Artists
Company
Company
Victoria Arrea, from San José, Costa Rica, joined The Washington Ballet Studio Company in 2016 and was promoted to the company as an apprentice in 2018. She has performed in …
Katherine Barkman joined The Washington Ballet in October 2018, soon after winning consecutive Silver Medals from two of the world’s most prestigious ballet Olympiads — the XI USA International Ballet …
Nardia Boodoo, from Baltimore, Maryland, began ballet to add to her talent portion at beauty pageants. After realizing her talent and passion for ballet, she started taking classes at Towson …
Kimberly Cilento, of Middletown, Delaware is in her first season as an apprentice with The Washington Ballet after being a member of both the Studio Company and Trainee Program. Cilento …
Adelaide Clauss from Buffalo, New York is in her third season with The Washington Ballet. She started her ballet training at The Neglia Conservatory of Ballet where she studied for …
Kateryna Derechyna of Ukraine is in her seventh season with The Washington Ballet. She trained at the Odessa Ballet Academy under Elvira Karavaeva where she performed at the Odessa Ballet …
Nicole Graniero of New York City is in her fourth season with The Washington Ballet. She studied at Studio Maestro, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and summer intensives at American Ballet …
Esmiana Jani (originally from Albania) of Broomall, Pennsylvania, is in her fifth season with The Washington Ballet Company after two seasons with The Washington Ballet Studio Company. She began training …
Sona Kharatian is in her 18th season with The Washington Ballet. She has danced with Orlando Ballet, Ballet Hawaii, the Trey McIntyre Project, and Copenhagen International Ballet. She was a …
Ayano Kimura of Japan, is in her seventh season with The Washington Ballet. Kimura, born in Germany, went on a short-term study abroad to Russia and England in 2005. In …
Alex Kramer begins his second season with The Washington Ballet after performing as a member of American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company for the 2011-12 season and with ABT II on …
Tamás Krizsa, of Hungary, is in his 12th season with The Washington Ballet. Krizsa graduated from the Hungarian Dance Academy with honors in 2002. During his school years, he was …
Corey Landolt of New Jersey is in his 10th season with The Washington Ballet Company after dancing for three seasons with TWB’s Studio Company. He began classical ballet training at …
Eun Won Lee from Korea is in her third season with The Washington Ballet. She was formerly a Principal dancer with Korean National Ballet for six years and received her …
Olivia Lipnick of New York, New York is in her fourth season with The Washington Ballet after dancing with the Studio Company. Lipnick began her training at the School of …
Ariel Martínez began his ballet studies at School of Ballet Alejo Carpentier and continued his education at Fernando Alonso National Ballet School, associated with Ballet Nacional de Cuba. His instructors included Dunia Vera, Verónica Muxó, Normaria Olaechea, and Elena Cangas. He has competed in Italy, South Africa, Mexico, and Cuba, obtaining awards in many of these events, including a silver medal in the contest of the International Meeting of Academies for the Teaching of Ballet in 2014 and a gold medal for contemporary ballet performing Innovation in South Africa in 2016. In 2014 he became a company member of Ballet Nacional de Cuba, becoming a first soloist in 2016. He performed in the world premiere of Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa’s Oscurio, as well as her ballet Celeste. His repertoire includes Giselle, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Coppélia, and other other ballets by noteable Cuban choreographers. Martínez is now a company member of The Washington Ballet.
Photo by XMB Photography.
Tamako Miyazaki of Tokyo, Japan, is in her sixth season with The Washington Ballet after dancing with Columbia Classical Ballet. Prior to that, Miyazaki was a member of The Washington …
Javier Morera of Havana, Cuba is in his fourth season with The washington Ballet after dancing with the Florida Classical Ballet, where he was a Principal Guest in 2015 and …
Ashley Murphy of Shreveport, Louisiana is in her fourth season with The Washington Ballet after dancing for 13 years with Dance Theatre of Harlem. In 2002, she trained and performed …
Stephen Nakagawa of Fontana, California began his training with Academy of Russian Classical Ballet. He then continued to train at various schools such as North Carolina School of the Arts, …
Andile Ndlovu of Johannesburg, South Africa, is in his ninth season with The Washington Ballet, after dancing one season with TWB’s Studio Company. Ndlovu began his training in Latin American …
Lucy Nevin is from Westport, Connecticut and began attending The School of American Ballet at age 10 and continued her training there until 2016 when she was accepted into TWB …
Maki Onuki of Kanagawa, Japan enters her 14th season with The Washington Ballet after one season with The Studio Company. Before joining TWB, she previously danced and studied with Goh …
Alexandros Pappajohn was born in New York City and began his ballet studies at the age of nine at Ballet Academy East (BAE). While training at BAE, he studied under …
Gian Carlo Perez, from Havana, Cuba, danced with the prestigious Ballet Nacional de Cuba, directed by Alicia Alonso. His dancing has brought him to Spain, Panama, Italy, the United States, …
Daniel Roberge of Australia is in his sixth season with The Washington Ballet after one season with TWB’s Studio Company. Roberge was promoted from Company apprentice to Company member for …
Oscar Sanchez is in his third season with The Washington Ballet. Sanchez was born in Havana, Cuba in 1991 and started dancing at the age of 15 at the Alejo …
Rolando Sarabia is a Cuban ballet dancer of international acclaim who has danced with companies throughout the world including the Cuban National Ballet, Houston Ballet and Miami City Ballet. He …
Stephanie Sorota of Glen Rock, New Jersey is in her fourth season with The Washington Ballet. She has performed in works choreographed by George Balanchine, Marcelo Gomes, Gemma Bond, Clifton …
Sarah Steele is in her fourth season with The Washington Ballet. Born in New York, New York, Steele trained at Nunnbetter Dance Theater in Bergenfield, NJ and with Valentina Kozlova …
Brittany Stone from East Hartford, Connecticut began studying ballet at American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School under the direction of Franco DeVita and Raymond Lukens and privately with Fabrice …
* Apprentice
The Dancers of the Washington Ballet are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists (AFL-CIO) for the purpose of collective bargaining.
