Carmela Arcidi is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College where she obtained a BFA in Dance- Choreography and a Minor in Business Management in May 2024. At Marymount, Carmela performed in works by Zvi Gotheiner, Alberto Del Saz, Rodney Hamilton, Karen Gayle, Sidra Bell, and Jan Dijkwel as well as various student works. In the Spring of 2024, Carmela collaborated with Rena Butler at Marymount Manhattan Dance Department’s Senior Showcase. Additionally, she has received training with Flockworks at Orsolina 28, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Parsons Dance, MOVE|NYC, Peridance, Boston Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and The Ailey School. Carmela choreographed for “Dancers at Work” and “Works In Progress”.

Samantha Bass’s photography reflects her passion for global exploration and conservation, depicting animals, indigenous peoples and cultures, and landscapes. She uses photography as a tool to invite reflection, creating awareness, and connecting us to our fellow beings and animals.

Her photographs of the animal agriculture industry explore the relationship between humans and animals as well as where our food comes from, and have appeared in group shows in museums and galleries in New York and Lausanne.

She holds an MFA in Photography from Yale University and a BA from Vassar College. She has worked as a photojournalist and currently lives in New York with her 16-year-old son who accompanies her on expeditions and shares her love for the natural world.

Jeff Beal (born June 20, 1963) is an American composer of music for film, television, recordings, and the concert hall. Highly regarded as a jazz instrumentalist and versatile composer, Beal creates music that often incorporates a synthesis of improvisatory and composed elements.

Isabella was born and raised in Sun Valley, Idaho. With her outdoorsy family, she enjoyed frequent road-trips to the mountains and she had an unconventional, free-spirited upbringing. Isabella began dancing at the age of three before her family moved to Boulder, Colorado, where she started training at the Boulder Ballet. From age 12, Isabella attended the Colorado Ballet Academy, where her ballet journey took a more serious turn.

At the age of 13, while training at the Colorado Ballet Academy, Isabella won a gold medal at the 2001 Youth America Grand Prix Finals in New York. In 2002, she received a scholarship to train at the HARID Conservatory, a ballet-focused boarding high school in Boca Raton, Florida. At 17, a scout from the American Ballet Theatre invited her to join the company—renowned as one of the greatest in the world. She completed her degree remotely while beginning her career in New York.

Ashley Bromfield, born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, is a former soloist of the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica. During her eight years with the company, she has performed choreographies by the likes of Clive Thompson, Hope Boykin, Troy Powell and Rex Nettleford. Bromfield premiered contemporary works for NDT’s Juliano Nunes and Abarukas Dance. A current, dancer with Graham 2, this is her first season with BDT.

Alyssa Bulin (she/her) is a New York City based dancer from Chicago, Illinois. She received her BFA in 2022 from Marymount Manhattan College with a concentration in Ballet and a minor in Business Management. She continued her training by attending BJM360 (Ballet Jazz Montreal) summer intensive in 2023 led by Alexandra Damiani. Alyssa has performed works by Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Peter Chu, Jessica Lang and Gregory Dolbashian. In 2023, she performed at the Ohio Dance Festival as well as the New York City Art Bath Salon Series, directed by Mara Driscoll and Elizabeth Yilmaz of the Metropolitan Opera and is currently a freelance artist in New York City.

Preston Chamblee is a soloist at New York City Ballet. He was born in Wendell, North Carolina and began his dance training at the age of 14 at the Raleigh School of Ballet under Mary Legere and Pablo Perez. He continued his training at the International Ballet Academy in Apex, North Carolina from 2010 to 2013.

Mr. Chamblee studied at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, during the 2012 and 2013 summer courses, and enrolled as a full-time student in 2013.

Kennedy Davidson originally from Nashville, obtained her BFA in Dance Performance at The Hartt School in 2024. She began her training at Nashville Ballet and continued her studies at Nashville School of the Arts. During her time at The Hartt School, Kennedy performed in diverse pieces by Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Hope Boykin, Jacqulyn Buglisi, and Tamisha Guy. This is her first season with BDT.

Stephanie Diani grew up wanting to be Indiana Jones, and so graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Classical Archaeology from UC Santa Barbara —

— only to then realize her true passion was photography. A self-taught photographer, she began her career as a staffer for various California newspapers and as a West Coast freelancer for the New York Times. As assignments with celebrities increased, her reputation as a talented photographer who understood the idiosyncrasies of the entertainment industry grew.

