Meet PNB’s 2024 Summer Course Counselors
This summer, PNB School welcomes more than 200 Summer Course students to Seattle and the PNB studios for our annual Summer Course. This talented group of students has an intrepid team taking care of them every step of the way. The leader of that team is Summer Residence Director Dave Jensen, who is celebrating his 30th summer with PNB; you can read all about him in this fun interview. Today on the PNB Blog, meet the rest of the Summer Course counselors Dave’s assembled this year!
Nicole Brown (she/her) – Second Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
The risks and choices my friends make to better their lives inspires me the most. It’s amazing to watch the people I love thrive, and it reminds me I am always capable of doing the same.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
I’m rewatching Psych, it’s a solid comfort show. I’ve also recently gotten into Summer House… I’m a sucker for some good reality tv!
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
The Mariners game! I’m not even a huge baseball fan but I enjoy the energy of an enthusiastic crowd and some good fries. 🍟
Nicole Brown (she/her) received formal training at Ballet Royale Minnesota under Denise and Rick Vogt. She has danced in various professional companies in the Twin Cities, including St. Paul Ballet, Ballet CoLaboratory, Hatch Dance, and Honeyworks. While maintaining her career as a dancer, Nicole has also enjoyed teaching and choreographing for local studios in Minnesota. She is currently wrapping up her second season with Ballet Fantastique in Eugene, Oregon, and looks forward to her second summer as a PNB Residence Counselor.
Patrick Cho (he/him) – 19th Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
Jimmy Carter gave our commencement speech when I was getting my undergrad at Duke, and it came at a time when I still didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. He talked about how we were in a place where we could pursue almost anything, to not forget that the most important things in life, the ones that truly endure, are the things we cannot see: Justice. Service. Truth. Compassion. Love. It inspired me to go into teaching, and it’s stuck with me ever since.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
Red Cat Ramen. It’s an ongoing manga about a bunch of cats that run a ramen restaurant. Food and cats are two of my favorite things, so if a bunch of talking cats ever open up a restaurant in my neighborhood, I’ll be the first in line.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
Even though our winning percentage when the summer course attends is abysmal, I can’t stay away from the Mariners trip. Plus it’s always fun to see the dancers get all hyped when they welcome PNB on the big scoreboard monitor.
Photo from last summer’s Barbie-themed dorm dance. The amazing Barbie box photo booth was cobbled together by the multi-talented Ezra Dickinson.
Patrick Cho (he/him) returns as PNB School’s Assistant Residence Director. He was raised in Federal Way, Washington, after his parents emigrated from Myanmar. Patrick earned his B.A. in Developmental Psychology from Duke University and his M.A. in Teaching from the University of Washington. After taking the 2022-23 school year off to live abroad in Asia, he has now resumed teaching in the Tacoma public school district. This is Patrick’s 19th summer with PNB.
Katie Connell (she/her) – Second Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
The friends that I’ve met in my dance experiences always really inspire me! I’ve also been really inspired by the Olympic athletes and cannot wait to watch them compete.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
I am reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt, watching Bridgerton, and listening to Noah Kahan and Men I Trust.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
My favorite summer course outing is the Seattle Mariners baseball game!
Katie Connell (she/her) began her dance training in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio with the Dayton Ballet School, where she was able to dance alongside Dayton Ballet’s professional company. She attended various summer intensives such as Louisville Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, CPYB, Orlando Ballet School, and Ballet Tucson. In addition to PNB, she has also had the opportunity to serve as a resident assistant at both CPYB and Orlando Ballet School’s summer programs. She graduated from the University of South Carolina’s dance program in 2022 and most recently finished her second season as a dancer with the Central Illinois Ballet. She is looking forward to returning the Residence team at PNB for her second year!
Rebecca “Reba” Cornett (she/her) – Third Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
I get inspired by finding art in places one might not expect to find it. But then I also get inspired from watching other dancers, be they colleagues/friends, from all over the world, or in different genres of dance. I prefer to keep an open mind and heart to inspiration, otherwise everything can get a bit stale.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
Right now, I’m seeing what Bridgerton is all about since season three just came out, but I’m only in season one. Listening-wise, I have Cowboy Carter, The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology, and Sabrina Carpenter on repeat.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
My favorite part of coming to Seattle is how you can be a short walk away from a gorgeous vista of either the city or the Pacific Northwest landscapes/waters at any point. I also love walking through Ballard or down to Pike Place to look out over the water.
