Lisa Hoyt
Originally from Salt Lake City, Lisa Hoyt began her serious dance training with Christiansen School of Dance where she started performing with the International Folk-Ballet. At the age of twelve Ms. Hoyt started her studing with Ballet West Conservatory. She attended many summer intensives including Pacific Northwest Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre in New York City, Houston Ballet Academy, Suzanne Farrell’s Cedar Islands, Ballet West Conservatory, Ballet West Academy and Repertory Dance Theatre’s programs. Ms. Hoyt completed her grade school ballet training with Ballet West Academy and with the University of Utah Department of Ballet as a concurrent enrollment student. During this time, Ms. Hoyt performed with Ballet West, filling children’s and trainee roles in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Ms. Hoyt was an active dancer and choreographer in her high school dance programs as a member of the drill team, dance company, dance team and the cheer squad. It was while in high school that she founded a successful community dance program for low income students. Honored as the Deseret News Dance Sterling Scholar from her high School, she performed in the 2002 winter Paralympics opening ceremonies as a ballet dancer. She also performed lead roles with Mountain West Ballet and toured China performing with Los Angeles Ballet Ensemble. Ms. Hoyt served as a rehearsal assistant for the children’s roles in Ballet West’s The Nutcracker under Bené Arnold and Jane Wood-Smith.
As a Willam Christensen scholarship recipient, Ms. Hoyt received her BFA in Ballet, with a business minor, from the University of Utah. While working on her undergraduate degree, Lisa performed with Utah Ballet and Character Dance Ensemble at the University of Utah. These performing groups included tours to St. Petersburg, Russia; London, England; Vancouver, BC; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Oregon. At this time she joined Eastern Arts, a classical Middle Eastern performing group that performs throughout the state of Utah and abroad. Through Eastern Arts, she was awarded the Papova award for choreographic excellence. Lisa now serves as co-director of the dance division of Eastern Arts and continues to perform with them around the world.
After graduation Lisa Hoyt danced with Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada. Following her time with NBT, Ms. Hoyt started working toward her MFA in ballet from the University of Utah, graduating in the spring of 2009. During her studies she was honored to hold the position of Ballet Mistress for both Utah Ballet and Character Dance Ensemble. Lisa Hoyt also performed solo roles with the Utah Contemporary Ballet. Ms. Hoyt has taught ballet throughout Utah including at The University of Utah, Wasatch Dance Center, LaRae's Dance Unlimited, Jennifer Hansen’s Premier Ballet Academy, The Academy of Ballet Arts, Artistic Dance and Utah Dance Artists. Ms. Hoyt has taught folk and character dances throughout many Wasatch front communities including Muir Elementary in Bountiful, Utah.
Lisa Hoyt currently enjoys teaching ballet and character dance at Ballet West Academy and Waterford Ballet Academy, as well as assisting Cati Snarr annually with the children’s roles in Ballet West’s The Nutcracker.
