Dancers
Alexander Burton
Alexander Burton was born in Vancouver where he started studying dance at Arts Umbrella under the direction of Artemis Gordon. As a member of the Arts Umbrella Dance Company, Alexander danced works by James Kudelka, Aszure Barton, Gioconda Barbuto and John Alleyne, among others. Last season he danced with Ballet BC as an apprentice and this year joins as a full-company member.
Darren Devaney
Darren Devaney was born in Edmonton where he began dance at a young age. After graduating from Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts, he attended the Boston Conservatory where, among others, he performed the works of Tudor, Limon and Sokolow. Since receiving his BFA, he has danced with Robert Moses’ Kin, Zhukov Dance Theater and Alberta Ballet. This past season, he was a guest artist with Ballet BC and will return this fall as a full company member.
Dario Dinuzzi
Before his career as a
professional dancer, Dario Giuseppe Dinuzzi was performing as a juggler and flame-spitter in southern Italy. Immediately
after his dance studies Dario Dinuzzi joined the Astra Roma Ballet and the junior company of Balletto di Toscana in Florence.
As a member of Aterballetto he participated in the creations of works by Mauro Bigonzetti and Walter Matteini
as well as the company repertoire (Minus 7, Psappha, Rossini Cards, WAM, Cantata, Serenata, Les Noces,
Omaggio a Bach, etc.). For Les Grands Ballets, he has danced in works by Kim Brandstrup, Stijn Celis, Shen Wei, Mats Ek, Mauro Bigonzetti,
Jean-Cristophe Maillot, Ohad Naharin, and Jiri Kylian. Since joining Ballet BC, Dario has performed in new works
by Emily Molnar, José Navas, Kevin O’Day, Shawn Hounsell, Medhi Walerski, Wen Wei Wang, Serge Bennathan, Gioconda Barbuto, and Jorma Elo.
As a choreographer Dario has presented works in Serata Carta Bianca with Aterballetto, as a part of Otello by Walter
Matteini and for the Junior Arts Umbrella Dance Company. As well he has created for Les Grands Ballets’ annual
choreographic workshop. Dario also follows a passion for teaching and has recently been an adjudicator for the Pacific
West Performing Arts Festival Society. “Dancing everyday reminds
me of who I am.”
Livona Ellis
Vancouver-born Livona Ellis started dancing at the age of 11 at Arts Umbrella under the direction of Artemis Gordon, joining the Arts Umbrella Dance Company soon afterward. Under the guidance of Gordon, Lynn Sheppard, and Emily Molnar, Livona has been fortunate to work with world-renowned artists Aszure Barton, Gioconda Barbuto, and James Kudelka. Recently she was a part of Springboard Danse Montreal and the Movement Invention Project. This is her first year as a full company member of Ballet BC.
Alexis Fletcher
Alexis Fletcher was born in Vancouver and raised in the Comox Valley where she received her early training before attending Arts Umbrella’s Professional Training Program. Alexis was a member of the Arts Umbrella’s student company and attended Springboard Danse Montreal. After graduating in 2005, Alexis joined Ballet BC. Both with the company and independently, she has had the privilege of performing works by John Alleyne, Emily Molnar, Jiri Kylian, Crystal Pite, Dominique Dumais, William Forsythe, Wen Wei Wang, Martha Graham, Rob Kitsos and Sidra Bell, among others. This is in her 7th season with Ballet BC.
Maggie Forgeron
Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Maggie Forgeron graduated from the National Ballet School in 2001 with a personal achievement award. She danced for two years with the National Ballet of Canada; attended three summer programs at the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts; danced with the Veronica Tennant and Anna Pavlova Dance Projects; helped to create a new work with DNA Theatre and taught at the York University School of Dance. Personal highlights include performing in Fokine’s Les Sylphides, James Kudelka’s Nutcracker (lead child role) and Swan Lake as well as John Alleyne’s Four Seasons, Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs and Ballet BC’s production of Septime Webre’s Peter Pan. Most recently she danced in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games and in a collaborative solo project with Margie Gillis called Moon on White Crow. This is Maggie’s 6th Season with Ballet BC. “I dance to become quiet with a greater impact in the world.”
Alyson Fretz
Alyson Fretz was born in London, Ontario. She received her training at Arts Umbrella in Vancouver under the direction of Artemis Gordon. As well as dancing for Ballet BC, she has performed with ProArteDanza in Toronto, Emily Molnar Dance, as well as with Donald Sales in collaboration with Cadence and for the Banff Summer Dance Company where she had the pleasure of dancing a solo from Jiri Kylian’s Toss of a Dice. She is in her 4th season with Ballet BC.
Connor Gnam
Born and raised in the Vancouver area, Connor Gnam completed his professional training at Arts Umbrella. He then spent a season working with Ballet Kelowna, before moving back to Vancouver to join Ballet BC. Personal highlights as a dancer with Ballet BC include performing works by great choreographers such as, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Jorma Elo, Itzik Galili, George Balanchine, Gioconda Barbuto, and Medhi Walerski, among others. Connor is excited to be in his sixth season with Ballet BC. He is also thrilled to be working in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Vancouver, BC.
