WHO'S WHO IN THE FESTIVAL?
MISTY COPELAND (Curator) is a former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and in 2015, she became the first Black woman to be promoted to the position in the company’s seventy-fiveyear history. Copeland first joined ABT’s Studio Company in September 2000, joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2001, and in August 2007, became the company’s second African American female Soloist and the first in two decades. 25 years later, Copeland officially retired from the American Ballet Theatre with her final performance on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025. She is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including Life in Motion, Ballerina Body, Black Ballerinas, The Wind at My Back, and the picture books Bunheads, Bunheads, Act 2: The Dance of Courage, and Firebird, with her next book, Firebird Waltz, set to be released on Tuesday, August 25th. In 2022, she launched the Misty Copeland Foundation with its first signature program, Be Bold, which aims to bring greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to dance, especially ballet. Also in 2022, Copeland created her production company Life in Motion Productions and produced her short film Flower, telling a powerful story through dance and movement to highlight intergenerational equity in the community of Oakland, California. Flower premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023. Copeland has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and was named one of Glamour’s Women of the Year. Most recently, she performed “I Lied to You” at the 2026 Academy Awards with the cast of Sinners, a Best Original Song nominee.
BABATUNJI is a dance artist, choreographer, and creative innovator based out of Oakland, CA. Though never formally trained as a child, Babatunji was always moving his body to the beat. At the age of 15, he discovered the art of hip hop. Following this epiphany of love, he grew up through his teens breaking and popping on street corners in Hilo, Hawai’i. After being “discovered” by a local dance instructor, he began his formal training at Center Stage Dance Alliance in various styles of dance, including ballet. This training would inevitably lead him to Lines Ballet’s Training Program, and from there, into LINES Ballet company.
For over a decade he has worked with one of the greatest American choreographers, Alonzo King. Throughout their time together Babatunji originated many roles, including the acclaimed Lift Every Voice solo in which he’s been blessed to share the stage with Grammy Award-winning vocalist, Lisa Fischer. As a freelance dancer, Babatunji has worked with Post:ballet, SFDanceworks, Ballare Carmel; as well as performed works by choreographers and artist such as Adji Cissoko, Yue Yin, Danielle Rowe, Brett Conway, Rich and Tone Talauega, David Harvey, and Mike Tyus. Additionally, his work for film includes features in Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs’ Blindspotting on Starz. Most recently he co-starred alongside Misty Copeland in her short art film Flower, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2023. The San Francisco Chronicle profiled Babatunji’s journey from street performance to the big screen.
Over the past 15 years, Babatunji has developed a unique movement language, blending his background in ballet, contemporary, breaking, and hip hop. He has choreographed for Berkeley Ballet Theater, Boston Dance Theater, Post:ballet, Trolley Dance, SFDanceworks, San Francisco Dance Film Festival, among other Bay Area companies. As a solo artist, Babatunji has performed internationally, collaborating
with visual, sound, and technical artists of countless genres. His work has been seen at Museum of Dance, Lion’s Jaw performance + dance festival, København Danser, and SFJazz in collaboration with Terri Lyne Carrington. In 2015, he was awarded a Princess Grace Award, as well as a Chris Hellman Award for his outstanding achievements and promise in the world of dance. In 2022, Babatunji was featured in Dance Magazine’s “Dancer Spotlight - Making New Movement”.
Babatunji is immensely grateful to his mom for providing him with every opportunity and the guidance of her wisdom along the way.
ILO is an emerging Afro-Caribbean choreographer, performer, teacher, and dance researcher. As a recent honors graduate of Emory University, they've notably developed research into the embodied liberatory practices of Afro-diasporic dance. Their research, performance, and choreography has been recognized by Misty Copeland at Emory University, the American College Dance Association, Emory’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, Dance Magazine, and DanceATL. They have worked extensively with like-inspired artists including Julio Medina, Kevin Iega Jeff, and Andre D. Lumpkin. Ilo remains inspired by artivism (art + activism), believing it is an essential tool for rewriting, reclaiming, and unearthing stories of the diaspora. Insta: @thee_hze.
VICTOR ABREU is a soloist with New York City Ballet. Mr. Abreu was born in New York, New York and began his training at the age of 10 at New York Theatre Ballet. In January 2019, Mr. Abreu was named an apprentice with NYCB and in May 2019 he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet and promoted to soloist in 2025. Abreu was awarded Clive Barne's 2022 Award for Dance and 2025's Janice Levin recipient. Abreu has performed with American Ballet Theater, New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park, and New York Theater Ballet.
SIERRA ARMSTRONG was raised in Advance, North Carolina and began dancing at the age of five at a local dance studio in WinstonSalem. In 2006, she was invited to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) Preparatory Program where she trained under the direction of Dayna Fox until 2013. Armstrong continued her ballet training in the UNCSA High School Program under the direction of American Ballet Theatre alumna Susan Jaffe. At the age of 15, in 2015, Armstrong was a finalist at the Prix De Lausanne competition in Switzerland and received a full scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. A few months later in January 2016 Armstrong joined ABT studio company. In November 2017 she joined American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice and became a member of the corps de ballet in June 2018. While in the corps de ballet, Armstrong received the Margaret King Moore Dancer award in 2021 and in 2022 she was selected as one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch. Armstrong was promoted to soloist with American Ballet Theatre in September 2025.
TITILAYO AYANGADE (Cellist) is a multi-dimensional artist whose work as a cellist, photographer, and writer has earned recognition for its depth and advocacy within classical music. A 2021 Strathmore Artist-in-Residence, Titilayo has toured with Sphinx Virtuosi, Palaver Strings, Contemporaneous, and Alarm Will Sound, and performs regularly with ensembles including Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Chamber Orchestra of America, Joshua Bell’s conductorless ensemble. She is also the cellist of Duo Kayo, a genre-bending ensemble with violist Edwin Kaplan that explores music old and new through an imaginative and collaborative lens.
