Sacramento Ballet Dancers
COMPANY
Oliver-Paul Adams
Birthplace: Stroke-on-Trent, England
Previous Affiliations: Birmingham Royal Ballet, Slovak National Ballet
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2010
Training/Education: Jill Clewes School For Dance, Elmhurst School For Dance In Association With The Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Career Highlights:
David Bintley’s Flowers of the Forest Tour to Japan, Irek Mukhamedov’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jiri Kylian’s Un Ballo at the ‘World Stars Ballet Gala’ Prague and Bratislava, Pas De Trois, Swan Lake with Slovak National Ballet, Blue Bird, Sleeping Beauty with Slovak National Ballet.
Alexander Cain Biber
Previous Affiliations: Sierra Nevada Ballet, Tasmanian Classical Ballet, and Ohio Dance Theater
Named Apprentice in 2009. Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2011.
Alexander grew up in a performing arts family and has always enjoyed theater and performing from an early age. He started his training, at the age of 14, with Rosine Bena at Western Nevada Performing Arts Center studying jazz, tap and musical theater. Alexander became an apprentice dancer with Sierra Nevada Ballet in 2003 and was promoted to company dancer in 2006. He traveled to Tasmania to dance for the Tasmanian Classical Ballet in 2008 and has since joined the Sacramento Ballet, as an apprentice dancer in 2009, and was promoted to company member in 2011. Alexander has performed The Gorgan and The Duke in The Unicorn, The Gorgon and the Manticore; soloist roles in Les Sylphide; Illusions of a Drunken Scholar; Ode to V; Ron Cunningham’s The Nutcracker, Carmina Burana, Romeo and Juliet, and Dracula; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs (Something Stupid); Lila York’s Celts; George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Serenade; and Trey McIntire’s Second Before the Ground. In his free time, Alexander enjoys and takes pride in taking photographs of the dancers in rehearsals and performances. He looks forward to the 2011-2012 season.
Lauren Breen
Birthplace:
Previous Affiliations:
Joined Sacramento Ballet:
Lauren Breen, originally from Trumbull, CT, began training locally before continuing her dance education at the School of American Ballet in New York City. In the summers she was accepted to train at summer intensives including Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell, and the Chautaqua Institute of Dance. She was asked to join the Miami City Ballet School, where she had the opportunity to perform with the professional company in ballets such as George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes. After two years she joined the Richmond Ballet as a trainee, where she rose through the rank of apprentice to become a full company member in 2006. Some of her favorite roles in Richmond include Malcolm Burn’s Sleeping Beauty (Canary Fairy, Jewels), George Balanchine’s Apollo (Caliope) and Balanchine’s Mozartiana, Val Canaparoli’s Violin and Canaparoli’s Djangology. After four years as a company member she crossed the country to join the Sacramento Ballet in 2010. After dancing roles in Ron Cunnigham’s Nutcracker and George Balanchine’s Four Temperaments she looks forward to dancing in her second season with the Sacramento Ballet!
Stefan Calka
Birthplace: Albany, NY
Previous Affiliations: Le Grand Ballet Canadiens de Montreal
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2004.
Stefan is a graduate of Indiana University where he trained with the legendary Violette Verdy. There he performed the roles of the Cavalier in The Nutcracker and Siegfried in Swan Lake. In his eighth season with The Sacramento Ballet, he has danced numerous principal roles inluding Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Desire), Ron Cunningham’s Bolero, Carmina Burana (Beige Couple), and created the role of Jonathan Harker in Dracula. Stefan has also danced featured roles in Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs (One for My Baby), Trey McIntyre’s Like a Samba, Wild Sweet Love, and Second Before the Ground as well as in George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments (Third Theme), Western Symphony (Adagio), Scotch Symphony, and Serenade (Waltz Couple). He has toured China with John Clifford’s production of Casablanca and assisted him in staging Balanchine ballets for the Kirov and Bolshoi Ballets. Stefan’s interests include classical guitar, musical composition, philosophy, and choreography.
Ava Chatterson
Birthplace: Flint, MI
Ava began dancing at the Flint School of Performing Arts in Flint, MI. She continued her training at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, IN, where she graduated with a degree in Ballet and Legal Studies. While there she performed leading and soloist roles in Les Sylphides, Napoli Divertissements, George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht, The Nutcracker, and Cinderella. Ava also trained at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School in Pittsburgh, PA, where she performed ballets such as Balanchine’s Serenade (Russian Girl), La Vivandiere Pas de Six, Etudes, and in works by Viktor Plotnikov and Dwight Rhoden. She also appeared with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in productions of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake. While at Sacramento Ballet, Ava has enjoyed dancing soloist roles in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments (Choleric) and The Nutcracker (Spanish and Marzipan), as well as appearing in Romeo and Juliet, Celts, Bolero, and works by Darrell Grand Moultrie, Yannis Adoniou, and Viktor Kabaniaev.
