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Faculty

Audrey Borst headshot

Audrey Borst

Pre-Ballet
Elementary Ballet I

Bio

Audrey Borst was born in Berkeley, California and has been dancing since the age of three. She trained at the San Francisco Ballet for 10 years where she performed the lead role of “Clara” in the Nutcracker. Audrey immersed herself in the dance community, serving as a company member in Sarah Bush Dance Project, and Peninsula Ballet while also performing as a guest artist with Oakland Ballet School. It was at Alonzo King LINES Ballet that she began to explore multiple modern disciplines including Gaga, Horton, and contemporary ballet. She gained fluency in these styles, training at summer sessions around the country including Ballet San Jose, San Francisco City Ballet, and Dance Theater of Harlem. After transplanting to New York City, Audrey began her studies as a scholarship student at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2016. She lives in Brooklyn where she is a teaching artist and freelance dancer. Audrey is a part of Brooklyn Ballet and Jamal Jackson Dance Company. 

Bianca Delli Priscoli

Bianca Delli Priscoli

Pre-Ballet
Ballet I/II
Modern I & Choreography Workshop

Bio

Bianca Delli Priscoli is from Salerno, Italy. She is a Dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director. Bianca moved to New York 9 years ago. Two years later she was recognized as an artist of extraordinary ability by the United States of America. She graduated in 2012 with Loredana Mutalipassi and then perfected her knowledge at the National Academy of Rome, the only recognized dance university in Italy. In New York, Bianca successfully completed the Independent Study Program at the Ailey School. She received scholarships from Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York, Dance Haus Susanna Belerami in Milan and M.A.C. in Rome. She has danced for Artestudio Dance Company, Forza Malizia dance Company, Bianca Falco/Labilab Company, Saya Spring Dance Theatre and Incanto Production. She also performed works by Adriana Borriello, Robert Garland, Dionne Figgins, Darryl Quinton, Jacqulyn Buglisi and Judinne Somerville, performing at multiple venues across New York City and Europe. Her repertoire includes Giselle, Apollon Musagète, Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Swan Lake, Anna Karenina, Sleeping Beauty, Dracula. Bianca is a Senior Artist at the Ajkun Ballet Theatre, a Special Guest and Teacher for Fini Dance New York and a Special Guest and Co- Artistic Director for Long Island Ballet Theatre. She currently teaches Ballet at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, for Professional division and Teens, and Huntington Ballet Academy. Bianca recently joined the Ailey school faculty for the Junior Division and the Brooklyn Ballet faculty.

Bianca has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Curriculum from Pre-Primary through Level 7 and Partnering of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Yinet Fernández

Yinet Fernández

Ballet I
Ballet II & Pre-Pointe

Bio

Yinet Fernández was born in Havana, Cuba where she studied ballet at Alejo Carpentier National School of Ballet, training under and receiving mentorship from Marta Iris Fernandez, Romona de Saa, Caridad Martinez, and many other great teachers. After graduating in 2008, she danced with National Ballet of Cuba for six years, performing both in Cuba and on tour at the Royal Opera House in London, Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. In 2015, she immigrated to the United States, performing with Connecticut Ballet in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Summer Dance Caravan for two seasons. In 2017, she joined Dance Theatre of Harlem where she has appeared in such ballets as Le Corsaire Pas de Deux (Petipa), Allegro Brillante (Balanchine), This Bitter Earth (Wheeldon), and Blake Works IV (McGregor).

Valentina Fory Olaya headshot

Valentina Fory Olaya

Ballet III & Pointe
Ballet IV & Variations
Adult Ballet

Bio

Born in Cali, Colombia and raised in Jamundi Valle del Cauca, Valentina Fory Olaya began her ballet classes at the age 9 at the Incolballet. At the age 13 she won a scholarship for Emia Dance’s summer camp in New York. At the age of 18 she moved to Bogotá, Colombia and joined Alma Movimiento company with Major Julio Mario Santodomingo Theater.

