Faculty

Hope Blackburn-Shoup

Ballet 8-10, Pas de Deux/Variations, Pre-Pointe, Ballet 3-4

Hope Blackburn-Shoup grew up near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she began her dance training at the Philadelphia Dance Theatre. With PDT, she attended annual Regional Dance America festivals and had the opportunity to portray lead classical roles like the Firebird and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Hope went on to study dance at Butler University, where she graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in English Literature. Here, she invested herself in many forms of dance, allowing for a growing affinity for modern ance, improvisation, and choreography. Her senior year, she earned a distinction for her choreography from Butler’s dance department for her work, By Name. In 2021, Hope joined Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet where she currently dances, teaches, and choreographs under the artistic leadership of Elisa Schroth. She has performed in numerous works and new creations in her three years as an artist of the company, including The Curve, Living Stories, and Body and Land. She is an advocate for the transformative power of dance for all people. This year, she married her long-time dance partner and best friend, Jacob Shoup!