Mahalia Zellmer, an Iowa native, received her training at Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance studying ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, African, and Indian dance. As a young student, she performed in Artistic Director Courtney Lyon's The Nutcracker, eventually earning corps de ballet roles with Ballet Quad Cities in Alice in Wonderland, Peter and the Wolf, and Paris en Pointe while still in high school. After graduating, she joined BQC as a company trainee for two seasons. She has received additional training in improvisation, choreography and performance at the Glenda Brown Choreography Project in Kansas City, MO. Notable performances with BQC include The Red Queen and March Hare in Lyon’s Alice in Wonderland, Meghan Phillips’ solo Reverie at the Figge Art Museum, Emily Kate Long’s Four Square, Lyon's Benny's Gig and Rite of Spring, The Cowardly Lion in Long's Dorothy Goes to Oz, Long’s solo Letters, and Napoli. Her choreographic debut for Ballet Quad Cities, Me, Myself and I, based on the poetry of fellow BQC dancer Eleanor Ambler, premiered at Ballet on the Lawn 2023. Other highlights from the 2023-2024 season include a featured role in Lyon's Billy the Kid, appearing in the premiere of Long’s The Headless Horseman, revisiting her role as the Cowardly Lion, and performing in the premiere of Lyon's Snow White. She is very excited to start her fourth season as a professional company dancer and can't wait to see what the season brings!