Recent highlights include the release of Threat, an audio-visual work written for Duo Kayo by Curtis Stewart; appearances at TED in Vancouver, Gateways Music Festival, MATA Festival and performances with Orchestra of St. Luke’s. She also performs with industry icons like Jaÿ- Z, Beyoncé and Josh Groban.
Alongside her performing career, Titilayo has built a parallel practice as a photographer and writer. Her photographs have appeared in The New York Times, The Strad, and The Violin Channel, and have been featured by the GRAMMYs, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Tippet Rise Art Center, and the New York Philharmonic. A recipient of the 2025 Black Women Photographers × Nikon Grant, she is particularly interested in documenting artists whose work expands our understanding of who belongs within classical music.
Titilayo was previously the cellist of the internationally acclaimed Thalea String Quartet, with whom she performed throughout North America and Europe.
Based in Harlem, her work increasingly explores the people, histories, and communities that shape both her city and the broader cultural landscape of classical music. More information can be found at www.titilayoandco.com and www.duokayo.com
OLIVIA BELL is a corps de ballet with New York City Ballet. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, she trained locally before being accepted to the School of American Ballet in 2018. While a student, Olivia originated a featured role in Gianna Reisen’s Signs. In 2022, Olivia became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and was then promoted to corps de ballet in 2023. As a corps member Olivia has performed featured roles in Kyle Abraham’s Love Letter on Shuffle, Jerome Robbins's Interplay, Tiler Peck’s Concerto for Two Pianos, and George Balanchine’s Swan Lake.
DEREK BROCKINGTON, born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Holland Michigan, is an emerging choreographer whose work has been commissioned by DTH, NJFO, SoHo House NY, and others. He was recognized by Crain’s Business “20 in Their 20s” for his contributions to the DTH’s social media. Training: Grand Rapids Ballet School and Interlochen Arts Academy, summer intensives with Ballet West, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Professional Experience: Cincinnati Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, guest artist with Houston Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem (eighth season). Repertoire includes works by George Balanchine, Robert Garland, William Forsythe, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Claudia Schreier, among others.
MADISON BROWN is a ballet artist from Wellington, FL whose talent, versatility, and dedication have distinguished her as one of the most promising young dancers of her generation. Brown began her dance training at the age of two and, at age ten, joined Lents Dance Company and The Art of Classical Ballet, where she developed the technical foundation and artistry that would propel her to national and international recognition. Throughout her youth career, she earned numerous prestigious honors, including the Legacy Award at Universal Alliance and National Outstanding Dancer titles from New York City Dance Alliance in 2015, 2017, and 2019. In 2018, Brown showcased her versatility by performing contemporary works on NBC's World of Dance. Her exceptional competition success continued in 2019 when she captured the Gold Medal at the World Ballet Competition, the Youth Grand Prix Award at Youth America Grand PrixTampa, and the Bronze Medal at YAGP Finals in New York City.
From 2018 through 2021, Brown was recognized as an American Ballet Theatre National Training Scholar. In 2021, she joined the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School before advancing to ABT Studio Company in January 2022. That same year, Brown expanded her artistic reach by performing alongside Mariah Carey in a work choreographed by James Whiteside for the Global Citizen Festival. In 2023, she represented the United States at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne, performing Do You Care?, a Young Creation Award-winning solo choreographed by Aleisha Walker. Brown became an apprentice with American Ballet Theatre in November 2023 and was promoted to the Corps de Ballet in July 2024. Her growing repertoire includes Moyna in Giselle, Midnight Pas de Deux, the Rose Pas de Trois in The Sleeping Beauty, a leading role in Sextet, and a featured role she originated in Wrecka Stow. In 2025, Brown received the prestigious Chris Hellman Dance Award from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, recognizing her exceptional artistry and future promise. She was also honored to perform alongside Misty Copeland during Copeland’s retirement gala, a landmark celebration recognizing the historic career and enduring impact of one of ballet’s most influential and transformative artists.
Today, Brown continues to build an impressive career with American Ballet Theatre, captivating audiences with her artistry, athleticism, and stage presence. As one of the company’s rising young talents, she represents the next generation of ballet while inspiring young dancers through her commitment to excellence, perseverance, and artistic expression.
AERON
BUCHANAN began his formal training at age ten at Maryland Youth Ballet, but Aeron's passion for dance has been present since birth. Having a mother who was a former dancer and studio owner, Buchanan's love of movement came naturally. He trained at The Washington Ballet and then at Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) graduating in 2017. He spent summers attending programs such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. After graduating from BSA he attended the year round programs at Boston Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet before joining Cincinnati Ballet’s second company, followed by Nashville Ballet as an Apprentice in 2020 and promoted to Company Artist in 2022. During his four seasons with the company he was featured in works by Jermaine Spivey, Jennifer Archibald, Justin Peck, Jiří Kylián and Matthew Neenan. Aeron joined COMPLEXIONS in 2024.
RENAN CERDEIRO was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At a young age, he began training in various dance styles at the Escola de dança Alice Arja in Rio de Janeiro. In 2008, Cerdeiro was named a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, and that same year was awarded a scholarship to train at the Miami City Ballet School. Within two years, he was invited by the company's founding artistic director, Edward Villella, to join the Miami City Ballet as a company apprentice. In 2013, he was promoted to principal dancer by artistic director Lourdes Lopez. Cerdeiro has performed and originated numerous principals roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, as well as in works by Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, Liam Scarlett, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Nacho Duato, Richard Alston and original works by Justin Peck. Additionally, Cerdeiro has performed leading roles in the classics such as Petipa's Coppélia, Giselle and Don Quixote, and John Cranko's Romeo & Juliet and Swan Lake. Cerdeiro has danced at the Koch theater and New York City Center in New York , the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, in both Ottawa and Vancouver, Canada, as well at the Bolshoi in Moscow, Russia as part of the Benois de la Danse Gala. Cerdeiro was named by Dance Magazine as one of the worlds "Top 25 Artists to Watch in 2011". Most recently, Cerdeiro has been working as a guest artist and was part of Twyla Tharp’s Diamond Jubilee Tour, briefly with Dance Theater of Harlem and guests with LA dance project.
