Dancers
Adrian Hoffman
Hoffman is from Cambridge, MA. He began movement as a martial artist. After receiving his Black Belt, he switched to dance in high school, and has his BDA in Dance from The Ailey School / Fordham University, graduating with a double minor in Philosophy and Math. While on study abroad in Israel he spent 5 months training with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. He has performed as a guest artist with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Luminario Ballet, and Andrew Harper Choreography as well as several freelance projects including the Grand Central Station Centennial celebration, the Park Avenue Armory Gala, and many others.
AJ Abrams
Abrams began his training with Clifton Dance Project at age 9 and continued at School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet. For Ballet Austin under the direction of Stephen Mills, his credits include original works by Mills; Sugar Plum Cavalier in The Nutcracker; Albrecht in Giselle; and the principal role in George Balanchine's "Who Cares".
Amy Gilson
Gilson is originally from New York City and has called Los Angeles home since 2011. She trained with members of the Bolshoi Ballet, New York City Ballet, David Howard, and Willy Burman at Steps on Boardway, NYC. Gilson has danced with the Los Angeles Ballet, American Contemporary Ballet, and as a guest artist with Sacramento Ballet.
Bianca Sapetto
Sapetto is a five-time U.S. rhythmic gymnastics all-around National Champion gold medalist and 1992 U.S. Olympic Team alumna. Her career launched at Cirque du Soleil. After joining Teatro Zinzanni as lead aerialist and dancer, she became choreographer and associate director for the San Francisco and Seattle shows. Her choreography is seen on five continents in Cirque du Soleil; Disney and Warner Bros. films; Paramount Studios; Led Zeppelin; the Grammy Awards; The Tonight Show; Good Morning America; and the 2004 Olympics. Sapetto is an original Luminario Ballet member and co-choreographer since 2009.
Jennifer Curry Wingrove
Wingrove was named "Ballerina" at California Ballet of San Diego, and danced all principle rolls from Tschaikovsky's ballets to Balanchine. She has become an aerial dance star and runs Pilates on Park in San Diego. Wingrove started her own company in San Diego, "Astraeus", and is a special guest star with Luminario Ballet.
Damien Diaz
Diaz studied on scholarship at Miami City Ballet, North Carolina School of the Arts, and School of American Ballet. He danced with Zurich Ballet; Leipzig Ballet; Dance Theatre of Vienna; and Ballet Trocadero de Monte Carlo. Diaz also performed with San Francisco Ballet; Dallas Ballet; Atlanta Ballet; Warsaw Ballet; Stuttgart Ballet; and Tokyo Ballet. He has created works for California Riverside Ballet, Vicktorion-Eckstein Productions Berlin, and "The Silence is Broken." This year, Diaz started his own company, "Ballet D'Hommes".
Evan Swenson
Swenson began dancing at the age of 7 in Kingsburg, CA. He finished his professional training with and danced for Houston Ballet. He then joined Atlanta Ballet and later NY Theater Ballet. Swenson moved back to California in 2009 and has been free lancing all over Southern California with tours to Europe and China. He's had the opportunity to be apart of many difference projects both in concert dance and commercially since moving to LA.
Kelly Vittetoe
Vittetoe trained with The Pacific Northwest Ballet, spending summers training with School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. In Seattle, Vittetoe danced with Sonia Dawkins Prism, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, "Memoria", and the revival of Evita. Vittetoe continued her training with Alonzo King LINES Ballet in the Professional Training Program for two years. While in San Francisco, Vittetoe performed works by Sidra Bell, Gregory Dawson, Uri Sands, and Alonzo King. Vittetoe danced with James Sewell Ballet in Minneapolis, MN for three years as a soloist. Her favorite works include Sewell's "Lovers", Myron Johnson's "Nutcracker Not So Suite" in her role as Barbie/Sugar Plum, and Norbert De La Cruz III's "Dusty Realms". Vittetoe has collaborated with artists Nic Lincoln, Judith Howard, and Live Action Set. She is now freelancing, modeling and doing wardrobe in LA. She recently worked with AMC cosmetics, Mark Howell Productions, and Penny Wild in the premiere for the FX show FEUD.
Ben Windu Sayles
Sayles is a dancer, acrobat, aerialist, and yogi, performing with companies in Los Angeles, including Luminario Ballet.
He just completed a worldwide tour with Wheel Work's "Cirque Mechanics".
Sadie Black
Black has studied ballet in Irvine, New York City, and Houston. She graduated from Houston Ballet Academy's pre-professional program after two years of intensive training. She has danced professionally with Columbia City Ballet in South Carolina and with Los Angeles Ballet. Black is a Cardio Barre instructor, and performs in Los Angeles in TV, film, and various dance projects.
Special Guest: Jamal Story
Story was born in LA. His exceptional career spans concert dance (Dallas Ballet, Complexions), Broadway (The Color Purple, Motown the Musical), and rock tours (Madonna Drowned World Tour, CHER Farewell and Dressed to Kill Tours). Story is the author of two books: "12:34 a slice novel" and "Toss in the Ether". He is co-chair of the National Dance Committee: SAG/AFTRA in NYC, and still finds time to freelance as a choreographer, consultant, master pedagogue, and guest star. Website: http://www.jamalstory.com
Special Guest: Sheila Joy Burford
Burford graduated with a BA in Dance and Psychology from MaryMount College, NYC. She is a dancer, aerialist, gymnast, pole artist, burlesque star, and yogi! Her professional dance career spans the most exciting shows from NY's Broadway to Las Vegas, including 6 years with Cirque du Soleil's "Believe, Criss Angel", the Pussy Cat Dolls, the one and only Bette Midler in "The Show Girl Must Go On" at Caesar's Palace Las Vegas, Michael Jackson at Madison Square Garden, Usher, Whitney Houston, and more! Her goal is to bring a smile to the audience!
Special Guest: Thomas Garrett Brown
Brown is a native of Jacksonville Beach, FL. He began his training under Cuban born Dulce Anaya and English trained Laurice Byrd. He joined Richmond Ballet as an apprentice in 2003. He has performed leading roles in the classics: Albrecht in Giselle; Siegfried in Swan Lake; and neo-classicals lead roles in well-known Balanchine ballets. He has also had many conteporary ballets created on him. He joined the Suzanne Farrell Ballet in 2015 and expanded his principal roles in Balanchine repertorie while being coached by Ms. Farrell herself. Brown has also been a guest artist with VOICE Dance Company and has spent past summers working with Jessica Lang Dance in New York City.
Special Guest: Allynne Noelle
Noelle began dancing at age 5, in the Southern California area, where she danced with Ballet Pacifica, Inland Pacific Ballet in 2000 as a Principal. In 2003, Noelle joined Miami City Ballet, under the direction of Edward Villella, where she danced as a Solosit for the next 7 years. Noelle's extensive repertorie with Miami City Ballet includes many principal roles in Balanchine ballets: the Pas de Deux in Agon, Choleric in The Four Temperaments, Turning Girl in Symphony in Three Movements, 4th Movement Principal in Western Symphony, Pas de Neuf in Swan Lake, and most notably the Pin-Up Girl in "Rubies" from the full-length Jewels. She was also featured in many Paul Taylor works, including Mercuric Tidings, Arden Court and Company B, as well as a number of Twyla Tharp ballets, including In The Upper Room. Noelle was also featured in Mr. Edward Villella's ballets Gismonti Brasil, and in both "The Waltz" and "The Foxtrot" from Mr. Villella's In The Neighborhood Ballroom. In 2010, Noelle accepted a contract with the National Ballet of Canada, under the direction of Karen Kain. She is now a dancer with Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Washington, D.C.