Chelsea Keefer
Ballet West Academy/University of Utah Trainee: 2010
Joined Ballet West: 2014
Promoted to Demi Soloist: 2017
Promoted to Soloist: 2018
Promoted to First Soloist: 2022
Chelsea Keefer is from Huntsville, Utah. She became a Ballet West Academy/University of Utah Trainee in 2010, joined Ballet West in 2014, and was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2017, to Soloist in 2018, and to First Soloist in 2022. Chelsea began dancing professionally with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and later joined The Tulsa Ballet. With Ballet West, Chelsea has danced the leading roles of Olga in Cranko’s Onegin, Kylián’s Overgrown Path, Pas de trois in Sklute’s Swan Lake, and Kate from Bintley’s Shakespeare Suite. Chelsea has received a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and a 200-hour Yoga Certification from Kripalu. She is currently a host for The Chelsea Keefer Podcast and is also providing mentorship, life coaching, and workshops for dancers who struggle with anxiety through the process of meditation, life skills, daily tools, and yoga. Wellness is a prominent word within her vocabulary, whether it is physical or mental. Chelsea believes providing a balanced approach with the correct tools will help facilitate a well self-disciplined ballet dancer and it is key to living a healthy life within this career.
Follow Chelsea on Instagram @keefer_chels.
Click below to see Chelsea’s roles.
2022-23 Season
- Onegin (Cranko) Olga
- Return to a Strange Land (Kylián)
- Rodeo (DeMille) Cowgirl
ON TOUR
- Orange (Nunes) – Ballet West in the Garden, Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Galantheae (LaPlane) – Ballet West in the Garden, Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, Utah
2021-22 Season
- Dracula (Stevenson) Svetlana, Bride
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Doll, Snow Queen, Arabian, Mirlitons, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum Fairy
- Romeo + Juliet (Smuin) Montague Harlot, Street Dancer
- Glass Pieces (Robbins) “Rubric”
- Carmina Burana (Fonte)
- Galantheae (LaPlane) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
ON TOUR
- The Solo Year (Neenan) – Ballet West in the Garden, Red Butte Garden Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Romeo + Juliet (Smuin) Montague Harlot – George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center, Park City, Utah
2020-21 Season
- Tides (Archibald)
- Faraway Close (Fonte)
- Precious Gems
- Precious Jewels Variations from Aladdin (Robinson Harris and Dolkas)
- Tarantella (Balanchine)
- The Solo Year (Neenan) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
ON TOUR
- The Solo Year (Neenan) – George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center, Park City, Utah
2019-20 Season
- Le Chant Du Rossingnol (Balanchine) Court Lady
- Apollo (Balanchine) Polyhymnia
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Grandmother, Doll, Snow Queen, Spanish, Mirlitons, Sugar Plum Fairy
- Giselle (Sklute, after Coralli and Perrot) Peasant Pas de Quatre, Giselle’s Friend, Moyne
ON TOUR
- Giselle (Sklute, after Coralli and Perrot) Peasant Pas de Quatre –The Soraya, Los Angeles, California
2018-19 Season
- Jewels (Balanchine) Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Doll, Spanish, Mirlitons
- Swan Lake (Sklute, after Petipa and Ivanov) Young Friends, Cygnettes, Spanish Princess, Italian Princess Escort
- Onegin (Cranko) Olga
- Hidden Voices (Addison) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
- Constant Light (Liang) Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
ON TOUR
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Doll, Spanish – Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
- Summerspace (Cunningham) – Joyce Theater, New York City, New York
2017-18 Season
- Carmina Burana (Fonte)
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Maid, Doll, Spanish, Mirlitons
- Cinderella (Ashton) The Stars, The Fairy Autumn
- Summerspace (Cunningham)
- The Shakespeare Suite (Bintley)
- Jabula (Weir) National Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
- Sweet and Bitter (Guzmán) National Choreographic Festival (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
ON TOUR
- Dances for Lou (Caniparoli) – Joyce Theater, New York City, New York
- Fox on the Doorstep (Fonte) – Joyce Theater, New York City, New York
- Sweet and Bitter (Guzmán) – Joyce Theater, New York City, New York
2016-17 Season
- Madame Butterfly (Welch) Geisha, Maid
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Maid, Doll, Spanish, Mirlitons
- The Sleeping Beauty (Sklute, after Petipa) Lilac Fairy Attendant, Spite, Silver, Fairy of Temperament
- Chaconne (Balanchine)
- Facades (Smith)
- Fox on the Doorstep (Fonte) National Choreographic Festival (George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City)
- Tremor (Oguma) National Choreographic Festival (George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City)
- Dances for Lou (Caniparoli) National Choreographic Festival (George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City)
2015-16 Season
- Overgrown Path (Kylián) “Our Evenings,” “A Blown-Away Leaf,” “They Chattered Like Swallows,” “Unutterable Anguish”
- Symphony in C (Balanchine) Second Movement, Fourth Movement
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) Maid, Spanish, Mirlitons
- Romeo and Juliet (Cranko) Carnival Dancer
- The Rite of Spring (Fonte)
- In Memoriam (Ruud) (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
- Fragments of Simplicity (Oguma) (Rose Wagner Theater, Salt Lake City)
2014-15 Season
- Giselle (Sklute after Perrot and Coralli) Peasant Woman, Wilis, Giselle’s Friend
- The Nutcracker (Christensen)
- Swan Lake (Sklute, after Petipa) Cygnette, Polish Princess, Swan Maiden, Young Girl
ON TOUR
- The Nutcracker (Christensen) – Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
Photos by Beau Pearson