Jury Panel Archives
2025 JURY & SELECTION PANEL
IGOR ANTONOV
RICHMOND BALLET
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
RB II DIRECTOR
Igor Antonov was born in Zaporozie, Ukraine. Upon graduation from the Kiev Choreographic Institute, he joined the Donetsk Ballet (Ukraine) as a soloist. In 1990, he was invited to join Richmond Ballet, where for five seasons he danced leading roles in works by George Balanchine, John Butler, Antony Tudor, William Soleau, Malcolm Burn, and Stoner Winslett. During that time, he was also a medalist and best couple award winner at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi.
For the next several years, he danced with Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, Germany, and made guest appearances with major ballet companies in Berlin, Madrid, and Nice.
In 2003, he returned to Richmond Ballet, and while continuing to perform with the Company, he began conducting rehearsals and teaching at the School of Richmond Ballet. After his retirement from the stage, Mr. Antonov stepped into the role of leading Richmond Ballet’s second company, Richmond Ballet II. He now serves as Rehearsal Director for the professional company.
YOSHIHISA ARAI
CINCINNATI BALLET
DIRECTOR OF SECOND COMPANY
Yoshihisa Arai began his Ballet training at the International Ballet Academy in Japan before he was accepted to The Royal Ballet School in London in 2005. While he was a student at The Royal Ballet School, Arai performed in works by Sir David Bintley, Sir Frederick Ashton, and Sir Kenneth MacMillan, with The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden and he was a Finalist of the Prix de Lausanne in 2007.
After graduating with honors and receiving the Achievement Award in 2008, Arai joined Northern Ballet in Leeds, UK under the direction of David Nixon CBE. In 2011, Arai moved to the United States and joined Tulsa Ballet where he performed works by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián and Edwaard Liang.
The following year Arai joined The Joffrey Ballet Chicago under the leadership of Ashley Wheater MBE, where he gained innumerable experiences and the responsibility to perform countless principal and corps roles in world-renowned works by exceptional choreographers like Gerald Arpino, George Balanchine, Val Caniparoli, Alexander Ekman, Lar Lubovitch, Wayne McGregor, John Nuemeier, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Justin Peck, Yuri Possokov, Jerome Robbins, Stanton Welch & Christopher Wheeldon OBE.
As a choreographer, Arai created several successful new works for The Joffrey Ballet such as Boléro, Élégie, and Afternoon Watch, which premiered at The Lyric Opera House in Chicago. Arai has been invited to create a world premiere in collaboration with Berlin-based Composer, Designer, and Tony Award-winning choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon and Alondora de la Parra, founder and conductor of Festival PAAX GNP in Mexico.
Arai joined Cincinnati Ballet as a Rehearsal Director and Director of Second Company- CB2 in 2023 to aid in the success of the company’s vision for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
OGULCAN BOROVA
THE JOFFREY BALLET
STUDIO COMPANY DIRECTOR
Oğulcan Borova was born in Turkey and recognized as the First Prize Winner at the 3rd National Rotary Clubs Dance Competition. His awards include a Bronze Medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition, Gold Medal at the New York International Ballet Competition, Gold Medal at the Seoul International Ballet Competition, and High Achievement Recognition from the Dokuz Eylül University, where he studied in the conservatory’s dance department.
From 2011-2015, he danced with The Joffrey Ballet, where he danced principal roles in the productions such as Don Quixote, La Bayadere, Prodigal Son, and The Nutcracker.
He returned to Cincinnati Ballet as a Ballet Master in 2015 and worked closely with Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. Following successful five seasons with Cincinnati Ballet, he pursued his career by joining the National Ballet of Finland as a Ballet Master in 2020, under the direction of Madeleine Onne.
Borova was appointed head of the Studio Company and Trainee Program in 2022.
AMY BRANDT
POINTE MAGAZINE
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Amy Brandt has been the editor in chief of Pointe magazine since 2014, following a 19-year dance career. She received her initial dance training at Dancenter North in Libertyville, Illinois, and at the Milwaukee Ballet School. She later joined the Milwaukee Ballet, where her repertoire included 19th century classics as well as works by Antony Tudor, George Balanchine, Mark Godden and Alonzo King, among others.
She joined The Suzanne Farrell Ballet in 2003, dancing soloist roles in Balanchine’s Agon, La Valse, Pas de Dix and Divertimento No. 15. In 2005, she performed in honor of Ms. Farrell at the nationally televised Kennedy Center Honors. Ms. Brandt has also danced with Dances Patrelle, New Chamber Ballet, Ad Hoc Ballet and Ballet NY.
