Lisa Kipp: OBT’s Renaissance Woman

By Kate Kerns

Every holiday season, hundreds of artists, craftspeople, and production staff come together to bring Oregon Ballet Theatre’s beloved production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® to life. Among them is the irreplaceable Lisa Kipp—former OBT dancer, longtime rehearsal leader, newly minted Balanchine Trust stager, occasional costumer, and the person Artistic Director Dani Rowe calls “the calm at the center of the Nutcracker storm.”

For 21 years, Kipp has helped shape OBT’s artistry from the inside out. Her mix of expertise, clarity, and warmth has made her an essential force behind one of the region’s most cherished holiday traditions.

Master of the Magic: Staging The Nutcracker

“Lisa could stage The Nutcracker with her eyes and ears closed,” Rowe says. “She’s so relaxed, and yet she can teach the steps with remarkable speed and clarity.”

Kipp understands better than most how deeply this ballet shapes dancers’ lives. “For dancers, there’s a lot of moaning and groaning about Nutcracker because it’s a hard run,” she jokes. “But they secretly love it. Nine out of ten dancers started dancing because they went to see The Nutcracker. It sparks something.”

Day to day, Kipp organizes rehearsals, coaches dancers, supports choreographers, and solves casting dilemmas when someone is injured or sick. Unofficially, she’s a mentor, confidante, and creative problem-solver—sometimes literally with a sewing machine at hand.

(When OBT2 needed a last-minute costume for their spring tour, Kipp was at her desk designing and sewing a royal blue tutu.)

Coaching Dancers Through Every Role

“Lisa has taught and coached me through almost every adult female role in The Nutcracker,” says OBT Principal Dancer Eva Burton. “Even after ten years as Sugar Plum Fairy, she helps me find fresh interpretations every season.”

Kipp delights in watching dancers evolve. “I’ve seen so many dancers ascend through the roles. Everyone eagerly awaits the ‘To Learn’ casting each year—who gets Sugar Plum? Any new Dew Drops? It’s exciting.”

She also devotes special care to the corps de ballet, who dance the marathon roles of Snow and Flowers. “I try to keep morale and energy up, especially in the thick of the run,” she says.

Guiding the Next Generation

Kipp and OBT Rehearsal Assistant Steven Houser rehearse the OBT School students who perform children’s roles—a responsibility she treasures.

“They’re awesome and hilarious,” she says. “It’s more work than rehearsing adults, but it’s rewarding. They love being in the room, and I know these are memories they’ll carry for life.”

A New Hat: Costume Designer

In 2024, Kipp added another unexpected credit to her Nutcracker résumé: costume designer.

With several Act II divertissement costumes dating back to 1990, some designs no longer aligned with OBT’s values or contemporary cultural standards. Last season, OBT collaborated with Phil Chan’s organization Final Bow for Yellowface and redesigned the “Chinese Tea” divertissement as White Rabbit, inspired by a popular Chinese candy and approved by the Balanchine Trust.

The experience inspired Kipp to take on another update: the costume traditionally known as “Arabian Coffee.”

After consulting with former OBT development director Nick Gaudreau—whose family is North African—Kipp centered her design on Turkish Delight, a dessert commonly paired with coffee across the Arabic-speaking world. She also explored ways to move away from stereotypes and toward a silhouette more aligned with cultural modesty and with original Balanchine collaborator Barbara Karinska’s designs.

The resulting costume is rose-colored, sparkling with crystals and rhinestones like powdered sugar, complete with a bustle inspired by Maurice Sendak’s famed peacock costume from the Seattle Nutcracker.

“The skirt adds a whole new element to Balanchine’s choreography,” Burton says. “It’s quite heavy, and it’s fun to use it like a tail. The character becomes alluring in a more delicate, coy way.”

A Guardian of Balanchine’s Legacy

Kipp’s passion for preservation led her to pursue certification from the Balanchine Trust to stage select works, including The Nutcracker. Having learned these ballets from former PNB Artistic Director Francia Russell—who learned them directly from Balanchine—Kipp is now part of a small group entrusted to carry on his legacy.

“Becoming an official Balanchine stager is a huge honor,” Rowe says. “It recognizes Lisa’s deep understanding of Balanchine’s style, musicality, and integrity. For OBT, it means we can continue presenting this repertoire authentically, guided by someone who knows our dancers and culture from the inside.”

Kipp is characteristically modest. “I’d like to continue to preserve these ballets, or the stuff is going to fall…” She stops herself, then laughs. “I’m not superstitious, but I’m superstitious. We just don’t want the information to wither away.”

With Kipp leading the way, there’s little risk of that.