Roberto Cisneros
Birthplace: Hayward, CA
Previous Affiliations: Smuin Ballet, Sierra Nevada Ballet, Sacramento Ballet Apprentice
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2009.
Roberto Cisneros began his serious ballet training at the Academy of Ballet under the direction of Richard Gibson and Zory Karah. At the age of nine, Roberto began performing with the Smuin Ballet of San Francisco where he eventually became a company member and stayed for the next eight years. His roles of pride with Smuin Ballet consist of: Pinocchio (Pinocchio), Medea (Son), The Christmas Ballet (Little Drummer Boy), Dancin’ With Gershwin (It Ain’t Necessarily So), and the 10th Anniversary for Smuin Ballet (Homeless). Last season Roberto was offered an apprenticeship with the Sacramento Ballet and this year he is so excited to have been given the opportunity to come back to the Sacramento Ballet as a full-fledged company member.
Alexandra Cunningham
Birthplace: Baltimore, MD
Previous Affiliations: Sacramento Ballet Apprentice
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2006.
Alexandra is returning for her seventh season with the Sacramento Ballet. With the company she has been delighted to perform the title role in Ron Cunningham’s Romeo & Juliet, and Alice in Wonderland, as well as featured roles in Cunningham’s Bolero, Carmina Burana, and A Woman’s Journey. She has also enjoyed appearing in George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Serenade, Donizetti, Scotch Symphony, Western Symphony, Concerto Barrocco, Stars and Stripes, and Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs (Somethin’ Stupid). Other career highlights include working with Trey McIntyre, Sidra Bell, Matthew Neenan, Helen Pickett, John Selya, and Nolan T’sani. Alexandra trained under Barbara Crockett, Alyson Deane and Richard Shi and has attended summer intensives at Springboard Danse Montreal, Juilliard, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Boston Ballet, Harid Conservatory, and The Kirov Academy. In Alexandra’s free time she enjoys exploring midtown with friends, traveling, bike riding, yoga, arts and crafts, and playing with cats! She is currently deferring admission from UC Berkley, and looks forward to attending school full time in the future.
Nicole Haskins
Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
Previous Affiliations: Westside Ballet
Named Apprentice in 2005. Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2006.
Trained in Los Angeles, Haskins is now in her sixth year with Sacramento Ballet. As a dancer she has performed soloist roles in a broad range of repertoire, proving herself an audience favorite as a dancer. She immediately emerged as a dance creator during her first year with the company with Souvenir set to music by Tchaikovsky. After its premiere at Beer & Ballet, Souvenir was selected for the Los Angeles Dance Invitational and McCallum Theater’s annual choreography competition in Palm Desert, which has invited Haskins and Sacramento Ballet back twice since. Haskins has created more than a dozen works for Sacramento Ballet showcased at both Modern Masters and Beer & Ballet.
Last year, the New York Choreographic Institute invited Haskins to participate in their prestigious institute which brings choreographers to New York for two week workshops involving members of the New York City Ballet and senior level students from their official school, The School of American Ballet. Haskins has also choreographed for companies and schools in Washington, California and Missouri with her works presented at Regional Dance America.
Isha Lloyd
Birthplace: Helena, MT
Previous Affiliations: Artisan Dance, Pacific Northwest Ballet Trainee
Named Apprentice in 2007. Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2008
Isha studied privately under Sallyann Mulcahy in Montana. She performed with Artisan Dance (now Ballet Montana) for seven years before moving to Seattle as a trainee with the Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Peter Boal, where she was offered a position with the Sacramento Ballet. She has enjoyed performing Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake, Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, Amy Seiwert’s On Frail Wings, Michael Smuin’s Frankie & Johnny, and Carmen with Artisan Dance as well as Sallyann Mulcahy’s Trois Femme, Reserved Ground, and the solo Separation. Highlights in the Sacramento Ballet include 1st Movement principal in Trey McIntyre’s Second Before The Ground, dancing the lead in Ron Cunningham’s Bolero, Spring Lead in his Carmina Burana, and 1st Theme in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. Isha has also been a part of many world premieres by choreographers such as Darrell Grand Moultrie, Yannis Adoniou, Amy Seiwert, Matthew Neenan, Viktor Kabaniaev, and Sallyann Mulcahy. Outside of dance Isha enjoys being an IM=X Pilates instructor, cooking, traveling, trapshooting and spending time with family and friends. She is continuing her education through the University of Montana and other online schooling.
