With the intimacy of a singer-songwriter, and the gumption of a brass band, Darling & Debonair stun crowds with their heartfelt songs and bold performances. Thom Darling and Claire Debonair have been singing their hearts out together for over 15 years. Growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah—before glamping and iPhones—the two shared a deep passion for Soul and R&B from the 50s on which is reflected in their songwriting and delivery. With “Just Us Two” the pair take center stage delivering powerful vocal harmonies paired with earnest compositions written by both Thom and Claire. The two have performed at various venues in and around Salt Lake City since 2007 in different acts. In 2020, the two formed Darling & Debonair and let their songs take center stage, keeping the arrangement as simple as possible. Performing as a duet, one acoustic guitar and two vocalists, the pair captivates listeners. At its core, our music promotes a message of self-acceptance, forgiveness, and love. The pandemic allowed for unique performance opportunities, often taking us into our fans' homes and backyards. In those settings it was easy to see the healing, comfort, and connection that our music provides.

Darling & Debonair released their debut album as a duet in late April 2022.

has directed Westminster Dance Company for two years and with the help of the wonderful staff and community directed Glint and One-Shot. Carly completed her M.F.A. at the University of Utah in Modern Dance with Screendance Certification and a B.F.A. in Theatre and Dance from the University of Wyoming. Currently she works as an adjunct faculty member at Westminster College, and Salt Lake Community College and is on faculty at Wasatch Arts Center in addition to teaching Dance for Parkinson’s for Grey Matters for the University of Utah Skagg’s Wellness Center.

Before attending graduate school, Carly danced, choreographed and served as the Education Coordinator at Northern Plains Dance in Bismarck, ND which led her all over the state performing and guest teaching with North Dakota Ballet and Red River Dance and choreographing numerous musicals for Sleepy Hollow Summer Theatre, Bismarck State College and area high schools.

She more recently choreographed and directed for DEXO, Snow College, Cache Valley Civic Ballet, Northern Plains Dance, North Dakota Ballet, Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative, and spent a summer teaching for ArchesSports in Chengdu, China, and also directs Dance Balletti, a Renaissance and Baroque ballet reconstruction ensemble.

She is proud to serve on the board of directors for Deseret Experimental Opera (DEXO) and Lyrical Opera Theater of Utah. In her spare time she loves hiking, caring for her menagerie of animals, and following cats on Instagram.

is from Fincastle, VA, where she trained with the Southwest Virginia Ballet, a non-profit company for pre-professional dancers. She attended summer programs at the Washington School of Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. She graduated from the University of Utah with a BFA in Ballet and BS in Strategic Communications. Pursuing her performance career, she danced with the Kentucky Ballet Theatre, Municipal Ballet, and now with Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative. She works in the event industry as a producer with WEBB and spends any free time outdoors with her husband and pup!

grew up in Boulder, CO dancing with Boulder Ballet. She attended the University of Utah and graduated in 2018 with degrees in Ballet and Environmental and Sustainability Studies. She is currently working for the International Rescue Committee, a refugee resettlement organization, coordinating their community garden program and food security efforts for refugees and new Americans. Along with dancing in her free time, she loves to travel, read, knit, ski, bike, and spend time outdoors hiking and camping with her fiancée and dog.

grew up in West Valley, Utah in a family of three dancing sisters thanks to a generous dance scholarship that made it possible. She trained at Bountiful School of Ballet, danced with Mountain West Ballet all through high school, earned her BFA in Ballet and Teaching and then a Masters in Business Creation from the University of Utah. In 2017 she founded Rise Up School of Dance, a nonprofit focused on teaching with a human first, dancer second philosophy and giving kids of all socioeconomic statuses opportunities to train in dance. Alyssa loves teaching dance, complicated baking projects, playing with her border collies and camping/rock climbing with her husband, Brian. She is so grateful for the chance to perform with SLBC and couldn't love her fellow dancers more!

grew up in Boise, Idaho and came to Utah to complete her BFA in Ballet at Utah Valley University. Since graduating she has enjoyed teaching ballet in the area and dancing with Municipal Ballet Company. She also loves coffee and is a barista at La Barba Coffee. In her free time you can find her out in the mountains hiking, camping, and spending time with her husband, Brandon and their two kittens! She is excited to continue dancing with Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative and be a part of their first season!

Photo credit: @cprowephoto

grew up in Poulsbo, WA, a small town outside of Seattle, but has lived in Salt Lake for the past 12 years. She grew up dancing at Liberty Bay Danceworks, a small local studio, and participated in all forms of dance. Around age 10 she decided to focus on ballet, and her passion and love for the art form only grew from there. Stacie graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Ballet and Exercise and Sports Science in 2014. She has been married to her husband, David, for just shy of 10 years and they have 4 children: Liam, Kayden, Avery, and Riley. When she is not at home working as a full time mom, she can be found teaching ballet, reading, hiking, and taking the occasional ballet class with SLBC.

Originally from Boise, Idaho, Michaela moved to SLC to attend the University of Utah where she graduated with a BFA in Ballet as well as a BS in Psychology. Since graduation, Michaela danced locally with Municipal Ballet Co prior to joining SLBC. She has also explored her interest in early childhood development as a behavior technician and early childhood classroom teacher. Michaela is thrilled to join SLBC for its inaugural season and hopes to have the ability to continue dancing and collaborating with the many talented artists involved in bringing this concept to fruition.Scrabble.

