Taylor Walper’s dance training began at the age of three and culminated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance, graduating with summa cum laude honors. She studied under Susan Shields at George Mason University and under Judith Chitwood at Northern Illinois University. Taylor trained at the Peoria Ballet Academy in their pre-professional ballet program for 10 years under the direction of Eric Yetter, Rebekah Von Rathonyi, Servy Gallardo, and Ian Poulis. She supplemented her training by attending summer intensives at Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Ballet Magnificat (Costa Rica), Bates Dance Festival, Grand Rapids Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, Perry Mansfield Performing Arts School, River North Dance Chicago, and the Suzanne Farrell Workshop for Young Dancers at Florida State University.  In 2019, Taylor completed an internship with the Walt Disney World company in Florida where she had to opportunity to learn from the Disney choreographers and entertainment leaders. Some of Taylor’s favorite performing roles include the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Esmeralda and Odalisque soloist in Le Corsaire, Mrs. Gibbs in a contemporary ballet rendition of Our Town, and Lulu in Cabaret.