Katie Miller
Birthplace: Metamora, MI
Previous Affiliations: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Named Apprentice in 2010. Joined Sacramento Ballet: 2012
Katie received her early dance training with Paavola School of Dance in Flint, MI. She attended summer programs at North Carolina Dance Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and the Northeast Academy of Dance. After graduating high school, Katie continued her training with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program, during which time she performed ballets such as Etudes, La Vivandiere, and Balanchine’s Serenade, as well as works by Luis Fuente, Dwight Rhoden, and Viktor Plotnikov. She also enjoyed dancing in The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Katie joined the Sacramento Ballet as an apprentice in 2010, and was promoted to a company member in January 2012. She has enjoyed performing in Ron Cunningham’s The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Bolero, and Dracula as well as George Balanchine’s Four Temperaments and Serenade. Katie also enjoys creating weekly “Behind the Scenes” videos for the Sacramento Ballet.
Christopher B. Nachtrab
Birthplace: Long Island, New York
Previous Affiliations: The Richmond Ballet
Joined Sacramento Ballet: 2009
Christopher began his dance training under the tutelage and guidance of his mother, Susan Nachtrab, in his native New York. He continued his dance studies at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with Violette Verdy, Guoping Wang and Virginia & Jacques Cesbron. While at Indiana University he performed principal roles in such ballets as Gerald Arpino’s Viva Vivaldi! & George Balanchine’s Who Cares?. After graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Ballet and Comparative Literature, Christopher continued on to begin his professional career with The Richmond Ballet. Some of his most memorable performances have been in George Balanchine’s Mozartiana (The Gigue), The Four Temperaments (Melancholic), Ron Cunningham’s Carmina Burana (Blue Pas), Romeo & Juliet (Mercutio/ Tybalt), Dracula (Count Dracula/ Jonathon Harker), Trey McIntyre’s Second Before the Ground & Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs (All The Way). For his many accomplishments, Mr. Nachtrab has been the recipient of various performance awards including the Marina Svetlova Memorial Award and the Verdy Award for Ballet Excellence. In his free time he dedicates his energy towards the youth of his home community as the resident choreographer for “The Elite Corps de Ballet of Long Island.” Christopher is also an accomplished stage actor and has appeared most notably in the role of Puck in Benjamin Britten’s opera A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Amanda Peet
Birthplace: San Francisco, CA
Previous Affiliations: Utah Regional Ballet
Named Apprentice in 2002. Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2003.
In her sixth season with the Sacramento Ballet, Amanda has performed leading roles in Trey McIntyre’s Wild Sweet Love, Like A Samba, and The Illuminations. She has danced in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, Who Cares?, Serenade, Allegro Brillante, Western Symphony and Concerto Barocco. She created the role of Mina in Ron Cunningham’s Dracula and has danced leading roles in his Bolero, Carmina Burana, Etosha, The Firebird and as The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Other credits include The Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy), Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Song’s (That’s Life), Kathy Posin’s Scheherazade, George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations. In 2006 she was featured in Dance Magazine as the September “Dancer on the Rise.” Amanda received her training from Contra Costa Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and City Ballet in San Francisco, and then The San Francisco Ballet School. She enjoys surfing, fashion, and spending time with friends and family.
Richard Porter
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Previous Affiliations: West Australian Ballet, Melbourne Ballet Company
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2008.
Born in Melbourne, Australia Richard received a scholarship to study at Dance World 301, where he trained for four years. Following this, he continued his studies at the Australian Ballet School. In 2003 Richard joined the West Australian Ballet performing such works as Simon Dow’s world premiere of La Boheme, Cinderella, The Red Shoes and Dangerous Liaisons as well as Ted Branson’s Romeo & Juliet. Other works included Matjash Mrozewski’s Soft Punch, Chrissie Parrott’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, Frances Ring’s Debris and Kim McCarthy’s 19. In 2008 Richard joined the Melbourne Ballet Company for their Season of New Modern Works. Since joining the Sacramento Ballet, he has enjoyed performing in Ron Cunningham’s Bolero, The Nutcracker (Snow King and The Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier), as well as Michael Smuin’s Frankie & Johnny (Johnny). Richard enjoys surfing, golf and playing guitar.
Richard Smith
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Previous Affiliations: Urban Ballet Theatre, Australian Ballet, Manhattan Youth Ballet
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2008.
Richard began studying in a variety of dance styles before moving to La Vive Classique Academy of Dance in 1999. Three years later, he was accepted into the Australian Ballet School where he was chosen to perform in Jiří Kylián’s Evening Songs, Sinfonietta and Lossen Yellov. In his final year he appeared with the Australian Ballet Company in the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and was chosen to perform with them in their season of Scheherazade. Also joining the Australian Ballet on their Dancers Company Tour (Classical Triple Bill), he performed in Graduation Ball (Lead Junior Cadet) and in Sleeping Beauty, Act 3 (Ivan). Other memorable roles have included Swan Lake (Hungarian Cavalier), George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and The Four Temperaments (3rd Theme), Urban Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker (Snow Pas de Deux, Marzipan), and Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels (White Lead).
