Ava Dempster

Ava Makana Dempster joined Sacramento Ballet in the fall of 2026 and is originally from Alexandria, Virginia. She trained in The Washington School of Ballet’s Professional Training Division under the direction of Julie Kent, Xiomara Reyes, and Rinat Imaev.

Her classical repertoire includes Diana and Acteon, Paquita, and Raymonda, as well as featured roles including the Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy. With The Washington Ballet,Ava performed Clara in The Nutcracker and appeared in company productions of Swan Lake,Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, and George Balanchine’s Serenade.

Her contemporary experience includes performing works by and working with choreographers Garrett Smith, Sean Aaron Carmon, Micaela Taylor, and Mimmo Miccolis. She has also performed as a guest artist and has professional touring experience.

Throughout her training, Ava has been coached by distinguished artists including Maria Kochetkova, Daniil Simkin, Melody Mennite, Vanessa Zahorian, Louise Lester, Elise Elliott, Vicky Simon, Martine van Hamel, and Jessica Lang. Her additional training includes summer programs with Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, and Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, and she has received recognition from the Cecchetti Council of America. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Ava has performed at renowned venues including theKennedy Center and Wolf Trap.

Beyond ballet, Ava has worked professionally as a model with Ashkan Image and maintains a strong interest in choreography and the visual arts.