Production Staff

Jacob Edholm – Stage Manager

Jacob, a Bloomington, MN native, started working with Continental Ballet Company in 2003. As Stage Manager, he is responsible for all aspects of the technical production including the scenery, lighting, sound and stage equipment. He is also responsible for ensuring the integrity of the show while touring. He has held many different technical positions throughout the years including crew, lighting and sound. He has worked on countless productions for the company including favorites such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. In the past, he was the Assistant Stage Manager for Bloomington Civic Theatre in many of their shows including, Hello Dolly, Cabaret, Company and Guys and Dolls, to name a few. He has also Stage Managed a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. In his professional career, he supports and moderates social media communities for a worldwide retailer.

Barbara Torkelson – Assistant Stage Manager

Barbara, originally from Esko, MN, has been with Continental Ballet Company since 2006. During a show, she can be found on stage, working behind the scenes, making sure scene changes are executed flawlessly. Her responsibilities while on tour include organizing the set pieces in a way that will work in the different venues and making sure a consistent and familiar show experience is maintained for the company. In the past she has worked as a crew member for classics such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. During the day, the is a certified swimming instructor and lifeguard instructor for a national non-profit organization with locations in the Twin Cities.

Administrative Staff

Alicia Smith – Registrar/Box Office

Alicia earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (2009) from the Dance program at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. There, Smith trained primarily in ballet and in modern dance, in addition to studying Musical Theater, Tap and a variety of world dances (such as Hip-hop/Jazz, Irish step, East Indian, and Flamenco).  Alicia took part in the department’s many dance performances annually, worked with the visiting teachers/artists, in addition to choreographing and performing in student pieces.

Before college, Smith graduated from Stoneleigh-Burnham School for girls in Greenfield, Massachusetts in 2004.  She participated in the school’s dance program and numerous performances. Alicia was also a member of the school’s Dance Performance Project group, and received a number of dance awards during her four years at SBS. Smith has also performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem in Donald Byrd’s Nutcracker, here in Minneapolis.  She has interned at the Children’s Theatre Company, assisting in its summer camp dance classes, while choreographing pieces for the student performances. Most recently, Alicia taught dance to students at Ames/Sheridan Elementary Saturday School in St. Paul.