Rex Wheeler
Birthplace: London, England
Previous Affiliations: Slovak National Ballet
Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2010.
Born in London, Rex Wheeler began his training at the age of 13 with Anna Du Boisson, furthering his training at Elmhurst Ballet School and The Royal Ballet School. As a student, Rex performed both nationally and internationally with the Birmingham Royal Ballet in Raymonda, The Firebird, Petrushka, Beauty and the Beast and Romeo and Juliet. Rex performed on numerous occasions for the Royal Family and was made Head Boy at Elmhurst. In 2007 Rex won The Royal Academy of Dance ‘Phyllis Bedells’ award and his work in Choreography has won him the Elmhurst ‘Audience Choice’ award in both 2008 and 2009. Following his training, Rex joined the Slovak National Ballet in 2009 where he danced works by Jiří Kylián, James Kudelka and many of the directors pieces in addition to the classics. This is his second season with Sacramento Ballet and since joining has danced soloist and corps de ballet roles in works by George Balanchine, Trey McIntyre, Mathew Neenan, Victor Kabaniaev, Darrell Moultrie, Mellissa Barak, Lila York, Yannis Adoniou, Brain Reeder and Nolan T’Sani. He has also choreographed two works for Sacramento Ballet’s Beer and Ballet program in 2011 and created ‘Sanguineous Rush’ for Utah Regional Ballet in September.
Lauryn Winterhalder
Birthplace: Santa Cruz, CA
Previous Affiliations: Pacific Northwest Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet
Named Apprentice in 2010. Joined Sacramento Ballet in 2011.
A native of Santa Cruz, CA, Lauryn began dancing at the age of two, studying tap and jazz. She continued her training focusing on classical ballet at Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre under the guidance of former Sacramento Ballet principal dancers, Diane Cypher and Robert Kelley. Lauryn attended summer programs at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet as well as multiple years at Pacific Northwest Ballet School on full scholarship. She danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division under the direction of Peter Boal and with Cincinnati Ballet as a trainee. Lauryn joined Sacramento Ballet as an apprentice in 2010 and was promoted to company member in 2011. Lauryn has studied voice and also enjoys choreography - her piece entitled Bamboo and Ginger was selected to be performed at Regional Dance America. She has performed in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, Ron Cunningham’s Romeo and Juliet, Cunningham’s The Nutcracker, Cunningham’s Bolero, Lila York’s Celts, Brian Reeder’s Market Crash, Viktor Kabaniaev’s Series of Unrelated Events, Nolan T’Sani’s Handel With Care , Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, Morgan’s Swan Lake, Val Caniparoli’s Nutcracker, Kent Stowell’s The Nutcracker, Stowell’s Swan Lake, and Balanchine’s Symphony in C. Lauryn has had ballets created on her by Robert Kelley, Kiyon Gaines, Yannis Adoniou, Melissa Barak, and Nicole Haskins (New York Choreographic Institute Fellowship Grant).
APPRENTICES
Alysia Chang
Kelly Ford
Tracy Jones
Tess Lane
Alex Stewart
TRAINEES
Dakota Crist
Julia Feldman
Mila Louise Lavoie
CHARACTER ARTIST
Nolan T’Sani
Mr. T’Sani performed as a soloist with the New York City Ballet for ten years partnering some of the great ballerinas of our time such as Suzanne Farrell, Gelsey Kirkland, Patricia McBride, and Allegra Kent. Returning to Sacramento, he became Artistic Director of the Capitol City Ballet and also served as ballet master with the Hong Kong Ballet and Ballet du Nord. He is currently on the faculty of CSUS and is a frequent guest performer and teacher for The Sacramento Ballet.
BALLET MISTRESS/CHARACTER ARTIST
Lynlee Towne
Ms. Towne began her training with Mendocino Ballet under the guidance of Mary Knight. She danced with Sacramento Ballet for seven seasons, where she performed some of her favorite roles, including Fortuna in Ron Cunningham’s Carmina Burana and Lady Capulet in his Romeo & Juliet. Lynlee also danced with her mentor Robert Kelley at Fort Wayne Ballet, in addition to performing at BalletMet, Ballet Austin, Oakland Ballet, Liss Fain Dance Company, and Mark Foehringer Dance Project. For fellow Sacramento Ballet alumna Amy Seiwert’s company im’ij-re with whom she collaborated for 10 years, she created roles in lessness and Passive Aggression. Lynlee has also acted as an instructor for Marin Ballet, San Francisco School of the Arts, San Francisco Dance Center, and Mendocino College.