Rebecca Cornett (she/her) grew up in Coral Springs, Florida. She started her ballet training with Magda Auñón at Ft. Lauderdale Ballet Classique and Miguel Campanería at the Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut before accepting the opportunity to train at Boston Ballet School and at Pacific Northwest Ballet as a Professional Division student. She is currently a dancer with the St. Louis Ballet and has completed ten seasons with the company and four years as a teacher and coach at St. Louis Ballet School. In St. Louis, she has had the opportunity to perform the title roles in Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella as well as other principal roles and ballets. She is looking forward to coming back to Seattle for her third summer as a Residence Counselor.
Ezra Dickinson (he/him) – 17th Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration in the courageous, the honest, innovators, experimenters, creatives, anyone who prioritizes listening, the fearless, wanderers, the outsiders, those who are doing the work.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
I’m watching baseball games, I’m listening to ALL the music, and I’m reading On Freedom by Maggie Nelson.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
Attending the annual Mariners game is my top outing, despite the very real loss to win ratio we have, you just gotta believe.
Ezra Dickinson (he/him) is an accomplished artist and dancer originally from Washington state. This will be his 17th year working as a PNB Summer Residence Counselor. Ezra trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet for twelve years on a full scholarship, and Cornish College of the Arts, where he earned his B.F.A. in Dance with an emphasis in choreography. Beyond his work in the arts, Ezra is deeply committed to social justice and community engagement. Currently, Ezra is working on “Stories From The Streets,” an interactive walking tour set in Seattle. This GPS-guided tour features interviews with the houseless, augmented reality, sound, performance, and installations. Funding for this new work is being provided by 4Culture. Ezra has created original works in choreography, film, sculpture, activism, murals, paintings, and movement installations that are on display around the world. For more information, visit ezradickinson.com.
Joshua Downard (he/him) – Third Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration from being out in nature. I love climbing mountains and swimming in natural bodies of water. It makes me feel very in touch with the world around me.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
Reading Dune. Watching Queen’s Gambit. Listening to Hozier’s new album.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
The aquarium. I love seeing the otters.
Joshua Downard (he/him) grew up in Sacramento, California. He trained in dance primarily with the Northern California Dance Conservatory. Joshua has also studied at the schools of Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and Ballet Austin. He has spent the last seven seasons working with the Eugene Ballet in Oregon where he has performed roles such as Cavalier in The Nutcracker and Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty. This past season he was honored to perform a pas de deux in Gerald Arpino’s Reflections at The Arpino Centennial Celebration in Chicago. Joshua recently completed an Associate degree with an emphasis in pre-nursing through Lane Community College. He is looking forward to returning for his third summer of being a Residence Counselor.
JonMarie Johnson (she/her) – Third Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
The dancers, counselors, and teachers that have come before me inspire me to be the best version of myself. Dance is a universal language that celebrates human movement, and challenges me to highlight humanism in an ethereal balletic universe.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
Serenade by Toni Bentley was my latest read. Of course, I binge-watched the most recent season of Bridgerton, and have been listening to English singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone after seeing her Chicago concert!
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
As a 2014 summer intensive student, I have vivid memories of attending Ride the Ducks of Seattle. Although this excursion closed, the Lake Union Puget Sound Tour is now my favorite in lieu of driving from land to water to take in the views of the city.
JonMarie Rose Johnson (she/her) spent this last season as a Company Dancer with De La Dance Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. She began her dance training at The Louisville Ballet School, and has attended summer intensives with Louisville Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Nashville Ballet. In 2018 she was accepted into The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and has graduated with her B.F.A. in Dance Summa Cum Laude. She trained with Nashville Ballet in their Professional Training Division and has graduated from the Louisville Ballet Studio Company. JonMarie is also a 2017 alumna of The Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts and was a member of Regional Dance America Southeast for five years. The last two summers she had the opportunity to work for Pacific Northwest Ballet on Residential Staff and was the Head RA for Brenau University the summer prior. JonMarie is thrilled to return to PNB as a third-year Residence Counselor!
Sarah Kosterman Downard (she/her) – Fifth Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
I love taking open classes at PNB while I’m here for the summer! I always leave Seattle feeling inspired and refreshed in my love for ballet. It’s so wonderful to have the opportunity to take classes with all of the different teachers in a style that I’m not used to. Not to mention the amazing pianists and beautiful studios!