She has written extensively for several dance publications, including Pointe magazine’s “Ask Amy” advice column, since 2009. She joined Pointe’s editorial staff in 2014, and has also served as an associate editor for Dance Teacher and Dance Magazine. Ms. Brandt has a BA in English and World Literatures from Marymount Manhattan College.
CHERYNE BUSCH
HOUSTON BALLET
UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Cheryne Busch received her extensive dance training in South Africa in the Royal Academy and Cecchetti methods of ballet. As a Performing Arts Graduate, she was the recipient of the esteemed Dancers Guild Scholarship, further enhancing her choreographic and performing career. Ms. Busch was commissioned to create works for the National Eisteddfod and Concours de Ballet in South Africa. She is an accredited Examiner on the board of the National Society of Dance Teachers in South Africa, and holds an International certification from the Royal Academy of Dance in London. She was the Director of two ballet schools in South Africa for twenty years, before immigrating with her family to the United States.
Ms. Busch was invited and graciously accepted an offer to join Houston Ballet in 1998. While on faculty, she has taught Master classes and conducted teacher training workshops locally and abroad for numerous Summer Intensive courses and competitions. She coached the Maccabi dancers to gold medal status in the US and served as an artistic consultant and guest teacher for performing art schools in Houston. Ms. Busch taught master classes and served on the jury of YAGP in the USA, CDC in California, and the Japanese Grand Prix in Tokyo.
She received her floor barre certification in New York and studied character dance at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. She has created character dance repertoire for the Houston Ballet Summer Intensive, as well as for Studio Series performances for HB11. In her role as the Upper School Principal, Ms. Busch is dedicated to recognizing, recruiting, coaching and rehearsing dancers in the upper school and Professional Program.
ANAIS CHALENDARD
NASHVILLE BALLET
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS MANAGER
Also Serving as a 2025 Compulsory & Gala Coach
Anaïs Chalendard trained with Carole Bentolila in Roanne. Herself a student of Max Bozzoni étoile and teacher at the Paris Opera school. Anaïs then moved to Marseille and kept dancing under the tuition of Dominique Khalfouni in the École Nationale de danse de Marseille Roland Petit.
She got her first professional contract at the age of 17 with the Deutsch Oper am Rhein under the direction of Youri Vamos, after graduating her baccalauréat in economic and political science. She then got an engagement with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin directed at the time by Vladimir Malakov.
Few years later, Chalendard joined the Badische Staatstheater under the direction of Birgit Keil, where she became a Principal. Chalendard joined the English National Ballet in 2008 under the direction of Wayne Eagling, where she was promoted to first soloist following performances in Manon and The Dying Swan. In 2012, Chalendard appeared at the Nureyev Festival in Russia as Giselle with Principal dancer Jozef Varga from Het National Ballet, and as Odette/Odile in Derek Dean's Swan Lake with English National Ballet. She has been listed in the “100 Best Dancers in the World” by Dance Europe Magazine. In June 2013, she was invited to dance Erik Brühn's La Sylphide with Friedemann Vogel, principal with the Stuttgart Ballet, and Rolando Sarabia, international guest artist, at the Teatro dell Opera di Roma.
Chalendard joined Boston Ballet in 2013 as a Second Soloist, and was promoted to Soloist in 2014 and Principal in 2016. In 2019, Anaïs was invited to dance with Kammer Tänzer Flavio Salamanka during Mozart festival In Salzburg. And has also guested as Princess Aurora in Maina Gielgud’s production of Sleeping Beauty with Joburg Ballet. She retired from the Stage in the role of Giselle in October 2019 in a special and last guest appearance with Joburg Ballet.
Harriet Clark received her training at the School of American Ballet. While a student, she was chosen to perform with “Makarova and Company” on Broadway, and danced as a soloist in ballets with Cynthia Gregory, Anthony Dowell, Fernando Bujones, as well as Natalya Makarova, the Artistic Director.
