Anna Antongiorgi (she/her) is a poet, choreographer, and dancer from Redondo Beach, CA. She earned her BA in English with a certificate in Theatre, Dance, and Media at Harvard University, followed by an MFA in Creative Writing under the poetry emphasis at the New School. She has worked as a guest choreographer with the Wellesley College Dancers, the Harvard Ballet Company and NYU’s Ballet Collaborative. She is the author of the poetry chapbook refinding the rules of gravity (Finishing Line Press, July 2021), which was featured in Dance Magazine’s summer reading list for dancers and included in Flight Path Dance Project’s dance reading curriculum. She wrote and choreographed a choreopoem titled SUNDAY, which was presented via the Emerging Artists Theater’s New Works Series in October 2022 in New York City. She has danced professionally with VISIONS Contemporary Ballet, Gleich Dances, and the Kennedy Dancers. You can find her on Instagram: @annaantongiorgi
Emma Blakley is a dancer and writer from Wichita, Kansas. Emma trained pre-professionally with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre during which she performed in the company’s production of The Nutcracker. Her summer studies have included Houston Ballet and the Oklahoma International Dance Festival. Last spring, she graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.F.A. in Ballet Pedagogy and a minor in Professional Writing. While at the university, she performed soloist and corps roles in a range of classical, contemporary, and modern works. Along with studying dance, she served as head culture editor of the university’s independent newspaper, the OU Daily. Emma moved to New York City in June, and is thrilled to be joining Brooklyn Ballet for The Nutcracker this year.
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.
Kendra J. Bostock is a proud Detroit native working as a dancer, choreographer, teaching artist, facilitator and community organizer in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. As a dancer in New York City, Kendra has worked with Urban Bush Women (UBW), Andrea E. Woods/Souloworks, Ase Dance Theater Collective, Monstah Black/ Motion Sickness, MBDance, Moving Spirits Dance Company, RAKIA!, Melanie Green, Movement of the People Dance Company and as a guest artist with Oyu Oro. Kendra completed a European tour dancing with Adira Amram and DJ Kid Koala in Vinyl Vaudeville 2.0 and performed with Gyptian at the MTV Iggy awards. Kendra’s choreographic work has been presented at the Florida A&M University, the off Broadway show 7 Sins, Museu de Arte in Salvador, Brazil, Dixon Place, Ailey Citigroup Theater, Actors Fund Theater, and Mark Morris. She has been an Artist in Residence at Brooklyn Studios for Dance, Bates College, Marymount Manhattan, and The Neighborhood Project Through 651Arts, a BAX Space Grantee, and a Visiting Artist at Atlantic Center for the Arts. She was recently the 2022 Inaugural BedStuy Artist in Residence at The Laundromat Project. She is currently a Jerome Hill Artist Fellow. Along with sharing her art world-wide, Kendra serves as the Founder/Director of STooPS that uses art as a catalyst to strengthen ties between different entities in Bed-Stuy and as a Facilitator with UBW’s BOLD (Builders, Organizers, and Leaders Through Dance) network. www.thekendrajbostock.com
Aliesha Bryan (Pájaro negro) is a multidisciplinary performing artist and founder of Blackbird Dances, a space that advocates and offers movement-based healing approaches and content and has the overarching mission of countering limiting perspectives about the body, its capacity, potential and roles within societies. Since first encountering live Flamenco, Aliesha has learned from and worked with a diverse roster of artists, developing a rich tapestry of movement. Aliesha's performative work includes choreographic commissions and site-specific creations, most recently the conception and production of El Mensaje/The Message, which was presented during the BlaktinX Performance Series at BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance. Aliesha has also appeared on stages ranging from international festivals to more intimate venues, including The Hemispheric Institute in New York, the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the United Nations Headquarters. She is an advocate for social change through healing, and has notably been featured on the BBC Podcast, The Reset, in Dance Magazine, and in the curated Camille A. Brown series Social Dance for Social Change. Aliesha is a graduate of Barnard College and Sarah Lawrence College, with a BA in French and Francophone Studies and an MS in Dance/Movement Therapy.
