modern dance companies including Regina Klenjoski Dance Company and the Union Project Dance Company.
Chad Allen Ortiz
Bio
Chad Allen Ortiz is a dynamic dance leader, educator, and performer originally from Temecula, California. He began his training under his brother, George Ortiz Jr., and launched his professional career in 2014 as an apprentice with Nickerson-Rossi Dance (NRD). Today, Chad serves as the Executive Director and Principal Dancer of Nickerson-Rossi Dance.
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Chad remains deeply engaged in developing dance programs and forging academic partnerships. He currently oversees NRD’s national educational initiatives, including curriculum-based residencies, mentorship programs, and pre-professional training intensives. ​​
Marissa Andresky
Bio
Marissa Andresky, originally from Sunrise, Florida, is currently based in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a Dual Degree. Marissa completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Ballet and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology. She studied abroad in Paris, where she had the privilege of working with international choreographers and choreographing solo work. Marissa was a company member with Tampa City Ballet for two years before moving to California.
Along with dancing with Tampa City Ballet, she had the chance to work with Diavolo, performing in their Veterans Project in Tampa. She teaches ballet and Pilates. She is both excited and humbled to continue working with Nickerson-Rossi Dance Company after having worked with them in the Apprenticeship Program.
Hailee Mitchell
Bio
Hailee Mitchell​ grew up in Southern California and trained in both classical and contemporary ballet for 15 years at Dunamix Dance Project. She competed at ​YAGP​ in 2017 and was a top ​10 semi-finalist for contemporary dance,​ earning her a scholarship to the ​University of North Carolina School of the Arts​ ​Advanced Summer Ballet Program.​ In 2018, Hailee earned a merit scholarship to Alonzo King Lines' Advanced Summer Ballet program, in 2019 to their Pre-professional program, and a scholarship to attend Lines' year-round Training Program. She also earned a merit scholarship to ​the Backhaus​ ​Summer Intensive. In 2020, Hailee performed with the City Ballet of San Diego as a trainee.
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Hailee can be seen in “These Walls” Music Video as a ballet dancer by Artist Jason David Sluter and “Happiness,” an indie film as a classical ballerina directed by Michael Uganda.​ She is currently signed with the San Diego Model and Talent agency and is a model for the 2019 Palm Springs Dance Festival.
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Hailee attended the apprenticeship program with the ​Nickerson-Rossi Dance Company ​and is honored to become a company dancer and Director of the Palm Springs Dance Academy.
Sarah Warren
Bio
Sarah Warren, originally from Maryland, currently resides in Philadelphia, PA where she attended Temple University and obtained her BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography. Upon graduation in 2015, Sarah now performs professionally and teaches at local dance and fitness studios. Sarah has performed work for Keila Cordova Dances, The InterACTion Project, Alana Melene Dances, a. dance theatre, and many other artists in the Philadelphia and NYC areas. She was formerly an apprentice with NYC-based company Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre and currently dances and performs with Nickerson-Rossi Dance (East), Putty Dance Project, Matter Movement Group, and ContempraDANCE Theatre. Along with dance, Sarah is a certified Bar Method instructor currently teaching at the Bar Method Rittenhouse location in Center City Philadelphia.
Corey Levine
Bio
Debuting in Nickerson-Rossi’s 10th anniversary, Corey Levine is a graduate of Towson University’s Dance Performance and Choreography Program. He has had the opportunity to train with Koresh Dance, Gallim Dance, Ray Mercer, and Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance at intensives and master classes. Corey recently had his debut at the Kennedy Center in D.C. with Company E Dance. While in college, he met Nickerson-Rossi Dance at a workshop during his sophomore year. Corey had the opportunity to attend an apprenticeship with Nickerson-Rossi Dance in Palm Springs, California. He was able to secure his dream job with them in a position as a company dancer and educator.
Kaylee Kollins
Bio
A desert native, Kaylee grew up dancing, training under Penny Huffor and Tyrone Baker. Her professional journey started at the age of 12, when she attended the Joffrey Chicago Summer Intensive. Every summer that followed, she spent training with some of the most highly acclaimed ballet schools in the United States. She has been accepted into numerous summer intensives around the world over the years, including Boston Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Houston Ballet, Suzanne Farrell Ballet School, Alvin Ailey School, and Alonzo King Lines Ballet. She attended the following summer intensives: Miami City Ballet, Joffrey Chicago (2 times), American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Chicago, Joffrey San Francisco, Los Angeles Ballet, Hubbard Street, and Backhausdance.
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She then attended California State University, Long Beach, and graduated with a BFA in Dance. After completing her undergraduate studies, she returned to the desert to teach as an educator for Nickerson-Rossi Dance. She is now a company dancer with Nickerson-Rossi Dance.
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She is a current graduate student studying dance at the University of California, Irvine. Alongside her background in dance, Kaylee is also a Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates Certified Instructor.