That year she was invited to join American Ballet Theatre under the directorship of Mikhail Baryshnikov. At ABT she danced a rich array of classical and contemporary repertoire and worked with renowned choreographers including Sir Kenneth Macmillan, Anthony Tudor, Twyla Tharp, and Agnes DeMille. Ms. Clark then went on to dance as a soloist in The Pacific Northwest Ballet. For many years Ms. Clark was the Dance Captain of the Broadway Production of “The Phantom of the Opera” where she had the opportunity to work with choreographer Dame Gillian Lynn, as well as the 21-time Tony award winning director, Harold Prince.
Ms. Clark has been on the faculty of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School for 15 years and is certified in all levels of the ABT National Training Curriculum. She serves on the ABT National Training Curriculum Board of Examiners and teaches the curriculum throughout the country. She was the Artistic Director of the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development Master’s Degree Program in ABT Pedagogy and has been an adjunct professor of Dance at Marymount College, Pace University and Vassar College.
HARRIET CLARK
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
FACULTY ABT JKO SCHOOL
MAURICE BRANDON CURRY
EGLEVSKY BALLET
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
In 2015, Maurice Brandon Curry was appointed Executive Artistic Director of Eglevsky Ballet. He is the seventh artistic director in the history of the organization and the first to hold both titles.
Mr. Curry began his initial training with Ned Williams and continued at the School of American Ballet, where he studied with Andrei Kramarevsky, Stanley Williams, Richard Rapp, and Antonina Tumkovsky. Subsequently, he trained with Ann Brodie, founding artistic director of Columbia City Ballet. As a dancer, Mr. Curry appeared with New York City Ballet and danced with Carolina Ballet, Kaleidoscope Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, and DancEllington. In addition to his BFA in Choreography, Mr. Curry holds a degree in Digital Filmmaking and Multimedia. He is a sought-after consultant with dance studios, colleges & conservatories across the country on matters of policy, programming, and curriculum.
His work as an educator has been recognized by many international organizations as he is a frequent guest instructor throughout the world. Mr. Curry was the Chairperson of the Dance Division at Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts. He was also the Director of Educational Programs at the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, where he was also a member of the faculty.
Mr. Curry’s ballets are in the repertoires of international ballet companies, academies, colleges, and performing arts high schools. In 2016, new works by Mr. Curry were added to the repertoires of the Alabama School of Fine Arts (where he was the resident guest artist) and the Columbia Ballet Collective at Columbia University in NYC. He has achieved major success as a director and choreographer in both the concert, musical theater, and commercial dance worlds working with many notable dance luminaries, recording and media artists.
Maurice Brandon Curry has served on the board of directors for dre.dance (a company directed by Andrew Palermo and Taye Diggs), the Bangor Ballet, DANCER magazine, and the Mark Stuart Dance Theater. Currently, Mr. Curry serves on the advisory board of the Young Choreographers Festival. Recently nominated to membership at the International Dance Council (which is sponsored by UNESCO) Mr. Curry proudly serves on the Alumni Committee on Diversity and Inclusion at his alma mater, the School of American Ballet.
His former students have danced or are currently dancing with the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Joffrey Ballet, the Royal Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Ballet San Jose, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Cincinnati Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and on Broadway, in film, and on television.
EDWARD ELLISON
ELLISON BALLET
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Edward Ellison has traveled the world as a dancer, teacher, choreographer and ballet master. Companies he has taught for include American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, Alvin Ailey and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. He has been a guest teacher with The Juilliard School and Joffrey Ballet School, and continues to teach open classes at STEPS on Broadway.
As a ballet master, he has worked for such companies as the Boston Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet and Alberta Ballet, as well as staging Helgi Tomasson's Nutcracker for San Francisco Ballet's annual tour. With love and devotion to his students guiding his work, his approach is infused by study and close association with renown ballet masters and directors, such as Larisa Sklyanskaya, Helgi Tomasson, Irina Jacobson and Marius Zirra. He particularly credits his years of pedagogical study with Ms. Sklyanskaya for the depth of his artistic knowledge, as well as teacher courses at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia and the National Ballet School in Canada.
A former soloist with the San Francisco Ballet and guest artist with many companies in the U.S. and abroad, Mr. Ellison's repertoire spans the great classical works of the 19th century to neoclassical and contemporary choreography of the 20th century and today.
Mr. Ellison employs a combination of detailed technical insight — including precise verbal and physical guidance to ensure proper alignment, placement, strength and coordinaton of the body — and artistic vision to excite and advance the student's journey. As Founder & Artistic Director of Ellison Ballet, Mr. Ellison has crafted an intensive study program to meet the needs of gifted ballet students from around the world who wish to dance professionally. Both the Summer Intensive and the in-depth Professional Training Program offer a stepping stone approach to realize new levels of achievement. The classes emphasize development of strong classical ballet technique, the exploration and discovery of the student's full artistic potential, and individual attention from the ballet master.