Valentina joined Anna Pavlova company in November 2018 as soloist her roles with Anna Pavlova included The Firebird, Kitri 's friends and The Queen of the Dryads Don Quixote, Arabian Dance in the Nutcracker. In 2019 she also performed the Spanish Dance as a soloist with Albano Ballet in Hartford, CT. She is also a member of Rumbamena Dance Company in New York.

Tristan Grannum headshot

Tristan Grannum

Adult Ballet Fundamental

Bio

Tristan Grannum is originally from Brooklyn, New York. He began training in classical ballet at the age of 14 at Fiorello H. Laguardia High School for Performing Arts and Manhattan Youth Ballet. Over the years he has trained year-round at the School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Dance Theater of Harlem where he was selected to dance in several outreach performances.

He has also attended many notable ballet summer programs on full scholarship which include the Harid Conservatory, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, and Charlotte Ballet. In June 2017 he was invited to and participated in an international dance competition (Royal Dance Grand Prix) held in Beijing, China. There he won first place in the Contemporary ballet category.

His professional performance credits include dancing with Brooklyn Ballet, Ballet Austin, Dayton Ballet, and the Black Iris Project. He has performed works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Septime Webre, Stephen Mills, Marianna Oliviera, and Tan Dao. Tristan has taught at several ballet/dance institutions across the country. 

He is a certified dance teacher through the Mark Morris Teacher Artist Training Program and the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum (Primary-Level 3) . He is on faculty at Brooklyn Ballet and Mark Morris Dance Group. 

In 2021, Tristan was chosen as an emerging dance leader for the Dance/USA DILT program under Peter Boal’s mentorship (PNB). He also was chosen as a School of American Ballet National Visiting Fellow for the 2021-2022 Cohort. 

Formerly, Tristan was the Associate Artistic Director for the Brooklyn Center for the Arts, an arts organization which specializes in providing access to classical art forms for underprivileged individuals across New York City. There Tristan established over 15 dance programs throughout the Department of Education. Currently, Tristan has simultaneously taken on the role as one of the Rehearsal Directors and Director of Community Outreach for Brooklyn Ballet and Rehearsal Director for the Mark Morris Student Company.

Mila Hartog

Mila Hartog

Elementary Ballet II

Bio

Milena 'Mila' Hartog was born in New York City and grew up in the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, she studied at the Dutch National Ballet Academy and performed works by Hans van Manen, Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, Toer van Schayk, and Ohad Naharin, amongst others. In addition, she danced in various productions with the affiliated HET Nationale Ballet, including their Nutcracker and Mouse King, Romeo & Juliet, and annual galas. Mila had the opportunity to supplement her training through summer programs and workshops at Canada's National Ballet School, NW Dance Project, Princeton Dance, and the Amsterdam International Ballet Summer School.

Mila worked with State Street Ballet and Library Dances in Santa Barbara and with Portland Ballet in Maine, and was featured in productions by the Music Academy of the West and the Portland Symphony. In Maine, she served as Assistant to Nell Shipman, Portland Ballet's Director. Mila has performed as a guest artist for companies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. She moved back to NYC in 2021 and has since worked with numerous contemporary and classical companies and choreographers, including The Next Stage Project (Jana Hicks/Marijke Eliasburg), Synergy NYC (Julie Carter), Disagreeable Creatures (Danita Shaheen), Matthew Bovee's Lady on the Train at The Tank, Saya Springs Dance Theatre/Long Island Ballet Theatre, and Janina Young (AFFEKT).

Mila has been on faculty at ballet conservatories on both coasts, leading exam classes and preparing students for stage productions. She now teaches locally in the New York metropolitan area and travels the region for intensives and workshops. Mila was the lead Répétiteur for the children in Opera Maine's The Magic Flute, and has choreographed and staged children's pieces for Portland Ballet's Victorian Nutcracker. Mila teaches Vaganova-based ballet, pointe, variations/repertoire, pantomime, and contemporary/lyrical/modern classes to children of all ages and adults, ranging from complete beginners to aspiring pre-professionals.

