Summer Stories: Jessica He and Severin Brotschul

Every year, when the weather gets warmer and the days grow long, the company dancers of the Atlanta Ballet jet off to exotic locations, devote themselves to other hobbies and pastimes and spend time with friends and loved ones. Here at ArtsATL, we wanted to know more about how these talented dancers spend their summers, so we bring to you a new series called Summer Stories.

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This summer, two company dancers from the Atlanta Ballet brought their love for dance to Northern Michigan. Jessica He, Atlanta Ballet company dancer since 2017, and Severin Brotschul, who spent two years in Atlanta Ballet’s second company and is now beginning his fourth season as a company dancer, are not only partners on stage but also in real life. 

Brought together by a shared love for dance, they journeyed to Traverse City, Michigan, to spend the summer working with the Traverse City Dance Project. In the program, He and Brotschul had the opportunity to join a small group of eight dancers as they performed for free in four different outdoor settings across Northern Michigan.

“We went into the process very interested in broadening our repertoire, expanding our contemporary abilities and expecting to work with a diverse group of dancers,” said Brotschul. “Our first day of working on the project delivered on all of our hopes.” 

The two performed the full Don Quixote pas de deux together on a stage overlooking Lake Michigan. “This was a refreshing challenge to tackle in the studio and a dream to perform on stage,” said Brotschul.

Brotschul first encountered the Traverse City Dance Program through posters displayed throughout his parents’ hometown of Glen Arbor, Michigan. “The arts thrive in Northern Michigan, and it was a dream to participate,” said Brotschul. 

The company’s artistic director, Brent Whitney, was described by He as “a very encouraging and positive person to work with, and he made the project the highlight of our summer.” Thanks to the program’s outdoor settings and no-cost to view, all of Brotschul’s family — including their cat and dog — were able to join their friends for at least one of their live performances. “Traverse City Dance Project’s mission is to bring world class dance performance to all communities in Northern Michigan,” said Brotschul.

When not on stage or in rehearsals this summer, the two worked at the River Club, where Brotschul’s father is the manager. They also logged miles on their bikes, connected with other dancers, went for hikes and enjoyed sunsets on Lake Michigan’s beach.

As children, He and Brotschul had early exposure to dance through popular movies. For He, watching San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker on DVD with her mom was particularly influential. “I remember seeing Yuan Yuan Tan as the Snow Queen, and it was so cool for me to see a Chinese ballerina on the screen,” recalled He. 

Brotschul cites the romantic Step Up series as inspiration for his desire to dance. When he was in middle school, Brotschul was invited to join the local ballet school’s Nutcracker performance, during which former New York City Ballet dancer Craig Hall played Prince. “His performance and his encouragement to give ballet class a try was what pushed me to begin dancing,” said Brotschul. 

Though neither He nor Brotschul grew up with dancers in the family, they both felt supported as they explored the medium. “Luckily my parents were always supportive of my dreams and desire to dance,” said He. “They definitely understand and appreciate how hard it is.” Brotschul grew up attending an all-boys boarding school in Western Pennsylvania, where he was exposed to sports, theater and performing arts, which he believes contributed to his interest in ballet. 

As a couple, He and Brotschul find joy in performing together and their other shared interests such as antiquing and design. “We spend much of our time hunting for furniture, art and decor,” said Brotschul. Thanks to the tight-knit nature of the dance world, the two had many friends in common and knew of each other within a few years of relocating to Atlanta. Eventually, they connected and became romantically involved. “It was just a matter of time,” said He.