MARJORIE GRUNDVIG
PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE
HEAD OF PRE-PROFESSIONAL DIVISION
Ms. Grundvig began her ballet training in her hometown of Davis, California, and with Marguerite Phares in
Sacramento, California. Additionally, she spent summers on scholarship with San Francisco Ballet School.
At the age of 17, Ms. Grundvig joined the North Carolina Dance Theatre. She continued her performing career as a soloist with both the Tulsa Ballet and the Boston Ballet.
She has guest taught at many schools, both nationally and internationally, in addition to touring nationally to audition students for the annual summer programs of Boston Ballet and PBT.
Ms. Grundvig directed the ballet department of the Washington Academy of Performing Arts in Seattle prior to being appointed Director of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School in August 2005. Since
starting at PBT, Ms. Grundvig has been part of a leadership team that has managed to increase total school
enrollment by more than 79%.
CHRISTOPHER HIRD
SARASOTA BALLET
EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Christopher Hird is from England and studied the Royal Academy of Dance syllabi before training at The Royal Ballet School. He toured Europe as part of a company headlined by the internationally acclaimed ballerina, Sylvie Guillem. After retiring from the stage, Hird worked as the Assistant to the Director of the British Ballet Organization, and later as Assistant to the Development Manager at The Royal Ballet School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Roehampton and a Diploma from Canada’s National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program.
Hird joined Boston Ballet School in 2003 and was promoted to Artistic Manager in 2009. He was a main teacher for students in the Pre-Professional and Classical Ballet Programs as well as being part of the Senior Leadership Team. Hird has staged ballets for the School including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, and Sir Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, Les Rendezvous and La Fille mal Gardée. Hird was also a Children’s Ballet Master for Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker.
In 2013, Hird was appointed Head of Adult Programming. He has led the artistic vision for the redesign of the program as well as been instrumental in developing and enhancing the adult students’ engagement with Boston Ballet.
Hird has served on the international jury of the Japan Grand Prix in 2008 and 2010, the Surrey Festival of Dance (Canada) in 2007 and 2008, the Goiania Dance Festival (Brazil) in 2012 and 2015. He has been a guest teacher for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Canada’s National Ballet School, Cecchetti Council of America and Harvard University.
The Sarasota Ballet appointed Christopher Hird as Director of Education and Principal for the Margaret Barbieri Conservatory in July 2016.
DAVIT KARAPETYAN
PHILADELPHIA BALLET
SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Davit is an acclaimed performer and dance educator, and was appointed Director of School of Philadelphia Ballet beginning with our 2022/2023 season. He previously served as Co-Artistic Director of the Pennsylvania Ballet Academy for five years, preceded by over a decade as a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet.
Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Karapetyan received his training at the Armenian School of Ballet and the Schweizerische Ballettberufsschule in Zurich, Switzerland. His extensive experience includes 12 years as a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet, and six as a soloist with the Zurich Ballet. Karapetyan served on the jury for Prix de Lausanne in 2018, and has been a guest teacher with San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet and more.
Davit has performed principal roles in Helgi Tomasson’s 2004 Nutcracker (Nutcracker Prince and King of Snow), Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella (Prince Gillaume), John Cranko’s Onegin (Onegin), among others, and created principal roles in Helgi Tomasson’s On a Theme of Paganini, Caprice, and On Common Ground.
“Throughout his career, Davit has continually distinguished himself both as a performer and a teacher of ballet’s next generation. His wide range of experience, depth of knowledge, and passion for ballet education make him the ideal candidate to lead the School boldly into the future.” – Philadelphia Ballet Artistic Director Angel Corella.
TAMARA KING
BOSTON BALLET
ASSOCIATE SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Tamara King is an experienced teacher and dedicated dance educator. Originally from Albuquerque New Mexico, King began her training with Suzanne Johnston, Soili Arvola, and Leo Ahonen. King has been involved with Boston Ballet for more than 40 years since she was a scholarship recipient at Summer Dance Program in 1981.
King danced professionally in numerous classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works. Over the course of her dancing career, she danced with Louisville Ballet, Ballet West, and Boston Ballet. She danced a variety of principal, soloist, and corps roles in ballets such as The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Concert Barocco, Allegro Brillante, and more.