Joseph Heitman

Joseph Heitman

Modern III & Choreography Workshop

Bio

Originally from Connecticut, Joseph Heitman is a graduate of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and the University of Hartford, Hartt Dance Division, BFA. At the Hartt School, Joseph had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographers Gregory Dolbashian, Norbert de la Cruz III, Doug Varone, and Stephen Pier. Joseph was featured in modern dance classics, restaged for the Dance Division, including Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels as well as José Limón’s There is a Time, Psalm, and A Choreographic Offering. He has performed at The Joyce Theater, Dixon Place, The Mark O’Donnell Theater, Lincoln Jazz, Salvatore Capezio Theater, McCallum Theater and the Mohegan Sun Arena. Joseph is currently a company member with Catapult Entertainment and has worked with companies such as Yu.S.Artistry, Hanna Q Dance Company, Peter and Co., FJK Dance, and Abarukas. His movement was described as "Animalistic yet graceful" with the ability to highlight "intricate choreography with precision and abandon" (The Dance Enthusiast). Joseph has also been a dance educator since 2019 sharing his knowledge with students within elementary and middle schools in the Bronx and various studios throughout New Jersey and Connecticut.

In 2018 Joseph founded One Day Dance, a dance company and dance media production group, with a two-fold purpose: to create dance films within a twenty-four-hour period and provide affordable, high-quality design services for dancers and dance companies. Since its inception, One Day Dance has produced the work of over 30 unique choreographers, created logos for companies such as The Dash Ensemble and Jon Lehrer Dance Company, and assisted dozens of artists in capturing their events on film. One Day Dance’s films have been featured in 5x5 Dance Festival at The University of Saint Joseph, the Dance Film Lab presented by Dance Film Association, and the Los Angeles Dance Festival.

Eric Holzworth headshot

Eric Holzworth

Adult Neo Classical Ballet

Bio

Eric Holzworth began his training at age six with the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He spent all of his summers at the School of American Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet School, as well as Suzanne Farrell's summer workshop. He has performed with Miami City Ballet and Sacramento Ballet, as well as choreographed for them. He has danced leading roles in Balanchine's "Serenade," "Western Symphony," "Who Cares" and "Rubies."

Mimi Liu

Adult Ballet

Bio

Mimi Liu is a full-time Middle School dance teacher with the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), as well as a proud faculty member at Brooklyn Ballet.

She is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts (B. F. A.) degree in Dance. Her classical and modern repertoire includes Don Quixote, Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Graduation Ball, Paquita, Coppelia, Le Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux (George Balanchine), Continuo (Antony Tudor), Psalm (José Limón), Index (Murray Louis), and many others. She received her early dance training from The American Ballet Theatre summer intensives in New York City, The Boston Ballet School, and The Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA). She had the pleasure to study and work under notable dance professionals such as Seán Curran, Alaine Haubert, Steven B. Hyde, James C. Martin, Nancy Raffa, Yasuko Tokunaga, Donna Silva, Jessica Lang, Adriana Suárez, Donald Mahler, Ted Kivitt and Phyllis Lamhut to name a few. During her career as a dancer, Mimi has graced many stages and venues across America, including the Detroit Opera House, New York Live Arts, Segerstrom Concert Hall, JCC Manhattan, Boston Children's Hospital, The New York Public Library, Laguardia Arts at Lincoln Square and countless more.

As a Southern California native, she has taught and choreographed original works for Saddleback College, Orange Coast College and The Orange County High School of the Arts. Since moving to New York City, Mimi has taught at multiple dance organizations, including American Liberty Ballet, The Ballet Club, Fitness Meets Dance, Hope for New York, Everyday Ballet, American Youth Dance Theatre, Success Academy Charter Schools, Girls Prep Bronx Elementary School and The NY Kids Club. Mimi is also the creator and producer of Plié For The People, a free online ballet training program on YouTube that is gradually gaining international appeal.

Mimi holds a Master of Fine Arts (M. F. A.) degree in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and is certified in levels Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. Additionally, Mimi obtained a Masters of Arts (M. A.) degree in Dance Education from Hunter College on full-tuition scholarship.

Apart from being an active agent in dance practice, Mimi also teamed up with Ballet Herald, an international online dance publication reporting on the latest ballet news. She enjoys writing dance reviews and is proud to be on the New-York-based team.