DEVEN CRAWFORD is a dancer, actor, photographer, and company artist with the Brooklyn-based JGCO (Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet). He is a Junior BFA Dance major at Northeastern University—NYC (formerly Marymount Manhattan College). Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada where he trained with Avree Walker (Live Arts Institute), Justin Bryant (Broadway Performer), Broadway in the HOOD ( Tony nominated theater program), and many other professionals. He has had starring roles in The Lion King (Las Vegas), Little Shop of Horrors (Las VegasPearl Theater), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Las Vegas-Pearl Theater) where he also served as choreographer under the direction of Ben Vereen. He is a 2024 graduate of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. He is a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance and has performed at the annual conference. Deven received numerous scholarship offers for colleges but ultimately chose MMC because of the opportunity to minor in photography while pursuing his dance degree.
JAROD CURLEY was born in Bethesda, Maryland, and began his ballet training at the Frederick School of Classical Ballet before continuing his studies at CityDance Conservatory and the Next Generation Ballet under the direction of Peter Stark. During his training, he earned top honors in both the solo and pas de deux divisions of Youth America Grand Prix and was a finalist at the 2015 Prix de Lausanne, where he received an invitation to study at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany.
Curley joined American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2016, became an apprentice with the main company in 2018, joined the Corps de Ballet in 2019, and was promoted to Soloist in 2024. He was named Principal Dancer in 2026 following his performance as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake at the Metropolitan Opera House. His repertoire with American Ballet Theatre includes Prince Siegfried and Ballroom Von Rothbart in Swan Lake; Onegin and Prince Gremin in John Cranko's Onegin; the Nutcracker Prince in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker; principal roles in Theme and
Variations, Études, Don Quixote (Grand Pas de Deux), Firebird, Of Love and Rage, On the Dnipro, Bach Partita, Neo, Like Water for Chocolate, The Seasons, Some Assembly Required, Woolf Works, La Boutique, Gala Performance, Rodeo, Piano Concerto No. 1, and ZigZag. He also created a featured role in Silas Farley’s Collage & Creed.
GUILLAUME DIOP is an Étoile dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet. Born in Paris (France) in 2000, he took his first dance steps at the age of 4 before entering the Conservatoire of the 18th district of Paris at the age of eight, then the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional of Paris at the age of ten. He joined the prestigious Paris Opera Dance School in 2012, where he studied for six years. During his training, he also had the opportunity to be part of a summer internship at the Alvin Ailey Dance Company in New York City in 2016. In 2018, Guillaume Diop joined the Paris Opera Ballet, where he quickly rose through the hierarchy. Spotted very early for his technical and artistic qualities that are typical of the “French style”, he was entrusted, despite his young age, with some of the greatest roles in the company's classical repertoire such as Roméo (in Romeo & Juliet), Basilio (in Don Quixote), Solor (in La Bayadère) or Prince Siegfried (in Swan Lake) following injuries of soloists whom he successfully replaced at short notice.
A young man of convictions and well determined to evolve his discipline towards greater openness, Guillaume Diop co-wrote in 2020 a manifesto that opened a conversation on the lack of diversity, inclusion, and representation at the Paris Opera and echoed worldwide. His successful performances on stage did not go unnoticed among the ballet afficionados: in 2021, he was awarded the prestigious Carpeaux Dance Prize and Arop Dance Prize, the two awards that are annually given by the main friends and patrons circles of the Paris Opera to the most promising young artists of the company. On March 11, 2023, on the stage of the LG Arts Center in Seoul, while performing the role of Albrecht in Giselle during a company tour in Korea, he was appointed to the ultimate rank of Étoile Dancer at only 23. Acclaimed by the audience and drawing the attention of the media both in France and worldwide, Guillaume Diop has become one the most prominent public figure in the country and his reputation is reaching far beyond the very niche ballet world. In 2024, The New York Times nicknamed him “The Modern Prince”, and the Financial Times referred to him as “Ballet's New Idol”. He earned several distinctions such as GQ France Men of the Year (2023) or ADAMI’s Artist of the year (2023) and was included in Forbes Africa (2023) and Forbes France (2024) 30 under 30 rankings. In 2024, he had the honor of being part of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, dancing on the roofs of Paris. With the ambition of developing a global experience aside from his career at the Paris Opera, Guillaume Diop made his first international guesting with the Joburg Ballet (South Africa) in June 2024 performing in the Sleeping Beauty. In October 2024, he was a guest artist with the Royal Swedish Ballet and participated in the world creation of Gustavia, dancing the main part of Gustav Badin. In 2025, Guillaume will perform at the Paris Opéra in the ballets Sleeping Beauty (by Rudolf Nureyev), Sylvia (by Manuel Legris) and Onegin (by John Cranko).
VINÍCIUS FREIRE was born in Recife, Brazil. At the age of 12, he began his ballet training. A few months later, Freire joined the Bolshoi Theater School in Brazil on a full scholarship. In 2021, he joined the Junior Company at the Bolshoi Theater School in Brazil, but soon moved to Philadelphia to attend the Philadelphia Ballet II. Soon after, he was invited to join the Philadelphia Ballet as apprentice. In 2023, he got the opportunity to join the New Jersey Ballet as a professional. He is currently on his fourth season with the company. As artist, he was named the best male dancer at the largest dance festival in Brazil, Festival de Joinville, in 2023. He has worked with renowned choreographers including Justin Peck, Roderick George, Ingrid Silva among others, including restagings of choreography by George Balanchine.
