Ely Kleinsmith

Elyjah Kleinsmithis a freelance lighting designer and a proud graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University’s BFA Theatre Design and Technology program. In 2022, he received The Hope Ellen Pape President’s Club Award in the Fine Arts for outstanding accomplishment in Theatre. Since graduating Ely has had the honor of working with dance companies all over the country. Ely was the Bates Dance Festival Production Fellow in ‘22, where he designed for Shura Baryshnikov and Aretha Aoki. He has also had the opportunity to work with groups such as Rennie Harris Pure Movement, David Dorfman Dance, and Fist & Heel Performance Group. Most recently he was the Assistant Lighting Designer to Julie E. Ballard for Ballet West’s Choreographic Fest VI, with works from Caili Quan, Phil Chan, and Zhong-Jing Fang. Ely currently resides in Eagan, MN and is the Assistant Production Manager for Giordano Dance Chicago.