
Principal Dancers
RICK CALLENDER
Brandywine Ballet Theatre
_tiff.png)
Rick is from Miami, Florida and began his training with Marta Mahr School of Ballet and New World School of the Arts. He then moved to Seattle to study at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He later took a position with the Washington Ballet in Washington, DC. After working at the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet (Texas Ballet Theatre) for five seasons, he moved to Philadelphia. Rick has also danced with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet Company, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet X, Miro Dance, Jeanne Ruddy Dance, and many others in the Philadelphia area. He has gotten to perform many wonderful roles and has enjoyed performing around the world. Rick has been guesting with Brandywine since 2008, and has been a full-season member since 2014. Some of his highlights with the Company include The Beast in Beauty & The Beast, Jonathan in Dracula, Carmina Burana, and Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty.
JACK DAGHIR
Brandywine Ballet Theatre

Jack began his dance training at Delaware Dance Company before training at Wilmington Ballet for 11 years. He then joined The Dance Center, studying under Donna Muzio, Nancy Page, and Tim Early. In 2022, he became a member of Brandywine Ballet Company and Brandywine Contemporary, and was promoted to Brandywine Ballet Theatre in 2023. Jack has attended numerous summer programs, including The Rock School for Dance Education, Princeton Ballet School, Point Park University, Joffrey Ballet, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He’s earned numerous artistic scholarships from institutions such as BalletMet, The Rock School for Dance Education, Princeton Ballet School, and Joffrey Ballet School, as well as a full scholarship to Point Park University’s BFA program. Throughout his training, Jack has enjoyed working with renowned artists such as Mollie Sansone, Chelsea Ainsworth, Eva Stone, and Jorge Laico. Jack feels fortunate to balance his passion for dance with his academic pursuits as a nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania while continuing to perform with Brandywine Ballet Theatre.
TIM EARLY
Brandywine Ballet Theatre

Tim is celebrating his 33rd consecutive season with Brandywine Ballet as a Principal Dancer. In addition to performing, Tim has choreographed for the Company, and has been on faculty at The Dance Center, the official school of the Brandywine Ballet. Beginning in 2018, Tim also began a position as the Production Manager with Brandywine Ballet, working to coordinate all of the company's performance efforts. Highlights with the Company have been his performances in Nancy Page’s Dracula, Ronen Koresh’s Beyond the Steps, Balanchine’s Serenade, and Eddy Touissant’s Souvenance. Together with Donna L. Muzio, Mr. Early founded Brandywine Contemporary, the modern-based arm of Brandywine Ballet. He is co-director of the Philadelphia-based modern company Opus I Contemporary. He has choreographed for Lafayette College, Moravian College, and West Chester University. In addition, Mr. Early has headed the dance department at Wyoming Seminary Summer Arts Program in Wilkes-Barre, PA, for the past 20 years.
THOMAS GANT, JR.
Brandywine Ballet Theatre

Thomas is a graduate of Southern New Jersey Academy of Performing Arts under the direction of David Kloss. He has also studied with Ronen Koresh and Melissa Rector of Koresh Dance Company, as well as with Delphine Del Bello, David Kloss, Nancy Page, and Christopher Fleming, among others. Mr. Gant works as a freelance artist, balancing dancing, teaching, and choreography. He has danced with Opus 1 Contemporary Company, Dance Del Bello, BalletFleming, and Brandywine Ballet. He has developed an international relationship choreographing and teaching for Tainan City Ballet as well as Chung Hwa Arts High School in Taiwan. Mr. Gant has also been appointed the regisseur of David Kloss’s repertoire. He returned to Brandywine Ballet in 2019 and is please to continue dancing with the company.
FARRIN MONROE
Brandywine Ballet Theatre

Farrin began her dance training at The Dance Center under Donna Muzio at the age of three. She became a trainee member of the Brandywine Ballet in 2018 and was promoted to Brandywine Ballet Theatre in 2023. During that time, she trained under Nancy Page, Anya Ivanova, and Meredith Rainey. Since being promoted, she has performed lead roles in Never Ending Road, Colour Brillante, Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and Lucy in Dracula. In 2018, she became a member of Brandywine Contemporary, under the direction of Tim Early. With the Contemporary Company, she has performed with Opus 1 at the Performance Garage and in many pieces including Rhythm Room; My First, My Last, My Everything; and Walkin’ After Midnight.
Farrin is currently a student at the University of Delaware and is excited to continue performing with Brandywine Ballet.
EMILY ROYCE
Brandywine Ballet Theatre

Originally from Kennett Square, PA, Emily received her professional training at The Dance Center, under the direction of Donna L. Muzio. While a student of the school, Emily supplemented her ballet training by attending professional summer intensive programs at The Joffrey Ballet and Richmond Ballet. Emily first joined Brandywine Ballet in 2001 and had the opportunity to perform a wide range of the company’s repertoire including works by internationally renowned choreographers including George Balanchine, Leslie Browne, Matthew Neenan, and Ronen Koresh. Emily rejoined Brandywine Ballet in 2017 after a hiatus during which she continued her dance studies with Laura Katz Rizzo at Temple University and Eva Szabo at the Koresh School of Dance. Since rejoining Brandywine Ballet, Emily has performed multiple lead roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and the Waltz Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade. Emily currently resides in Philadelphia and is excited to continue dancing with the company.
EMILY YOUNG
Brandywine Ballet Theatre

Emily has trained under the direction of Donna Muzio since the age of 10. In 2016, she became a member of the Brandywine Ballet Theater. Emily later attended West Chester University where she completed the Certificate in Ballet program. She now works as a Registered Nurse in Philadelphia. Emily has performed multiple professional roles including Beauty in Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, and Sugar Plum in The Nutcracker. She is very excited to continue her dancing career with Brandywine Ballet this season!