Rebecca

Conservatory Ballet Director - Ballet - Pointe

Rebecca Christensen has been a ballet dancer for 30 years and teaching ballet for over a decade in Las Vegas and Utah. As a Principal Ballerina with the Nevada Ballet Theatre her repertoire includes leading roles in ballets and works by famed choreographers such as George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Frederick Ashton, Agnes de Mille, Val Caniparoli, and James Canfield. She has studied and trained in the Vaganova and Cecchetti methods of ballet. Rebecca has danced and performed works in Contemporary, Modern, African, Tap and even Hip Hop.

Rebecca is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and is a certified Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® Trainer specializing in dance conditioning and rehabilitation. Rebecca is married to a fellow dancer Dr. Jared Christensen DPT, they have two beautiful children Annalise and Luke.

Rebecca Christensen always knew that she wanted to be a dancer. Her mother put her in a ballet tap combo class when she was a little girl and she immediately fell in love with ballet. It has been a love affair ever since. Her early training at the Northern Virginia Dance Academy provided her with a wonderful foundation of technique that has stayed with her and now passes on to her students. At fifteen her family relocated to Las Vegas where she joined the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre. She had the opportunity to perform in Nevada Ballet Theatre’s annual Nutcracker in the children’s cast. This was Rebecca’s first exposure to a ballet company and after seeing the spectacle of the stage she knew that this is what she wanted to do with her life.

She was offered a contract with the Nevada Ballet Theatre right out of high school and quickly rose through the ranks of the company. As a Principal Ballerina with the company her repertoire includes leading roles in ballets and works by famed choreographers such as George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Frederick Ashton, Agnes de Mille, Val Caniparoli, and James Canfield. Some of her favorite roles include Giselle, “Arabian” from the Nutcracker and dancing in Lambarena. She has performed in some of the country's most respected concert halls including The Kennedy Center and Constitution Hall. During her time in Las Vegas she was frequently called upon to perform for special events with MGM and Wynn Resorts.

She began training in the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® as a professional dancer and immediately fell in love with this system and how it made her feel. She became a certified GYROTONIC® trainer in 2013. Her personal practice then expanded to becoming certified in the GYROKINESIS® method in 2016. Rebecca has since trained and certified on the GYROTONER®, Jumping-Stretching Board, and Leg Extension Unit. She is also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique.

Rebecca has been teaching ballet and pointe technique for studios across the Wasatch front since 2011 and has loved watching her students grow and move on to professional dance careers and other educational pursuits. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with her clients and students. She is currently the Conservatory Ballet Director at UDA.