King launched her teaching career at Walnut Hill School for the Arts before returning to Boston Ballet in 2001. She was the Principal of the Summer Dance Program and was promoted to Principal of the Newton Studio in 2004. During her tenure, the Newton studio has become the hub of the Classical Ballet Program, and offers a carefully constructed ten-level curriculum, seven state of the art studios, and a building designed entirely on the Principles of Universal Design. She has established strong ties with institutional partners throughout the city of Newton, including relationships with the New Phil Harmonia Orchestra and Newton Cultural Alliance. King sat on the Board of Directors for the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce and launched a partnership with Lasell College, where she resided on the Advisory Board of the Humanities Department.
King is also a talented choreographer and guest teacher. She has choreographed four ballets that are shown by advanced-level students yearly, including Alice in Wonderland; Never, Neverland: The Adventures of Peter and Wendy; Seasons; and Cakewalk. King has guest taught for the American Ballet Theatre JKO School, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Harvard University, and the University of Utah. In addition to her teaching, she also serves as a juror for the prestigious Japan Grand Prix competition in Tokyo, Japan.
In 2020, King was promoted to Principal of Boston Ballet School where she oversaw faculty, curriculum, and operations for the Classical Ballet Program at the Boston and Newton studios and Summer Dance Program. She was promoted to Associate Director of BBS in 2023. In this role, King will advance her leadership in programming and faculty development to cover all BBS programs, including the Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts.
ALEXEY KULPIN
THE HARID CONSERVATORY
FACULTY
Alexey Kulpin is a graduate of the University of Culture and Art in St. Petersburg, Russia. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ballet methodology and choreography. In 1998, he was the Grand Prix winner at the Muse of St. Petersburg Ballet Competition.
As a professional dancer, Mr. Kulpin has performed soloist and principal roles in both classical and contemporary ballets in Russia, Israel, and the United States. He danced professionally with St. Petersburg State Opera Ballet, St. Petersburg State Male Theatre by Mihailovsky, Ballet Israel, City Ballet of San Diego, Grand Rapids Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theater, Stars of St. Petersburg Municipal Theater of Music and Dance, and Krasnoyarsk Dance Ensemble. His roles included Basilio in Don Quixote; James in La Sylphide; Prince Ivan in Firebird; Spirit of the Rose in Le Spectre de la Rose; Swan Lake Pas de Trois; and the male leads in Tarentella and Maurice Bejart’s Trik Trak.
Mr. Kulpin specializes in teaching classical ballet, male and female variations, and character dance. His teaching career includes the Ballet Israel School, City Ballet of San Diego, Grand Rapids Ballet, and Charleston Ballet Company, where he taught company classes and served as director of the Charleston Ballet Young Artists Group. Most recently, he served as principal ballet teacher for Northern California Dance Conservatory. He has staged classical variations and choreographed solos for performance and ballet competitions. Mr. Kulpin joined The HARID Conservatory’s faculty in August, 2016.
SARAH LANE
INTERNATIONAL GUEST ARTIST
FORMER ABT PRINCIPAL
Serving as a 2025 Compulsory Coach
Born in San Francisco, CA, Sarah began her dance training at the Memphis Classical Ballet. She continued instruction with Timothy Draper and Jamey Leverett at the Draper Center for Dance Education.
Lane was the Silver Medalist, at the Jackson International Ballet Competition (2002). During the competition, she traveled to Washington, D. C. to perform at the Kennedy Center as a Presidential Scholar. Lane was a recipient of the Princess Grace Award in 2007 & Leonore Annenberg Fellowship of the Arts in 2008.
Lane joined American Ballet Theatre’s studio company in 2002, joined the main company as an apprentice in 2003, became a member of the Company's corps de ballet in 2004 and was appointed a Soloist in 2007 and Principal Dancer in 2017.
She was the dancing double for Natalie Portman in Fox Searchlight Pictures' feature film Black Swan. She has modeled for numerous magazines, designers and companies. Lane is currently an international guest artist and teacher who has performed & taught for numerous ballet companies around the world.
Sarah is a certified Gyrokinesis instructor and a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Lane has written essays for the Wall Street Journal Online, Dance Magazine, Pointe Magazine, and Dance Spirit Magazine. She has been featured by numerous magazines and newspapers, including Dance Teacher, Glamour, Elle, Pulp, Interview, Timeout, Dance and Pointe magazines. She is an alumna of the Harvard Crossover into Business Program. Sarah holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree.
