Madison Keesler began her dance training at the age of six with Nancy Derby Dance Arts in Colorado Springs, Colorado learning musical theater, jazz, tap, and ballet.  By eight she focused her studies on ballet at the International Ballet School in Colorado.  She trained for the next two years with German Zamuel, Valentina Moukhanova, and Mark and Sandra Carlson.  

At the age of ten Madison moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania so that she could train at the renowned Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the tutelage of Marcia Dale Weary.  While with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet she worked with a number of teachers including Laszlo Berdo, Leslie Hench, Alan Hineline, Darla Hoover, Melinda Howe, and of course Marcia Dale Weary.

Madison was CPYB's Princess Grace Award Nominee in 2007 and a National RDA Festival Scholarship recipient.  She was presented the Prestige Scholarship Award by Pointe Magazine in 2006 and was a gold medalist at the US National Youth Ballet Competition in 2004.  Madison received the Outstanding Artistry Award from Russian Pointe and the Future Star Award from Dance Spirit Magazine.  At the age of 10 she was a top 12 finalist in the New York City Finals of the Youth America Grand Prix.

Madison spent three summers studying with the San Francisco Ballet School.  She had also been privileged to spend part of two summers studying with Ethan Stiefel in Martha's Vineyard where she performed select roles in the Stiefel and Stars benefit performances.  Other summer programs include Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C., Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Miami City Ballet School.

After finishing her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet she received a full scholarship to train with the San Francisco Ballet School.  During her final student showcase she was considered “the irrepressible star here, moving with easy graciousness” by the San Francisco Gate.  After her final, and successful year of training she chose to start her professional career at 17 with John Neumeier’s company The Hamburg Ballet in Germany.  A year later she came back to San Francisco Ballet as a corps de ballet member.  

Today Madison continues her professional career with San Francisco Ballet, and will be joining them for her fifth year as a professional dancer.  During her short career Madison has already learned principal roles such as “Juliet” in Romeo and Juliet, and the “Princess” in The Little Mermaid, and hopes to perform such roles in the near future.  Her professional performing repertoire is vast and includes corps and soloist roles in full length productions such as Coppelia, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet , Swan Lake, and The Little Mermaid; in Balanchine works such as Serenade, Theme and Variations, and Symphony in C; as well as more modern works including Helgi Tomasson’s "Haffner" Symphony and Trio, Yuri Possokhov’s Classical Symphony, and many of John Neumeier’s works including The Little Mermaid, Nijinsky, Lady of the Camellias, Le Sacre, and The Seagull.

Resume:

Madison Keesler

Summary of Experience

Madison is currently in her fourth season with San Francisco Ballet, and comes to them after a year with John Neumeier's Hamburg Ballet. Madison has already learned principal roles such as “Juliet” in Romeo and Juliet, and the “Princess” in John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid.  Her professional performing repertoire is vast and includes principal, soloist and corps roles in full-length productions such as Coppelia, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, and The Little Mermaid; and in Balanchine works such as Serenade, Theme and Variations, and Symphony in C; as well as more modern works including Helgi Tomasson’s "Haffner" Symphony and Trio, Yuri Possokhov’s Classical Symphony, and many of John Neumeier’s works including Nijinsky, Lady of the Camellias, Le Sacre, Othello and The Seagull.

Classical Training

Coaching by Magaly Suarez                                                                          2009 - Present

San Francisco Ballet School, full scholarship recipient                            2007 - 2008

Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Marcia Dale Weary                          2001 - 2007

International Ballet School, German Zamuel                                             1998 – 2001

Guesting and Gala Performances

NBA Ballet Company

Coppelia: Swanilda (2012)

Florida Classical Ballet

Le Corsaire - Gulnare in Pas de E’sclave (2012)

Swan Lake - Pas de Trois (2012)

Spring Waters (2011)

Stars of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Gala

Ibsen Suite by Val Caniparoli (2011)

Stiefel and Stars

Chosen by Ethan Stiefel and Yuri Fateev to perform the lead in Fairy Doll (2007)

San Francisco Ballet

Featured Roles:

Understudy of "Juliet" in Helgi Tomasson's Romeo and Juliet

Understudy of "The Princess" in John Neumeier's The Little Mermaid;

Pas de Cinq - Giselle

Russian - Swan Lake

Acrobat - Romeo and Juliet

Doll - The Nutcracker

Demi-Soloist - Theme and Variations

Demi-Soloist - Symphony in C.

Roles In:

John Neumeier

The Little Mermaid

John Cranko

Onegin

Rudolf Nureyev

excerpts from Raymonda Act III

Jerome Robbins

Opus 19/The Dreamer

Glass Pieces

Yuri Possokhov

Classical Symphony

Helgi Tomasson

Romeo and Juliet

Giselle

Swan Lake

Don Quixote

Trio

Haffner Symphony

Alexei Ratmansky

Le Carnaval des Animaux

Christopher Wheeldon

Number Nine

George Balanchine

Serenade

Stravinsky

Theme and Variations

Symphony in C

Coppélia

Scotch Symphony

Divertimento No. 15

The Four Termperaments

The Hamburg Ballet

John Neumeier

 Understudy of “Chloe” in Daphnis and Chloe

Le Sacre

Othello

The Little Mermaid

The Nutcracker

The Seagull

Nijinksy

Lady of Camellias

Pierre Lacotte

La Sylphide

Vaslaw Nijinsky

Le Sacre du Printemps

Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet

Marius Petipa

La Bayadere in excerpts as Nikia and Shades soloist

The Sleeping Beauty as Aurora, Woodland Fairy, and Sapphire Jewel

George Balanchine

The Nutcracker: Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop, Arabian, Doll, Snow, Flowers

Stars and Stripes: Principal Role

Walpurgisnacht: Principal Role

Divertimento No. 15: Soloist and corps

Who Cares?: Soloist and corps

Serenade: Soloist and corps

Raymonda Variations: Soloist and corps

Awards

Princess Grace Foundation Award Nominee

National Festival (RDA) Scholarship Recipient

Prestige Scholarship Award, Pointe Magazine

Gold Medalist, US National Youth Ballet Competition

Outstanding Artistry Award, Russian Pointe

Future Star Award, Dance Spirit Magazine

Youth America Grand Prix, Top 12 Finalist, NYC