Contact development@washingtonballet.org to learn about dancer sponsorship.
Studio Company
Studio Company
Andrea Allmon was born in Miami, Florida and began her ballet training with Marielena Mencia and Yanis Pikieris at Miami Youth Ballet. She performed with Miami Youth Ballet in several …
Peyton Anderson, of Raleigh, North Carolina, began her dance training with The Raleigh School of Ballet and later attended International Ballet Academy in Cary, NC. She attended summer courses with Harid Conservatory, Ballet West, Paris Opera …
Rafael Bejarano Vidal, from Guadalajara, Mexico, began dance training at the age of 11 at the Royal Academy of Dance in Mexico with Ana Torquemada and has since participated in intensive coursework throughout …
Born in Burbank, California, Nicholas Cowden began his ballet training at the age of nine at Virginia Ballet Company under the direction of Tish Cordova. He continued his training at …
Gilles Delellio, from Belgium, began dance training in tapdance and jazz and then studied ballet at 10 years of age at The Tap Show Company and Balletomania under Piotr Nardelli. At …
Jessy Dick, a native of Michigan, is in her second season with The Washington Ballet Studio Company. She earned her BFA in Dance Performance from Butler University in 2017. Dick …
Born in Dallas, Texas, Abigail Granlund began her training at the age of 10 at the Ballet Academy of Texas under the direction of Lisa Sagle. For several years, she …
Audrey Malek of Seattle, Washington begins her first season with The Washington Ballet Studio Company. She began her training with the New Hampshire School of Ballet at six years old. …
Aurora Mostacci, from Turin, Italy, began her ballet training with Salvino Aiosa School of Dance at the age of four. At 16 years old, she received a scholarship to the …
Landry Ridener of Augusta, Georgia enters his first season with The Washington Ballet Studio Company. He studied at the Harid Conservatory, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, Next Generation Ballet, Orlando …
Samara Leila Rittinger, from North Vancouver, Canada, started her training at Anna Wyman School of Dance Arts when she was eight years old and then continued her studies at Goh …
Masanori Takiguchi of Tokyo, Japan begins his first season with The Washington Ballet Studio Company. He began his training at Studio Les Bijoux and in 2015 was awarded a full …
Alexa Torres was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, where she trained at her local ballet school, Ballet Clásico Santiago. In 2013, she earned gold in the first Dominican national competition, …
Artistic Team
Artistic Team
Artistic Director
Julie Kent became the Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet in July 2016. She is the longest serving ballerina in American Ballet Theatre’s 79 year history. She began her dance …
Associate Artistic Director
Victor Barbee was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and received his ballet training at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of American Ballet. He joined the …
Ballet Master
ekudo@washingtonballet.orgELAINE KUDO (Ballet Master) was a member of American Ballet Theatre from 1975–89, and was promoted to soloist in 1981. She received training at the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School, the …
Ballet Master
rmartin@washingballet.orgRubén Martín Cintas was born in Reus, Spain, and trained at Estudio de Danza de Maria de Avila. After dancing with English National Ballet for four years, he joined San Francisco …
Music Supervisor
gsales@washingtonballet.orgGlenn Sales, Pianist, has been well-known to Washington, DC audiences since his National Symphony Orchestra debut at age 14 and his subsequent invitations as soloist with NSO. Sales attended the …
Trainee Program
The Trainee Program is by invitation only by the artistic staff of The Washington Ballet. Students in PTPA and summer students are considered for this level, as are dancers at international competitions where our artistic staff may judge. As there are only a few spots available each year, the artistic staff prefers to see prospective Trainees in person. Trainee spots are not offered at school auditions. Trainees demonstrate passion for a professional career in ballet and are expected to maintain the highest artistic standards of The Washington School of Ballet. Trainees attend classes six days a week and work with the senior faculty of the school, including Xiomara Reyes. By working on soloist roles of the classical repertory, Trainees continue to develop their technique and artistry. All Trainees will be considered by Julie Kent, Artistic Director, and the artistic team of The Washington Ballet for Studio Company and Company positions.
Performance opportunities include consideration for Company productions and studio company performances.
For more information, please contact Director of School Operations, Donna Glover.