MIMMO MICCOLIS
THE WASHINGTON BALLET
CHOREOGRAPHER
Mimmo Miccolis, born in Italy, is a neoclassical and contemporary teacher and choreographer at The Washington Ballet. He was the winner of the “Outstanding Choreographer Award” at the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) Finals 2015 in New York City, at the Indianapolis International Ballet Competition 2017 and at the YAGP Pittsburgh Semifinals 2016. In 2011, he was also a recipient of the BBC Performing Arts Fund in London, UK. In the last years several of his choreographic creations received awards in dance competitions across Europe and the US.
Miccolis graduated from the Italian dance academies “Fondazione Niccolò Piccinni” (Bari) and “Balletto di Toscana” (Florence). As a dancer he performed in theaters and companies across Europe, the Middle-East and the United States. Since the start of his professional career, his work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range.
Most of Mimmo’s choreographic work focuses on social issues and have been performed in prestigious venues such as the World Bank Headquarters, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Forum and the House of the European Union in Austria, the European Commission Joint Research Center in Italy and the Bernie Grand Arts Center in London(UK).
Selected credits include: (A)MORI (Milwaukee Ballet II), Dancing With The Future (commissioned by IIASA and Harvard University), FIRSTS and ICONS (commissioned by the Italian Institute of Culture and The Embassy of Italy), END (commissioned by the World Bank), WHO WHEN WHY (commissioned by Julie Kent for The Washington Ballet), AETERNA and WHITE (The Washington Ballet Studio Company), Contextual Matters and IN ALL (commissioned by the Economist Jeffrey Sachs), InDilemma, COURAGE and ENLIGHTENMENT 2.0 (commissioned by the IIASA and the European Commission), CRISIS, DEEP BLUE, UNDERWATER and HIGH TIDE (The Washington Ballet Trainee Program), RIGHTS(?) (Bernie Grand Arts Center in London(UK) and LUST LOST LAST (LCP Dance Theatre). Miccolis choreographed also the rebranding music video for the Inter American Development Bank(IDB).
LISA THORN MORRIS
ORLANDO BALLET
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
As Associate Artistic Director at Orlando Ballet, Lisa Thorn Morris brings extensive professional experience that includes performing as a principal dancer, choreographer, and educator. Lisa has been significantly contributing to the success of the professional company’s artistic development since she joined as Ballet Master in 2015.
Lisa transitioned to artistic leadership after her 20-year dance career as a member of the Kansas City Ballet where she performed numerous principal roles. While at Kansas Ballet, she served as Associate Ballet Mistress before being elevated to Ballet Mistress in Residence. Other career highlights include performing professionally with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Owen/Cox Dance Group, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Starlight Theatre of Kansas City and Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance.
In addition to dancing professionally, Lisa has also choreographed for numerous organizations including the Orlando Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Actors Theatre of Kansas City, and the Kansas City Youth Ballet. Lisa’s choreographic skill and success led to her being named 2005’s Emerging Choreographer at the Craft of Choreography Conference.
Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in Dance, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Missouri where she served as an Adjunct Professor at the Conservatory of Music and Dance. She has served as guest instructor for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and Kansas City Ballet School. Originally from Dryden, New York, Lisa began her dance training as a child with the Ithaca Ballet before training with UNCSA, Pittsburgh Ballet School and the School of American Ballet.
SHARON STORY
ATLANTA BALLET
DEAN OF EDUCATION
Dean Story is currently in her 21st season with Atlanta Ballet. She joined Atlanta Ballet after a professional dance career that spanned more than 20 years, including tenures with Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet, New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and ten years with Boston Ballet.
In 1996, in addition to her role as ballet mistress, John McFall’s vision and mentorship brought Sharon to her current position as dean of the Centre for Dance Education, which has rapidly grown to one of the largest dance schools in the nation. The Centre for Dance Education is nationally recognized for great accomplishments in its programs and community initiatives. Under Sharon’s direction, the Centre achieved accreditation with National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). Sharon is a member of the Board of Directors for NASD and is delighted to serve on many community and national boards.