Photo credit: @laurenwatt_photo

started her dance training in Michigan and moved to SLC to attend the University of Utah’s Ballet Department. She completed her BFA in ballet while dancing professionally with Oregon Ballet Theatre and continued her career at United Ballet Theatre. Emily recently returned to Utah where she completed her BS in kinesiology and joined SLBC. In her free time, Emily enjoys hiking, traveling, and a challenging game of Scrabble. Come see Emily dance with us September 23rd and 24th! Photo credit: @laurenwatt_photo

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Karina danced with State Street Ballet's school Gustafson Dance. She then moved to Utah to study at the University of Utah's Ballet Department and the Engineering School. In 2017, Karina danced with Dissonance Dance Theater in Washington D.C. for two seasons. Now, she works for BioFire Diagnostics as a Software Test Engineer and dances in her free time!

received her dance training from Deane Dance Center and Capitol Ballet Center in Sacramento, CA. She also attended summer programs at Walnut Hill, Kaatsbaan, and Ballet West before attending the University of Utah. Julianna received a BFA in Ballet and a BS in Physics Teaching from the U. She taught physics for 3 years and has also worked at an escape room. Some of Julianna’s favorite roles and shows have been Aurora and the Sugar Plum Fairy (MWB), Balanchine’s Serenade (UofU), and An American in Paris and Phantom (Hale Center Theatre). Julianna is excited to return to the stage this year after becoming a mother. In her spare time, Julianna enjoys reading, gaming with her husband, Kyle, and playing with her son.

received a BFA in ballet and modern dance from The Boston Conservatory. Her performance in Anna Sokolow’s Magritte Magritte was lauded in the Boston Herald as a solo that provided “a deep command of Sokolow’s highly expressive lyrical style.” In 2012 she completed her MFA in teaching and choreography from the University of Utah’s department of Ballet where she was awarded a teaching assistantship to teach ballet and modern classes to undergraduate dance majors. She currently enjoys being a mother as well as choreographing and teaching. This is her 8th year as an adjunct professor in the Musical Theater Department at the University of Utah.

Ashley trained at Hawkins under Deirdre Hawkins and Erin Hogan. She has danced with James Sewell Ballet, Akram Khan x MN Opera, NIJAD, Cannes Dance Festival, NU.TOPIA, HATCH: Danceworks, RDT, SACDT, and Lexus Japan. Ashley is an International Ballet Assistant, University of Utah Associate Instructor, and DanceMN Committee Member. We are thrilled to have Ashley back in Utah and to have her working with us!

Photo credit: @bill.cameronion

is an Adjunct Associate Professor for the University of Utah School of Dance, where she teaches Character Dance, Ballet, Pointe, and Music courses, and contributes to a variety of productions as a choreographer. She received her MFA and BFA degrees from the University of Utah, during which she established collaborative projects between the Ballet Program and School of Music. In addition to teaching and performing with a variety of arts programs in Connecticut, Texas, Utah, and Washington, Justine has also toured nationally and internationally with Character Dance Ensemble and Eastern Arts as a dancer, researcher, and choreographer, and continues to be involved with these organizations. Justine is a violinist in the Wasatch Symphony, where she also serves on the board of directors.

graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She toured and performed with the BYU Theatre Ballet Company and has worked extensively with many professional artists including Duncan Cooper (SF Ballet), John Corsa (Parsons Dance), and Summer Rattigan (SFCD). She was a finalist in Utah Regional Ballet’s Choreography Design

Project, at the Red Rock Dance Festival and at the SALT Choreography festival. She has choreographed recently on the Myriad Dance Company and is delighted to choreograph for the second time on Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative. She has performed with the Lyric Opera Ensemble, Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company, Body Logic Dance Company, Municipal Ballet, and Myriad Dance. She has taught ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, and tap for over ten years at various studios and programs and is certified in ABT’s National Teaching Curriculum for levels Pre-Primary- Level 3. She has taught at the University of Utah Tanner Dance program since 2015.

grew up dancing in Napa Valley CA, where she trained at an RAD school until high school. She then attended Walnut Hill School for the Arts and Marin Ballet. During the summers Olivia attended intensives at ABT, American Repertory Ballet, Kaatsbaan, Ballet Austin, State Street Ballet and City Ballet of San Diego. She has a BFA in Ballet and Minor in Business from the University of Utah, as well as an Associates Degree in Fashion Design. Since graduating Olivia has been a dancer and choreographer with Municipal Ballet Co. for 6 years and has grown her fashion and costume design business, Olly Designs. During the day you can find her on the U of U campus. For the last 3 years as a draper/designer for the School of Dance and very recently she has moved to Tanner Dance to Co-Direct their costume shop. Olivia is thrilled to be part of SLBC’s first season and to be working with such a fun and dedicated group of people.

photo credit @cprowephoto

has directed Westminster Dance Company for two years and with the help of the wonderful staff and community directed Glint and One-Shot. Carly completed her M.F.A. at the University of Utah in Modern Dance with Screendance Certification and a B.F.A. in Theatre and Dance from the University of Wyoming. Currently she works as an adjunct faculty member at Westminster College, and Salt Lake Community College and is on faculty at Wasatch Arts Center in addition to teaching Dance for Parkinson’s for Grey Matters for the University of Utah Skagg’s Wellness Center.

Before attending graduate school, Carly danced, choreographed and served as the Education Coordinator at Northern Plains Dance in Bismarck, ND which led her all over the state performing and guest teaching with North Dakota Ballet and Red River Dance and choreographing numerous musicals for Sleepy Hollow Summer Theatre, Bismarck State College and area high schools.

She more recently choreographed and directed for DEXO, Snow College, Cache Valley Civic Ballet, Northern Plains Dance, North Dakota Ballet, Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative, and spent a summer teaching for ArchesSports in Chengdu, China, and also directs Dance Balletti, a Renaissance and Baroque ballet reconstruction ensemble.

She is proud to serve on the board of directors for Deseret Experimental Opera (DEXO) and Lyrical Opera Theater of Utah. In her spare time she loves hiking, caring for her menagerie of animals, and following cats on Instagram.