A quote that guides her pedagogy is: “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others” — Pericles

Judea Lowe black and white headshot

Judea Lowe

Jazz I/II

Bio

Judea Lowe is excited to be a part of the Brooklyn Nutcracker as an Apprentice. She also dances as a company member with TheChoreoJoeyProject in the style of Afro-Jazz. Judea has studied ballet since about the age of four and began her pre-professional studies at six with the Cleveland School of Ballet with Gladisa Guadalupe. She danced with Cleveland Ballet Youth Company and has also done work in the theater world as well. She studied musical theater for 3 years at Kent State University all while making her professional debut as Pilar in Legally Blonde at Okoboji Theater in Iowa. She also studied at Arizona State University with a major in dance and minor in music theater. Judea is excited to be in the city to continue her dance career and hopes to give back to the community with her creativity and passion with dance!

Aoi Ohno headshot

Aoi Ohno

Ballet III & Pointe
Adult Ballet Fundamental
Adult Ballet

Bio

Aoi Ohno started dancing when she was 3 years old in Kanazawa, Japan. She graduated from Tokyo Visual Arts vocational school and joined dance company RAKUDO. She then moved to NYC and trained in modern dance at The Ailey school as a scholarship student. During her time there, she worked with Ray Mercer and Darrel Moultrie. Since graduating from the Ailey School she has worked with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Arch Ballet, Jon Lehrer Dance Company, Ballet Nepantla and Brooklyn Ballet.

Dylan Santos

Dylan Santos

Ballet IV & Variations

Bio

Dylan Santos is originally from Bahia, Brazil. He started his dance training at Centro de arts Pavilion D in São Paulo. He was a finalist at the YAGP competition in NYC, where he was awarded multiple scholarships to continue his ballet studies. At the age of 19, he landed his first professional company job with Orlando Ballet. Mr. Santos joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2014, where he danced for nine seasons, traveling the world and dancing on beautiful stages as a Lead Dancer with the Company.

Mr. Santos’ professional training includes: The Harid Conservatory, Houston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Joffrey Ballet. Repertório and Choreographers: George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato, Ulysses Dove, Annabelle Lopes Achoa, and Christopher Wheeldon.

Mr. Santos is also a Choreographer. He was invited to create a new work for the Dance Theatre of Harlem for the opening of the (IABD) International Association of Blacks in dance in 2019. His choreography was picked to be part of the DTH company repertoire.

Mr. Santos believes that new stories should be told in new ways, more relatable to viewers, reflecting the world we live in today.

Christine Scheibl headshot

Christine F. Scheibl

Elementary Ballet II
Ballet I

Bio

Christine F. Scheibl came to New York from Vienna, Austria in 1993 to study Ballet with Dance Theatre of Harlem. After completing the Professional Training Program, she worked as a professional dancer performing throughout the USA and participating in outreach programs to bring dance to the community. After the birth of her daughter in 2000, she enrolled in the Swedish Institute for Massage Therapy and received her Associate in Occupational Studies in 2002. She works as a massage therapist and has been a dedicated and experienced dance teacher.  

Monique Smith

Modern II & Choreography Workshop
Modern IV & Choreography Workshop

Bio

Monique Smith is an Honors graduate of the Fordham/Ailey BFA Program. Performance credits include After Midnight (Broadway), Memphis (Broadway), Hot Feet (Broadway), and dance companies including Philadanco, Sonya Tayeh Dance, and Forces of Nature Dance Company. She has performed for Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and the New York Philharmonic and is a Fred and Adele Astaire Award nominee. She recently performed in a national commercial for Squarespace. Monique teaches for dance academies and ballet schools across the U.S. and is an adjudicator for Youth America Grand Prix. She has also worked as choreographer for Marymount Manhattan College, Circle of Sisters for Fantasia Barrino, Associate Choreographer to Savion Glover for Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope at City Center, and is Associate Choreographer to Ann Yee for Caroline, or Change on Broadway.

