It all started back in 2019 when the established principal dancer Robert Zaloga of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company met newcomer Rachel Stopper. They were cast as Clara and The Prince in the annual holiday classic, Helen Gaus’ The Nutcracker and from there, the partnership was born. As Rachel’s career at the Civic Ballet began to skyrocket, they had the honor of dancing every major classical role together such as Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried, Romeo and Juliet, Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, Swanhilda and Franz, and many more.