Hometown:
Bloomington, MN

Education & Training: 
Ballet Royale MN, Ballet West Academy, Butler University Ballet

My Friends Call Me:
Cole

What is your favorite Dayton Ballet memory?
My favorite memory with Dayton Ballet so far was learning Stephen Mills’ Five Flights Up my first season. It was the perfect first piece to work on as a new company dancer because it allowed me to get to know everyone in such a zany, hilarious way!

What are your career highlights?
My career highlights so far include dancing Paul Taylor’s Piazzolla Caldera, Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain, Nutcracker Prince at Butler University, and Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby with Dayton Ballet.

What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t a professional dancer?
I always wanted to be an architect growing up, so probably that!

Do you have any pets?
A border collie named Goober.

What do you want patrons to know about you?
I’m very grateful for their support of Dayton Ballet! The best part about dancing is getting to share a part of yourself with others.

Read Full Biography:

Cole Rodgers is originally from Bloomington, Minnesota. Growing up, he trained nearby at Ballet Royale Minnesota under Denise and Rick Vogt. In 2014 Cole moved to Salt Lake City where he danced as a trainee with Ballet West. While at Ballet West, he studied under Adam Sklute, Calvin Kitten, and Jeff Rogers.

Beginning in 2016, Cole attended Butler University in Indianapolis where he trained under Marek Cholewa, Rosanna Ruffo, Derek Reid, and Susan McGuire. While at Butler, he danced leading roles in works such as Paul Taylor’s Piazzolla Caldera, Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain, and in Butler’s productions of The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Cole graduated in 2019 with a BS in Dance – Arts Administration.

Cole has also had the privilege of dancing and training with companies in Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Texas in the United States and in Berlin, Germany during his career. Cole is thrilled for his second season with Dayton Ballet.