Vision, Passion & Imagination

Elise Franchi, of Charlotte, North Carolina began her classical training at the age of two at Ballet Theatre Midwest under the direction of Nancy Fountain and Daniel Simmons. Later, she achieved high awards in the Royal Academy of Dance and Cecchetti methods at Charlotte School of ballet under the direction of Gay Porter and Bridget Young.

Franchi attended summer programs at Charlotte School of Ballet, Cecchetti Council of America, Charlotte Ballet, and BalletMet. She received a full tuition scholarship from the Cecchetti Council of America summer program and a twenty-five percent scholarship to the American Academy of Ballet summer intensive. 

Franchi has been admitted to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for their classical ballet program. She was also admitted to Towson University, Point Park University, and Jacksonville University.

Currently, Franchi is working towards her Associates in Arts for Organizational Leadership at the University of South Carolina Lancaster.

Franchi has been a trainee at Charlotte Ballet for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons where she has received instruction under Patricia McBride, Chris Stuart, Hope Muir, Laszlo Berdo, Kati Hanlon Mayo, Jamie Dee Clifton, Emily Bowen, Johanna Butow, Naimah Kioski, Alissa Waller, Ben Kubie, and Sophie Folts. 

Her repertoire includes Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s The Nutcracker as a corps de ballet dancer in Waltz of the Flowers and Snow. She also performed in original works by Naimah Kioski and Maurice Mouzon, Jr.