ChrissyAnn Carpenter is originally from Raleigh, NC where she trained at the Raleigh School of Ballet. ChrissyAnn went on to train at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase where she graduated in 2020 Cum Laude with a BFA in dance performance with a concentration in ballet. While there, she performed works by George Balanchine, Michelle Thompson Ulerich, Norbert De La Cruz III, and Bettijane Sills. ChrissyAnn has danced professionally with the Digital Dance Project, Neville Dance Theatre, and Company XIV. This is her third season with Brooklyn Ballet.
Kaila Carter was born in Washington D.C. and began dancing at a young age. In her youth, she took classes at various studios and spent her summers studying at intensives, including, but not limited to, The Rock School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theater of Harlem, and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. For high school, Kaila attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts where she majored in dance and was under the tutelage of skilled and dedicated teachers such as Charles Augins, Sandra Fortune-Green, and Katherine Smith. At Ellington, Kaila was given the opportunity to perform with Patti LaBelle and Smokey Robinson, among other exciting experiences. During this time, she was also given the opportunity to be a founding member of the pre-professional dance company Visions Contemporary Dance Ensemble, now known as Katherine Smith Contemporary Dance Ensemble. Kaila is an alumna of Butler University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dance/Arts-Administration and a minor in creative writing. At Butler, she participated in full length ballet productions, like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake and in contemporary roles such as Little Blue Devil by Susan McGuire and Catching Shadows by Cynthia Pratt. While pursuing her degree, she was also able to grow choreographically and was given many opportunities to showcase her work, including a piece of hers being featured on European stages. There, she was also the recipient of the Jordan College of Arts Collaborative Grant for her choreography. Soon after graduation, Kaila joined Ballethnic Dance Company, where she performed as a company member for two seasons and taught ballet to young students. She was also chosen as one of nine to participate in Dance Canvas’ 2019-2020 choreography showcase for emerging artists. Kaila then moved to Pittsburgh in 2021 to perform as a Company Artists with Confluence Ballet Company. She is also an instructor and administrative assistant at Hill Dance Academy Theatre and received the YWCA Emerging Leader Award for her work there and in her community. While in Pittsburgh, Kaila has had many great opportunities, such as performing in the opera “Idaspe,” choreographed by Antonia Franceschi and directed by Claire van Kampen and performing as a guest artist with the Staycee Pearl Dance Project. She has also choreographed original works on Confluence Ballet Company and for the film “Origin” that captures different aspects of the Black experience.
Originally from New Jersey, Lindsey Casale began her pre-professional ballet training at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre, under the direction of Franco de Vita and Cynthia Harvey. Lindsey continued her training at Ballet Academy East under the direction of Darla Hoover. She had the privilege of dancing various soloist roles in their productions, two of her favorites being George Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie, staged by Darla Hoover, and the Bluebird Pas de Deux, staged by Maina Gielgud. Lindsey spent her summers training at American Ballet Theatre, The Washington Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, where she was awarded the Birger Bartholin Scholarship, and most recently at Orsolina28 with Juliano Nunes. Upon graduation, Lindsey spent a year in Chicago as a trainee with The Joffrey Ballet, and the following year, she was offered a studio company contract with Ballet Arizona, where she performed in various productions with the main company, such as George Balanchine’s Bourree Fantasque, as well as productions with the school. This past year, Lindsey spent a season performing with Ballet RI. She has performed with various companies in NYC including Chevalier Ballet, Dances Patrelle, and CityDanceNY. She is very excited to be joining Brooklyn Ballet for this season’s Nutcracker!
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).