Jonathan Fahoury was born in Louisville, Colorado, Jonathan began training in all styles of dance at the age of eight at Artistic Fusion Dance Academy in Thornton, CO. He continued his training at Next Generation Ballet in Tampa, Florida, under Peter Stark in 2014. In 2015 he attended the summer course at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, and enrolled as a full-time student for the winter term that year. Jonathan became an apprentice with NYCB in November 2017 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in November 2018. He worked closely with Justin Peck, Kyle Abraham, Jamar Roberts, Andrea Miller, and Pam Tanowitz. He also performed works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, Mauro Bigonzetti, and Gianna Reisen. Jonathan left the company in January of 2023 to pursue work as a freelance artist.

German cellist Dorothea Figueroa has been Associate Principal Cellist of the Metropolitan Opera since February 2002. She gave her solo debut at the Gewandhaus with the Dvořák Concerto in 2000, and returned in 2004 to the sold out hall performing the Haydn D Concerto to critical acclaim. She gave concerts at Mendelssohn and Bach Houses in Leipzig, Mozarteum, Kaisersaal München, and Cité de la Musique in Paris. She joined Gewandhaus String Quartet for a German “castle tour,” and toured with a clarinet quintet founded at Juilliard. After winning Germany’s National Competition Jugend musiziert with her cello quartet they toured all Europe. She performed in the III. World Cello Congress, the Chamber Music Society NY and the Verbier Festival, where she has been on faculty since 2009, and a founding member in 2001. Other festival appearances include Schleswig-Holstein, Oberstdorf, Salzburg, Ljubljana, and Kronberg. Before receiving her Master´s from Juilliard in 2001 under H. Shapiro, she studied in Leipzig with M. Moosdorf and at CNS de Paris with P. Muller.

Principal cellist with the Metropolitan opera since 1995, Rafael Figueroa has appeared as a soloist and as a chamber musician throughout the U.S. , Europe , South and Central Americas, Korea and Japan. He is the winner of many distinguished competitions and awards including the First Prize at the Gregor Piatigorsky Competition in Boston, The Bronze Medal at the International Pablo Casals Competition in Budapest and winner of the concerto competition at the Third American Cello Congress.

Principal Artist, Benjamin Freemantle, started his training in his hometown of Vancouver, Canada at the Caulfield School of Dance. At 15 years old he was offered a full scholarship to train at the San Francisco Ballet School, later joining the San Francisco Ballet School Trainee Program. He joined the San Francisco Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2015, immediately dancing Principal roles in original works and full length ballet's like Lensky in Onegin. In 2018, Benjamin became a Soloist with the company and was named "25 To Watch" by Dance Magazine. In 2019, he was named Principal Dancer by Helgi Tomasson, after performing work by George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Jerome Robbins, Trey Mcintyre, Dwight Rhoden, John Neumier, William Forsythe and many more. In 2022, he stepped away from San Francisco Ballet and now pursues an independent artistic career based in New York City. As a professional performer and creative, Benjamin challenges and re-imagines boundaries and possibilities both on the stage and on the screen.

Julia Grady is an 11-year-old from Westchester, NY. She began her dance journey with Irish step dancing before transitioning to ballet at age six. Julia attends ballet classes at Greenwich Ballet Academy. Her dedication to dance led her to attend summer intensives with American Ballet Theatre and Ellison Ballet, refining her technique and artistry. Beyond dance, Julia is an accomplished percussionist, performing across various musical genres, from classical to heavy metal. She also has a passion for and is actively involved in musical theatre.

Craig Hall (born c. 1979) is an American ballet dancer. He danced with the New York City Ballet as a soloist until 2016 then became a repertory director, and was one of the company interim leaders between late 2017 and early 2019.

Lauren Jaeger is a magna cum laude graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Dance. Lauren has toured both nationally and internationally as a member of MOMIX, Buglisi Dance Theatre, Michael Mao Dance, Suzzanne Ponomarenko Dance, and Catapult. Lauren is a Rehearsal Director for Buglisi’s Table of Silence Project, which is performed each year on September 11th at Lincoln Center. She has also performed with Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, ACB Dance, Ballet Ambassadors, Alma Dance, and as a guest artist with Eva Dean Dance. Lauren has been a guest artist and master teacher for the Festival Della Danza, Citta` Di Adelfia, and the Fini Dance Festival in Southern Italy. In addition to her performance work, Lauren teaches for several schools including The Joffrey Ballet School, Peridance Capezio Center, and the Greenwich Dance Studio. Most recently, with Suzzanne Ponomarenko Dance, she taught and performed as a volunteer at a women’s and children’s shelter in Xela, Guatemala.

