Julie Smyrnos

Julie Smyrnos began dancing at the age of four after being inspired by a performance of The Nutcracker in Grass Valley, California.  She went on to perform many roles in that ballet over the next eleven years while training with Nelda and Lennie’s Dance Studio.  In her teens she attended the Sierra Dance Institute studying with Myrna Galle-Van Buren, a former dancer of the famed Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and by her senior year of high school she had been accepted into the Nevada Union’s Advanced Dance program directed by Yelena Holt.  

  Julie went on to attend Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, majoring in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Dance. While taking her required ballet, tap jazz and modern at the University she took a Lindy Hop swing class and was hooked. Lindy Hop became a passion that lead to becoming one of the founding members of the swing dance troupe, Anything Goes. Anything Goes performed in San Luis Obispo as well as throughout California, including Santa Cruz’s First Night celebration and as guest artists with Cal Poly’s dance company, Orchesis.

 In 2003 Julie relocated to Redding continued to train at both Shasta College and Redding Ballet Academie.  In 2012 she was asked to perform in Redding City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”, and to act as choreographer for their battle scene as well as being invited to choreograph for the Shasta College Dance Club for their performance in the Shasta College Dance Festival in spring 2013.  

 Julie currently sits on the board of Redding City Ballet; is a faculty member at the Redding Arts Project teaching Ballet and Beginning Pointe as well as Lindy Hop Swing; and is a member of Redding City Ballet’s Adult performance company.  

Performance Credits:

Nelda and Lennie’s Dance Studio:  The Nutcracker           Solos: Clara/ Snow Queen/ Dew Drop, Doll, Spanish/ Marzipan

Redding City Ballet:       Gaîté Parisienne     Cocodette

                                         Don Quixote           Corps

                                         Nutcracker             Snow / Flowers / Party Scene / Spanish

Redding City Musical Theatre Company:   Singin’ in the Rain

The Shasta College Dance Matrix

Shasta College Summer Theatre Festival: The Little Prince

Anything Goes Swing Dance Troupe

Choreography Credits

Redding City Ballet:  The Nutcracker / Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Coppelia / Jungle Book / Peter and the Wolf

Anything Goes Swing Dance Troupe: Safronia B

The Shasta College Dance Matrix:      Reaching / Gavotte