R. Colby Damon was born and raised in Richmond, VA and received his early dance training at Richmond Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Virginia School of the Arts. Throughout his 12-year performing career, he danced professionally for Sacramento Ballet, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, Northwest Dance Project, and BalletX among others. He has danced the works of George Balanchine, Alexei Ratmansky, Dwight Rhoden, Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa, Bobbi Jean Smith, Matthew Neenan, and many more. As a choreographer, he has received commissions from Nashville Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, BalletX, Sacramento Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet II, Nashville Ballet II, Bryn Mawr College, and DeSales University. His work has been performed at festivals in Brazil, Mexico, Bermuda, and New York City. As a teacher, Colby has taught at prestigious dance institutions, including of The Rock School for Dance Education, Ballet Tech – NYC Public School for Ballet, Ballet West Academy, Nashville Ballet, and The University of the Arts. He has been invited to teach company class for Pennsylvania Ballet, BalletX, City Ballet of São Paulo, Ballet Hispanico, BodyTraffic, Nashville Ballet, and Sacramento Ballet. He has coached national finalists for the Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition, and he received the Outstanding Choreography Award at the Philadelphia Regionals in 2019. Colby is also the Director of Outreach and Community Engagement and Children’s Ballet Master for Sacramento Ballet and he work as a freelance choreographer and dance teacher throughout the USA and beyond. 

Heather Nichols began her training at West End Academy of Dance in Richmond, Virginia. In 2009, Ms. Nichols joined the Richmond Ballet as a trainee. From 2011-2015, Ms. Nichols attended Butler University and received her Bachelor of Science in Dance Pedagogy and Pre-Physical Therapy. After graduating in 2015, she accepted a contract with Ballet San Antonio, where she spent four years. In 2019, Ms. Nichols joined Kansas City Ballet as a company member.

Throughout her career with Ballet San Antonio and Kansas City Ballet she has danced leading and featured roles in works by Peter Anastos, Gerald Arpino, George Balanchine, Devon Carney, Yosvanni Cortellan, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, Parish Maynard, Emily Mistretta, Irene Rodriguez, Willy Shives, Price Suddarth, Ben Stevenson, Septime Weber, Bruce Wells, Haley and Easton Wells. She created her first choreographic work Meraki on the Kansas City Ballet in March, 2022. This summer Heather participated in her first season with National Choreographers Initiative where she worked with Emily Adams and Jennifer Hart.

Artistic Director Logan Pachciarz began his official dance training at the Franklin School of Performing Arts and at the Nashville Ballet, and his professional career at the age of 15 as a member of Twyla Tharp’s dance ensemble Tharp! During their acclaimed national tour, he performed in three premiere works, Sweet Fields, Heroes, and 66. He then continued his formal dance education at the North Carolina School of the Arts under the tutelage of Ton Simons, Fernando Bujones, and Warren Conover. Joining Boston Ballet II at the age of 18, Mr. Pachciarz was soon promoted to the main company, in which he performed works by choreographers such as Rudi van Dantzig, Christopher Wheeldon, and Ben Stevenson. After two years at Boston Ballet, in 2001 Mr. Pachciarz joined Kansas City Ballet. During his 15 years with the Company, he has performed leading roles in a diverse repertoire, ranging from classical works such as Giselle, and Romeo and Juliet, to contemporary and modern pieces, such as Jardi Tancat, Dark Elegies, The Catherine Wheel Suite, and The Moor’s Pavane. One of his most celebrated roles at Kansas City Ballet (and one which he shared with co-director Anthony Krutzkamp, to equal acclaim) was as the infamous count in Michael Pink’s Dracula. Along with co-artistic director Anthony Krutzkamp, Mr. Pachciarz founded the Kansas City Dance Festival in 2013 in order to develop an exciting performance series for the Kansas City community. He is proud to have the opportunity to present unique and influential choreographers partnered with extraordinary dancers.