Jason Kittelberger hails from Rochester, New York, where he began training and performing at Performance Plus, Draper School of Dance and School of the Arts, studying dance, acting, musical theater and production design, and where he had plentiful opportunities to perform, choreograph and create.

LLOYD KNIGHT joined the Company in 2005 and performs the major male roles of the Graham repertory including in Appalachian Spring, Embattled Garden, Night Journey and many others. Dance Magazine named him one of the “Top 25 Dancers to Watch” in 2010 and one of the best performers of 2015. Mr. Knight has starred with ballet greats Wendy Whelan and Misty Copeland in signature Graham duets and has had roles created for him by such renowned artists as Nacho Duato and Pam Tanowitz. He is currently a principal guest artist for The Royal Ballet of Flanders directed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Born in England and raised in Miami, he trained at Miami Conservatory of Ballet and New World School of the Arts.

Megan LeCrone is a former soloist with the New York City Ballet (NYCB) who retired in June 2025 after a 24-year tenure with the company. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she joined NYCB as an apprentice in 2001 and was promoted to soloist in February 2013.

Peter Mazurowski is a freelance artist based in New York. At age 13, he made his Broadway debut as Billy in Billy Elliot: the Musical. He played the title role in over 140 performances and was part of the closing cast. Peter later danced as a junior apprentice for Urbanity Dance and was a trainee with Boston Ballet. He joined Charlotte Ballet as a first company member in 2016, where he danced for five seasons under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Hope Muir. He later joined Benjamin Millepied’s LA Dance Project as a company member in 2021, where he danced for three seasons. Throughout his professional career, Peter has been fortunate enough to perform works by Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Johan Inger, Bobbi Jene Smith & Or Schraiber, Alonzo King, Christian Spuck, Salia Sanou, Medhi Walerski, Pam Tanowitz, Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine and many others. He is currently a freelance artist and was most recently seen as a guest artist with PARA.MAR Dance Theatre in Chicago, where he performed works by Stephanie Martinez and Bryan Arias.

Virginie Mécène (Choreographer) is a former Principal Dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and Buglisi Dance Theatre, among others. She serves as the Artistic Director of Graham 2 company and the Programs Director at Graham.

Her choreography has been featured in various esteemed organizations, including the Martha Graham Dance Company, Buglisi Dance Theatre, Bodiography Contemporary Ballet, Graham 2, The Ailey School, the Westfest Dance Festival, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and the Dior/Saks Holiday Celebration.

Virginie has received notable accolades such as the 23/24 Fellowship Award from the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library for the Performing Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts’ Choreographer Award. Her work has captivated audiences and earned acclaim in prestigious venues, including the New York City Center, the Joyce Theater in New York City, The Adrienne Arsht Center and the Broward Center in Florida, Kaatsbaan International Dance Center in New York State, the Palais Garnier in Paris, and L’Auditori de Barcelona in Barcelona. www.virginiemecene.com.

For over thirty years, critically-acclaimed, international award-winning theatrical lighting and scenery designer Jack Mehler has been creating unique performance environments for theatre, dance, and related events. Jack develops specific designs which support the intentions, needs and aspirations of each project which create environments that transport an audience. His work has been recognized by The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, New York Magazine and many others. In 2012 and 2013, he received the Korean Musical Theatre Award for Lighting Designer of the Year (The Korean version of the Tony).

Luciana Paris is a Soloist Dancer with American Ballet Theater. She has been dancing with ABT since 2001, and has been performing as a guest artist throughout the world.
Alysa Bulin pls add this hovering text:Alyssa Bulin (she/her) is a New York City based dancer from Chicago, Illinois. She received her BFA in 2022 from Marymount Manhattan College with a concentration in Ballet and a minor in Business Management. She continued her training by attending BJM360 (Ballet Jazz Montreal) summer intensive in 2023 led by Alexandra Damiani. Alyssa has performed works by Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Peter Chu, Jessica Lang and Gregory Dolbashian. In 2023, she performed at the Ohio Dance Festival as well as the New York City Art Bath Salon Series, directed by Mara Driscoll and Elizabeth Yilmaz of the Metropolitan Opera and is currently a freelance artist in New York City.

