The Company
Eddie Gasper
Founding Director/Choreographer
Eddie Gasper came to the area as Director/Choreographer at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. He has been commissioned by the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, worked through the League of Regional Theatre, and was guest artist/instructor in various universities and organizations. Eddie was also Bob Fosse’s assistant for over a decade, working with him on and off Broadway and in Hollywood. In London, he choreographed at the Palladium for the BBC’s Talk of the Town. On Broadway, he choreographed Fig Leaves are Falling, with Barry Nelson and Dorothy Loudon, and appeared as lead dancer in Can Can, Sweet Charity, West Side Story, Irma la Douce, Music Man, and Guys and Dolls. Eddie has directed night club acts for Juliet Prowse and Jedy Carne, and has also directed Ginger Rogers, Phil Silvers, Donald O’Connor, Agnes Moorhead, Kathryn Grayson, and Howard Keel, to name a few. He has had the pleasure of working under the direction of Jerome Robbins, Agnes DeMille, Michael Kidd, and Onna White. Locally, Eddie was former co-artistic director/choreographer for the Red River Dance and Performing Company from 1978-1995 and directed the main-stage musical at Trollwood Performing Arts School from 1981-1991.
Kathy Gasper
Founding Director/Choreographer
Kathy Gasper has an impressive classical background complimenting her appearances on the Broadway stage, television, cabarets, regional theatres, and summer stock productions. Kathy has been a soloist and principal dancer with the Milwaukee Ballet, Weisbaden Ballet, Illinois and Chicago Ballets, the Florentine Opera, and the Chicago Opera Ballet. She has been an instructor/guest artist at several universities and has produced creative “in-school” programs that are applied today in Michigan, Florida, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Kathy’s professional musical comedy roles include Lola in Damn Yankees, Gladys in Pajama Game, Rose in Bye Bye Birdie, Gypsy and Dainty June in Gypsy, Ado Annie in Oklahoma, and Miss Hannigan in Annie. She has been privileged to have studied and performed under outstanding choreographers Lupe Surrano, Luigi, Jamie Rogers, Madame Clistove, Ellis DuBoulay, Peter Genaro, and Ron Fields. She was assistant choreographer for the Doc Severinson & Brothers and Sisters night club act at the Plaza Hotel in New York and Hawaii. She has also choreographed summer stock productions, industrials, commercials, and major dance works for several performing groups, including the Merion Cole Ballet. Kathy was the former artistic director of the Red River Dance and Performing Company in Fargo, ND, and choreographed and was the director of the dance department at Trollwood Performing Arts School from 1981-1993.
Matt Gasper
Artistic Director/Choreographer
Matthew Gasper has been dancing since the age of twelve. Under the direction of Kathy and Eddie Gasper, he honed his talents as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. At the early age of 18, he choreographed his first musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. Immediately after high school, Matthew joined the Cleveland San Jose Ballet Company, the fifth largest company in the United States at the time. He quickly worked his way up from trainee to soloist, dancing principal roles including Nutcracker, Rodeo, Coople, Swan Lake, and Blue Suede Shoes – a ballet set to the music of Elvis Presley. In 1999, Matthew moved to New York City to work with dance legends like Luigi and Denis Nahat, and to begin his career in musical theatre. He quickly secured roles on- and off- Broadway, including Appleamondo’s Dream, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, and others. After suffering a knee injury, Matthew moved to Los Angeles, teaching and choreographing with regional dance and theatre companies in California. Currently Matthew lives in Fargo, ND, as Artistic Director of Fargo Moorhead Ballet and Master Teacher at Gasper’s School of Dance and Performing Arts. His goals are to continue to build on the reputation of the school and the dance company established by his parents Kathy and Eddie.
Mikal Kenfield
Principal
Mikal began dancing in 1987 in Missoula, MT, where she studied at both the Garden City Ballet and the Missoula Dance Academy. She appeared in numerous productions, including Coppelia, La Boutique Fantastique, and The Nutcracker. Upon graduating from high school, Mikal moved to Moorhead to attend Concordia College, receiving her degree in Social Studies Education in 2003. She has been dancing in the Fargo-Moorhead area since 1999 and found a home with the Fargo-Moorhead Ballet in 2006. Her background is largely ballet and jazz based, and she loves taking class to broaden her dance knowledge and technique. Mikal has coached and choreographed for the MSUM Dance Team, and choreographs Concordia’s Welcome Show each year. While a member of the FM Ballet, Mikal has performed in Tubby the Tuba, Peter and the Wolf, the Spooky Ballets and Gasper’s Christmas Show, as well as several shows for the Fargo Theater’s Classic Film Series. Mikal is excited to have found a home with the FM Ballet Company and is thrilled to continue dancing and learning.
Liisa Locker
Principal
Liisa Locker was born and raised in southern Michigan, where she took her first dance class at the age of six. Through the years, she has had the pleasure to train with Laura McCarthy and Nancy Giles of the Cecchetti Council of America, and joined the Youth Dance Theatre of Michigan under Artistic Director Wendi DuBois. With YDT, Liisa performed in the classical ballets The Nutcracker and Five Dancing
Princesses, and in the contemporary ballet Gershwin!, all choreographed by Ms. DuBois. Liisa currently attends NDSU and teaches at Gasper’s School of Dance and Performing Arts. This is her fourth season with the Fargo-Moorhead Ballet.
Rachel Wells
Principal
Rachel Wells has been dancing since the age of three, starting in Detroit, Michigan at Miss Harriet’s Dance Studio for seven years. Since her move to Fargo, Rachel has danced with several area studios, but moved to Gasper’s School of Dance & Performing Arts to focus on ballet and modern technique. Rachel is excited for her third season with the FM Ballet, and the continuing opportunity to perform in the company. Rachel is looking forward to adding to her favorite community performances with this year’s season. Previous favorites include Dracula (FM Ballet), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Trollwood Performing Arts School), and Pippin (North High School). This year, Rachel is a sophomore at NDSU studying history: when she’s not eating, sleeping, or dancing that is!