Jillian Van Cura, was born and raised in upstate New York and started her balllet training at age two. She has studied closely with Randyl Errica, Deborah Wingert-Arkin, Daniel Ulbricht, Olga Kostritsky, and Rosanna Ruffo over the course of her career. Jillian has also competed in Youth America Grand Prix and Connecticut Classic, winning awards and scholarships to summer intensives. Most notably, Jillian attended New York State Summer School of the Arts, where she was rewarded with a full scholarship to attend Manhattan Youth Ballet year round at age fifteen. She spent two years with Manhattan Youth Ballet performing roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy, Gamzatti, and The Sylph in La Sylphide. She also studied and performed Horton technique with Earl Moseley and Clifton Brown during her time there. In 2017, Jillian was a trainee with Carolina Ballet and then began college. She graduated from Butler University in 2021 with High Distinction and a BFA in Dance Performance. There she performed roles such as Mouse Queen in The Nutcracker, a Fresco from The Little  Humpbacked Horse, and an Odalisque from LeCorsaire.  Jillian began her  professional dance career with Ballet Quad Cities in 2021. Some of her most notable repertoire includes a soloist in Benny’s Gig and a Mirliton in The Nutcracker, both choreographed by Courtney Lyon. Her more featured roles include The Wicked Witch of the West in Dorothy Goes to Oz, The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. As Jillian returns for her second season with Ballet Quad Cities, she is excited to continue performing for such a wonderful company and community.