Biographies

Thomas Gant, Jr. - Ballet Regissuer of A Christmas Carol
Thomas is a graduate of the Southern New Jersey Academy of the Performing Arts, under the direction of David Kloss.  Mr. Gant received a full scholarship to attend the Joffrey Ballet Trainee Program.  In addition to his training there, he has studied under Ronen Koresh and Melissa Rector of the Koresh Dance Company, Delphine Del Bello, Althea Leslie, Ann Moser, Winthrop Corey and David Howard to name a few.  Thomas currently enjoys a hefty schedule as a freelance artist dancing, teaching and choreographing.  He dances with Opus One Contemporary Dance Company and Brandywine Ballet Company.  Thomas has been appointed regisseur of David Kloss’s repertoire for Dance Del Bello.  In 2002 he was the first ever recipient of the National Dance Organization’s Governor’s Award in Artistic Excellence and Leadership in the Field of Dance. Kathleen Betz
Kathleen began her training at Pennsylvania Dance Institute and joined Dance Del Bello as a company member in 2002. She also participated in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Summer Program and the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Summer Program. Kathleen received her B.S. from Dickinson College in 2008. While attending Dickinson College, Kathleen spent four years training with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and dancing with the Dickinson College Dance Theater Group. Kathleen has performed with Dance Del Bello as a company member and in principal roles in productions including The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Coppelia, Beauty and the Beast, When Fairytales Come True, Gabrielle Concertante, and A Christmas Carol.


Sarah Brower
Sarah began her training at the Pennsylvania Dance Institute and also studied at Philadelphia area schools including The Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society. In 2003, she attended the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts summer program.  Sarah is currently a company member of Dance Del Bello. Since joining Dance Del Bello, she has performed both classical and original choreography in A Christmas Carol, Gabrielle Concertante, Minor Stops Along The Journey (a work in progress), The Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Limitless Path, Coppelia, and Cinderella. Sarah holds a degree from De Sales University. She was the 2004-2007 recipient of the Baker Endowment for the Arts.  While at De Sales University, she had the opportunity to study with Trinette Singleton of the Joffrey Ballet as well as numerous renowned instructors.  Sarah performed in Gerald Arpino’s Viva! Vivaldi! with the DeSales University Dance Ensemble under the privilege of the Joffrey Ballet and the direction of Ms. Singleton. Sarah had the opportunity to participate in the Doug Varone Residency at De Sales University and the reconstruction and performance of Clay Taliaferro’s Falling Off the Back Porch. Sarah also danced with Repertory Dance Theatre in their production of The Nutcracker and with the DeSales Touring Company for a season.


Kali Cler
Kali began her training at Pennsylvania Dance Institute and has studied extensively at programs throughout the Delaware Valley including the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet.  Kali is currently a company member of Dance Del Bello as well as a faculty member of Pennsylvania Dance Institute. Past performances with Dance Del Bello have included Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Coppelia, A Christmas Carol, When Fairytales Come True, The Sleeping Beauty, Limitless Path, and Shitau. She has also performed the Snow Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker with New Horizons Dance Theater and Theater Guild in December 2005; The Unicorn, The Gorgon, and The Manticore with Tsunami Dance at the Staten Island International Dance Festival in August 2006; and The Nutcracker with Tricia Sloan Dance Company in December 2006.


John Daniel
John was a company member with Dance Del Bello for 17 years, and after 12 years of retirement, he was invited to once again perform in Dance Del Bello’s production of A Christmas Carol.  John began his training at the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.  John was a 1981 Pennsylvania State Dance Finalist for National Foundation for the Arts.  While at the High School for Creative and Performing Arts, he met guest teacher Delphine Del Bello Spencer.  He continued his training with Ms. Spencer as a member of Dance Del Bello.  John was also a member of Ballet Kloss for six years, studying under the artistic director and founder, David Kloss.   He has danced principal roles in A Christmas Carol, Nutracker, Swan Lake, Coppelia, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, When Fairytales Come True, Elements and Shitau.  John would like to thank his friends for life and mentors Delphine Del Bello Spencer and David Kloss for all the years of artistic guidance and love.


Fang-Ju Chou Gant
Fang-Ju, born and raised in Taiwan, came to the United States to further her study of dance.  She earned an Associate Degree of Dance in Australia from Queensland University of Technology, Academy of the Arts/Dance, and received her BFA in Dance Education from the University of the Arts.  Fang-Ju is trained in a wide range of dance styles and stagecraft.  She intends to continue her post-performance career as an instructor and currently teaches at Tricia Sloan Dance Company in New Jersey.  Fang-Ju has been performing with the Koresh Dance Company since 1998.  Her past performances with Dance Del Bello have included principal roles in numerous ballets including A Christmas Carol, The Sleeping Beauty, When Fairytales Come True, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella.


Diana Jewell
Diana holds a Professional Diploma in Dance Studies from the Laban Centre for Contemporary Dance in London. While there, her choreography was one of eight student pieces selected for public performance. Diana continues to present work throughout the Philadelphia area, recently as a guest choreographer and performer with Penn State Abington Dance Company and Bryn Athyn College Dance Ensemble. She has also choreographed Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer, and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night for Bryn Athyn Community Theatre. Diana has performed as a company member of Dance Del Bello in productions of A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Shitau, and Limitless Path. She also dances with Vada Dance Collective

Fernando Quinones
Fernando is a senior dance major at Temple University. He began his dance training at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts under the direction of Tabatha Robinson-Scott. He has performed with the Cedar Crest College Dance Company, Touchstone Theatre of Bethlehem, Civic Theatre of Allentown and Temple University's Dance Department. He is currently studying in Philadanco's training program under the direction of Milton Meyers and Pat Thomas. Fernando has performed in The Nutcracker with Patricia Sloane Dance Center.  He has recently worked with Brooklyn-based choreographer, Chris Elam, of Misnomer Dance Theatre, and with Tina Heuges Bracciale for her piece, "Residue."  As a member of Dance Del Bello, his past performances have included A Christmas Carol, Limitless Path, and Coppelia.

Michael Weidner
Michael is a graduate of the theater arts program of Bucks County Community College and has appeared in numerous stage dramas including Shakespeare’s Women, 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, 5 Scenes from American Life and Mother Courage. He has been a member of Dance Del Bello for the past ten years and past performances have included the roles of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol and Dr. Coppelius in Coppelia. Michael has also restaged recent productions of Coppelia and The Sleeping Beauty for Dance Del Bello. 

Biographies Coming Soon: Tarah Grant, John Sullivan, Laura Betz, Emilie Flynn, and Julia Hall