Biographies

Adam Schnell (Artistic Director/CEO) was born in Northwestern Vermont and began his dance training with Manon Pellman, Judith Karstens, and Shelly Ishmail (former members of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens). He graduated from Walnut Hill School for the Arts as a ballet major in 1999. At Walnut Hill he was trained by Samuel Kurkjian, Michael Owen, Tamara King, and Diane Arvanites. As a professional dancer he has performed with the Channel Islands Ballet, Omaha Theater Ballet, Sarasota Ballet of Florida, and Nevada Ballet Theater. He has performed as a guest artist with Southhold Dance Theater, Lone Star Ballet, and with the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo. In addition to soloist and principal roles in a large amount of the classical repertoire, he has performed in Neo-Classical and Contemporary works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Peter Anastos, Yves De Boutellier, Paul Vasterling, and Robert North. His dance and theater choreography has been seen all over the United States and he has served as resident choreographer for both the Omaha Theater Ballet and Sarasota Ballet of Florida. In 2009 he completed his BA from Empire State College with a double major in Arts Management and Dance Education. In 2014 he received his MS degree in Arts Administration from Drexel University. He has been teaching in the disciplines of both dance and theater for two decades and is a sought after master teacher throughout the country. Since moving to Vero Beach in the fall of 2009, he has served as director of dance education for Riverside Theatre. In December 2010 his “The Nutcracker: In Swingtime!” premiered to sold out audiences and critical acclaim. In its seven year run, the production became a beloved holiday tradition. In 2012, he introduced The Riverside Dance Festival, a program designed to pair the working dance artists of today with the aspiring dancers of tomorrow. Mr. Schnell is the Founding Artistic Director of Ballet Vero Beach. Vero’s first, and the region’s only, professional ballet company. He has choreographed more than one third of the company's repertoire including the much lauded Nutcracker on the Indian River.

Camilo A. Rodriguez (Ballet Master) was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He began his ballet training at Ballets de San Juan and Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico. He continued his training on full scholarship in New York City at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School. As a professional dancer he has appeared with the Eglevsky Ballet, Virginia Ballet Theatre, and danced several seasons in Mark Morris’s version of The Nutcracker: The Hard Nut. Mr. Rodriguez also toured internationally with Ballets Grandiva and the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. In these all male comedy ballet troupes, Mr. Rodriguez excelled in parody of not only contemporary masterworks but also the great Imperial and Romantic Ballets of the last two centuries. His many triumphs include a command performance at “The Royal Variety Show” in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Charles. Mr. Rodriguez excels in the teaching of Ballet and Modern technique and is also a well respected certified Pilates Instructor. Mr. Rodriguez also serves as ballet master for Ballet Vero Beach. His performances with the company have earned widespread critical acclaim, and his choreographic achievements have helped shape Ballet Vero Beach's artistic identity while pushing the art of dance forward.

Katherine Eppink is a graduate of the University of Utah where she earned a B.F.A. from the department of ballet. Katherine began her classical ballet training in Des Moines at Iowa Dance Theatre. She also danced on scholarship as a member of Utah Ballet, the resident performing company of University of Utah, where she performed lead roles in Serenade, Coppélia, Swan Lake, Ruslan and Ludmila, and The Nutcracker. With Ballet Vero Beach, Ms. Eppink has been featured in works by Samuel Kurkjian, Adam Schnell, Ariel Grossman, and Camilo A. Rodriguez. Additionally, Katherine originated the role of The Sugar Plum Seller/Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker on the Indian River and Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Princess.

Alyssa Donley is from Fort Smith, Arkansas and trained with Western Arkansas Ballet. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with a B.F.A in Ballet Performance. She has toured with Oklahoma Festival Ballet to Eisenstadt, Austria and with Burklyn Ballet Theatre to Edinburgh, Scotland. Bringing nearly a decade of professional dance experience to the stage, her repertoire includes works by Mariana Oliviera, Frank Chaves, Ann Reinking, and Matthew Lovegood. With Ballet Vero Beach she has been featured in works by Samuel Kurkjian, Ariel Grossman, Camilo A. Rodriguez, and Adam Schnell.

Matthew Lovegood began his training in Pennsylvania with Sharon Filone at the Lake Erie Ballet School and Sandra Barnett at Little’s Dance Studio. He went on to study on full scholarship at North Carolina School of the Arts, Miami City Ballet School, and the Chautauqua Festival Dancers. Mr. Lovegood has danced professionally with Ohio Ballet, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Lake Erie Ballet, and Omaha Theater Ballet. He has also performed as a Guest Artist with Hawaii Ballet Theatre, Neglia Ballet Artists, and Ballet Tucson. Vero Beach audiences have fallen in love with his precise and energetic dancing, including his nuanced interpretation of Uncle Drosselmeyer/Mother Mangrove in Nutcracker on the Indian River and Catalabutte in The Sleeping Princess. As a choreographer, Mr. Lovegood has premiered works with numerous schools and professional companies. Ballet Vero Beach is thrilled to have Mr. Lovegood’s works in our permanent repertory.

Anders Southerland is from Seattle, Washington. His ballet training began as the result of a public school outreach class and was recruited into the prestigious school at Pacific Northwest Ballet. Prior to joining Ballet Vero Beach he was a member of Houston Ballet II and Milwaukee Ballet II. Audiences have been thrilled by Mr. Southerland’s performances in works by Camilo A. Rodriguez, Adam Schnell, Matthew Lovegood, and Samuel Kurkjian. Anders also originated the role of “The Nut Seller/Nutcracker” in Nutcracker on the Indian River and Prince Desire in The Sleeping Princess.

Lindsey Kader was born and raised in Omaha, NE. She trained at the Motion 41 Dance, Omaha Academy of Ballet, and Dedication Dance Co. She has performed as a member of American Midwest Ballet Junior Company dancing Effie in La Sylphide and featured roles in pieces by Cameron Miller and Matthew Lovegood. She has also performed as part of the Omaha Dance Project, performing works by Isaac Sharratt and Stephanie Huettner.

Abriella Mauldin was born in North Carolina and grew up in Satellite Beach, FL. She began dancing at the age of 4 and received much of her training at Dance Arts Centre where she studied with Soozi Childers, Sarah Balda, Amanda Manis, and Marty Mercado. As a student, she has performed with the Space Coast Ballet Company, Open World Dance Foundation, and Joseph Gatti (United Ballet Theatre). Vero audiences will remember as a standout participant in several Riverside Dance Festival productions. She is a recent graduate of West Shore Jr./Sr. High School where she received a Diploma of Distinction. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree from Eastern Florida State College.