Choreographer, Educator, and Dancer, Michael “Big Mike” Fields is a performing artist born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Specializing in hitting, animation, waving and isolations, he combines storytelling and comedic elements in his work. At 6'2" and 250 pounds, his movement can be raw and explosive and yet subtle. The New York Times says his work in the Brooklyn Nutcracker [makes] "musical sense of all the physical isolations of hip-hop." Crowned as "New York's best-kept secret", he has done work with Hip-Hop Connections, a group that brings educational performances to schools around the tri-state area, and with artists such as Chaka Khan and Busta Rhymes. In 2015, he was invited by the Singapore Tourism Board as part of the Singapore Invites initiative for a short video. He is active in the New York dance scene, holding his own practice at Brooklyn Ballet, and often subs classes at Broadway Dance Center and Peridance.
Valentina Fory Olaya is originally from Colombia, South America, born in Cali and raised in Jamundí Valle del Cauca. She began her ballet training at the age of 9 at Incolballet in Colombia and at the age of 13 she participated in intensive workshops with Frederick Earl Mosley at Incolballet, where she received a scholarship to Earl Mosley's Institute of the Arts (EMIA) Dance Summer Intensive. Valentina has danced with Brooklyn Ballet, Visions Contemporary Ballet, Albano Ballet and Danza Experimental de Bogotá. She has choreographed for Latin Grammy nominated Colombian singer Esteman, whose music video “On Top” has over 2 million views on YouTube. She has worked as a dancer for the British rapper Lancey Foux for the release of his album; for the beer brand, Corona, at their sunset festival in Santa Marta, Colombia; and in commercials for brands such as Huawei, Subway Colombia, and Bon Bon Bum.
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, under the direction of Nadege Hottier (Premiere Division). 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 Grannum is Director Of Community Engagement and Rehearsal Director for Brooklyn Ballet.
Born Keenen Victor Thomas, Kinen The Gridwalker was raised in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. Kinen’s foundations as a Street Dancer start in Lite Feet, and later progressed into the study of Animation. His focus is in body control, footwork, stop motion, and mechanical movement.
Danielle Guirma is originally from New Paltz, NY. where she began her dance training at the age of three. Danielle performed in the children’s corps with the New York City Ballet in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Coppélia during their summer residencies in Saratoga Springs, NY. From 2015-2017 she attended Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and was a recipient of the Future Artists Initiative Scholarship in 2016 and 2017. Danielle continued her studies at the Dance Theatre of Harlem School where she had the opportunity to perform with the company in Geoffrey Holder’s Dougla during their 50th Anniversary celebration in 2019. She danced for two seasons as a company member with First State Ballet Theatre in Wilmington Delaware performing in various classics including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote, as well as original contemporary works. Danielle is currently based in New York City as a freelance artist. She draws inspiration from the diverse dance styles incorporated into Brooklyn Ballet's repertoire and is excited to perform in "The Brooklyn Nutcracker” for a second year.
Johnathon Darcelle Hart (JD), started his training at the age of 15 at Chicago High School for The Arts. He also attended The Joffrey Ballet School, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Ballet Chicago and The Hyde Park School of Dance. He then furthered his training at the San Francisco Ballet School. In school, he learned various styles from ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, hiphop, african, and character dance. Upon graduation, he danced with BalletMet for 3 seasons where he performed various roles such as the Pas De Trois in Giselle, Spanish in Swan Lake, Chinese in Nutcracker and worked with choreographers like Edwaard Liang, Amy Seiwert and Dana Genshaft. While furthering his ballet career, he had the opportunity to go on tour with Lil Kim and Anita Baker. He’s currently an artist signed with Clear Talent, where he’s been able to do everything his heart desires and more from commercials with Anthropologie, tv shows like Squid Games, NBC's Motown Christmas Special and Etoilé. Performances like The Hermès Fashion show, Lyric Opera Chicago, The SugarHill Nutcracker and Debbie Allen's Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.