Sharon received the 2015 Women Making a Mark award from Atlanta Magazine. She is committed to providing a noncompetitive atmosphere and access to dance education that is shaped by the community needs, is innovative, and inspires the commitment and excellence that are the trademarks of Atlanta Ballet. She is very proud of the dancers who have studied at the Centre for Dance Education and continue to share their experiences on stage in the Atlanta Ballet company and around the globe. She thanks her family for all their love and support during her career.
MARIA TORIJA
BALLETMET
ACADEMY DIRECTOR
Born in Madrid, Spain, Maria Torija began her ballet studies with Lola de Avila, Luis Fuentes and Carmen Roche. At the age of thirteen, she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study for three years at the School of American Ballet in New York.
After a short stint with the Ballet Nacional de España Clásico, in 1987 she began her 20-year career as a dancer with the Deutsche Oper Berlin ballet company, currently the Staatsballett Berlin. During her time in Berlin, Maria performed in solo and principal roles in numerous classic ballets, including works choreographed by George Balanchine.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ballet Teaching, and graduated summa cum laude with a Master’s and PhD in Performing Arts from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, in Madrid. She also has an extensive teaching resume. Beginning with the Opera Ballet of Deutsche Oper Berlin, she has served as a faculty member at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz, Dresden. Maria has participated in seminars and has been invited to teach classes throughout Europe, Japan and Hong King and the United States. While on the faculty of the Miami City Ballet and Miami City Ballet School, Maria taught dancing as well as classes on the history of ballet and other associated topics. She organized and conceived a popular program for the Open Barre at the Miami City Ballet, inviting the public to see a demonstration of the progression of professional ballet training. Maria became the Director of the BalletMet Academy in May 2017.
DOMINIC WALSH
OREGON BALLET THEATRE
DIRECTOR OF SECOND COMPANY
Dominic Walsh was born in Elgin, Illinois and started his training in Chicago. He joined Houston Ballet in 1989, and was promoted to Principal Dancer by 1996. Walsh danced throughout Asia, Europe, and North America and performed all the major classics. Ben Stevenson created numerous roles for him including Marc Antony in Cleopatra.
In 1998, Walsh created Flames of Eros on Houston Ballet. This work won the Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography. He created three more works for Houston Ballet. In 2002, while still a Principal Dancer and Choreographer with the Company, he founded Dominic Walsh Dance Theater. The company’s roster included works by Walsh, Mats Ek, Jiří Kylián, Mauro Bigonzetti, and Matthew Bourne.
In 2004, Walsh left Houston Ballet to pursue Dominic Walsh Dance Theater full-time. He won a second Choo-San Goh Award in 2007 and received a 2008 Princess Grace Award, both for The Trilogy: Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart. In 2012, he was inducted into the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame.
Walsh continues to receive commissions to set and create works nationally and internationally. He served as the Resident Choreographer for Sarasota Ballet of Florida. In addition to his travels throughout the U.S. and abroad, he is a guest teacher and coach for both companies and academies and stages the works of his longtime mentor, Ben Stevenson. The Carl Jung Center has shown interest in Walsh’s creative process and he has given lectures at Houston’s Jung Center.
He has written for various publications on dance, and was a regular columnist for Origin Magazine. Walsh made his film debut as a co-director at the Brussels Short Film Festival in Spring 2015 with Malta Kano, TX. That same year, he became a proud father and closed DWDT after 12 seasons.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Kathryn Warakomsky-Li began studying ballet at the age of 14 in Springfield, Virginia with Oleg Tupine. She graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. She was invited to join the Ballet de Santiago under the direction of Ivan Nagy where she rose to the status of principal dancer. In 1989 Ms. Warakomsky-Li joined Houston Ballet and became the Principal dancer. With over 20 years of performance experience, Warakomsky-Li has held lead roles in nearly all the major classical ballets.
Ms. Warakomsky-Li has toured extensively around the world dancing throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Upon retiring from the stage in 2001, Ms. Warakomsky-Li was invited to teach at the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy where she staged and rehearsed many pieces for the upper school.
Ms. Warakomsky-Li has been teaching for Texas Ballet Theater School in Fort Worth since 2003. She is an ABT Certified Teacher. She has also traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia to view the Bolshoi and the Vaganova Schools and to participate in their training programs. Ms. Warakomsky-Li was named Principal of Texas Ballet Theater School – Fort Worth in January 2007 and in 2016 was promoted to Associate Director. She also heads the Studio Training Company.
KATHY WARAKOMSKY-LI
TEXAS BALLET THEATRE
DIRECTOR OF STUDIO COMPANY