JOE GONZÁLEZ is an Afro-Latino dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts leader from Boston, Massachusetts. He began his training through Boston Ballet’s Citydance program and continued at the Roxbury Center for the Performing Arts and then highschool at Boston Arts Academy, where he received the Dance Award and a YoungArts Merit Award from the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts. He furthered his training at the Boston Conservatory, American Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, and Springboard Danse Montréal before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Boston Conservatory in 2011.
As a performer, González has toured nationally and internationally with companies including Anna Myer and Dancers, Deborah Abel Dance Company, Prometheus Dance, DMB|#DBdanceproject, Putty Dance Project, Dance IQUAIL, Zoé Dance, Danza Orgánica, WaheedWorks, and David Dorfman Dance. He spent eight seasons as a Performing Artist with PHILADANCO! (The Philadelphia Dance Company) and later served as Artistic Director of its youth ensemble, D/3.
González is currently Co-Founder, Co-Executive Artistic Director, and Resident Choreographer of Jo-Mé Dance Theatre and serves as co-Associate Artistic Director with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. His choreographic work has been commissioned by Bryn Mawr College, Rowan University, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Boston Arts Academy, Philadelphia Dance Theatre, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, among others. A former faculty member at Temple University and Georgian Court University, González continues to perform, choreograph, teach, and create opportunities for emerging and established artists through Jo-Mé Dance Theatre while maintaining his performance career.
CARLY GREENE is in her fourth season as a Company Artist with Dance Theatre of Harlem. Born in Flower Mound, Texas, Carly began her early training at The Ballet Conservatory in Lewisville, Texas, and trained with the LakeCities Ballet Theatre pre-professional studio company. Her summer training includes Houston Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Boston Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and the Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Ensemble. Carly is a two-time Youth America Grand Prix New York Semi-Finalist and a recipient of the Dance Council of North Texas Scholarship and the Alvin Ailey Artistic Scholarship.
Carly attended Fordham University, where she trained in the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University BFA Dance Program, graduating magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Digital Technology and Emerging Media.
Her repertory with Dance Theatre of Harlem includes George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, Allegro Brillante, and Pas de Dix; Robert Garland’s New Bach, Return, The Cookout, Higher Ground, Tumbao, Hailstork, and Nyman String Quartet No. II; William Forsythe’s Blake Works IV (The Barre Project); John Taras’s The Firebird. Carly has also performed works by Alvin Ailey, Geoffrey Holder, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Silas Farley, and Jennifer Archibald.
KELLEN HORNBUCKLE joined Houston Ballet as an Apprentice in 2018, after being promoted from Houston Ballet’s second company, Houston Ballet II, where she has trained full time since 2016. Born in Ann Arbor, Mi and grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia where she trained starting at three years old at Ballet Virgina International. Hornbuckle then joined the Houston ballet Academy in 2016. The following year she became a member of Houston Ballet’s second company HBII. She joined the Company as an Apprentice in 2018 and became a Corps de Ballet member in 2019. In 2022, she was promoted to Demi Soloist.
ALEXANDRA HUTCHINSON
Born: Wilmington, Delaware.
Training: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bachelor of Science in Ballet with an Outside Field in Arts Management), The Washington School of Ballet, The Academy of Dance/ Wilmington Ballet. Professional experience: Nashville Ballet 2, Dance Theatre of Harlem (8th season). Repertoire: John Taras' The Firebird; George Balanchine's Donizetti Variations, Allegro Brillante, Pas de Dix, Valse Fantaisie, Western Symphony, Swan Lake, Concerto Barocco, Divertimento No. 15, Emeralds, Rubies, Raymonda Variations, and Giselle; William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, Blake Works IV (The Barre Project); Helen Pickett’s When Love; Robert Bondara’s Take Me With You; Jodie Gates’ Passage of Being; Stanton Welch’s Orange; Robert Garland’s Higher Ground, Return, Nyman String Quartet No. 2, New Bach, and Breathe; Arthur Mitchell’s The Greatest and Tones II; Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Balamouk; Darrell Grand Moultrie’s Harlem on My Mind and Vessels. Awards and Honors: Principal Guest Artist with New York City Ballet in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker as Dew Drop (2023) and Pam Tanowitz’s Gustave Le Gray No. 1 (2022). Recipient of The Pierians Foundation Incorporated 2018 Emerging Young Artist Award. The Virginia Johnson Scholar, Washington School of Ballet Professional Training Program tuition stipend, 2010, 2011, and 2012.