Sophie Tibiletti

Pre-Ballet
Elementary Ballet I

Bio

Sophie Tibiletti is a New York City-based dancer, maker, and teacher, originally from Longview, Texas. She graduated from The University of the Arts with her B.F.A. in Dance under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. There, she performed works by Jesse Zaritt, Curt Haworth, Katie Swords Thurman, Mark Haim, and Netta Yerushalmy, as well as created many works of her own. She also studied and performed abroad in France, Belgium, and Israel. Since graduating, Sophie has performed works by choreographers Joan Bradford, Catie Leasca, Sarah Richman and Nate Phillips at venues including Gibney Dance, BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Dixon Place, New Dance Alliance, The Woods, Venn Bushwick / CreateART, Gelsey Kirkland, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and others. Sophie has taught at TribeBody Dance Studio, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Petite Performers, Williamsburg Montessori School, Brooklyn Center Stage, and is currently a DanceWave teaching artist. She also assisted choreographer Catie Leasca as she created a new work for the Joffrey Ballet School. Sophie has presented her own work at Spark Dance Forum, mouthfull. movement festival, Sans Limites Movement Festival, WAXworks, The Craft and Small Plates Brooklyn.

Patricia Gonzalez Vega

Pre-Ballet
Elementary Ballet I
Elementary Ballet II

Bio

Graduating from The National Ballet School of Cuba and the University of Arts of Cuba, Patricia Gonzalez Vega had the opportunity to dance professionally with renowned companies such as The National Ballet of Cuba, the Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba, and AcostaDanza, among others. She has also developed a pedagogical role in imparting the Cuban Ballet Method at the Cuban National Ballet School Fernando Alonso, where she worked for over four years, training future generations of ballet professionals.

Yana Volkova

Ballet I
Ballet II & Pre-Pointe
Ballet III & Pointe
Ballet IV & Variations
Adult Ballet Fundamental
Adult Ballet

Bio

Yana Volkova began her studies at the Academy School of Ballet in Voronezh, Russia learning the Vaganova Ballet Method. She graduated with honors from the State Ballet Academy and was invited to work in one of Moscow's leading companies performing as a soloist. While dancing professionally, Mrs. Volkova studied at Moscow University of Art (GITIS) and got B. A. in Ballet/Character Choreography. As a principal dancer, Yana has worked with Moscow Ballet , world-known legendary- "Riverdance the show", the Metropolitan Opera, also she choreographed and performed with New York City Opera, touring Europe, Canada, and the United States. Yana has been instructing classes in ballet, pointe, stretching and character emphasizing correct development of both the technical and artistic elements of classical ballet. Yana also worked as a Artistic and Program Director of the Bolshoi Academy Summer Intensive Program in NYC and was established as the co-director and co-founder the “Art of the Dance World” Public School Educational Program.

Brandon Woods

Brandon Woods

Jazz III/IV

Bio

Brandon Woods, from Winston Salem, NC, is a BFA graduate of UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) where he was featured in restaged works such as “Unsung” and “Choreographic Offering” by Jose Limon. He also performed original works choreographed by Sean Sullivan and Ursula Johnson, Juel Lane, and Zane Booker, and more. While finishing school, his photo was featured in the October 2012 issue of U.S. Airways magazine in an article about UNCSA. He began a professional career dancing original works created by Duane Cyrus and Helen Simoneau. His theatrical credits include “Jelly’s Last Jam,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Broadway According to Gospel” and more. He soon performed and toured with the West Virginia Dance Company that featured works choreographed by Doug Varone, Donald Laney and Director Toneta Akers-Toler. While in West Virginia he also danced principal roles for the Shenandoah Ballet. He is a recipient of the William R. Kenan Fellowship, which commissioned an original work he co-created along with Mason Hensley, entitled “Skin-Deep,” at the Lincoln Center. He later aboard The Norwegian Escape, dancing a principal role in the Broadway show “After Midnight,'' featuring Melba Moore. His TV/commercial credits include HBO’s “The Deuce“ and a NY Knicks 75th Anniversary special. Most recent collaborations include dances with StubbornMVMT, Olga Rabetskaya, and Variety Pack Collective where he is also Vice President. His current performances include a European tour of “Touch Isolation” by Swiss creators Chris Leuenberger and Marcel Schwald and now a company debut with the Limon Dance Company.