Community All-Stars: Idaho Ballet Theater and those who made it possible

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The Nutcracker is a tradition that has become a cherished part of the community's Christmas season. However, this year's performance holds a special significance as the company honors the legacy of Brandy Jensen, their director, who passed away just after the performance last year.

For many of us, Christmas just wouldn't be the same without the holiday production of The Nutcracker.

For the last 21 years, the Idaho Ballet Theater has had the audience cheering to the beauty of a snowstorm on stage, the pageantry of dances from around the world, and the heartwarming story of a little girl and her Nutcracker Prince. But last year, tragedy struck the company just before the holiday performance.

Brandy's daughter Abbey Lasley the IBT Director, said, "She was preparing the Nutcracker when she had a stroke and was unable to continue. So I stepped up with Joni and Jen came in and we pulled the show together. She had done so much to set it up so beautifully, so we just helped put the finishing touches on and she passed away about a week later, but it was such a gift for her to be able to do what she loved until the very last day."

Brandy Jensen founded the Idaho Ballet Theater and was its driving force for decades.

"She was the artistic director, the seamstress, the like stage manager, the backstage everything, and so there's so much that we've had to figure out," Abbey said.

Known for her unwavering dedication to both technical excellence and nurturing young talent, she left an enduring impact on the lives of countless dancers. She was so passionate about ballet and really about creating really powerful, incredible women through the art of ballet and helping them learn the dedication and layers of wisdom that come through perfecting this art form. Her daughter, Abbey Lasley, has stepped into the role of director, determined to carry out her mother's vision and continue the company's legacy. 

Abbey said, "It's been really beautiful to be able to do this again as a tribute, and just to notice how much she really impacted me, because there are things you notice without a person that you don't notice when they're there, and so it's been beautiful to be able to see all the different ways that she loved and the ways that we miss her."

She's joined by Jennifer Teuscher and Joni McDonald as company artistic directors.

"I taught here previously, but I'm back as a director now, which is different for me, and it's a whole new learning process, but I'm trying my best to fill some really big shoes,” said Jennifer.

The loss of Brandy left a huge hole in the hearts of the dance company, but they vowed to carry on her passion and tradition of excellence.

Lilly Drysdale the Sugar Plum Fairy in the performance said, "I started when I was three, and she taught me everything I know, and I've been to some other studios for summers, and when I went to, like, visit my Dad and things and like nowhere, was like here, and she just, I mean, raised me, it was always, it's always been more than ballet. It was like she taught me, like, manners and poise and hard work.”

We want to pay tribute to the amazing woman who made it all possible, Brandy Jensen, and the Idaho Ballet Theater, this week's Community All-Stars.