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
I love to read! I just finished Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and loved it. My favorite genre is historical fiction, and recently I have really enjoyed books that retell stories of Greek Mythology.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
This is my fifth summer as a residence counselor and the summer is not complete until I walk from the dorms through the beautiful Queen Anne neighborhood to Molly Moon’s Ice Cream and then enjoy it at Kerry Park. While this is not an organized summer course outing I recommend it to all summer residence students!
Sarah Kosterman Downard (she/her) began her ballet training in her hometown of Sacramento, California with Pamela Hayes. She continued her dance studies at Butler University where she had the opportunity to perform principal and soloist roles, as well as tour Eastern Europe with Butler Chamber Dance. She graduated from Butler University in May of 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and a minor in business. In 2016, she joined Eugene Ballet, was promoted to principal in 2022, and will be returning for her ninth season this fall. While at Eugene Ballet, Sarah has had the opportunity to perform many principal roles including Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Wendy in Peter Pan, Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker, a stepsister in Cinderella, Bianca in Taming of the Shrew, and Maria in Penny Saunders’ Ghost Light. Sarah has also been a faculty member with Eugene Ballet Academy since 2019 and loves coaching and teaching students of all ages. Sarah is very excited for her fifth summer as a Residence Counselor with PNB!
Antonio Lopez (they/them) – Fourth Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by my innermost passions and joy to celebrate life, diversity, and the connection that comes from it.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
On my drive to Seattle, I just finished listening to Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon by Dr. Joe Dispenza on Spotify! This pursuit of higher consciousness learning has initiated such a magical unfolding in my life to say the least.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
My favorite Summer course outing is visiting MOPOP to see what special feature film they’re showcasing upstairs every year. My favorite exhibits have been the house from Coraline and the costumes from Black Panther!
Antonio Lopez (they/them) was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and started ballet training at age 14 at Ballet Repertory Theater of NM and New Mexico Ballet Company for three years. Antonio attended various summer intensives such as Joffrey NYC, Walnut Hill, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Alonzo King Lines Ballet all under full scholarship. After Antonio’s two years training at CPYB in 2016, they joined St. Paul Ballet as well as began teaching in and around the Twin Cities. In 2018, Antonio joined Twin Cities Ballet of Minnesota and received their associate degree in Integrated Sciences with a certificate in Public Health and Safety from Central New Mexico Community College. In 2020, Antonio joined Eugene Ballet and is looking forward to their 5th season as a company artist. Some of Antonio’s favorite featured roles with the company include Penny Saunder’s Ghost Light; Nicole Haskin’s Illuminations; Val Caniparoli’s Triptych; and Nicolo Fonte’s Choros. Antonio is delighted to join us for their fourth summer as a PNB Residence Counselor
Siobhan Nickell (she/her) – Second Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired a lot by my coworkers at PNB – especially those who I dance with at Eugene Ballet during the season!
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
Right now I’m reading Daisy Jones and the Six, I’ve been watching the Olympic Trials, and I am listening to a lot of Chappell Roan this summer!
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
My favorite PNB summer outing is the PNB Summer Film Festival!
Siobhan Nickell (she/her) began her training in a small recreational ballet school in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio. From there she transitioned through several schools including Dayton Ballet, The Washington School of Ballet, and finally to Cincinnati Ballet where she was a trainee for three seasons. After years of training in various trainee programs as well as attending many different summer intensives, including The Rock School for Dance Education, Washington Ballet, and Cincinnati Ballet, she is very excited to have finished her second season with Eugene Ballet as well as joining PNB for her second summer as a Residence Counselor!
Gabrielle Savka (she/her) – Second Summer with PNB
Who or what inspires you?
My parents continue to be the biggest inspiration in my life. Their endless support encourages me to be the best version of myself.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
I am currently reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I just finished watching the new season of Bridgerton, and I have been listening to “Please, Please, Please” by Sabrina Carpenter on repeat.
What’s your favorite Summer Course outing?
Last year I really enjoyed visiting the Museum of Pop Culture. While I am not the biggest Coraline fan, I have to admit seeing the behind the scenes of the claymation process in the Laika exhibit was very captivating.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Savka (she/her) grew up in Mansfield, Ohio and began her dance training in Ashland, Ohio. She has attended summer intensives at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, BalletMet, and Louisville Ballet. In December 2022 she graduated from The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Summa Cum Laude with her BFA in Ballet. She is currently a dancer with Louisville Ballet’s Studio Company. She is very excited to be returning to PNB for her second summer as a Residence Counselor.