RAVEN JOSEPH is a native of Queens, New York where she completed her High School education at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Arts and Performing Arts. Raven is a graduate of The Juilliard School where she received her BFA in Dance. During the Juilliard commencement ceremony, Raven was honored with the leadership award – The Joseph W Polisi Prize for Dance. In 2022, Raven was named the 2022 FENDI Vanguard Recipient. Prior in 2017, Raven won the Silver Medal in the NAACP ACT-SO Competition, in the Dance Modern Category. Raven is extremely humbled for the opportunity to receive such honors in dance. Raven began her dance training at The Edge School of the Arts where she studied in all styles. She continued her training at The Ailey School and MOVE|NYC| where she enhanced her dance technique. As part of a foreign exchange program Raven traveled to Beijing, China where she learned Classical Chinese Folk Dance and studied the great history of China. She has performed professional works ranging
from Alonzo King, Bill T. Jones, Kyle Abraham, Francesca Harper and much more. And in 2023 she joined The Philadelphia Dance Company, where she recently completed three seasons with the company. Raven is currently a Choreography Assistant for the Broadway revival of Dreamgirls
CHLOE MISSELDINE began her classical training at Orlando Ballet School. She attended ABT Summer Intensives in Orange County, California, and New York City as a National Training Scholar from 2016–2018. At age 15, Misseldine earned second place in the 2017 Youth America Grand Prix New York City Finals and performed at the YAGP “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow” Gala. In 2018, she was named a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne and joined American Ballet Theatre Studio Company. Misseldine became an apprentice with American Ballet Theatre in December 2019 and joined the corps de ballet in September 2021. She was promoted to Soloist in September 2022 and to Principal Dancer in July 2024. Her repertoire includes a Flower Girl in Don Quixote, the Italian Ballerina in Gala Performance, Giselle and Myrta in Giselle, Nikiya in The Kingdom of the Shades, Rosaura in Like Water for Chocolate, Night Falls, Clara, the Princess, one of the Nutcracker’s Sisters, and the Spanish dance in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, Queen of Babylon in Of Love and Rage, Tatiana in Onegin, Rosaline and Lady Montague in Romeo and Juliet, Ice in The Seasons, Odette/Odile, the pas de trois, and a big swan in Swan Lake, Sylvia in Sylvia, Sylvia Pas de Deux, Perdita in The Winter’s Tale, “Becomings” in Woolf Works, leading roles in Bach Partita, Ballet Imperial, Have We Met?!, and La Boutique, and featured roles in Bernstein in a Bubble, La Follia Variations, Petite Mort, and Songs of Bukovina
SHOTA MIYOSHI, trained extensively in jazz, ballet, tap, and hip-hop before moving to the United States to pursue his studies at SUNY Purchase College, where he earned his BFA in Dance in 2022. Upon graduation, he joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, performing works by acclaimed choreographers including Aszure Barton, Ohad Naharin, Matthew Rushing, Rena Butler, FLOCK (Alice Klock and Florian Lochner), and James Gregg, among others. Expanding his artistry into choreography, Shota was commissioned to create new works for The Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works 2025 and New Dances 2025. For more information, please visit Shota's website.
NAAZIR MUHAMMAD was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the Brooklyn Ballet School from 2003-2010 and trained at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School from 2010-2016. Muhammad was invited to join Houston Ballet Academy II in 2016 and was promoted into the Company as an Apprentice in 2017. He was promoted to the Corps de Ballet in 2018, to Demi Soloist in 2021, to a Soloist in 2022 and became a First Soloist in 2025. Muhammad has featured in a variety of classic and contemporary ballet roles including Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, Giselle, Swan Lake, Marie, Sylvia, La Bayadère, Romeo and Juliet, Clear, Play, Divergence, Sons de L’âme, Red Earth; Asaf Messerer’s Spring Waters Pas de Deux; Aszure Barton's Angular Momentum; Justin Peck's Under the Folding Sky; Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke; Arthur Pita's Good Vibrations; Mark Morris' The Letter V; Ben Stevenson’s The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, and Don Quixote; George Balanchine’s Jewels, Symphony in C, and Concerto Barocco; Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan,
and more. He has danced in tours of Stanton Welch’s Swan Lake in Dubai, UAE, Minneapolis, MN (2018) and Tokyo, Japan (2022), and Stanton Welch’s world premiere of Just at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA (2018).
SAE EUN PARK was born in Seoul, where she began her dance education at the Academy of the Korea National ballet when she was ten years old. Park joined American Ballet Theatre 2 in New York on a two-year apprentice scholarship from the 2007 Prix de Lausanne. She dances soloist roles in ballets such as Allegro Brillante (George Balanchine) or Interplay (Jerome Roobbins). In May 2009, Park joined the Korea National Ballet Company as a member of the corps de ballet. She was promoted to Soloist in January 2010. Her performances include Grigorovich's The Nutcracker (Marie); Swan Lake (Odette/Odile); Don Quixote (Kitri); and La Bayadere (Nikia). In 2011 Park had a contract for one full season at the Paris Opera, and a year later she join the corps de ballet at the level of Quadrille. Within three months she was raised to Coryphée. In 2014 Park was promoted to Sujet and in 2017 to Premiere Danseuse. She made her debut at the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre with La Bayadere dancing Nikia (2015). Following the performance of Romeo and Juliet (Noureyev) on June 10th 2021, Sae Eun Park is named "Danseuse Étoile".
Her awards include Prix de dance de Cercle Carpeaux by the Paris Opera Ballet Company, a gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 2010, first prize at the Rome Competition in 2010, and first prize at the Prix de Lausanne. In 2007 she was awarded a junior silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson 2006 She awarded the prize of "Benois de la danse" in 2018 She named a "Chevaliere de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres"
SUNMI PARK is a Soloist with American Ballet Theatre. Born in Incheon, South Korea, she trained at Korea National University of Arts before joining ABT Studio Company in 2019. She joined the main Company and was promoted to Soloist in 2022. Her repertoire with ABT includes Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Myrtha in Giselle, Clara in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, and Tita in Like Water for Chocolate.
ELIAS RE Born: Milan, Italy. Training: La Scala Ballet School, Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba. Professional Experience: Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, Cleveland Ballet. Repertoire includes works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon, William Forsythe, Jodie Gates, Geoffrey Holder, Stanton Welch, Robert Garland, Robert Bondara, Claire Davidson, Anna Rita Larghi, Gino Labate, Victor Alexander, and Da’Von Doane. Classical Repertory includes principal roles in Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Magic Flute, Paquita, Midsummer’s Night Dream, Sleeping Beauty.
TAYLOR STANLEY, born in Philadelphia, PA, is a multidisciplinary artist focused in dance and visual art. They began their dance training at The Rock School, became an Apprentice with New York City Ballet (NYCB) in 2009, and were promoted to Principal Dancer in 2016. They are a recipient of the Mae L. Wien, Janice Levin, and Bessie Awards. With NYCB, Taylor has originated roles in works by Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, and Kyle Abraham, and performed featured roles in ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. Guest appearances and other collaborations include The Metropolitan Opera, AIM by Kyle Abraham, GALLIM, BalletCollective, GOTTA DANCE! with American Dance Machine, Kaatsbaan, The Joyce Theater, Jacob’s Pillow, Guggenheim Works & Process, New York Choreographic Institute, Fire Island Dance Festival, Gold Coast Dance Festival, and CARVALHOPARK. Taylor serves on the SAB Advisory Committee on Diversity & Inclusion, holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. Mary’s College of California, and is a certified yoga instructor.
