Staff

Ballet 5:8's staff members are a diverse group of artists and business people who are passionate about honest, relevant, breathtaking dance.

Julianna Rubio Slager

Artistic Director & Resident Choreographer

Ballet 5:8 tours nationally, bringing Rubio Slager's critically acclaimed ballets such as Reckless, Butterfly, The Space in Between and BareFace to audiences across the nation. Slager has won several grants from the Illinois Arts Council and was selected for the DCASE Individual Artist Grant in 2015. Rubio Slager is a groundbreaking figure within the field, as one of the few Mexican American Artistic Directors and Resident Choreographers of professional ballet companies in the world. She hopes that her leadership and creative work at Ballet 5:8 will pave the way for other women and minorities in professional ballet.

Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager began her dance training at a local studio in Spring Arbor, Michigan. Rubio Slager went on to study under notable teachers from the New York City Ballet, the Vaganova Academy, and Puerto Rican National Ballet. Rubio Slager enjoyed dancing under Barbara Smith at Greater Lansing Ballet, and also under Kathy Thibodeaux and Sol Maisonet at Ballet Magnificat. Upon moving to Chicago, Rubio Slager had the opportunity to work as a freelance artist, teacher, and choreographer in the Greater Chicago area.

Rubio Slager was instrumental in the co-founding of Ballet 5:8 in 2012. Rubio Slager is known for her unique ability to engage audiences in discussions of life and faith through her choreography. She has created over 50 works for the Company and School during her tenure at Ballet 5:8. She has had the privilege of working daily at the School of Ballet 5:8 and has guest taught at over 100 schools across the United States. In 2023 Rubio Slager was awarded the coveted position of National Visiting Fellow at the School of American Ballet.

Jeremy Slager

Executive Director

Jeremy is enthusiastic about making the Ballet 5:8 vision a reality. He sees a need in the community to train young men and women physically, mentally, emotionally, vocationally and spiritually – and he’s seen Ballet 5:8 meet this need for over a decade. He believes in the power of beauty to transform and loves the depth of work being created at Ballet 5:8.

Jeremy Slager is originally from Spring Arbor, Michigan and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He was the Associate Pastor at St. Paul’s Bible Church in Beverly, Chicago for six years before becoming Digital Marketing Manager at Moody Publishers.  

He has served in a volunteer capacity throughout Ballet 5:8’s history, building sprung floors and set pieces, developing marketing strategies and running Front of House during performances. In 2022, he received the Nehemiah Award for his service as a volunteer.

Amy Kozol Sanderson

Executive Director Emeritus & Co-Founder

Ballet 5:8 Executive Director Emeritus Amy Kozol Sanderson received her classical ballet training at Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance in Rock Island, IL under former Ballet Quad Cities Artistic Director Johanne Jakhelln Constant. She performed with the Ballet Quad Cities professional company, with Ballet Magnificat in Jackson, MS, and later with Ballet 5:8 until stepping back from the stage in 2015. During her performing career, Sanderson danced several soloist roles created for her including Miep in Johanne Jakhelln's The Story of a Young Girl’s Life, an original ballet based on the Diary of Anne Frank, and The Accuser in Julianna Slager's The Story of Job. She has BA in Professional Writing and Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, and worked in the administrative offices at the Joffrey Academy of Dance prior to becoming one of the co-founders of Ballet 5:8 in 2012. Sanderson is honored to help make honest, relevant, breathtaking dance possible through her role as Ballet 5:8 Executive Director.

Staff

Victoria Bush
Studio Manager

Libby Dennen
Rehearsal Director & 2nd Company Program Director

Jonathan Bostleman
Rehearsal Director

Lezlie Gray
Social Media Associate

Kayla Kowach
Executive Associate

Kristie Kahns
Company Photographer

Lorianne Robertson
Resident Costume Designer, Head of Wardrobe

Shawna Paterson
Bookkeeper

Sophia Snider
Wellness Coordinator