Unity Phelan was born in Princeton, New Jersey and began her dance training at the age of five at the Princeton Ballet School, where her teachers included Douglas Martin, Maria Youskevitch, and Mary Barton.

During the summers of 2008 and 2009, Ms. Phelan attended the summer sessions at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, and enrolled as a full-time student in fall of 2009.

She became an apprentice with NYCB in December 2012 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in November 2013.

In February 2017, Ms. Phelan was promoted to the rank of soloist, and in October 2021, she was promoted to principal dancer.

ISABELLA PAGANO is a NYC based dancer and recent alumnas of Purchase College, graduating summa cum laude with a B.F.A in dance. Her passion and love for movement was first cultivated by the teachers of National Dance Institute from grades 4-8. From there, she began her first years of pre-professional training at LaGuardia High School, during which she also studied in the Teens Program at the Graham School. She has performed works by Bob Fosse, Martha Graham, Bill T. Jones, MICHIYAYA, Blakeley White-McGuire, Caterina Rago, Darshan Bhuller, and Joseph Hernandez. This is her second season with Buglisi Dance Theater.

The Belgian-Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa is a prolific, award-winning, and sought-after choreographer that has created more than a 100 works for 81 dance companies around the world. A versatile choreographer, Lopez Ochoa creates regularly within the dance field but also for theatre, opera, and musical theatre. Her wide-ranging body of work includes short conceptual pieces, full-length narratives, and dance films. Ochoa completed her dance education at the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp. After a 12-year long career in several European dance companies, such as Djazzex, and the Scapino Ballet where she danced as a soloist for 7 years, Annabelle decided in 2003 to focus solely on choreography.

David Quinn, Costume Designer for Second Salt, is a fashion and costume designer working in a variety of mediums from theatre, dance, and film to burlesque and red carpets. Quinn's theatre work has appeared in numerous traditional and non-traditional venues across America and internationally. In 2017 his work on Jack was described as “jaw-dropping” (Travelance) and “glorious“ (Time Out NY). In 2022 his costumes for Dick Rivington were hailed as “brilliantly inventive“ by the NY Times. Quinn has designed dance costumes in collaboration with NYC-based choreographers and soloists including The Martha Graham Company, Merce Cunningham, and Stanley Love. Dance View Times said, ”Quinn is cutting and draping and coloring the most beautiful dance costumes to be found in New York.”

Gianna Reisen is a choreographer based in New York City. Her journey began as a student at the School of American Ballet (SAB), where she studied the Balanchine technique for seven years. Her passion for dance-making developed during the creation process of her first piece for SAB’s Student Choreographic Workshop. Soon after showcasing her work at the school, she was invited to participate in the fall session of the New York Choreographic Institute, where she presented her first ensemble
ballet. After graduating from SAB in 2017, Reisen was commissioned to choreograph an original work for the New York City Ballet’s Fall Fashion Gala—making her the youngest choreographer in history to offer a ballet to the company’s storied repertory. Following a successful premiere at Lincoln Center, her debut work, Composer’s Holiday, was staged at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Kennedy Center. To date, Reisen has presented four new works for NYCB, collaborating with such notable artists as Virgil Abloh, Alejandro Gómez Palomo, and Solange Knowles. Reisen has also developed and created work for the Los Angeles Dance Project (LADP), Carolina Ballet, Vail Dance Festival, Columbia University, Indiana University, and SAB. Her first full-length narrative production, Alice, premiered at Carolina Ballet this year. Reisen directed and choreographed two short films for SAB and has since worked as a movement director on several music videos, narrative shorts, editorials, and fashion campaigns. As a professional dancer, Reisen performed with Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany, and later with LADP. During her time with LADP, she toured internationally and explored a modern dance repertoire, performing works by Benjamin Millepied, Martha Graham, Bella Lewitzky, and Kyle Abraham, among many others.

Lauryn Rickman began dance training in ballet in Kingston, Jamaica. From a young age she has performed with companies in Jamaica including National Dance Theatre Company and L’Acadco where she was introduced to modern and Afro-Caribbean folk, and later lived in Havana, Cuba learning Cuban modern. She came to NY in 2021 as a part of Graham 2, and in 2024 joined BDT appearing at Chelsea Factory in “A Walk Through Fire”.

EMERGE125's Artistic Director TIFFANY REA-FISHER is a NDP Award winner, a 2022 Creatives Rebuild New York Grantee, a 7-time consecutive AUDELCO Award nominee, a 2021 Toulmin Creator and 2022 Toulmin Fellow, a National Dance Project Awardee, a John Brown Spirit Award recipient, a Mellon Grant awardee through her company, and was personally awarded a citation from the City of New York for her cultural contributions. Rea-Fisher has been commissioned by Dance Theater of Harlem, Dallas Black Dance Theater, NYC Department of Transportation, Utah Repertory Theater, The National Gallery of Art in D.C., and has seen her work performed for the Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg.

Gabi Roller is a dancer, singer & actor and a recent graduate from the Steps Conservatory. Her foundation in the performing arts began in the theatre, performing professionally with regional theatres such as Casa Manana and Lyric Stage. Gabi most recently worked on “The Prom” at Sharon Playhouse as Associate Choreographer and Dance Captain. Gabi has had the pleasure of performing the work of many wonderful artists, including Al Blackstone, Billy Griffin, Katie Drablos, and Krystyna Resavy.

Valentina Rudkevich is a ballet student from Greenwich, CT. Her love of ballet stemmed her love for music; she was always moving perfectly to the beat! Valentina studies dance at Greenwich Ballet Academy and has completed summer programs at Miami City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and most recently, The Ellison Ballet. She has performed for many years inThe Nutcracker, and will be portraying the Soldier Doll in Greenwich Ballet Academy’s Nutcracker production this November. Valentina’s credits also include: Sleeping Beauty, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

AOI SATO is originally from Chiba, Japan. She received a scholarship from Alvin Ailey School where she performed Memoria with the Alvin Ailey Company. Aoi joined Graham 2 company in 2017, later on she joined Martha Graham Dance Company. She has been working with Dance Spotlight, Suzzanne Ponomarenko Dance, Richard Move among others. She is a faculty member at the Martha Graham School and the University of Hartford Dance Division. Aoi joined BDT in 2019, dancing in such works at Moss Anthology: Variation #5, The Thread Project #1 and Table of Silence Project.

Composer Judith Shatin is renowned for her richly imagined music that seamlessly spans acoustic and digital realms. Called “highly inventive on every level” by The Washington Post, her music combines an adventurous approach to timbre with dynamic narrative design and a keen awareness of the sonic landscape of modern life.

Bradley Shelver (South Africa) trained at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg and at The Ailey School in New York. He is currently the Artistic Director of The Joffrey Concert Group, The Jazz and Contemporary Trainee Program at the Joffrey Ballet School and the Joffrey Pre Professional Contemporary Summer Program. He currently serves on the Artistic Advisory Board of the Metropolitain Opera in NYC. He has danced with the Ailey II, Elisa Monte Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, The Francesca Harper Project, Limón Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theater (UK) and in projects with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co., Lar Lubovich Dance, The Universal Ballet, Radio City Music Hall, and in productions with the Mark Morris Dance Group.

Vinícius Silva is a Brazilian dancer and artist. He began professionally training at The Harid Conservatory in Florida and The Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C. In 2014 he became a Prix de Lausanne laureate and received an invitation to study in Stuttgart, Germany at the John Cranko Schule. Vinícius danced with the Stuttgart Ballet in works by Marcia Haydée, and John Cranko. With degrees in both classical and contemporary dance, Vinícius graduated as a state-approved dancer. After graduation, he became a member of Tulsa Ballet Theater, where he performed in classical productions of Swan Lake, Don Quixote,The Nutcracker, and he was also featured in Alexander Ekman’s “Cacti”. Later, Vinícius joined L.A. Dance Project under the direction of Benjamin Millepied. There, performing as Tybalt in Millepied’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Vinícius received mentions in The New York Times, Elle France and Flaunt Magazine. He is featured in Doug Aitken’s video installation “Flag and Debris” that was screened at La Biennale di Venezia in 2021. Additionally, Vinicius Silva had the honor to perform at Palais d’Elysées, in Paris, as a guest of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, for “Mardis de l’elysée”. Vinicius is currently a freelance artist based in New York City.

