My dad...
He called me Sarah Bernhardt from the start.
COLLEEN UNDERRINER is a versatile dancer, actor and singer whose strengths and talents are especially highlighted in MUSICAL THEATER. Born in 2006 and raised in the Chicago area, Colleen began dancing when she was 5 years old at the Wilmette Park District. Colleen lost her favorite dance partner and father to cancer when she was 6 years old, but that did not stop her from dancing. Rather, this loss made her embrace her dancing even more as a means to cope with grief. Under Krissie Odegard Geye at the Dance and Music Academy in Glenview, IL, Colleen was introduced to and developed her love of performing, competitive dance, and musical theater.
In 2018, Colleen moved with her family to Charleston, SC. She continued her dance training at The Dance Conservatory of Charleston under Lindy Mandradjieff Fabyanic, Jenifer Ringer, and James Fayette where she was accepted into the pre-professional ballet program in 2020. In addition to ballet, she also studied precision jazz, jazz, tap, contemporary, modern, and hip hop. In 2021, Colleen began rehearsing and performing with The Palmetto City Ballet's Broadway Company under Stephen Gabriel. In 2022, she returned to the theatrical stage with Charleston Academy of Musical Theater under Courtney Sarre and Diana Flaherty. And in the fall of 2023, Colleen made the move to New York City to continue her dance and theater training as a student in Steps on Broadway Conservatory's Professional Training Program.
Colleen attended South Carolina Connections Academy online where she was a member of the National Honor Society and earned a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a spot in the top 5% of her high school class. She graduated a semester early from high school in November 2023.
In her free time, Colleen enjoys assistant teaching and volunteers for several community organizations supporting others on their cancer journey and helping share her love of dance. She also loves reading!
She is a dedicated and hard-working artist who has won the respect of her teachers, the admiration of her peers, and the hearts of audiences she is thrilled and honored to perform for.
Her true goal is to one day earn the title of Radio City Rockette!
Thank you for reading MY STORY and hope you will follow my journey on social media!