Boston Ballet
Junxiong Zhao
Junxiong Zhao was born in Chongqing, China and trained at the Shanghai East Ballet School in China and The Washington School of Ballet. In 2011, Mr. Zhao joined The Washington Ballet Studio Company, in 2012 he joined Ballet Arizona and in 2014 joined Boston Ballet. Mr. Zhao’s repertoire includes George Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht, Episodes, Western Symphony, The Four Temperaments and Serenade; Alejandro Cerullo's Off screen and Second to last; Ib Andersen's Indigo Rhapsody, Diversions, Topia and Symphonie Classique; Alexei Ratmansky's Le Carnaval des Animaux; as well as La Bayadère, The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet. Mr. Zhao has received many awards including medals at the World Ballet Competition, Cape Town International Ballet Competition, Youth America Grand Prix and Helsinki International Ballet Competition.
Ji Young Chae
Ji Young Chae trained at Seoul Arts High School and Korea National University of Arts. She has performed at the Paris Conservatory Ballet Festival and the International Baltic Ballet Festival Gala.
Ms. Chae was awarded the gold medal at the 2010 USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi and first prize at the 2010 International Ballet Competition Varna in Bulgaria. In 2011, she received the gold medal at the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition in Boston.
Choreographer
Yury Yanowsky
Yury Yanowsky was born in Lyon, France and grew up in Madrid and Las Palmas, Spain. He trained with his parents, Carmen Robles and Anatole Yanowsky and with National Ballet of Cuba. Mr. Yanowsky joined Boston Ballet’s Corps de Ballet in 1993, was promoted to Soloist in 1995, to Principal Dancer in 1999 and Principal Guest Artist in 2014. Mr. Yanowsky’s numerous awards include first prize at the 1992 Prix de Lausanne and the Silver Medal at International Ballet Competition Varna in Bulgaria and Senior Division Silver Medal at the 1994 USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. His Boston Ballet repertoire includes Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, John Cranko’s Onegin, Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake, Jorma Elo’s Carmen, Jiří Kylián’s Sarabande, No More Play and Petite Mort, Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia, William Forsythe’s In the middle, somewhat elevated and George Balanchine’s The Prodigal Son and The Four Temperaments.
The Hamburg Ballet
Christopher Evans
Christopher Evans was born in Loveland, Colorado and studied at The BalletMet Dance Academy, Canada’s National Ballet School and The School of The Hamburg Ballet, Since joining The Hamburg Ballet in 2012, he has performed as Albert in John Neumeier’s version of Giselle, Günther in The Nutcracker, Antonio in Romeo and Juliet and Fabian in VIVALDI or What you Will. His repertoire also includes roles in Préludes CV, Petrushka Variations, Christmas Oratorio I–VI and August Bournonvilles/Lloyd Riggins’ Napoli. In 2010, Mr. Evans was awarded the Prix de Lausanne.
Futaba Ishizaki
Futaba Ishizaki was born in Tokyo and studied at the Rumiko Yamaji Ballet School and at The School of The Hamburg Ballet. In 2009, Ms. Ishizaki was a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne. Since joining The Hamburg Ballet in 2011, she has performed as Helena in Romeo and Juliet, Zulma in Giselle and the Quadrille in Illusions like Swan Lake. In 2014, Ms. Ishizaki created the role of one of the Dream Figures in John Neumeier’s Tatjana and danced solo parts in Préludes CV and Petrushka Variations.
Choreographer
Hélias Tur-Dorvault
Hélias Tur-Dorvault’s magnetism to music is the source of his passion for dance. He played the double-bass in the Marseillan Conservatory and took ballet lessons at the same time. During the Prix de Lausanne in 2011, Marianne Kruuse, at that time Pedagogic Director of the School of The Hamburg Ballet invited him to audition for The School. He trained there for two years and graduated in 2013. To Mr. Tur-Dorvault, ballet is a source of happiness and the path to becoming the kind of person he's aspiring to be. And although dance is his main way of expressing anything he wishes to convey, he still uses every opportunity to sit at the piano when he finds himself alone in the room and feels unobserved.
The National Ballet of Canada
Hannah Fischer
Hannah Fischer was born in New York City, New York and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School. She joined The National Ballet of Canada as a RBC Apprentice in 2012 and became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2013. Ms. Fischer’s repertoire includes Petal in Cinderella and the female lead in Carousel (A Dance) as well as roles in Swan Lake, Onegin, The Nutcracker, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Nijinsky, Manon and Opus 19/The Dreamer. In 2013, Ms. Fischer received the RBC Emerging Artist Apprentice Award.
Hannah Fischer is sponsored through Dancers First by Judy & Bella Matthews.
Ethan Watts
Ethan Watts was born in San Francisco, California and trained at the San Francisco Ballet School and at The Academy of Ballet San Francisco in California. He joined The National Ballet of Canada as a RBC Apprentice in 2013 and became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2014. Mr. Watts’ repertoire includes the male lead in Carousel (A Dance) as well as roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Nijinsky, Manon and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Ethan Watts is sponsored through Dancers First by Robbie J. Pryde.
Choreographer
Robert Binet
A native of Toronto and a graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School, Robert Binet began to choreograph while still a student, creating numerous works and representing his alma mater at the Assemblée Internationale 2009, a festival marking the school’s 50th anniversary. In 2010, Mr. Binet received the Peter Dwyer Award from the Canada Council for the Arts, awarded annually to promising students. Mr. Binet has created ballets for The National Ballet of Canada’s 2010 and 2012 Choreographic Labs, the company’s YOU dance programme in 2011 and 2012, and for the company’s 60th Diamond Anniversary Gala in 2012. He has also created a work for the New York Choreographic Institute at New York City Ballet and in 2012, he premiered his first full-evening work, Die schöne Müllerin, for the German National Youth Ballet, second company of The Hamburg Ballet. From 2012 to 2013, he was the first-ever Choreographic Apprentice with The Royal Ballet, which led to his creating works for that company as well as for Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor’s company Wayne McGregor|Random Dance. He has also choreographed works for the Estonian National Ballet and Ballet Black. In 2013, Mr. Binet was named Choreographic Associate at the National Ballet.
