In 2014, Touchet was invited to perform at LUMENOCITY, on a balcony suspended on Cincinnati’s Music Hall. She almost declined the opportunity due to a terrible fear of heights, but thankfully was able to overcome her fears. “That, I think, was the most frightening thing I’ve ever done in my career,” she says.

After joining Cincinnati Ballet in 2011, Palkens quickly rose through the ranks to Soloist in 2012. Following a last-minute stand-in—and wildly successful—performance as Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, Palkens was promoted to Senior Soloist for the 50th Anniversary Season.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Ms. Hairston began her early ballet training at Charleston Ballet Theatre. At the age of 9, she continued her training in Columbia, South Carolina under the direction of Ann Brodie at the Calvert Brodie School of Dance and later went on to graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts.