The Alabama Ballet Company | Who We Are | The Company | Dancers

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Emily Browning Armstrong, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, began her training under Lynne Snipes, and continued her studies at the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education. With the Alabama Ballet Emily has performed principal roles in Romeo & Juliet, Giselle, Carousel, Cinderella, Dracula Pas de Deux, The Sleeping Beauty, An American in Paris, Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Serenade. Emily has also been seen in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The Firebird, Van Fleteren’s Be Major, unRAVELed, Concert Fantasy, Hineline’s Twist, Browne’s Brahm’s Trio, Weksler’s Quixotic and Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations. Emily has also performed as Victoria, the White Cat, in Summerfest’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. Emily is a company member of the Gorham’s Bluff Residency.

Mark Asturias, a native of Minas Gerais, Brasil is honored to be joining the Alabama Ballet this season. Mark began his training in Laurel, MD and is a graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts. Mark continued his studies at the Miami City Ballet School under the direction of Nancy Raffa where he was seen in George Balanchine's Who Cares?, Tarantella, as well as many workshop performances. Upon graduation, Mark joined the Miami City Ballet, where he danced under the direction of Edward Villella for three years. With Miami City Ballet Mark performed in Giselle, Coppelia and Balanchine's Stars and Stripes, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and La Sonnambula.

Lindsey Sara Barber, a native of Buffalo, New York, received her early training from Maris Battaglia, and continued her training at the Miami City Ballet School. While at MCBS Lindsey performed in La Fille Mal Gardee, Swan Lake, and George Balanchine’s Western Symphony, The Nutcracker, Serenade, and Who Cares? With the Alabama Ballet Lindsey has danced Amour in Don Quixote and principal Marzipan in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™. She has also performed soloist roles in Spring Waters Pas de Deux, Flames of Paris, The Sleeping Beauty, Paquita, Cinderella, Giselle, Van Fleteren’s unraveled, and Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, Serenade, and The Nutcracker.

David Bauser a native of Williamsville, New York, began his training at the American Academy of Buffalo under the direction of Maris Battagia. David has also trained with Lockport City Ballet, Chautauqua Institution, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, North Carolina School of the Arts and The Harid Conservatory. David has been seen in productions of The Nutcracker, Le Corsaire, Mark Diamonds Gentlemen of the Empire and Their Ladies, Michelle Vernon's Au bade and Dream Waltz, and Mary Hudetz's Not the End, but the Means. With Alabama Ballet David has been seen as the Lead Sequidilla in Don Quixote, as the Soldier Doll, Candy Cane and Tea in George Balanchine's^® The Nutcracker, and in Roger Van Fleteren's The Firebird, Carousel and Leslie Browne's Brahm's Trio.

Amy Cole, a native of New Jersey, Amy began dancing with the Alabama Ballet as an Apprentice in 1997, and was promoted to the company in 1999. Amy has performed soloist roles in Don Quixote, Dracula, Swan Lake, Divertimento #15, Serenade, A Ballroom Competition, UnRAVELed, Tickling the Ivories as well as the principal roles of Lady Capulet in Romeo & Juliet, DewDrop Fairy in Van Fleteren's The Nutcracker, Queen of the Dryads and Mercedes in Don Quixote, DewDrop and Hot Chocolate in Balanchine's The Nutcracker, Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty and Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. Amy spent the 2003-2004 with Suzanne Farrell Ballet, a project of the Kennedy Center where she had the opportunity to perform an exclusively Balanchine repertoire of Serenade, Tempo de Valse, Stars and Stripes, Divertimento #15, Tzigane and Mozartina.

Alana Czernobil, a Chicago native, has trained with the San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet of Budapest, Hungary, American Ballet Theatre and Suzanne Farrell. Alana is a graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied under the tutelage of the legendary Balanchine Ballerina, Melissa Hayden, and has performed roles in Giselle, Coppelia, George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, Symphonie Concertante and Symphony in C. Before joining the Alabama Ballet as an apprentice in 2006, she danced professionally with the contemporary ballet company Cedar Lake Ensemble II, where she performed works by many contemporary choreographers including Bradley Shelver, Jeff Gribbler, Brian Carey Chung and Greg Sample. During the 2006-2007 season, she danced soloist roles in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and performed in Swan Lake, Dracula, Song and Dance and George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes.

Megan DeWitt is a Tuscaloosa, Alabama native and began her early training with Susu Hale Prout. She then studied at the Alabama Ballet School until she was invited to join the company in 2004. Megan’s featured roles include Waltz soloist and Spanish principal in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, demi – soloist in Paquita, prinicipal in Song & Dance, as well as Big Swans and Spanish principal in Swan Lake. Megan has also been seen in Don Quixote, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, George Balanchine’s Serenade and Van Fleteren’s unRAVEled and Dracula. In 2007, Megan performed as a guest artist with New Orleans Ballet Theatre with roles in Les Sylphides and Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco.

Jennifer Ferrigno, a Philadelphia native, joined Alabama Ballet in 2006. She trained under Pasha Kambalov and Lev Assaouliak at First State Ballet Theatre in Wilmington, Delaware. Upon graduation, Jennifer joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland under the direction of Dianna Cuatto. During her 2006-2007 season with the Alabama Ballet as an apprentice, she danced soloist roles in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Song and Dance.

Christie Marie Galotta is a native of Dunstable, Massachusetts, where she trained with the Boston Ballet. She then graduated from Butler University and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. While there she performed many roles including Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. Christie joined the Alabama ballet in 2003 where her featured roles include Le Corsairre and Dewdrop Fairy in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Currently she is also attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham and plans on studying physical therapy.

Kathryn Gebler, a native of Vestal, NY, joined the Alabama Ballet in 1999 after graduating from the Boston Ballet School. She received her early training from Tina Christina-Price, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet. Kathryn has performed the principal role of Kitri in Don Quixote as well as principal and soloist roles in The Sleeping Beauty, An American in Paris, Cinderella, Giselle, Swan Lake, Paquita, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Spring Waters Pas de Deux, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Leslie Browne’s Brahm’s Trio, Van Fleteren’s A Ballroom Competition, The Nutcracker and unRAVELed, Margi Cole’s Tymeless Notions, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Donizetti Variations, Serenade and Tarantella. Kathryn is also a member of the Gorham’s Bluff Residency, and is on faculty with the Alabama Ballet School. Kathryn married Mikey Spitzer in August 2006.

Laura Hargrave began her training in San Antonio with Mayra Worthern, and the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Laura was a member of the last Carlisle Project and performed George Balanchine’s Concerto Baroco, and Toni Pimble’s Columbia Aspexit. Laura has performed with the Dance Aspen Festival in Gail Gilbert’s Still Waiting, Balanchine’s Serenade, and Stars and Stripes as staged by Jilliana. Laura has also performed with the Eugene Ballet, Texas Ballet Concerto, Ballet Exaltation, and with the Louisville Ballet. With the Alabama Ballet Laura performed in Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Madeline, Cinderella, Giselle, Carnival in Venice, Van Fleteren’s Be Major, unraveled, Swan Lake, and Romeo & Juliet. Laura has also been seen in Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante, Serenade and The Nutcracker.

Noah Hart, a Georgia native, began his training with the Houston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet Theatre, Ballet Met, South Carolina Dance Conservatory and Atlanta Ballet. Noah is a graduate of the Houston Ballet Academy and a former company member of Houston Ballet where he performed in Ben Stevenson’s The Nutcracker, Five Poems, Dusk, Cleopatra, Don Quixote, Alice in Wonderland, Paul Taylor’s In the Beginning, and Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan. With the Alabama Ballet Noah has performed the Principal roles in Paquita, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, and the Balcony Pas de Deux from Van Fleteren’s Romeo & Juliet. He has also been seen in The Sleeping Beauty, Concert Fantasy, Giselle, and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker.

Luke Joiner is delighted to return to the Alabama Ballet, where he began as a student, and continued as an Apprentice before joining the company in 2003. With the Alabama Ballet Luke has been seen in An American in Paris as Jerry, as well as featured roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Don Quixote, George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, Serenade and The Nutcracker, Terri Weksler’s Quixotic, Leslie Browne’s Brahms Trio, Marius Petipa’s Carnival in Venice, and Concert Fantasy, unRAVELed, Shostakovich Opus 102, Swan Lake, Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Romeo & Juliet, Giselle and Firebird. Luke is a member of the Alabama Ballet’s Gorhams Bluff Residency.

Hayley Kisiel began her early training with Ballet Arts under the direction of Mary Beth Cabana and Chieko Imada. In 2003 Hayley was featured in Sam Watson’s Sculptured Gardens. Following her training, in 2004, Hayley began her first season with the Alabama Ballet. As well as dancing full time, she is also focusing her time towards a nursing degree at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Her featured roles include Silver Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Demi – Soloist in George Balanchine’s Serenade and Demi Soloist in Paquita.

Tatiana Ledovskikh comes to the company from the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia. A native of Vornez, Russia, she trained at the Vornez Ballet School. Tatiana has performed principal roles in the major classical ballets with the Bolshoi, and performed as a guest artist throughout Europe. In 1986 she was awarded the Glinki State Award for outstanding achievement in the fine arts. Since joining the Alabama Ballet in 1997, Tatiana has performed as The Firebird, Giselle, Cinderella and The Sleeping Beauty. She has also performed the Principal roles in Bolero, The Nutcracker, Raymonda, Swan Lake, Oh, Sweet Sebastian, Be Major, Coppelia, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Romeo & Juliet, Balanchine's Serenade and Leslie Browne's Brahm's Trio. Ms. Ledovskikh has also staged Marius Petipa's Carnival in Venice and Yuri Grigorvich's Raymonda, Gluck Pas de Deux and Tango for the Alabama Ballet.

Benjamin Linn, an Ohio native, began his ballet training with Richard Early of Cincinnati Ballet and later continued his training at the University of Cincinnati with Robert Cole and Jade Adams. He has performed with Nashville Ballet, Alabama Ballet and Hosanna Sacred Arts. Ben has appeared in Don Quixote, Cinderella, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, An American in Paris, Carousel and The Firebird. His featured roles include Hilarion in Giselle, Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Lilac Cavalier in The Sleeping Beauty and Van Fleteren’s unRAVELed, Shostakovich Opus 102, Concert Fantasy, Alan Hineline’s Twist, Teri Weksler’s Quixotic, Leslie Browne’s Brahm’s Trio, Kenneth Tolle’s Thorns and Images of Faith, Trey McIntire’s Aliss in Wonderland and George Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, The Nutcracker, and Serenade.

Kelli Murdock, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, received her early training from Angela Tower Walker. After graduating from the Alabama Ballet School, Kelli was invited to join the company in 2005. Kelli’s featured roles with the Alabama Ballet include Marzipan, Tea and Harlequin Doll in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Other perfomances include Dracula, Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, Paquita, Giselle and the Sleeping Beauty. In 2007, Kelli was a guest artist with the New Orleans Ballet Theatre, performing roles in Les Sylphide and Balanchine’s Concerto BaRocco.

Lily Ojea was trained by Colleen Smith and Ruth C. Petrinovic at Florida Classical Ballet Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. She has performed with New Orleans Ballet Theatre, Hosanna Sacred Arts, and Florida Classical Ballet Theatre, as well as the Alabama Ballet. With Alabama Ballet, Lily has performed in The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Paquita, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Serenade, and Stars and Stripes, Roger Van Fleteren’s Firebird, Dracula, and Song and Dance, and Leslie Brown’s Brahms Trio. As a guest artist, Lily has performed the roles of Fairy Godmother in The Nutcracker, Prelude and Pas de Deux in Les Sylphide, George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Kitri’s tambourine variation from Don Quixote, Peasant Pas de Deux, and Dying Swan. Her favorite roles with Alabama Ballet include Demi-soloist in Paquita, Peasant Couple in Swan Lake, Serenade, Marzipan in The Nutcracker, and Red Riding Hood in The Sleeping Beauty.

Chinatsu Owada is from Sapporo, Japan where she studied under Noriko Koizumi, and is a graduate of the Houston Ballet Academy, where she studied with Ben Stevenson. In Japan Chinatsu has danced the principal roles in Cinderella, La Sylphide and The Sleeping Beauty. With the Alabama Ballet, she has danced Cygnets in Swan Lake, Flower Girl in Don Quixote, Gererosity and White Cat in The Sleeping Beauty, as well as soloist roles in Giselle, Cinderella, Balanchine’s Nutcracker™, and Paquita. Chinatsu has also been seen in Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations and Serenade, Terri Weksler’s Quixotic, Alan Hineline's Twist, and Roger Van Fleteren’s Be Major.

Brandon Ragland, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, received his early training from Jacqueline Crenshaw Lockhart. He continued his dance training at the Alabama School of Fine Arts under Therese Laegar, Mimi Twyman, Hedi Khursandi, Mary Jo Misra and Thaddeus Davis. Upon graduating from ASFA, Brandon attended the University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa and under Butler University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Dance-Arts Administration. While at Butler University he had the opportunity to perform soloist and principal roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Coppelia, The Sleeping Beauty, and Torelli choreographed by Twyla Tharp. Brandon is very excited to be dancing with the Alabama Ballet this season and would like to thank his family for their support.

Jamorris Rivers began his early training with the Lynn Curtis Academy of Arts and on scholarship with the Alabama School of Fine Arts Summer Intensive. In 2004 Jamorris was featured in Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson’s Work in Progress during the Complexions Contemporary Dance Company’s Summer Residency. Jamorris is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he was seen in Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake Pas de Deux. With Alabama Ballet he has been seen in Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Van Fleteren’s Concert Fantasy and Weksler’s Quixotic. Jamorris was most recently seen in Europe performing with Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson’s contemporary dance company Complexions.

Kyle Seguin began his training in Huntsville, AL before attending the University of Alabama as a full scholarship dance major. Kyle is currently a senior in the Honors Program for Psychology at UAB. Kyle has danced the roles of Count Albrecht in Giselle and Prince Desire in The Sleeping Beauty. He has also danced principal roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Spring Waters Pas de Deux, Flames of Paris, and in Van Fleteren’s Romeo & Juliet, Tickling the Ivories, and Sonata in B Major. In addition, Kyle performed with Southern DanceWorks and in Margi Cole’s Reel to Reel and Tymeless Notions. Kyle is a former figure skater and performed the role of Mr. Mistoffeles in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.

Justin Matthew Segura, a native of Southern California, returns to Alabama Ballet for his 3rd season. He began his training at Riverside Ballet Arts where he received scholarships to attend Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and the Joffrey Ballet School of New York. After concluding his training with Prima Ballerina Maniya Barredo's Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, he continues to work in numerous productions including principal roles in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Since joining Alabama Ballet, Justin has performed Pas de Deux in Brahm's Trio, Dracula, & An American in Paris. Other favorites include, Van Fleteran's Shostakovich, UnRAVELed, and Concert Fantasy. Justin has performed at the Gorham's Bluff Summer Residency for the past 2 years.

Katherine Thompson, A native of Mobile, Alabama, Katherine has studied with Mobile Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the School of American Ballet. She was a member of the University Ballet Theatre, training under the direction of Violette Verdy. Katherine then joined Cincinnati Ballet and was a member of the corps de ballet, enjoying roles such as Melancholic and Phlegmatic in Balachine’s Four Temerperaments. In 2005, she joined Alabama Ballet; her featured roles in the company include Arabian, Hot Chocolate principal and Waltz Soloist in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, as well as Big Swans and Czardas principal in Swan Lake. Katherine also enjoys guesting with the Mobile Ballet and has performed as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Lucy in Winthrop Corey’s Dracula, and the Principal in Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie. She is currenty pursuing a degree in communication at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

Jenna McKerrow Wilson, a native of Gaithersburg, MD, began her training at the Washington School of Ballet and continued at Houston Ballet Academy. She has performance experience with The Washington Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Suzanne Farrell Ballet. Since joining the Alabama Ballet in 2001, Jenna has danced principal and soloist roles in Paquita, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Flames of Paris, and Flower Festival. She has worked with Leslie Browne in Brahm’s Trio and with Roger Van Fleteren in unRAVELed, Concert Fantasy, and Tickling the Ivories. She has performed as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Principal Marzipan in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker™, as well as roles in Donizetti Variations and Serenade. Jenna was priveledged to appear in Eliot Field’s Mr. XYZ with Mikhail Baryshnikov, is a member of the Gorham's Bluff Residency, and is on faculty with the Alabama Ballet School. She is also a representative of the Alabama Dance Council.