INGRID THOMS, born in McLean, Virginia, began her ballet training at the Kintz Mejia Academy of Ballet before continuing her studies at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida, from 2013 to 2016. She then trained at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School before joining the ABT Studio Company in 2017. She became an apprentice with American Ballet Theatre in 2018 and was promoted to the corps de ballet in 2019. Thoms' repertoire with American Ballet Theatre includes Myrta and Zulma in Giselle, Queen of the Dryads and a Flower Girl in Don Quixote, the Lilac Fairy in Act III of The Sleeping Beauty, the Cabriole Shade in La Bayadère, and a Big Swan in Swan Lake, among other featured roles. She has originated roles in new works by Kyle Abraham and Helen Pickett.
SAHARA VON HATTENBERGER (Cellist) is a member of the Chamber Orchestra of New York, and is the co-founder of Duo Étrange (Cello+Soprano). As a soloist and chamber musician, Sahara is humbled to be a recipient of multiple project grants by both Chamber Music America and the Canada Council for the Arts allowing her to commission over 25 new works, as well as release two albums of entirely contemporary music. She has worked with artists such as Marcus Shields, Nicole Lizée, Remy Le Boeuf, Kyoko Hashimoto, and Kebra-Seyoun
Charles.Sahara has been a resident artist at BangOnACan’s Mass MoCa festival, Yellow Barn, Avaloch institute, and Pôle Relève through Le Vivier. She performs with ensembles around NYC, such as the New York Pops, American Composers Orchestra, New England Symphonic Ensemble, and more. As a soloist she recently had her NYC debut solo show with Composers Concordance, and is currently working on 15 minutes of fame with VoxNovus as a soloist. In 2024 she released her first solo album through the label Odd Sounds with collaborative pianist Joanne Kang (from Carnegie Hall’s: “ensemble connect”) as well as acclaimed jazz performers Jim Doxas (drums) and Adrian Vedady (bass), which featured repertoire by Claude Bolling alongside three new commissions. The album was featured on CBC Radio Canada, Jazziz, V13, AllAboutJazz, whole note magazine, and more. February 2026 her group Duo Étrange with Vanessa Croome released their debut album with ATMA Classique featuring five world premiere commissions at Salle Bourgie, and the album received critical acclaim landing them a national award from CBC as classical “revelation” of the year.
ALEISHA WALKER was born in Houston, Texas, and, at the age of 11, she began to study classical ballet at Houston Ballet Academy. She attended Houston Ballet Academy from 2012 to 2017 on full scholarship. In 2018, Walker attended American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive and began training at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School that September. Walker joined ABT Studio Company in September 2019, became an apprentice with the main Company in November 2022, and joined the corps de ballet in June 2023. At the 2023 Prix de Lausanne Competition, Walker received a Young Creation Award for her solo Do You Care?
DELANEY WASHINGTON, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, began her dance training at a local studio before graduating with honors from Fordham University/The Ailey School, where she earned a double major in Dance and Economics. Ms. Washington is currently in her sixth season as a Company Artist with Dance Theatre of Harlem. She has performed principal and featured roles in works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato, Robert Garland, Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa, Robert Bondara, Arthur Mitchell, and other acclaimed choreographers. With Dance Theatre of Harlem, she has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center, and has toured internationally throughout Mexico, Canada, France, and Colombia. In addition to her work on the concert stage, Ms. Washington was featured in the music video “Witchy” by Kaytranada featuring Childish Gambino. She also appeared as a principal dancer in the Amazon Prime series Étoile under the choreography of Marguerite Derricks.
APRIL WATSON began her dance training at age eight at University North Carolina School of the Arts Preparatory Program. In 2016, April graduated from University North Carolina School of the Arts High School Program. She spent her summers with School of American Ballet, Houston Ballet, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Charlotte Ballet, Indiana Ballet Conservatory, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Joffrey of Chicago all on scholarship. After graduating from UNCSA, she spent two years in Los Angeles, CA studying under the direction of Debbie Allen as an Artist in Residence on scholarship. April joined COMPLEXIONS in 2019.
HARPER WATTERS is a Principal Dancer with Houston Ballet. Originally from Dover, New Hampshire, he trained at the Portsmouth School of Ballet, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Houston Ballet Academy before joining Houston Ballet in 2011. In 2025, he made history as the first African American male Principal Dancer in Houston Ballets history. Over his fifteen-year career with the company, Watters has performed leading roles including The Shepherd in Stanton Welch's Sylvia, Dandini in Cinderella, Puck in John Neumeiers A Midsummer Night's Dream, Camille in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow, and featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, Jorma Elo, and Stanton Welch. He has also originated roles in world premieres by Justin Peck, Aszure Barton, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Silas Farley, and Welch, and has performed internationally throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. A recipient of the Contemporary Dance Award at the Prix de Lausanne, Watters is recognized both for his artistry onstage and his commitment to expanding visibility within ballet. Beyond performance,
he is an advocate for LGBTQ+ communities and arts accessibility, serving as Chair of the 2024 Montrose Center Gala and supporting numerous charitable initiatives throughout Houston and beyond. Through his work onstage, in the community, and across digital platforms, Watters continues to champion a vision of ballet that is both artistically excellent and broadly inclusive.
KYLIE TAKENO WILLIAMS is a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. She was born in New York City, and began her dance training at age four at Sunnyside Ballet Studio in Queens, founded by her mother Yasko Takeno-Williams. She also studied at the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and began her training at age seven at Ballet Academy East. She enrolled as a full-time student at SAB for the 2022 Winter term and became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2024. Williams joined the corps de ballet in August 2025.
CHOREOGRAPHERS
KYLE ABRAHAM (Show Pony) Is a dancer and choreographer, widely celebrated as a visionary voice in American modern dance. As the Founder and Artistic Director of A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, a company recognized as “one of the most consistently excellent troupes working today” by The New York Times, his work embraces the full richness of human experience while honoring the communities that shape it. A Pittsburgh native, Abraham trained at Civic Light Opera Academy and the Creative and Performing Arts High School before earning a BFA from SUNY Purchase and an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He later received an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Washington Jefferson College and in 2026, he received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from his alma mater SUNY Purchase. Abraham has premiered work to acclaim for decades. He is the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship (2026), the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (2013), the Doris Duke Foundation Artist Award (2016), the Princess Grace Foundation-USA Statue Award (2018), and the Dance Magazine Award (2022). His choreography for Are You in Your Feelings earned a National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography (2024), while An Untitled Love received nominations for the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production (2025), the Rose Prize for International Dance (2025), and the National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography (2026). He has been profiled in Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Kinfolk, Vogue, and British Vogue, among many other publications.
In addition to performing and developing new works for his company, Abraham has been commissioned by some of the world’s most prestigious companies, including American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the National Ballet of Cuba, New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and the Royal Ballet. He also choreographed Misty Copeland in Cynthia Erivo’s short-form film No Good Deed in promotion of Wicked: For Good.
A dedicated educator and cultural leader, Abraham has served as the Claude and Alfred Mann Endowed Professor in Dance at USC’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and as a visiting professor at UCLA. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has contributed to advisory and leadership initiatives with Lincoln Center, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Prada Group,
and Rebuild Foundation. In 2020, Abraham served as the first-ever guest editor for Dance Magazine
Named a Kennedy Center Next 50 Leader, Abraham continues to expand the possibilities of contemporary dance through work that blends formal experimentation with cultural resonance. As Vogue noted, he brings “an avant-garde aesthetic, an original and politically minded downtown sensibility that doesn’t distinguish between genres but freely draws on a vocabulary that is as much Merce [Cunningham] and Martha [Graham] as it is Eadweard Muybridge and Michael Jackson.”
ALONZO KING (Deep River Excerpt: Lift Every Voice and Sing) is one of the pioneers of contemporary ballet. He calls his works “thought structures” created by the manipulation of energies that exist in matter through laws, which govern the shapes and movement directions of everything that exists. Named as a choreographer with “astonishing originality” by The New York Times, Alonzo King has guided LINES Ballet with his unique artistic vision since 1982. King has works in the repertoires of the world’s leading ballet and modern companies and has collaborated with distinguished visual artists, musicians, and composers across the globe. His work has been recognized for its impact on the cultural fabric of the company’s home in San Francisco, as well as internationally by the dance world’s most prestigious institutions.
Named a Master of Choreography by the Kennedy Center in 2005, King is the recipient of the NEA Choreographer’s Fellowship, the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award, the US Artist Award in Dance, the NY Bessie Award, the SF Arts Medallion Award, and the National Dance Project’s Residency and Touring Awards. In 2015, he received the Doris Duke Artist Award in recognition of his ongoing contributions to the advancement of contemporary dance. King was also named one of America’s “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures” by the Dance Heritage Coalition, joining historic icons in the field. In 2020, he was honored with a Dance Magazine Award, and his choreography appears in the 2023 short film Flower, produced by and starring Misty Copeland. King was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2022 and received the Minyon Harlin Award from UCSF in 2024 for his service to women and girls with HIV. Additionally, Alonzo King’s celebrated ballet Deep River is featured on "NEXT at The Kennedy Center"—a series on PBS that showcases artists who are at the forefront of their disciplines and serve as culture bearers of the 21st Century.
Renowned for his skill as a teacher, King was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Corps de Ballet International Teacher Conference in 2012. An internationally acclaimed guest ballet master, his training philosophy undergirds the educational programming at the Alonzo King LINES Dance Center of San Francisco, which includes the pre-professional Summer Program and the BFA Program at Dominican University of California. Furthermore, King is a former San Francisco Art commissioner and a writer and lecturer on humanity and art. King has received honorary doctorates from The Juilliard School, Dominican University of California, and California Institute of the Arts in recognition of his significant contribution to the field of dance.
ANDREA MILLER (Middle Length Poem) is the artistic director, choreographer and founder of GALLIM, a New York City-based dance company dedicated to dance making, dance education, and community building. A creator and collaborator for dance, film, fashion, and the visual arts, Miller is known for her exploration of the essential elements of human existence and the alchemy of movement and performance. Her works are performed worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, The Joyce Theater, Jacob’s Pillow, BAM, Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, and Théâtre National de Chaillot de Paris, The Wallis, Guggenheim Museum, White Cube, the Victoria and Albert Museum among others. Recent commissions include English National Ballet, New York City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, Rambert. Film collaborations include celebrated directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, Xavier Dolan, Ezra Hurwitz, and Ben Stamper. Her collaborations in fashion include Hermès, Chanel, VOGUE, Max Mara, Calvin Klein, Bergdorf and Goodman, Lacoste, Target, Crate & Barrel, SLS Hotels Miami and Las Vegas, and Beautiful Destinations.
Ms. Miller is a Guggenheim, Sadler’s Wells, New York City Center, and Princess Grace Fellow. Her repertoire, creative methodology, and dance training are taught through GALLIM’s School of Movement as well as institutions including The Juilliard School, SUNY Purchase, USC Gloria Kaufman School of Dance, NYU, Yale, Harvard among others. Miller is a graduate of The Juilliard School and serves on the board of Chelsea Factory and the Doris Humphrey Foundation.
