The Huntington Dance Theatre
Student Ballet Company
Members of The Huntington Dance Theatre’s Student Ballet Company and the Apprentices to the Company participate by invitation only and keep up a rigorous class and rehearsal schedule. These students work hard to balance their academic, athletic, and dance schedules throughout the school year.
All company members are required to take three ballet classes per week, including two en pointe, as well as three additional classes to study other dance disciplines such as musical theatre and jazz. Classes are held throughout the week with additional rehearsals held on Sunday afternoons.
Company members are eligible for lead roles in the Huntington Nutcracker and Spring Concert, the studying of classical ballet variations under the direction of our assistant artistic director, and the chance to participate in our company WV Dance Festival adjudicated piece each spring.
Riley Pennington
Company
Riley Pennington is a sixteen year old sophomore at St. Joseph Central Catholic High School. She dreams of one day attending Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. She enjoys drawing, crafting, adventuring, and shopping! She has danced at Huntington Dance Theatre since she was six years old and is forever thankful that God led her back to her HDT home.
Annie Piaskowski
Company
Annie Piaskowski is a 17 year old junior who attends the Tri State STEM+M Early College High School. She has been dancing for 9 years and has danced styles including ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, and musical theater.
Molly Weimer
Company
Molly Weimer in in 9th grade and has been dancing with HDT since the age of four. She loves helping with the Creative Movement classes and is excited to have been promoted to HDT’s Company this year.
Matti White
Company
Matti White is a fifteen year old sophomore at Huntington High School. She shares her love of dance with her sisters, and looks forward to continuing her studies as a member of the company this year!
Maggie Holton
Apprentice
Maggie began ballet at 6 years old while still being treated for stage 4 Neuroblastoma High Risk. Now almost 13, she enjoys tap, musical theater, jazz, acting, hip hop and ballet. Her favorite is dancing en pointe. Maggie has performed in many roles in HDT’s Nutcracker, but her favorite role to date was Clara in 2021. Most recently, Maggie won first place in the Barboursville Middle School talent show dancing the Bluebird variation from the Sleeping Beauty Ballet en pointe. In the summer of 2023, she was promoted to an apprentice in the Huntington Dance Theater Company. Maggie is now a nine year cancer survivor and is doing what she loves most, DANCE!