Elise MonsonElise Monson (she/her) began her dance training at Creative Arts Academy in Bountiful, Utah. While at CAA, she was the Senior Best Dancer First Runner-Up at The Dance Awards 2017, Silver Medal recipient at the Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals, and Sterling Scholar Winner in Business at the school, district, and region levels. She continued her studies at the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance where she graduated in 2022 as a Presidential Scholar recipient. At USC, Elise performed work by William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Jiri Kylian, Justin Peck, Bret Easterling, Barak Marshall, Peter Chu, and Merce Cunningham, among others. She has performed on international stages, including in Fürth (Germany), Berlin (Germany), and the World Expo 2020 in Dubai (UAE).
Elise has attended numerous summer training programs including Orsolina28: Forsythe/Pite, Domaine Forget Dance Lab with RUBBERBAND, Arts Umbrella’s ISDI, b12 Performance Project, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance: Gaga Intensive. She has also maintained many leadership positions, including being Co-President of the Southern California Choreographic Collective and a Lead Kaufman Student Ambassador at USC. Post graduation, she was a Rehearsal Director and Donor Relations Coordinator for BalletCollective, directed by New York City Ballet’s Troy Schumacher. Elise is also a certified Stott Pilates instructor and implements this gained kinesthetic awareness and knowledge into her dancing and teaching.
Elise is starting her second season dancing professionally with SALT Contemporary Dance, where she has performed work by Ihsan Rustem, Omar Roman de Jesus, Peter Chu, Joni McDonald, and others.
Elise has attended numerous summer training programs including Orsolina28: Forsythe/Pite, Domaine Forget Dance Lab with RUBBERBAND, Arts Umbrella’s ISDI, b12 Performance Project, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance: Gaga Intensive. She has also maintained many leadership positions, including being Co-President of the Southern California Choreographic Collective and a Lead Kaufman Student Ambassador at USC. Post graduation, she was a Rehearsal Director and Donor Relations Coordinator for BalletCollective, directed by New York City Ballet’s Troy Schumacher. Elise is also a certified Stott Pilates instructor and implements this gained kinesthetic awareness and knowledge into her dancing and teaching.
Elise is starting her second season dancing professionally with SALT Contemporary Dance, where she has performed work by Ihsan Rustem, Omar Roman de Jesus, Peter Chu, Joni McDonald, and others.