The Royal Danish Ballet
Sebastian Haynes
Sebastian Haynes was an Apprentice with The Royal Danish Ballet in 2011 and joined the Corps de Ballet in 2013 season. Mr. Haynes repertoire includes Des Grieux in The Lady of the Camellias as well as roles in The Flower Festival in Genzano, Chroma, Etudes and Bournonville Fantasy. In 2013, he received the Talent prize from The Friends of The Ballet and was awarded Queen Ingrid's Honorable Award in 2014
Stephanie Chen Gundorph Møller
Stephanie Chen Gundorph Møller studied at The Royal Danish Ballet School, joined The Royal Danish Ballet as an Apprentice in 2010 and became a member of the Corps de Ballet dancer in 2012. Her repertoire includes Eleonora in The Kermesse de Bruges, Olympia in The Lady of Camellias, Three Shadows in La Bayadère, Coffee in The Nutcracker as well as soloist roles in Agon and Chroma. Her repertoire also includes Stolen Spring, Napoli, A Folk Tale and Etudes.
Choreographer
Alban Lendorf
Alban Lendorf joined The Royal Danish Ballet as an Apprentice in 2006, became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2008, a Soloist in 2010 and in 2011 was promoted to Principal Dancer. Mr. Lendorf’s repertoire includes Apollo in George Balanchine’s Apollo, Armand in Lady of the Camellias, James in La Sylphide, Des Grieux in Manon, Prince Desiré in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, The Prince in The Nutcracker, Basilio in Don Quixote, Gennaro in Napoli, Solor in La Bayadére, Carelis in Kermesse in Bruges, Sid in Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, Franz in Coppélia and The Lead in Donizetti Variations. His repertoire also includes Agon, Romeo & Juliet, Napoli, A Folk Tale, La Sonnambula and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Roles that were created on him include Iago in Othello by Louise Midjord and Prince Guidon in Alexei Ratmansky's The Golden Cockerel as well as roles in Eidolon by Kim Brandstup, An Elegy for Us by Iain Rowe, Bournonville Variations by Thomas Lund and Unraveling by Stephen DeLattre. Mr. Lendorf has guested with English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and the Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet Theatre and is the recipient of many awards including Best Male Dancer at Prix Benois de la Danse in 2013.
San Francisco Ballet
Carlo Di Lanno
Carlo Di Lanno was born in Naples, Italy and trained at Teatro alla Scala Ballet School. He danced with Teatro alla Scala and Staatsballett Berlin before joining San Francisco Ballet as a Soloist in 2014. At age 20, Di Lanno made his debut as Siegfried in Rudolf Nureyev’s Swan Lake, partnering Polina Semionova and danced Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH with Svetlana Zakharova. Mr. Di Lanno has performed principal or featured roles in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Diamonds and Theme and Variations, Jungermann in Boris Eifman’s Tchaikovsky and Basilio in Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote. He has also danced in Ugo Dell’Ara’s Excelsior, Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, Roland Petit’s Pink Floyd Ballet, Alexei Ratmansky’s Russian Seasons and Sergei Vikharev’s Raymonda.
Wan Ting Zhao
Born in Anshan-Liaoning, China, Wan Ting Zhao trained at Beijing Dance Academy, The Rock School for Dance Education and San Francisco Ballet School prior to joining San Francisco Ballet in 2011. Ms. Zhao has danced featured roles in Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker, Serge Lifar’s Suite en Blanc, Rudolf Nureyev’s Raymonda and Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella. Her repertoire also includes Helgi Tomasson’s Giselle, Romeo & Juliet, Criss-Cross and Trio, Helgi Tomasson/Yuri Possokhov’s Don Quixote, John Cranko’s Onegin, George Balanchine’s Coppélia, Divertimento No. 15, The Four Temperaments and Scotch Symphony, Michel Fokine’s Petrouchka, Edwaard Liang’s Symphonic Dances, Wayne McGregor’s Borderlands, Ashley Page’s Guide to Strange Places, Alexei Ratmansky’s From Foreign Lands and Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces. Ms. Zhao was awarded the silver medal at the 2010 Youth America Grand Prix.
Choreographer
Myles Thatcher
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Myles Thatcher trained at The Harid Conservatory, Ellison Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. Mr. Thatcher joined San Francisco Ballet as an Apprentice in 2009 and became a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2010. Mr. Thatcher’s repertoire includes Gamache in Yuri Possokhov’s Don Quixote, Lensky in John Cranko’s Onegin, Wilfred in Helgi Tomasson’s Giselle, Benjamin in Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella, George Balanchine’s Symphony in C and Symphony in Three Movements, Oswald in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House, Serge Lifar’s Suite en Blanc and Liam Scarlett’s Hummingbird. He created roles in Val Caniparoli’s Tears, Helgi Tomasson’s Caprice and Liam Scarlett’s Hummingbird. Mr. Thatcher was commissioned by Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson to create a ballet for the 2015 Repertory Season. Other choreographic works include In the Passerine’s Clutch for San Francisco Ballet’s 2013 Repertory Season Gala and for San Francisco Ballet School Showcase, Spinae, Stone and Steel and Spectrum. Mr. Thatcher is one of seven artists in the 2014/15 Rolex Mentor & Protégé Arts Initiative, selected by his mentor, American Ballet Theatre Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky.