BalletMet Columbus, Ballet Company and Dance School

Photo: Will Shively
Dancer: Jimmy Orrante

BalletMet wishes to salute all our ticket buyers and supporters who have sustained and nurtured this Company, thus enabling us to celebrate 30 years of professional performances.

Following is a yearly history of the Company with highlights for each year.

BalletMet History to Summer 1978
1978 - 79, 1979 - 80, 1980 - 81, 1981 - 82, 1982 - 83, 1983 - 84, 1984 - 85,
1985 - 86, 1986 - 87, 1987 - 88, 1988 - 89, 1989 - 90, 1990 - 91, 1991 - 92,
1992 - 93, 1993 - 94, 1994 - 95, 1995 - 96, 1996 - 97, 1997 - 98, 1998 - 99,
1999 - 2000, 2000 - 01, 2001 -02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07
Wayne Soulant
John McFall
David Nixon Gerard Charles
Daryl Kamer
Violetta Boft
Students who have graduated the BalletMet Academy and pursued professional careers.

BalletMet History

1974	Ballet Metropolitan was founded in September of 1974 by a group of dancers' parents interested in providing training and performance opportunities for talented area dancers. A student company comprised of 26 10-to-13-year-olds and 25 students over the age of 14 presented two performances of The Nutcracker at the Ohio Theatre in December 1974 to about 4,000 people. Numerous appearances in schools and shopping centers helped bring audiences to the theater. Following The Nutcracker, Ballet Metropolitan continued the well-received appearances in area schools, for a total of about 10 lecture demonstrations the first season. The budget for this first season was $11,000. GUEST ARTISTS: Susan McKee and Eric McCullough of the Harkness Ballet. Susan McKee was a Columbus native who had appeared with the Columbus Civic Ballet. Other guest artists were Patrick Bissel (then a student at North Carolina School of the Arts) and Joseph Duell (then a student at School of American Ballet). Artistic Director: Tatjana Akinfieva-Smith General Manager: Jack Kamer Ballet Mistress: Daryl Kamer
1976	1976 saw the advent of the Ballet Metropolitan Ensemble - six advanced dancers receiving a monthly stipend of $50. The Ensemble was very busy during its premiere season, performing 20 lecture demonstrations as part of the Greater Columbus Arts Council's Artists-in-Schools Program and many other public programs.
1977	In January 1977 the stipend of the Ensemble was raised to $100 monthly, and the performance schedule was enlarged. During 1977, Ballet Metropolitan dancers performed in more than 60 area schools, appeared publicly at shopping malls, festivals and numerous organizational functions in Columbus and surrounding areas as well as out of state.
1978	From January to August, 1978, Ballet Metropolitan made many appearances in schools and shopping centers. The Ensemble also was invited to dance at the Northeast Regional Ballet Association festival in Dover, Delaware in May. The budget had now increased to $100,000.
1978 - 79	In August 1978, Ballet Metropolitan become a professional organization employing an artistic director, a ballet mistress and 13 dancers. "The creation of a ballet company is one of the greatest challenges a dance artist can undertake. It is a monumental venture. It is an experience that the staff of Ballet Metropolitan, the Company's dancers and the community at large have the privilege to be involved in at this very moment......I personally am honored to be part of that dream, to come to Columbus, and devote my energies to that reality. Ballet Metropolitan has gone to great lengths to bring its city a dance experience of the first order. Dancers not only from Columbus, but from all over the country and abroad have been assembled. An eclectic and exciting repertoire is programmed. The future is bright and vivid. The present is here and now." - Wayne Soulant, Artistic Director, Ballet Metropolitan Inc. in the Premiere Season program.
	LUCKY 13! The first performance of Ballet Metropolitan as a professional company took place October 13th, 1978 at The Ohio State University's Sullivant Hall. A total of four performances were given over a three day period. Yes it was Friday the 13th, and in addition to the 13 professional dancers there were 13 apprentices. Five performances of The Nutcracker were given. The company obtained an earned income ration of 40%. The company studios were located above Bernie's Bagels on Gay Street, in downtown Columbus. ORIGINAL COMPANY DANCERS: Carole Augustus, Suzanne Davis, Jeffery Giese, Terrence Grizzell, Carol Harrison, Kenneth Von Heidecke, David Jordan, Colleen Mitchell, Robert Monteux, Richard Palomares, Susan Perry, Kathleen Smith and Diana Turner. APPRENTICES: Jackie Alstott, Daphne Dodson, Linda Fuller, Jan Gatwood, Laura Keynes, Marshall Lucas, Pamela Miller, Cindy Mitterholzer, Kathi Moos, Dana Potteiger, Polly Speer, Amy Spicer and Kymme Wright. BALLETS DANCED: The opening program was *Kinderszenen* by Wayne Soulant to Schumann's Kinderszenen, Op 15, played by pianist Bela Szilagyi; *Dance Rites* by Fernando Schaffenburg to Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances; *Black Swan pas de deux* and *Home to You, especially choreographed by Wayne Soulant to the music of John Denver, played by local band Souvenir. Other ballets that year included Grand Tarantella* / Zachary Ward; *Holberg Suite* / Arthur Mitchell; *Pas de Dix* / Eugene Tanner after Petipa; *Rags `n Things* / Mark Schneider; *View from the Gallows* / Wayne Soulant; *Women* / Domy Reiter-Soffer and *The Nutcracker* / Wayne Soulant & Kathleen Smith. Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant General Manager: Jack Kamer Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Kathleen Smith Administrative Assistant: Mary Fuller Board Chairman/President: David S. Cupps, succeeded by Erick Alden & LaVetta Helser
	Other Events Of 1978 Jimmy Carter was President U.S. and China established full diplomatic relations First class mail increased to 15¢ California voters approved Proposition 13 Sadat and Begin shared Nobel Peace Prize Red Brigades kidnapped and murdered former Italian premier Aldo Moro John Irving published The World According to Garp AMA concluded a 14 year study that showed smoking causes heart disease and may cause cancer Leon Spinks beats, and then seven months later loses to, Mohammed Ali Federal judge in Ohio ruled girls should not be prevented from participating with boys on same sport teams Pope Paul VI died. John Paul I became the new pope but suddenly died. John Paul II elected pope Vietnam began full-scale invasion of Cambodia Films that opened: The Deer Hunter, Midnight Express, Superman, Grease, Interiors, Coming Home Dallas premiered on television Died: Golda Meir, Jomo Kenyatta, Carlos Chavez, Aram Khachaturian, Charles Boyer, Margeret Mead, Hubert Humphrey First test-tube baby was born in England Woody Hayes resigned as The Ohio State University's head football coach The touring company of A Chorus Line performed for the first time in Columbus, for three weeks at Mershon Auditorium, the longest run in town Top selling L.P. was the soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever Ohio Governor was James Rhodes, Lt. Governor was Richard F. Celeste, and the Mayor of Columbus was Tom Moody.
1979 - 80	BalletMet's first subscription season. In addition to the regular season, Ballet Metropolitan presented the First Annual Ohio Choreographers' Showcase held May 15-18, 1980, at Sullivant Hall. The Nutcracker was performed in three cities on tour as well as in Columbus. The Dance Academy offered its first summer workshop. The company's ranks increased to 15 dancers and the company relocated its rehearsal studios to 55 E. Blake Avenue. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Jon Adams, Pamela Dyer, Christian Faust, Charles Flachs, Thomas Nicholson, Kimberly Pearce, Mark Schneider, Roger Wade and Kymme Wright. Holly Baroway was an Apprentice Trainee. GUEST ARTISTS: Martine van Hamel and Kevin McKenzie of American Ballet Theatre, and Lubimir Kafka and Jana Kurova from Czechoslovakia, Gold Medal Winners at the first U.S.A. International Ballet Competition. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Cirque de Deux* / Ruthanna Boris; *The House of Bernarda Alba* / Domy Reiter-Soffer; *Le Combat* / William Dollar; *Waltz Russe* / Frederick Franklin. Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: Harvey D. Roth Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Nancy Schaffenburg-Cross. Board Chairman; Erick Alden Board President: LaVetta Helser
1980 - 81	All performances were with the accompaniment of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. A total of 9 performances of The Nutcracker were given. The company toured to Youngstown and Lima. Second Annual Ohio Choreographer's Showcase held. The Company took over the operation of The Dance Academy. Earned income reached 60% of the budget. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Kathy Brenner, Cher Carnell, Paul Giovinazzo, David Keener, Lori Massie, Mark Rhodes, William Spencer and Jolan Syarto. GUEST ARTISTS: Patricia Ruanne from London Festival Ballet and David Wall from England's Royal Ballet. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Allegro Brillante* / George Balanchine; *Concerto Grosso* / Charles Czarny; *Romeo and Juliet* / Ruth Page; *Suite #4* / Wayne Soulant; *The Mist Leaves No Scarar* / Jean Isaacs. Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: Harvey D. Roth Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Maria Youskevitch Board Chairman: David R. Patterson Board President: Nancy Strause
1981 - 82	BalletMet added an extra repertory series for a total of three repertory series plus The Nutcracker, which was also increased to 11 performances. This was the year that the famous Nutcracker poster featuring Lauren Kane was produced and became an international best seller. The first International Night fundraiser was held and in May 1982 the Company moved into new studios on Jefferson Avenue. Tours to Lima, Marion, Mount Vernon, Rio Grande, Warren, Xenia, and Zanesville, Ohio and the first of many appearances in Charleston WV. The first "Morning at the Ballet" educational program was offered. The Dance Academy drew 400 students. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Cathy Buchanan, Linda Fuller, Carolyn Goto, and Mark Schneider. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Designs With Strings* / John Taras; *Victorian Interlude* / Wayne Soulant; *Sunny Day* / Charles Czarny; *Couples* / Wayne Soulant; *Essays of Night* / Loyce Houlton; *Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux* / George Balanchine. Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: W. David Hagans Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Maria Youskevitch Board Chairman: David R. Patterson Board President: Nancy Strause
1982 - 83	The Nutcracker increased to 12 performances. BalletMet presents Alexander Godunov and Stars (David Nixon and Yoko Ichino performed). Suzanne Davis and Angelo Woodman get married August 12, 1982. La Sylphide, BalletMet's first full length ballet other than The Nutcracker was presented.. A stipended apprentice program was initiated. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Paul Despotakis, Philip Rosemond, and Kristin Schleich BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: Square Dance / George Balanchine; French Suite / Victoria Simon; Swan Lake Act II / after Ivanov; La Sylphide / August Bournonville Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: Joel M. Johnson Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Christine Busch Board Chairman: Lawrence L. German Board President: Richard M. McMorrow
1983 - 84	New production of The Nutcracker with Scenery and Costumes by Campbell Baird. Thirteen performances given in Columbus. The first Nutcracker Gala was held (now Nutcracker Ball). Susan Perry and David Jordan get married. Saturday matinee performances offered for the first time. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Joan Buttram, Lisa Donham, René Mastriano, George Nunes, Laura Petta, Kathleen Reilly, Thomas Richards, Jeffrey Smith, Susan Stowe and Erich Yetter. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Four Seasons in Bellville* / Wayne Soulant; *Bach Brandenburg #3* / Charles Czarny; *Royal Symphony* / Victoria Simon; *Ländliche Hochzeit (Country Wedding) / David Jordan; Don Quixote Pas de Deux* / after Petipa; *Cakewalk* / Ruthanna Boris. Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: Tom Birmingham Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Christine Busch Board Chairman: Lawrence L. German Board President: Richard M. McMorrow
1984 - 85	Fourteen performances of The Nutcracker given. The Dance Academy summer workshop is extended to four weeks. Corps de Ballet and En Pointe support groups founded. Wayne Soulant's contract not renewed for the following season and a national search for a new artistic director was undertaken. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Brent Bennish, Susan Braaten, James Caton, Per Lie, Andrew Sheffield and Franklin Wassmer. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Pomes Penyeach* / Domy Reiter-Soffer; *Clowns and Others* / Salvatore Aiello: *Mythical Hunters* / Glen Tetley; *Cole* / Wayne Soulant. Artistic Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: Tom Birmingham Assistant to the Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Sheila Humphreys Board Chairman: Jon G. Hettinger Board President: Jane C. Campbell
1985 - 86	Fourteen performances of The Nutcracker given. John McFall named artistic director to assume post July 1, 1986. NEW COMPANY DANCER: James Richeson. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Serenade* / George Balanchine; *Les Patineurs* / Sir Frederick Ashton; *La Valse* / Domy Reiter-Soffer Producing Director: Wayne Soulant Managing Director: Tom Birmingham Asst. to the Producing Director: Daryl Kamer Ballet Mistress: Sheila Humphreys Board Chairman: Jon G. Hettinger Board President: Jane C. Campbell
1986 - 87	John McFall assumes position of Artistic Director July 1 1986. Thursday night series performances added for first time. Tours to Nashville, Charleston, Youngstown and Mansfield, Bucknell University and Chillicothe. Don Eryck joins BalletMet Academy as artistic associate and the pre-professional and outreach scholarship program begins. BalletMet presents Dance Theatre of Harlem. BalletMet received the 1987 Greater Columbus Arts Council Excellence Award. Subscriber base now 4,000. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Susan Baker, Barbara Bessert, James Cameron, Gerard Charles, Mark Cisler, Edward Dubell, Anastasia Glimidakis, Elizabeth Harano, Johnathon Miller, Sarah Rothrock, Keith Saunders, Daren Savage and Catherine Yoshimura. APPRENTICES: Michael Cornell, Julie Fauth, Suzanne Gallo, Andrea Hodge, Paulette Smrdel and Kathy Thompson. GUEST ARTISTS: David Parsons, Cynthia Gregory, Russell Murphy and Ethan Stiefel (as a child). BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *The Watchers* / John McFall; *Eternal Idol* / Michael Smuin; *Caught* / David Parsons; *Con Amore* / Lew Christensen; *Introduction and Allegro* / Tomm Ruud; *Tealia* / John McFall; *Around the Corner* / David Parsons; *In A Country Garden* / Michael Vernon; *The 40's* / Lou Conte; *Chrysalis* / John McFall; *The Unsung* / Jose Limon; *Paquita* / after Petipa. Artistic Director: John McFall Managing Director: Tom Birmingham Ballet Master: Robert Dicello Board Chairman: Nancy Strause Board President: Charles DeRousie
1987 - 88	Baryshnikov & Co. presented by BalletMet July 23, 1987. Fourteen performances of The Nutcracker, newly choreographed by John McFall with the existing sets and costumes, were given in Columbus with tours to Elyria, Battle Creek and Charleston. Violetta Boft joined the staff of BalletMet. David Jordan died March 3, 1988. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Scott Brown, Theresa Carney, Christine Cox, Marc Darling, Paige Fullerton, Karen Stasick, Stephanie White and Todd Woffinden. GUEST ARTISTS: American ballerina Cynthia Gregory and Serge Lavoie of the National Ballet of Canada. Valentina Koslova and Robert Hill performed with BalletMet in *Swan Lake Act II* and Daniel Meja in *Les Patineurs.* BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Filling Station* / Lew Christensen; Blue Bird Pas de Deux / after Petipa; *Il Distrato* / Lew Christensen; *Badinage* / John McFall; *Cloven Kingdom* / Paul Taylor; *Matinées Musicales* / John McFall; *Great Galloping Gottschalk* / Lynne Taylor-Corbett; Romantic Pieces / John McFall. Artistic Director: John McFall Managing Director: J. Dennis Rich Ballet Master: Richard Collins Board Chairman: Nancy Strause Board President: Charles DeRousie
1988 - 89	Rudolf Nureyev and Friends presented by BalletMet August 6-7, 1988. BalletMet's first international tour took place in Egypt. Also tours to Charleston, Nashville, Mansfield, Youngstown and Findlay. Dance Theatre of Harlem presented by BalletMet April 21-22, 1989. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Dale Brannon, Rafael Delgado, Peter Means, Donna Patzius, Elizabeth Zengara, Manuel Bonilla, Donna Fort, Brett Mills, and Wendy Wittchow. GUEST ARTIST: Carlton Wilborn. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Airs De Ballet* / Lew Christensen; *In Paradisum* / James Kudelka; *Le Corsaire* / after Petipa; *Flower Festival at Genzano* / August Bournonville; *Shinju* / Michael Smuin; *Across the Boards* / John McFall; *Pas de Quatre* / Anton Dolin; *Troy Game* / Robert North; *Beyond Midnight* / John McFall; *Bach Cello Suite* / John Carrafa; Belling the Slayer / Kirk Peterson. Artistic Director: John McFall Managing Director: J. Dennis Rich Ballet Mistress: Violetta Boft Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Board Chairman: Lucy Porter Board President: David C. Bupp
1989 - 90	JazzMet was founded. BalletMet appeared at the Lancaster Festival in a world premiere ballet with music by Festival composer in residence William Bolcum. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presented by BalletMet April 19, 1990. BalletMet toured New York, California, West Virginia, Nevada and Canada and made its first appearance at the dance festival in Aspen, Colorado. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Codie Bayer, Heidi Corsolle, Eliane Goffard, Gerard Holt, Angela Irvin, Armando Luna, Julian Moss, Patricia Owen, Wesley Robinson and Michelle Szymanski. GUEST ARTISTS: Christopher Stowell of San Francisco Ballet, in Grand Pas Classique, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the Jazz Arts Group. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: Grand Pas Classique / Viktor Grovsky; There, below / James Kudelka; S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. / Clark Tippet; In the Glow of the Night / Choo-San Goh. Artistic Director: John McFall Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Ballet Mistress: Violetta Boft Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Board Chairman: Lucy Porter Board President: David C. Bupp
1990 - 91	BalletMet moves into the new Dance Centre on Mt. Vernon Avenue in July, 1990. Renovated through a $1.5 million capital campaign. Fifteen performances of The Nutcracker given. BalletMet makes its New York City debut at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts April 1991. BalletMet also toured New York, Indiana and New Jersey. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Phillip Amer, Derek Dobrowolski, Cassie Foltz, Darrin Giesy, Benjamin Johnson, Richard Mcleod, Sunghee Park, Lauri Stallings and David Stover. GUEST ARTIST: Jeremy Ransom of the National Ballet of Canada in *Coppelia.* BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Coppelia* / Enrique Martinez; *Radiant Echoes* / John McFall; *Without Wax* / Alonzo King; *Four Last Songs* / Ben Stevenson; *Underbelly* / John McFall. Artistic Director: John McFall Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Ballet Mistress: Violetta Boft Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Board Chairman & CEO: Lucy Porter
1991- 92	BalletMet toured to California, Alaska, and Arizona with Cynthia Gregory and in Ohio and to Spain as part of the Quinto Centenario Celebrations. The company also returned to the Aspen Dance Festival. Eighteen performances of The Nutcracker were given. BalletMet Parents Association was founded. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Catherine Andrews, Elizabeth Brienza, Melissa Mitchell, Michael Reed, Mikaela Ross, Daniel Rychlec and Sonia Welker. GUEST ARTISTS: Cynthia Gregory, Geoffrey Moore and Kenneth Larson. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Cinderella* / Ben Stevenson; *Divertimento* / George Balanchine; *They Call Me Jazz* / Graciella Daniele; *Tensile Involvement* / Alwin Nikolais; *Sing, Sing, Sing* / John McFall; *Jook* / John McFall. Artistic Director: John McFall Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Ballet Mistresses: Violetta Boft & Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: Jeffrey A. Rich
1992- 93	Centennial Production of The Nutcracker with all new sets, costumes and choreography. The production debuted on tour in Alaska before opening in Columbus. BalletMet also toured in Missouri, Ohio and Texas. NEW DANCERS: Pan Jiabin, Li Ying, Katherine Bupp and Melissa Downey. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Romeo and Juliet* / Malcolm Burn; *Incidents In The Life Of An Ohio Youth As He Marched To The Sea And Beyond And Was Witness To Minor And Extraordinary Events Along The Way* / Liz Lerman. Artistic Director: John McFall Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Ballet Mistresses: Violetta Boft & Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: Jeffrey A. Rich
1993- 94	BalletMet toured to California, Colorado, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nevada, Indiana and Pennsylvania. John McFall leaves post of artistic director of BalletMet. Endowment Fund established. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Leigh Saunders, John Welker and Johanna Woodward. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Giselle* / Enrique Martinez; *La Fille Mal Gardée* (variation) / Alexander Gorsky; *Plexus* / John McFall; *SKREAM* / Woffinden, Best, Jansen & Thomas; *The Sleeping Beauty* / after Petipa. Artistic Director: John McFall Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Ballet Mistresses: Violetta Boft & Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: William H. Carter
1994- 95	After an exhaustive international search process, David Nixon is named artistic director of BalletMet in September 1994. The Nutcracker presented on tour in Pennsylvania. Violetta Boft died April 22, 1995. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Holly Baroway, Jeannine Beck, Erik Cederlund, Stephen Gregory, Annelies Richmond, Dianna Warren, Neil Berson, Phillip Mattingly and Lisa Vice. GUEST ARTISTS: Simon Ball, Carmen Balthrop, international opera and concert soprano. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Carmen* / Nigel Burgoine; *Suite Mizike* / Peter Pucci; *A Summer Night's Reflections* / David Nixon. Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Ballet Mistresses: Violetta Boft & Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: William H. Carter
1995- 96	David Nixon's first full season as artistic director. BalletMet is renamed BalletMet Columbus. The season opens with Windows on the World of Dance, a dance gala featuring world famous dance artists Martine Lamy and Robert Conn of the National Ballet of Canada; Peggy Baker, solo artist from Toronto; Susan Jaffe and Jose Carreno of American Ballet Theatre; Evelyn Hart of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Rex Harrington of the National Ballet of Canada; Gary Chryst of NDT 3; Yoko Ichino and David Nixon; Maria Teresa del Real and Maximiliano Guera; Maureen Flemming, American Butoh artist. BalletMet tours The Nutcracker, with all new choreography by David Nixon, to San Antonio, Texas. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: David Michael Cohen, Lawrence Edelson, Jason Hartley, Tiffany Kmet, Jim Orrante, Rebecca Rodriguez, Kristen Stevens, Richard Tullius, Hiromi Ushino and Catherine Yoshimura (return). GUEST ARTISTS: David Kierce of the Joffrey Ballet Lindsay Fischer and Peter Pucci. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Kettentanz* / Gerald Arpino; Mad Shadows / Ann Ditchburn; *Angels in the Architecture* / Mark Godden; *Stepping Stones* / Kathryn Posin; *Heir of Civility* / Peter Pucci; *Sudden Impulse* / David Nixon; *Esmeralda Pas de Deux* / after Perrot; *The Merry Widow* / Ruth Page; *Dangerous Liaisons* / David Nixon. Artistic Director/Producer: David Nixon Executive Director: Mary K Bailey Artistic Assistant/Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Ballet Mistress: Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: Stephen J. Rotella
1996- 97	BalletMet toured The Nutcracker to San Antonio, Texas. Wayne Soulant died in January 1997. BalletMet receives a $1 million grant from the Columbus Arts Stabilization project. Julia Blackburn appointed Managing Director. Professional training program established. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Chris Alloways-Ramsey, Catherine Andrews (return), Margo Caslavka, Jack Hansen, Shawn Kent Pace and Tracy Thayer. GUEST ARTISTS: Yoko Ichino, Lindsay Fischer, David Kierce of the Joffrey Ballet and Anne Adair formerly with the Royal Danish Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Butterfly* / David Nixon; *Trail of Broken Hearts* / Susan Hadley; *Bedtime Stories* / Lawrence Edelson; Innocence and Experience / Julia Adam; *Commonplace* / Susan Hadley; *Borderlines* / Graham Lustig; *Beauty and the Beast* / David Nixon. Artistic Director/Producer: David Nixon Artistic Assistant/Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Ballet Mistress: Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: Stephen J. Rotella
1997 - 98	The 20th Anniversary Season celebrating the past and looking forward to the future. BalletMet received a Columbus Arts Council Artistic Excellence Award for Requiem!! The National Ballet of Canada was presented as a guest company as part of the regular season. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Anne Adair Wilkins, Shaun Boyle, Margo Caslavka, Alberto Colon Jr., Zuri Goldman, Steven Keeton, David Paul Kierce, Christopher-Quenton Riddle and Angela Wetzstein. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Carmen* / David Nixon; *Requiem!!/ Birgit Scherzer; La Bayadère,* *Kingdom of the Shades* / after Petipa; *Desir* / James Kudelka; *Romeo and Juliet* / David Nixon Artistic Director/Producer: David Nixon Managing Director: Julia Blackburn Artistic Assistant/Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Ballet Mistress: Karen Brown Board Chairman & CEO: Stephen J. Rotella
1998 - 99	A new summer series of performances, SummerDance, was inaugurated, increasing the number of performances in Columbus and providing opportunities for open rehearsals, informances and special lectures on dance at the Capitol Theatre. BalletMet toured Beauty and the Beast extensively through the United States. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Olivia Clark, Susannah Dwyer, William Gentes, Lisa Guidi, Stephanie Rapp, Derek Reid, Dimitri Suslov, Juan Pablo Trujillo and Carrie West. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Swan Lake* / David Nixon; *Allegoria* / Julia Adam; *Heidi* / Martino Muller. Artistic Director/Producer: David Nixon Managing Director: Julia Blackburn Artistic Assistant/Ballet Master: Gerard Charles Ballet Master: Raymond Smith Board Chairman & CEO: Geoffrey W. von Kuhn
1999 - 2000	Another year of solid performances and new works choreographed for the Company. Notable premieres were David Nixon's highly acclaimed Dracula and A Midsummer Night's Dream and Susan Hadley's Evening Air. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Leigh Allardyce, Christian Broomhall, Brady Hartley, Carissa Lawson, Guo-Qiang Li, Glenn Newbeck, and Lance Sherman. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Dracula* / David Nixon; *Evening Air* / Susan Hadley; *Mozart* / David Nixon; Napoli pas de six / August Bournonville; *Gershwin Dances* / David Nixon; *The Sleeping Beauty* / Gerard Charles; *A Midsummer Night's Dream* / David Nixon. Artistic Director/Producer: David Nixon Executive Director: Julia Blackburn Associate Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Ballet Master: Raymond Smith Board Chairman & CEO: Louis J. Castelli
2000 - 01	The company began its season with SummerDance followed by a tour to Reno, Nevada and reprises of its successful Swan Lake and Dracula. A full evening world premiere ballet by Birgit Scherzer, x-file: m.e.s.s.i.a.h. debuted in March. BalletMet's Butterfly was staged for Ballet Austin, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Dayton Ballet. BalletMet collaborated with entertainer Michael Feinstein to present a premiere evening of music and dance. Cheri Mitchell was named executive director of BalletMet Columbus. Artistic Director David Nixon announced that he would leave the company at the end of the season to accept the post of artistic director of Northern Ballet Theatre in England. A Search Committee was formed to launch the international search for a new Artistic Director in January 2001. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Megan Bioty, Jason Dumas, Erin Fujii, Catalina Garza, Patrick Howell, Matthew Keefe, Hisham Omardien, and Ernesto Quenedit. GUEST ARTISTS: Lissette Salgado of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Giselle* / After Perrot; *They've Lost Their Footing* / KT Nelson; *x-file: m.e.s.s.i.a.h.* / Birgit Scherzer; Gershwin Rhapsody / David Nixon. Artistic Director/Producer: David Nixon Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Associate Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Ballet Master: Raymond Smith Board Chairman & CEO: Louis J. Castelli
2001 - 02	Sixty-three individual performances were produced in Columbus this season. After an extensive search, Gerard Charles was named artistic director of BalletMet and, effective July 1, 2002, Stanton Welch was named artistic associate. BalletMet presented an ambitious Fall Festival of Dance that spanned seven weekends in September and October. An all new production of The Nutcracker was presented for 20 performances in December to record attendance. An agreement with Cincinnati Ballet resulted in an exchange between the two companies whereby BalletMet presented Cincinnati Ballet in Peter Pan and in turn BalletMet was presented in Cincinnati in Dracula. The company name reverted back to the name BalletMet. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Reid Bartelme, Rebecca Carmazzi, Matthew Cotter, Justin Gibbs, Cory Goei, Natalie Leftwich, Christine Mangia, Haruki Nii, Gregory Stuart and Jessica Tong. GUEST ARTISTS: Christian Broomhall and Charlotte Talbot of Northern Ballet Theatre. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Coppelia* / Gerard Charles; *Hamlet* / Stephen Mills; *Dance Sport* / Harrison McEldowney; The Nutcracker / David Nixon. Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Artistic Associate: Stanton Welch Ballet Master: Raymond Smith Board Chairman & CEO: Susan Gerlach Douglass
2002 - 03	BalletMet's 25^th anniversary season was filled with premiere performances. The company performed the world premieres of Gerard Charles' Cinderella, Gustavo Sensano's En Vez De (Instead Of), and Stanton Welch's Don Quixote, as well as company premieres of Adam Houghland's Beyond, Harrison McEldowney's Dance Sport, and Stanton Welch's Maninyas. The BalletMet company came together with The Ohio State University Marching Band, the OSU School of Music, and the OSU Department of Dance to present Ballet In Scarlet and Gray, featuring world premieres of Susan Hadley's Across the Field and James Kudelka's Gazebo Dances. The company also partnered with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra to perform "Dance Under the Stars" at the PromoWest Pavilion. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Erin Barnard, Daryl Brandwood, William Cannon, Jamie Dee, Elena Fillmore, Matthew Geiger, Melissa Hough, Christina Ortiz, Sarah Rifkin, Derek Sakakura, Randolph Ward. GUEST ARTISTS: Bruce Terry, Phillip Wilson BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Cinderella* / Gerard Charles, *Maninyas* / Stanton Welch, *Beyond* / Adam Houghland, *Dance* *Sport* / Harrison McEldowney, *En Vez De (Instead Of) / Gustavo Sensano, Across the Field* / Susan Hadley, *Gazebo Dances* / James Kudelka, *Group Therapy* / Harrison McEldowney Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Artistic Associate: Stanton Welch Ballet Master: Raymond Smith Board Chairman: Susan Gerlach Douglass
2003 - 04	BalletMet launched the Momentum education program to provide in-school instruction to 4^th- and 5^th-graders in the Columbus Public Schools weekly for 30 weeks during school hours. The BalletMet company made their New York City debut after being invited as one of eighteen companies to perform in New York at The Joyce Theater, our nation's premier dance presenter. Hailed by the New York Times as "a mesmerizing tour de force," the company performed a one-week engagement of contemporary dance, featuring James Kudelka's Gazebo Dances, Deanna Carter's Colores de Alma, and Play, a section of Evolution: From Mozart to Moby by Stanton Welch. Continuing its commitment to the creation of new work, BalletMet, with funding from the Greater Columbus Arts Council, presented the Columbus Choreography Project. The BalletMet company also joined together with the Cincinnati Ballet to perform George Balanchine's Jewels in both Columbus and Cincinnati. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Adrienne Benz, Adrina Devitre, Elizabeth Farotte, Allison Jay. GUEST ARTISTS: Keiko Amemori, Jonathon Byrne Ollivier, and Christian Broomhall; Northern Ballet Theatre BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Call It Off* / Harrison McEldowney, *Colores de Alma* / Deanna Carter, *Evolution* / Stanton Welch, *Jewels* / George Balanchine, *Play* / Stanton Welch, *Mostly Mozart* / Stanton Welch, *Wildlife* / Stanton Welch, *A Time to Dance* / Stanton Welch Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Artistic Associate: Stanton Welch Ballet Master: Raymond Smith Board Chairman: Debbie Phillips Bower
2004 - 05	The company was invited to return to New York City in September to perform Stanton Welch's Play at the city’s largest arts festival, the River to River Festival. Notable premieres include the world premiere of Carmina Burana, choreographed by Dwight Rhoden, and the company premiere of Bolero by Heinz Poll. BalletMet once again collaborated with the Ohio State University Department of Dance in the company premiere of Doug Varone's The Rite of Spring. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Preston Dugger, Darrius Gray, Adam Hundt, Annie Mallonee, Ryan Martin, Jennifer Owen, Emily Ramirez, Luz San Miguel, Jackson Prescott Sarver, David Tlaiye, Hitomi Yamada. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *The Nutcracker* / Gerard Charles, *Blue* / Stanton Welch, *Bolero* / Heinz Poll, *Carmina Burana* / Dwight Rhoden, *Firebird* / Stanton Welch, *Heart* *Strings* / Maria Glimcher, *Orange* / Stanton Welch, *Touch* / Jimmy Orrante, *Imposing* / Daryl Brandwood, *The Rite of Spring* / Doug Varone. Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Artistic Associate: Stanton Welch Ballet Mistress: Rebecca Rodriguez Ballet Master: Hisham Omardien Board Chairman: Debbie Phillips Bower
2005 - 06	BalletMet took a historic step with the December 2005 purchase of the Dance Center and entire Mount Vernon block, including two other buildings and a 72-space parking lot. A permanent home in downtown Columbus will help secure the company's future. The season included several world premieres, including Jimmy Orrante's Revelry and Jazz Me! by Harrison McEldowney, as well as a collaboration with the Phoenix Theatre to present Gerard Charles' Alice in Wonderland. The company again combined with the Cincinnati Ballet to perform Balanchine's Stars and Stripes in Columbus and Cincinnati. In April, the company closed its season with Jazz Moves Columbus, in which it worked together with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra to present an evening of American song and dance, featuring world premieres from noted choreographers Randy Duncan, Stella Kane, Harrison McEldowney, Margo Sappington, and Randy Skinner. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Christian Broomhall, Jessica Brown, Katrina Dalton, Emily Gotschall, Bethany Manley, Ian Poulis, Jeff Wolfe. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *Alice in Wonderland* / Gerard Charles, *Giselle* / Staged by Gerard Charles, *Jazz Me* / Harrison McEldowney, *Jazz Moves* / Randy Duncan, Stella Kane, Harrison McEldowney, Margo Sappington & Randy Skinner, *Lost and Found* / Lynne Taylor-Corbett, *Revelry* / Jim Orrante, *Stars and Stripes* / George Balanchine Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Ballet Mistress: Rebecca Rodriguez Ballet Master: Hisham Omardien Board Chairman and CEO: Robert J. Gorman
2006 - 07	BalletMet publicly launched its 6.15 million Capital Campaign having already raised 3.7 million. The campaign accommodates the current dance center, with seven dance studios, a Costume Shop, and administrative offices; a warehouse space with scene shop and theatre; a 61,500 adjacent building; and a 72-space parking lot. The inaugural celebration of BalletMet’s newest performance venue, a 225-seat "black box" theatre, marked the start of a big season for the company in September. The inauguration included a week of free classes and open rehearsals before culminating in the performance of New Works, New Space, New Steps, a work featuring reprises of Harrison McEldowney's Call It Off and KT Nelson's They've Lost Their Footing. The performance also premiered From the Essence of My Being by Maria Glimcher, as well as 365 Times...Neither Flesh Nor Fish, a work set on BalletMet and the Silesian Dance Theatre by choreographer Jacek Luminski when the BalletMet dancers traveled to Poland. In November, the company traveled to New York to perform The Nutcracker with the Buffalo Philharmonic. In addition, BalletMet was nominated for The Greater Columbus Arts Council's "Artistic Excellence Award" for its inaugural activities for the New Performance Space. BalletMet and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra won the distinguished award for their collaboration of Jazz Moves Columbus in April of 2006. NEW COMPANY DANCERS: Lynorris Evans, Ellie Escosa, Bryan Jenkins and Amanda Phillips-Bosshart. Trainees Emma Misner and Morgan McEwen were named company dancers. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *365 Times...Neither Fish Nor Flesh* / Jacek Luminski; *Ad Infinitum* / Jimmy Orrante; *From the Essence of My Being* / Maria Glimcher; *Group Therapy Part Deux* / Harrison McEldowney; Whodunit? / Susan Hadley. Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Ballet Mistress: Rebecca Rodriguez Ballet Master: Hisham Omardien Board Chair: Robert Gorman
2007 - 08	NEW COMPANY DANCERS: David Tai Kim, Jaime Kotrba and James Pierce III. BALLETS ADDED TO THE REPERTOIRE: *30x30* / 30 different works from 30 choreographers; *Big League Dream/ Maria Glimcher; Kid A-O.K./Adam Hundt; A Different Drummer/Alexander Schneider Rossmy; Aladdin*/Gerard Charles. Artistic Director: Gerard Charles Executive Director: Cheri Mitchell Ballet Mistress: Rebecca Rodriguez Ballet Master: Hisham Omardien Board Chair: Sue Porter
WAYNE SOULANT, Artistic Director 1978 - 86	Wayne Soulant was chosen to be Ballet Metropolitan's first full time artistic director based on his experience in directing, acting, public relations, and arts management. Mr. Soulant came to Ballet Metropolitan from the Norwegian National Ballet and danced and choreographed both in the Unites States and Europe. As a dance educator, he had been on the faculty of Texas Christian University and held a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ballet and a Master of Fine Arts in Theater. Under his leadership BalletMet grew from a fledgling troupe with an annual budget of $300,000 to a major regional arts institution with a $1.3 million budget, acquired the Dance Academy, moved into its first real home at 78 Jefferson Avenue, and presented a wide variety of significant dance works by international choreographers. Mr. Soulant also contributed to the repertoire of the company with his own works including *Home to You, Victorian Interlude, Cole* and two versions of *The Nutcracker*. After leaving BalletMet, Mr. Soulant worked for the Dyansen Art Gallery in New Orleans and remained active in the dance world, teaching and restaging his own ballets for companies around the United States. He was also instrumental in organizing educational programs for disadvantaged youth that included a dance component. Mr. Soulant died in January of 1997.
JOHN MCFALL, Artistic Director 1986 - 94	John McFall took the helm as BalletMet's second artistic director July 1, 1986. A dancer since his youth in Kansas City, Missouri, Mr. McFall joined the San Francisco Ballet in 1965 where he was a principal dancer from 1969 until his retirement in 1983. He began his choreographic career with the San Francisco Ballet at age 21 and created more than a dozen new works for the company. Before coming to BalletMet he had also created works for American Ballet Theatre, The National Ballet of Canada, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Atlanta Ballet and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. He received three National Endowment for the Arts Choreography fellowships. BalletMet continued to flourish under John McFall, the company toured more extensively both at home and abroad, the diverse repertoire continued to grow and BalletMet moved into the new Dance Centre in 1990. During his tenure as artistic director, John McFall added 14 of his own ballets to the repertoire, including *Telia, Radiant Echoes, Plexus, Underbelly* and *Jook*. Mr. McFall is now the artistic director of the Atlanta Ballet.
DAVID NIXON, Artistic Director 1995 - 2001	David Nixon was appointed artistic director of BalletMet in 1994 and began active duty in 1995. Mr. Nixon brought to Columbus a background rich in international dancing and choreography. Trained at the National Ballet School in Toronto, he danced his way through the ranks to become a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, where he spent seven years. In 1985, he became a principal dancer with the Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin. He left five years later for a series of guest artist positions with prominent companies around the world, before returning to the Deutsche Oper as ballet master. In January 2001 Mr. Nixon announced his departure from BalletMet, effective August 1, 2001, to assume the directorship of Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds, England. Mr. Nixon added 19 world and 19 company premiere ballets to the BalletMet repertoire including his own *Butterfly, Beauty and the Beast, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Dracula, A Midsummer Night's Dream* and *Sudden Impulse. BalletMet also broadened its visibility with rentals and staging of Mr. Nixon's works, including Beauty and the Beast* and *Butterfly, to companies including Cincinnati Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Cape Town City Ballet (South Africa) and, in 2000-01, Austin Ballet and Dayton Ballet. He also established dual track programming by showcasing classical ballets at the Ohio Theatre and bringing contemporary dance to Columbus' Capitol Theatre. During Mr. Nixon's tenure at BalletMet, dancer contracts increased from 29 to 36 weeks, salaries increased 50%, performances increased from 32 to 60, the company produced and built 11 new full-length ballets, administrative staff were restored to 52 weeks and annual operations increased from $3.5 to $4.9 million. BalletMet also received a $1 million grant from National Arts Stabilization and was nominated four times for the Greater Columbus Arts Council Artistic Excellence Award. BalletMet was featured on the cover of the January 2001 issue of Ohio Magazine* as Best Dance Company in Ohio. Click here for a more detailed biography of David Nixon
GERARD CHARLES, Artistic Director 2002	Gerard Charles was named as the fourth artistic director of BalletMet in December 2001. Gerard Charles was born in Folkestone, England and trained at the Royal Ballet School. He has danced professionally for Ballet International in London, Milwaukee Ballet and BalletMet and has been the ballet master for BalletMet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. For the past three years Mr. Charles was associate artistic director of BalletMet. A recipient of a choreographic fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mr. Charles has choreographed, taught, and restaged works internationally. He has staged his versions of Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty , The Nutcracker, Coppelia and Alice in Wonderland for BalletMet. He is married to Catherine Yoshimura and has a wonderful son, Max.
DARYL KAMER	Before there was a Ballet Metropolitan there was Daryl Kamer. Daryl's involvement with ballet in Columbus has been uninterrupted and solidly supportive. Having received extensive training in New York, Daryl returned to Columbus and began to teach, as she does to this day. Always a force in the promotion of dance in Columbus, some of the positions Daryl has dedicated herself to are ballet mistress of The Columbus Civic Ballet, assistant to the director of the Columbus Ballet, and then ballet mistress, assistant artistic director, acting artistic director, assistant to the producing director, director of education, artistic associate of the Dance Academy, academy associate director and academy director of BalletMet. In 1974 Daryl began presenting lecture-demonstrations and movement workshops in area schools and was one of the original participants in the "Artists in Schools" program that began in 1976. In 1991 Daryl received the statewide Ohio Dance Award for distinguished lifetime contributions to dance education. Daryl's husband Jack also involved himself in supporting ballet in Columbus. For several years he filled the varying posts of general manager, stage manager, lighting designer, photographer and publicity director at BalletMet.
VIOLETTA BOFT, Ballet Mistress 1987-1995	Violetta Boft enjoyed a celebrated career as a prima ballerina, and later as a coach, in the former Soviet Union before coming to Columbus and working as ballet mistress for BalletMet. Born in 1927 in Los Angeles to parents of Russian extraction, she returned with her family to Russia in 1930. Violetta's studies at the Bolshoi Ballet School catapulted her into a 32-year career at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Lyric Theatre Ballet Company in Moscow. During that time she was a frequent guest artist with the Bolshoi Ballet. In recognition of her lifetime achievements she was awarded the supreme USSR titles of Honored Artist of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, the People's Artist of the Soviet Socialist Republic and the People's Artist of the Soviet Union. Violetta served as chief tutor at the Stanislavsky preparing performers for principal roles and coaching contenders for world ballet competitions. She joined the staff of BalletMet in 1987 where she continued her coaching work. In 1994 she coached John Welker, then a BalletMet apprentice, for his participation at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Miss. Violetta died April 22, 1995. She will always be remembered for her dedication to her art form. She was more than an inspiration and a demanding coach -- she was a friend to many dancers.
	BalletMet Academy students who have gone on to professional careers: *Leigh Allardyce* - BalletMet, Alberta Ballet *Carole Augustus* - BalletMet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Basel Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, Colorado Ballet *Holly Baroway* - Joffrey Concert Group, Finis Jhung Chamber Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, BalletMet *Patrick Bissell* - American Ballet Theatre *Megan Bioty* - BalletMet *Johanna Bernstein* - Cincinnati Ballet *Shaun Boyle* - BalletMet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet *Bridget Breiner* - Munich Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Dresden Semperoper Ballett *Christian Broomhall* - BalletMet, Northern Ballet Theatre *William Cannon* - BalletMet, Hubbard Street Dance II, Complexions Contemporary Ballet *Olivia Clark* - Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, Nashville Ballet, BalletMet *Mary Croce* - Louisville Ballet *Bob Deskins* - Oregon Ballet Theatre, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens *Lisa Donham* - BalletMet, Boston Ballet *Melissa Downey* - BalletMet, Louisville Ballet, original Broadway cast of Movin' Out *Valerie Fioto* - Minnesota Ballet, Nashville Ballet *Dana Fox* - North Carolina Dance Theatre *Emily Gotschall* - BalletMet, Dayton Ballet *Patrick Kastoff* - North Carolina Dance Theatre *Lisa Keskitalo* - Hubbard Street Dance Company *Stephanie Krise* - Nashville Ballet *Carissa Lawson* - BalletMet *Martha Leebolt* - Northern Ballet Theatre *Natalie Leftwich* - BalletMet, Northern Ballet Theatre *Russ Lepley* - Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Houston Ballet II *Samantha Lewis* - BalletMet *Heather McNabb* - Ballet West *Cameron McNinch* - Ballet West, Cincinnati Ballet *Kathi Moos* - BalletMet *Peter Mueller* - Cincinnati Ballet *Brian Murphy* - Nashville Ballet, Ohio Ballet *Eric Oglesbee* - Ballet Omaha, Tulsa Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Bodyvox *Camille Parsons* - Dance Theatre of Harlem *Crystal Peterson* - Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ballethnic (Atlanta) *Mikaela Ross* - BalletMet *Andrew Sheffield* - Irish National Ballet *Rino Shinozaki* - Dayton Ballet Della Thompson - Cleveland Contemporary Theatre *Jessica Tong* - BalletMet *Andrew Wallace* - Richmond Ballet, Nashville Ballet *John Welker* - BalletMet, Atlanta Ballet *Sonia Welker* - BalletMet *Johanna Woodward* - BalletMet