Brian HallowDreamz Henry, the New York Krump King from Bed-Stuy known for his Tedx titled "Krump is Language" and playing a major role in building the New York Krump community. Founding member of the dance trio The Nuu Knynez. He calls his personal Krump style BROOKLYN BUCK. Brian started Krumping in 2004. Inspired by Mijo and Tight Eyez “The creators,” Brian has been pushing the Krump movement relentlessly with great passion. He is one of the leaders of EO Squad (Entertainers Only), an entertainment group founded by his older brother George Depeyster. In 2008 Brian joined E.S.K. (East Street Kingdom), a branch of the group STREET KINGDOM founded by Tight Eyez, and honed his skills further. Brian has taught at and collaborated with EXPG, Broadway Dance Center, B.A.M, Guggenheim, PMT, House of Duende, The Met, Alvin Ailey, Brick House, Kaatsbaan, Coupe, Joffrey's Ballet, The August Wilson Center and many more studios/locations. Also, with experience in street dance, all style competitions, Ballet, Modern, contemporary, and African he has become one of the most sought after krump/dance teacher and performer. Brian has worked with some amazing creatives such as Madonna, Vouge, J Balvin, Nas, Asap Ferg, Bill T Jones, 50 Cent, Gallim dance, John Grant, Spike Lee, Oshun, Karol G, Lous and the Yakuza, and others.
Shiloh Hodges is a performer and zine maker. Her early training was at Florida Dance Theatre. She graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance from Florida State University at age 19, with additional training from Orlando Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, and Earl Mosley's Institute of the Arts. After graduation, she immediately moved to Lenapehoking, this place currently known as New York. Here she has had the pleasure of working with artists including Sidra Bell/SBDNY, André M. Zachery/Renegade Performance Group, Monstah Black, and Sarah H. Paulson. She is in ongoing collaboration with Shantelle Courvoisier Jackson and was the associate artist for loveconductors from 2016-2023, with evening-length performances at sites including The Kitchen, ISSUE Project Room, and the Park Avenue Armory. She performed for two years in Third Rail Projects' award-winning off-Broadway immersive show Then She Fell. Her own performances have been presented by BAAD!, The Space Upstairs, the EstroGenius Festival (in collaboration with Kim Savarino), and LEIMAY, where she was a 2022 LEIMAY Incubator artist-in-residence. She is a student in the School of 3 Lights. shilohhodges.com
Alexandra Jean-Joseph is a New York based educator, choreographer, culture bearer, and performing artist of Haitian heritage. She studied Psychology and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies at New York University. She has been invited to speak on Haitian spiritual tradition and its intersections in cultural and dance practice at Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary, NYU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Fordham University, and the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale University. As an artist, she has studied under and performed with notable master teachers of Haitian dance Mikerline Pierre, Julio Jean, Nadia Dieudonné, Jessica St. Vil Ulysse, and Adia Whitaker. In 2018 Alexandra co-found Imamou Lele Dance and Drum Ensemble, a company that uses traditional Haitian dance, song, and percussion to preserve and to share the stories of Haiti and its diaspora. Her choreographic work has been presented at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She has also choreographed for the Kofago Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Kevin McEwen. Alexandra strives to use ancestral ways of knowing and creating as paths to community health and healing. She has presented her embodied dance ritual technique at Mojuba! Dance Collective’s Festival of Dance and Culture and at Temate Institute’s Annual Black Dance and Culture Conference. Alexandra continues to share her dance practice as an experience where spirit and art meet. She is a 3rd year member of Eva Yaa Asantewaa’s Black Diaspora, an initiative that supports up-and-coming Black and Latinx identifying dance artists from various cultural backgrounds and aesthetic traditions.
Miku Kawamura began dancing ballet at the age of six in Japan. Her early training included the Sapporo City Ballet and many prestigious summer programs on full scholarship including Pacific Northwest Ballet and The Royal Ballet School. She was a semi-finalist at the renowned Prix de Lausanne (2004), Best of 12 at the Youth America Grand Prix NY final (2002), and has received awards at the NBA All Japan Competition (second prize) and the Japan Grand Prix (second prize). She received a full scholarship to the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida, and since graduating Ms. Kawamura has performed many classical and contemporary roles with K-Ballet Company under director Tetsuya Kumakawa in Tokyo. Since she arrived in NYC, she has danced principal roles with Albano Ballet, Brooklyn Ballet, Ballet Inc, and Neville Dance Theater. Miku has danced with Brooklyn Ballet for 10 seasons, in both classical, neo-classical, modern and mixed movement repertory. She danced the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Brooklyn Nutcracker at Kings Theater in 2018 and 2019.
