Colette Thursby was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and began dancing at the age of four. She started her training at Ballet Arts, where she built a strong technical foundation before continuing at Retter’s Academy of Dance/RAD Dance Studio. There, she explored styles including hip hop, jazz, musical theatre, and her favorite, tap.

In addition to her year-round training in LA, Colette spent several summers in New York City studying at the Institute of American Musical Theatre. While there, she had the opportunity to train in a wide variety of genres under industry leaders, including dancers and choreographers from the Paris Opera Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and New York City Ballet as well as working with Tony nominated Broadway choreographers.

These experiences have shaped her both as a dancer and as a person, deepening her passion for the discipline, artistry, and character building power of dance. RAD is excited to welcome Colette, beloved RAD Alumni, to our RAD Team this season! She is sure to bring joy to each and every one of your dancers.