Maximilian Tenenbaum is a 10-year-old New Yorker, living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. With a love for ballet that started as soon as he could walk, Max dances through life with grace and enthusiasm. Max is always ready to leap, spin, and dance. A natural performer, Max thrives on stage, where he can share his passion with others. Max’s boundless energy and love for life make him someone everyone wants to be around. Max takes ballet classes at the American Ballet Theater and he has performed the role of The Changeling in ABT’s production of The Dream at Lincoln Center. When he's not dancing, Max is the life of the party, making friends wherever he goes with his warm smile and infectious laugh.

Bryan (he/him) is a NYC based dancer from Rochester, New York. He received his BFA in 2022 from Marymount Manhattan College with a concentration in Modern. Afterwards, Bryan joined the inaugural cohort of Gibney’s Professional Training Program, GibneyPRO, where he continued his training under the leadership of Alexandra Wells, Gilbert T. Small II, and Bret Yamanaka. Bryan has performed works by Hofesh Shechter, Yin Yue, Rena Butler, Laja Feild, Jenn Freeman, and more. He has also received tutelage through several workshops and intensives including GaGa Lab, Springboard Danse Montréal, GALLIM, and Johannes Wieland. Bryan joined Andrea Miller’s GALLIM in the fall of 2022 and continues as a company artist. Since joining he’s performed in their GALLIM at 15, Fall For Dance, 2023 and 2024 Joyce seasons, staged Miller’s work at Marymount Manhattan College, SUNY Purchase, and The Joffrey Ballet School, and had the opportunity to develop movement research/rehearsal assist in her ‘Les Noces’ creation on English National Ballet. Additionally, Bryan has danced for Roderick George, Belinda McGuire, Akira Uchida, and Rioult Dance NY.

Emelyn (Emy) Urdahl graduated from Fordham University at Lincoln Center with BFA degrees in Dance and Economics. She trained with the Alvin Ailey / Fordham BFA program, and has performed in pieces choreographed by Alvin Ailey, Anne Plamondon, PeiJu Chien-Pott, Annie Rigney, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Adam Barruch, and Allison Cook Beatty. Emy has attended summer intensive programs at many institutions including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Gallim, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, The Martha Graham School, Doug Varone and Dancers, b12 Berlin, and Joffrey Ballet School. Before her time at The Ailey School, Emy attended Dance Arts Centre in Chanhassen, MN, where she trained in the styles of ballet, jazz, contemporary, pointe, tap, hip-hop, and musical theater.

Born in London, Edward Watson trained at The Royal Ballet School. He joined the Company in 1994, promoted to Principal, 2005, and appointed Répétiteur in 2020. His repertory includes major works by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan and he has created roles in works by Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, Kim Brandstrup, Siobhan Davies, Alastair Marriott, Cathy Marston, David Dawson, Arthur Pita, Javier De Frutos and Ashley Page, among others. Awards include an Olivier Award in 2012 for his performance in Pita’s The Metamorphosis and Critics’ Circle Dance Awards in 2001, 2008 and 2022. In 2015 he was awarded a Benois de la Danse for his performance in Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale and an MBE for services to dance.

Sydney Williams began her dance journey at a young age, training in various styles at her home studio in Atlanta, Georgia. During high school, she ventured into commercial dance appearing in TV and film productions including Tyler Perry’s “A Jazzman’s Blues” and Showtime's “The Resident”. Sydney has also graced prestigious stages such as The Apollo Theater and Radio City Music Hall. To further her concert dance training, she moved to New York City upon receiving a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet School’s trainee program. She is currently in her third year as part of the Jazz & Contemporary Trainee Program and her second year with the Joffrey Concert Group, both under the direction of Bradley Shelver. Sydney's recent endeavors include JCG’s annual “In My Art” performance with choreographers Vernard Gilmore, Eryn Renee Young, and Bradley Shelver. As well as performing in the Bryant Park Summer Stage with JCG.

Eric Winterling directs a talented team of master drapers, dressmakers and stitchers who construct each costume by hand, with an unwavering attention to detail and quality. In addition to custom dressmaking, our in-house team are experts in beading and embroidery, fabric dyeing, costume aging, tailoring and sourcing.