Catie Kirch is from Athens, Georgia, where she studied dance at Studio Dance Academy. She also trained in ballet and other dance forms in numerous summer intensives, including American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey South, Atlanta Ballet, Festival Dance, and the Fox Theatre’s Rising Stars. In 2016, Catie joined Joffrey Ballet School’s trainee program in New York City, and enjoyed performing in principal and corps roles. Her principal roles have included Arabian Princess, The Nutcracker, Meetings Along the Edge (Africa Guzman), Prelude Variation, Les Sylphides, and Gypsy solo, Don Quixote. Catie is excited to be performing in the Brooklyn Nutcracker this season.
ShanDien Sonwai LaRance is a Champion Native American Hoop Dancer. The daughter of renowned Native American Artist Marian ‘Kaawaadeh' Denipah-LaRance and Steve 'Wikviya’ LaRance, Her tribal affiliations are Hopi, Tewa, Navajo and Assiniboine. Starting her Hoop Dance journey at 8 years old she learned how to Hoop Dance from her brother Nakotah LaRance(1989-2020). When she turned 19, Sonwai ran away to Cirque Du Soleil’s Big top Show “TOTEM" to perform and share her culture to the world. During this time she became an unofficial spokeswoman for her people. Sonwai has traveled to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and many other European Countries dancing for thousands of people. Since returning home to New Mexico she continues to dance, model and act, though her greatest aspiration is continuing the legacy of her brother Nakotah by teaching Indigenous youth the empowering art of the Native American Hoop Dance.
Barbara Lins is a distinguished professional ballet dancer with a breadth of experience as both a dancer and instructor. Barbara began dancing when she was six years old, with her first training at Ballet Eliana Cavalcanti in Maceio, Brazil where she ended up dancing as the Principal Dancer for five years. She has received training from distinguished Bolshoi teachers including Denis Nevydommy, Galina Kozlova (Ex Prima Ballerina of Bolshoi), Boris Storojkovo, Olga Dolganova, and others. Barbara has completed the Trainee Programs at Ballet Chicago and Joffrey Ballet School (NYC). She has also completed the Certificate Program at Peridance Capezio Center in NYC. Since moving to NYC, Barbara has danced with numerous companies including Connecticut Ballet Company, Arch Contemporary, Homo Veritas Dance Theatre, Albano Ballet of America, American Swiss Ballet Company and was a guest at Metropolitan Ballet & Academy. Her performance experience includes Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Paquita, The Flames of Paris, Nutcracker, Coppelia, La Esmeralda, La Sylphide, Diana y Action, Serenade, Concerto Barroco, and many others. Barbara won the Award for Artistic Excellence and Leadership in Dance in her hometown of Maceio, Brazil by the Government and had the unique opportunity to direct a performance about Black Lives Matter in Brazil (2021). Barbara is excited to be a part of Brooklyn Ballet Company this year.
Bobby “Anime” Major is a dancer from the Bedford-Stuyvesant/Bushwick section of Brooklyn who uses a mixture of popping and flexing to create a style that reflects various moods of the human condition. His first teacher, Vibez, taught him how to Bone Break. He was then inspired to learn popping from Mike “Big Mike” Fields. Under Mike’s tutelage he learned many fundamental aspects of popping which includes hitting, robotic dime-stopping, joint isolations, strobing, ticking, and stop motion/animation. He’s excited to join the cast of The Brooklyn Nutcracker for another year!
Anna Manfra, a ballet dancer, is currently pursuing a BFA in Dance at Adelphi University, New York. A graduate of the renowned Professional Ballet School in Gdańsk, Poland, where she studied the Vaganova method from 2011 to 2020, Anna has captivated audiences with her refined technique and artistry. She has performed in esteemed productions such as Paquita at the Baltic Opera and Swan Lake under the direction of Krzysztof Pastor with the Polish National Ballet. Anna continues to expand her repertoire at Adelphi, including Little Humpbacked Horse, and remains deeply passionate about conveying stories through movement.
Sira Melikian is a NYC born and raised Middle Eastern Belly Dance performer and choreographer. Sira’s love of Near and Middle Eastern dance is rooted in her Armenian heritage. She was first exposed to belly dance at a young age, sparking a lifelong love for the dance. Since then, her professional training has led to an active career belly dancing throughout New York, the tri-state area and internationally for theatrical shows, private parties as well as high-profile events. In addition to regular event performances, she loves taking the art of belly dance to the theater stage. She has worked with Brooklyn Ballet since 2015 performing "Danse Arabe" for the Brooklyn Nutcracker, the Metropolitan Opera, as well as several Off-Broadway productions. Film/TV experience includes Sex and the City 2, The Colbert Report, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and MTV. The New York Times said her work is "not an imitation piece of eastern culture..but a real example of belly dancing.” As the dance genre continues to evolve over time, Sira relishes every opportunity to continue elevating the art of Raqs Sharqi/Belly Dance. She is honored to work with Brooklyn Ballet again for this year’s Brooklyn Nutcracker.
Imani Nzingha, raised in New Haven, CT, has always had a love for the arts but only decided to pursue her dance career in 2009. Since then she has had opportunities to work with artists such as Abdel Salaam, Matthew Rushing, Nathan Trice, Young Paris, Frederick Earl Mosley, Asé Dance Collective, Ismael Kouyate, Urban Bush Women, Ronald K. Brown, and many more. The Long Island University grad is now a freelance artist and continues to broaden her artistry by working with a wide range of artists in New York City and beyond.
Aoi Ohno from Kanagawa, Japan. She started dancing when she was 3 years old. 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. She currently teaches ballet at Brooklyn Ballet for their Adult ballet classes and conservatory program for students age 10 and older. Additionally she has worked as a Gyrotonic teacher at BodyEvolution in Manhattan and has choreographic experience for YAGP finalists in 2022.
Rafaela “Roliv” Oliveira is originally from Brazil, where she began dancing at age five. She is well-versed in many styles such as ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, popping, and other street styles. After moving to New York City, Rafaela began her studies as a scholarship student at Broadway Dance Center in 2019. She has competed and performed in many festivals, participated in Dance TV Shows, and choreographed for performances and competitions. She wishes to continue to grow as an artist in the global dance community and hopefully inspire and help individuals along the way.
Red Dance Studio (aka Eva Dance Studio) is a new dance troupe established in New York in 2017. Their training and practice is based on classical ballet and mainly focuses on Chinese classical dance and folk dance. Many of their dancers are working professionals and all strive for excellence in performance. This year their dancers include performers who are successful in other professions as well, including a medical doctor (who has been working nonstop on the front lines since the pandemic started), a film producer, an accountant from a healthcare organization, a real estate broker, an IT director, and professionals with doctorates and masters degrees from top universities, including Columbia University. Red Dance Studio (Eva Dance Stuido) has participated in the largest dance festival in the northeast, performed in Chinese New Year galas, in colleges, and at Lincoln Center. They also have performed in New York public libraries and senior centers. Through the pandemic Red Dance Studio (Eva Dance Studio) kept practicing Chinese dance via Zoom, participated in the World TaoLi Dance Competition (online), performed multiple times online for all audiences via YouTube Live, and provided free dance lessons online for all ages worldwide. Their mission is to present Chinese heritage and culture through dance performance.
