Categories: Dancers

Cassandra Lea-Saxton

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Q&A with Corps Member Melisa Guilliams

What is one role that holds special significance for you?

Last season, I had the incredible opportunity to perform David Parsons’s Caught. It was my first featured role, so it was exciting to navigate such a daunting task. It gave me the confidence to take on roles in the future!

If you were not a dancer, is there an alternate career path you would have chosen?

When I was 14, I took a short break from dancing and ran track and field. At that time, I saw myself possibly carrying on with track and studying Sports Medicine in college.

Do you have talents or passions outside of dance?

I am certified as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, so I love to exercise and help others get moving! I also grew up playing piano, so I enjoy occasionally playing in my free time.

What inspires you outside of the studio?

I grew up in a very musical family, so naturally music has always inspired me. I’m also inspired by my close friends in other dance companies- particularly when sharing our experiences over the phone.

What significance does being part of PNB during the 50th Anniversary have to you?

I had the pleasure of growing up in Seattle, so I remember coming to watch dancers at PNB for its 40th anniversary season. It feels so surreal to now dance for this company alongside dancers I looked up to ten years ago.

Photos by Angela Sterling & Lindsay Thomas