Jillian Peschken

Jillian Peschken received her formal training at the Draper Center for Dance Education, while
also performing as a company member with the Rochester City Ballet. During her time with RCB
she performed soloist roles in their productions of Cinderella, The Nutcracker, and Red Violin.
Jillian also had the amazing opportunity to perform with the cast of Red Violin in NYC at the
Ballet Builder’s New Choreographers on Pointe performance.

After high school Ms. Peschken joined Ballet Austin as a company trainee for one season before
attending Indiana University’s Ballet Theater, where she received a B.S. in Ballet and
Kinesiology. While at Indiana University she had the opportunity to perform in various new
works created by guest choreographers Mark Godden & John Clifford, as well as Cinderella, The
Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Four Temperaments and Serenade.

Upon graduating, Ms. Peschken joined the San Diego Ballet as a company member, performing
soloist roles in various ballets and touring with the company’s annual production of The
Nutcracker. While in California, Ms. Peschken also served as the Ballet Mistress and Office
Manager at the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, where she taught children ages 4-18 and helped
choreograph, rehearse and stage their productions of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Beauty & the
Beast, and Fairy Tales in the Park.

Ms. Peschken later returned to the east coast and joined the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, where
she served as the Adult Program Director and the Assistant Director & Registrar for the Children
and Youth Ballet Programs. In addition to overseeing the school’s year round programs and
performances, she also directed and taught in the children’s summer ballet camps and intensives
in Manhattan.

In 2016, Ms. Peschken moved back to the Rochester area with her family, where she was very
excited to return to her roots and join Draper’s faculty! Since being back in the Rochester area,
she has also taught at Nazareth College’s dance program as an adjunct professor and taught
company class for the Rochester City Ballet for several years. Ms. Peschken is proud to share her
knowledge and expertise as both a professional dancer and teacher with her students and enjoys
passing along her passion for classical ballet.