Company Dancers
Heather Lampe
Heather Lampe received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Temple University with distinctions such as the Rose Vernick Most Promising Performer Award. Previously active in the Philadelphia dance community, she was an Alchemy Dance Company member and performed at Philadelphia Fringe Festivals for multiple independent choreographers. As a Physical Therapist, she specializes in treatment of dancers and performing artists with manual therapy and myofascial focus. She has previously provided physical therapy care for Paul Taylor Dance Company and various Broadway productions in NYC such as Anything Goes, Mamma Mia, and Memphis. Since relocating to Charlottesville with her husband in 2022, Heather continues her dance practice with Cumulus Dance and is excited to be a founding member of ORH Dance.
Antonella Nicholas
Antonella Nicholas began her dance journey in Northern Virginia, where she was born and raised. She trained in ballet, modern, and jazz at BalletNova and continued her studies at the College of William & Mary, where she pursued modern dance as a member of Orchesis Modern Dance Company. Orchesis provided her with opportunities to perform, choreograph, and lead—she served as president during her third year. After studying under Professor Leah Glenn, she was invited to join Leah Glenn Dance Theatre, with whom she danced for the last five years as a company member. In Charlottesville, Antonella enjoys teaching and taking class with Cumulus and is thrilled to continue her artistic growth as a member of ORH Dance.
Aqura Nicholson
Aqura Nicholson is a Charlottesville-based dancer whose movement is grounded in modern and ballet technique. A graduate of the University of Virginia’s dance minor program, she has trained in Graham, Limón, and Horton styles and brings strength, clarity, and emotion to her work.
Aqura has performed and choreographed for the University of Virginia Department of Dance and now as a company member where she continues to grow, create, and find joy in community through movement. Her dancing reflects a deep love of expressive, intentional movement and a belief that presence is as powerful as technique.
Victoria Petermann
Victoria Petermann is a Charlottesville-based dancer, musician, and fiber artist. She grew up dancing in Raleigh, North Carolina, studying ballet at the Raleigh School of Ballet and, later, modern dance through the Enloe High School Modern Dance Program and the Rainbow Dance Company at Arts Together. Her training has primarily been focused on Limón technique. While completing her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she was a member and director of the Inversions Modern Dance Company. She continued her engagement in the modern dance community of the triangle studying at the American Dance Festival studios. In Charlottesville, Victoria has expanded her training to Graham technique and as a company member with ORH, continues to build on her skills in dance, collaborative movement, and choreography.
Rachel Turner
Rachel Turner trained at the School of Richmond Ballet and danced professionally with Charlottesville Ballet in leading roles including Little Red Riding Hood in A Fairy Tale Gathering and the title role in Cinderella. After relocating to Northern Virginia, she joined the Choreographers Collaboration Project, a modern dance company, where she performed and choreographed for five seasons. She has also appeared as a guest artist with Gin Dance Company, Onelight, and Dance ICONS. She continues training through master classes with organizations including the School of Richmond Ballet, Christopher K. Morgan & Artists, Motion X Dance DC, BalletNova, Dogtown Dance Theatre, and Cumulus Dance. She is thrilled to share her passion for dance and creativity with the Charlottesville community.
Audrey Knabe (apprentice)
Audrey Knabe is a dancer, visual artist, and collaborative creative who grew up dancing with Carolina Ballet Theatre in Greenville, SC, performing various roles in The Nutcracker and completing a pre-professional summer intensive in ballet, pointe, and modern. During college at Washington & Lee University, Audrey danced as a member of the W&L Repertory Dance Company, performing in contemporary and modern student-choreographed pieces. More recently, she returned to formal training in modern Graham technique locally with Olivia Rivard Hill. Audrey’s dance foundation deeply influences her current studio practice as a mixed-media visual artist with Carriage Works Studios at Phaeton Gallery. Creating gestural paintings to music as a "visual dance,” she transforms them into dynamic 3D paper sculptures that move and shift, composing a choreographed visual experience for the viewer. Thrilled to merge her passions by apprenticing with ORH Dance, she looks forward to collaborating and bringing her unique perspective on movement and visual art to the Charlottesville community.