DWIGHT RHODEN (Ave Maria) has established a remarkably wideranging career, earning distinction from The New York Times as “one of the most sought out choreographers of the day.” Rhoden performed with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal, as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 1994, alongside Desmond Richardson, he founded Complexions Contemporary Ballet, widely considered “America’s Original Multicultural Contemporary Ballet Company” bringing their unique brand of contemporary dance to the world. Rhoden has created over 100 ballets for Complexions, as well as numerous other companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,The Atlanta Ballet, BalletMet, The Dance Theater of Harlem, The Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet, Philadanco, Mariinsky Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Ballet Nice’ Mediterranean, Tulsa Ballet, The Washington Ballet, The San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, among others. He has also choreographed for TV, film, theater and live performances.
Mr. Rhoden received the New York Foundation for the Arts Award, and is in the NYFA Hall of Fame. Nominated for a Benois De La Dance award for his libretto for Gatsby The Ballet, he also received an Honorary Doctorate degree from The Boston Conservatory in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of dance. Mr. Rhoden is currently an Artistic Professor of Dance at Chapman University and continues to co-direct Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet Academy.
INGRID SILVA (Interactions), a Rio de Janeiro native, began training at eight through the social project Dançando Para Não Dançar. She later trained at Escola de Dança Maria Olenewa and Centro de Movimento Deborah Colker on full scholarships and apprenticed with Grupo Corpo. In 2008, she moved to New York to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) Professional Training Program, becoming a company member in 2013. With DTH, Silva has performed principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Alvin Ailey, Ulysses Dove, Arthur Mitchell, Robert Garland, and William Forsythe. She rose to the ranks of principal with the company and danced with DTH for 18 years.
Silva founded PodHer and co-founded Blacks in Ballet, advocating for inclusivity in ballet. Her pointe shoes are exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in 2020. Featured in Vogue, The New York Times, and Forbes Brazil's 20 Successful Women list. She authored the bestseller The Pointe Shoes That Changed My World and the ballerina who painted her pointe shoes.
Currently, Silva is expanding her work as a choreographer. Her choreographic projects have been presented at the Fire Island Dance Festival, The Joyce Theatre, Orsolina28, Carvalho Art Gallery in New York and at Vildwerk. She has created work for leading institutions including Chattanooga Ballet, Ballet Nacional Dominicano, Ballet West Summit and other companies, bringing a distinctive voice that blends classical foundations with contemporary expression. Through her choreography, Silva continues to explore identity, community, and cultural dialogue across disciplines and borders.
HOUSTON THOMAS (Young Lovers), a 2025 Princess Grace Award winner, was born in Chicago and received his training at the Joffrey Ballet Academy, ChiArts, and the School of American Ballet before embarking on a ten-year performance career with Dresden Semperoper Ballett. Now a sought-after choreographic voice, his works have been commissioned by Opéra National de Bordeaux, The Washington Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Complexions, ABT Studio Company, Alvin Ailey II, Dance Aspen, Juilliard, USC Kaufman, and others. In 2022, he won France's Young Emergent Choreographers Contest with his work Follow the White Rabbit. Upcoming projects include new commissions for the Joffrey Ballet, Zurich Ballet Junior Company, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
STANTON WELCH AM (Clear) was born in Melbourne to Marilyn Jones OBE and Garth Welch AM, two of Australia's most gifted dancers of the 1960s and 1970s. He joined The Australian Ballet, rising to the rank of leading soloist and performing various principal roles, before serving as Resident Choreographer. During his decades long career, Welch has choreographed over 100 works including audience favorites Madame Butterfly (1995), Clear (2001), and Divergence (1994). His work can be seen in the repertoire of The Australian Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Birmingham Royal Ballet, among others. In July 2003, Welch was appointed Artistic Director of Houston Ballet, America's fourthlargest ballet company. Welch has choreographed more than 40 works for Houston Ballet, including Marie (2009) and spectacular stagings of Swan Lake (2006), La Bayadère (2010), Romeo and Juliet (2015), Giselle (2016), The Nutcracker (2016), Sylvia (2019), and Raymonda (2025). Developing Houston Ballet into a choreographic Eden,
Welch has commissioned over 30 works from notable choreographers such as Mark Morris, Aszure Barton, Dwight Rhoden, Trey McIntyre, and Justin Peck, while expanding the company’s repertoire with works from internationally acclaimed choreographers including George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier, Twyla Tharp, and Jerome Robbins. Under Welch’s leadership, Houston Ballet has appeared across the globe including recent engagements in Tokyo, Dubai, Melbourne, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Welch continues to nurture the next generation of artists through the Houston Ballet Academy, a leading institution in dance education and training.
JAMES WHITESIDE (Mantle) is a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre and a multifaceted working artist working across choreography, writing, and media, including "The Stage Rightside with James Whiteside" podcast and Substack, and his memoir Center Center, published by Penguin Books. He began his ballet training at age nine at the D'Valda & Sirico Dance and Music Centre in Fairfield, Conecticut. After completing his training, he joined Boston Ballet, where he rose to Principal Dancer. In 2012, he joined American Ballet Theatre and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2013. His repertoire includes leading roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, and more, including numerous contemporary works.
In addition to his performing career, Whiteside has choreographed for artists including Mariah Carey and Taylor Swift and continues to create work across music videos, commercials, film, and ballet. His choreography includes New American Romance, City of Women, and Danzón No. 2 for American Ballet Theatre, as well as Marilyn's Funeral for The Juiliard School, and many more. His short film Daytripper, which he directed and choreographed, was nominated for a New York Emmy Award and premiered on All Arts/PBS.
Offstage, Whiteside is the author of Center Center: A Funny, Sexy, Sad Almost-Memoir of a Boy in Ballet. His social media platforms reach nearly one million followers, with brand partnerships including St-Germain, Sonos, and Uber. He is also the host of "The Stage Rightsidewith James Whiteside," a podcast and Substack, where he publishes essays and conversations that offer an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes perspective on the realities of a life in ballet. Whiteside has completed Harvard Business School's Crossover Into Business program.