Jesse Rand Powers is extremely happy to be the new studio owner of Powers Dance of Michigan. He is also the Artistic Director of Children’s Ballet Theatre (CBT) and could not be more thrilled to back to his roots. Jesse was introduced to ballet at age 6 dancing with Bauer Dance Studio but started to take dance seriously when he joined CBT at age 11.   He grew up through the company, performing lead roles in Nutcracker every Fall and lead roles in different Spring ballets, including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Don Quixote. Jesse also danced at several studios under the guidance of Diane Newman, Brigitt Boucha, Giuseppe Canale, Gregory M. George, Lisa Whiting-Dobson, and Patty Villanueva. Jesse danced in many CBT summer company performances as well as dancing at summer intensives including ABT and Blue Lake Fine Arts International.  Jesse graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in dance. At Grand Valley Jesse worked with esteemed artists such as Julie Blume, Amy Cova, Lauren Edson, Autumn Eckman, Anna Liceica, and Erica Fischbach. While at school he choreographed and lead a non-profit dance organization called Momentum for two years and was Treasurer a year before he became President. Jesse taught at Michigan Ballet Academy and guest danced at many studios throughout Michigan, including CBT, Caledonia Dance Center, West Michigan Youth Ballet, Michgan Ballet Academy, and more. He also choreographed and performed in DanceLansing.  After college, Jesse danced two seasons with Inaside Chicago Dance as a Performing Apprentice. There he was able to work with Preston Miller, Kristen Harvey, Brandon DiCriscio, Eric Rivera, Robert Mckee, and Richard Smith. As well, he danced the Nutcracker with Schaumburg Dance Ensemble for two seasons, danced in Thodos’ New Dances Series, and performed with Alliance Dance Company.  In New York, Jesse worked with ShawnBible Dance Co, Arch Contemporary Ballet, Jonathan Lassiter Co, and Judi Jaekel & Dancers. Jesse taught and trained with students in Chicago at several different studios and in New York at Art’s House School of Dance & Fine Arts. He choreographed several pieces in Brooklyn for BomDiggs’ Shifting Movement Series and in Chicago for Inaside’s Choreographic Sponsorship Event.