Chelsea Marie Renner/Katz, originally from Bozeman, Montana, came to Austin, TX in 2005 to train with Ballet Austin. After completing the trainee and apprentice programs she joined the main company in 2008. Chelsea recently retired from the stage dancing her favorite role, The Sugar Plum Fairy, in Stephen Mills’ The Nutcracker on December 23, 2023 after over 18 years with Ballet Austin.
Chelsea received her early training from Ann Bates of Montana Ballet and Campbell Midgley of Queen City Ballet. Chelsea’s favorite principal roles include Cinderella in Stephen Mills’ Cinderella, The Sugar Plum Fairy in Stephen Mills’ The Nutcracker, and Kate in Stephen Mills’ The Taming of the Shrew, as well as Wendy in Paul Vasterling’s Peter Pan. She has also enjoyed performing in Stephen Mills’ Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project, Hamlet, Exit Wounds, Grimm Tales, The Magic Flute, Kai, and as Rosalyn in Romeo & Juliet, along with George Balanchine’s Agon, Serenade, & Episodes. Nicolo Fonte’s Lasting Imprint, and works by Nelly van Bommel, Gregory Dolbashian, Gabrielle Lamb, Jimmy Orrante, and Pam Tanowitz. In June of 2013, Chelsea was honored to travel to Washington, D.C., to perform Stephen Mills’ Hush for Ballet Across America III at The Kennedy Center, and in September of that year joined the company in Israel for a three-city tour of Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project. Chelsea was the first recipient of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Scholarship in 2006, which has now become the Butler Fellowship Program with Ballet Austin. She spends her time outside the studio with her husband Aaron and their son. Chelsea is excited to share her passion and love of ballet with the next generation of young dancers.