Kamala Saara was born in Los Angeles, CA, now residing in Brooklyn, NY Training: Yuri Grigoriev School of Ballet, School of American Ballet. Professional Experience: Dance Theatre of Harlem (fourth season). Kamala is a recipient of the Grow Annenberg Fellowship and a full scholarship for the School of American Ballet. She received 1st place Award for Training and the Performance Scholarship at the 2018 Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Kamala placed 2nd in the Classical category at the 2016 Youth American Grand Prix Paris, France.
Samantha Sacks was born and raised in Chicago, where she trained at the Ruth Page School of Dance. After years of participating in the cultural exchange “Cuba y Chicago” she was invited in 2017 to train as one of two Americans at the Escuela Nacional de Ballet in Havana, Cuba. Samantha graduated summa cum laude with a B.A in Comparative Literature from Columbia University, where she also performed for four years with the Columbia Ballet Collaborative (CBC). With CBC she appeared in new works by choreographers including Gianna Reisen, Tom Gold, Derek Brockington, and Emily Coates. Samantha spent the last year dancing with Ballet Concierto in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Now pursuing her M.A in Oral History at Columbia, Samantha is excited to be back studying and working as a freelance artist in the city. This is her first time performing with the Brooklyn Ballet.
Ladell “Mr. Ocean” Thomas is a dancer specializing in Popping and waving. He’s learned other dance styles such as dancehall and hip hop. Some of his mentors include Big Mike, Future Ninja and Chris “Shaik” Mathis. Ladell has danced with Iluminate from "America’s Got Talent” and “It’s Showtime NYC.” He has also had the pleasure of performing for Bill T. Jones’ Deep Blue Ocean, PBS’ Barefeet with Mikaela Mallozzi, NY Philharmonics Bandwagon, Lincoln Centers Restart Stages, Lincoln Centers Centrifugal Force with Buddha Stretch, It’s Time For Hip Hop in NYC Concerts.
Akiko Tokuoka is a choreographer, and actress, from Kyoto, Japan, and currently based in New York City. She has more than 15 years of experience as an artist performing vogue, ballet, contemporary dance, kabuki dance, baton twirling, and, her specialty, freestyle dance. Her credits include performances at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, New Era, and commercials. She was hand selected by Madonna for an exclusive dance show on the icon's birthday in 2011, performed for Ciara in "Level Up" at the MNF Genesis Halftime Show in Seattle, and choreographed and performed in Lovari's “Paparazzi” music video, featured on MTV in October 2018.
She fell in love with the voguing and ballroom culture in New York when she saw Willi Ninja at a nightclub in NY in 2005 and worked her way up to becoming an official member of the “Legendary House of Ninja” with the crew name “KiT Ninja” in 2009, three years after Willi passed away. The Legendary House of Ninja is a voguing collective who have worked with artists including Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl. In 2010, Akiko coordinated their tour through major cities in Japan including her hometown of Kyoto.
This year, Akiko joined members of The House of Ninja in bringing vogue to the 113th NAACP National Convention. She completed a 2-year advanced acting program with Maggie Flanigan Studio which led to her to produce the dance/theater performance “TANABATA 2021” thanks to the support of a New York City Artist Corps Grant in October 2021. Akiko’s performances embody power and beauty. She often breaks the fourth wall to more deeply connect with audience members, interacting with and sometimes bringing them onstage to participate, making each performance unique.
Mio Blossom Yamasaki, originally hailing from Japan has been dancing commercially since the age of 8 - Debuting for Japan's MATCH television commercial for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Her training includes Peridance Center, Broadway Dance Center, and Free Focus Dance Company. Mio has become a versatile dancer with proficiency in styles such as Waacking, Hip-Hop, House, Locking, Tap and Traditional Japanese dance styles.
Her passion for dance led her to become the choreographer for Free Focus Dance NYC, performing works for Boost Mobile, 88 Rising, Tiger Sugar, and LIV Golf. Her professional works include credits with Nippon Television Network, 24 Hour Television, Freedom & Soul Festival, Dish Network, Ailey's Voices and Visions, COBU, Butch, MMAC, Chung Ha, and various independent artists.
