Dancers

Claire Wessells

CLAIRE WESSELLS was born in Tucson, Arizona, and has lived in Columbus, Ohio, since the age of five. At seven years old, she began training as a student with the BalletMet Academy. In 2023, she joined the trainee program under the direction of Maria Torija, performing roles including Kitri in Don Quixote and First Violin Principal in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco. Claire also performed alongside the professional company in Gerard Charles’ The Nutcracker and Edwaard Liang’s Alice and Romeo and Juliet. In 2023, she was awarded first place at the YAGP Pittsburgh Semi-Finals and was selected as one of only 12 female junior semi-finalists at USABIC in Jackson, Mississippi.

At age sixteen, Claire accepted a contract with BalletMet 2 for the 2024/25 season. As a member of the second company, she had the opportunity to perform in outreach programs across Columbus, as well as David Nixon’s Dracula, Remi Wörtmeyer’s Ad Astra, and Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15.

Claire is honored and excited to join the company for the 2025/26 season!