Daniel Marshalsay
Born and raised in Calgary, Daniel Marshalsay trained at the School of Alberta Ballet and danced with Ballet Kelowna before joining Alberta Ballet.Three years later, he joined Ballet Arizona under the direction of Ib Anderson, dancing soloist and principal roles in works by many choreographers, including Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine, Alejandro Cerrudo, Christopher Wheeldon, Jerome Robbins, Robert Dekkers, Crystal Pite, Gioconda Barbuto and Emily Molnar. Daniel is looking forward to his 1st season with Ballet BC, and continuing to build his artistry. He is thankful for the support and inspiration he gets from his wife and two-year old daughter.
Rachel Meyer
Rachel Meyer grew up in Collinsville, Illinois, trained with St. Louis Ballet and received her BFA at the University of Utah. She danced with Utah Regional Ballet from 2007-2008 and trained at the Northwest Professional Dance Project and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. She joined Dominic Walsh Dance Theater in 2009 and was a guest artist with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal in The Nutcracker. During the summer of 2010 she performed in Li Galli, Italy and in 2011 she danced in the Tate Modern in London with the Michael Clark Company. She was awarded a Princess Grace Award in 2010. This is her 1st season with Ballet BC.
Racheal Prince
Racheal Prince was raised in Wasaga Beach, ON and received her early training at the Quinte Ballet School under the direction of Brian Scott. She attended the School of Alberta Ballet’s Pre Professional Program with Murray and Nancy Kilgour and received the prestigious Ali Pourfarrokh scholarship. Racheal began her professional career with the Alberta Ballet Company where she danced for four years. She is now in her fifth season with Ballet BC. She has performed works by William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Itzik Galili, and Lar Lubovitch among many others. Her performance highlights include George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Rubies, and Serenade, Emily Molnar’s Dedica, Domani in Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs and Jorma Elo’s 1st Flash. In 2009 Racheal performed with Avi Scher and Dancers in New York at Jacob’s Pillow and received outstanding reviews for her role in acclaimed choreographer Val Caniparoli’s Aquilarco. Racheal is looking forward to an exciting season at Ballet BC and working with so many wonderful choreographers.
Donald Sales*
Donald Sales was born in Tulsa Oklahoma and studied at the June Runyon School of Ballet and the school of Dance Theater of Harlem in New York. Donald has had the opportunity to perform works by renowned choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, James Kudelka, Lar Lubovitch, and Agnes de Mille, to name a few. As a choreographer, he has created many works on Art Umbrella (junior, senior and graduate level), DanceStreams, and Ballet BC. He looks forward to dancing and creating more work with Ballet BC. Currently away, Donald will be performing and touring with Aszure Barton and Artists as well as brainstorming more works for the future including a creation with world renowned Aszure Barton for an evening he’s presenting in Chutzpah 2012 with Cherice Barton. He’s looking forward to seeing you all in February.
Gilbert Small
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Gilbert Small started his professional ballet training at the age of 10 at the Baltimore School for the Arts. He has studied at various summer programs, including Dance Theater of Harlem, Nutmeg Conservatory, Miami City Ballet, American Ballet Theater and Springboard Danse Montreal. After graduating from The Baltimore School for the Arts, he continued his studies at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. Gilbert has also studied abroad at the Hogeschool voor Muziek en Dans in Rotterdam, Holland. While attending the Rotterdamse Danseacademie, he performed an excerpt from Jiri Kylian’s, Wings of Wax in the Hollands Dans Festival. Gilbert has also performed with Toronto based ProArteDanza.
Peter Smida
A native of Kingston, Ontario, Peter began his professional ballet training at the age of 16 at the
Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Having studied there with the support of scholarships, including the
Paddy Stone Scholarship for Choreography, he graduated in 2007 before joining the aspirant program.
Prior to joining Ballet BC, he performed with the RWB and Ballet Victoria. In his professional career,
Peter has had the pleasure of performing works by choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, John Alleyne,
Emily Molnar, Crystal Pite and Itzik Galili. Performance highlights include Jorma Elo’s 1st Flash,
Medhi Walerski’s Petite Cérémonie and Donald Sales’ Moth. In addition to his work with Ballet BC,
Peter performed in the the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies and at the Banff Summer Arts
Festival where he performed excerpts from three works by Jiri Kylian and a new creation by Kevin O’Day.
Peter is very excited for his 4th season with Ballet BC and would like to thank his family for their
incredible and constant support.
Makaila Wallace
A Canadian born in Vallejo, California, Makaila Wallace started professional dance training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet school at age 14 and in the summers attended two Bolshoi Ballet summer programs. She danced with the RWB as an apprentice touring nationally and internationally before moving to Stockholm, Sweden, to join the Royal Swedish Ballet for two years. Returning to Canada, she joined Ballet BC where she is now in her ninth season. Her personal career highlights include the duet from William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman, as well as works by choreographers Crystal Pite, Itzik Galili, Serge Bennathan, John Alleyne, Dominique Dumais, Wen Wei Wang and Jiri Kylian, among others. In the summer of 2009 she had the opportunity to work with Roberto Campanella and Robert Glumbek (ProArteDanza) and taught the modern program at the Okanagan Summer Dane intensive in Kelowna. In the winter of 2010 she danced in the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Makaila would like to thank her friends and family for their unconditional support and is looking forward to another exciting year with Ballet BC. “Life is the dancer and we are the dance” — E. Tolle
Apprentices
Chisato Ide
Born in Shizuoka, Japan, Chisato Ide received her early dance training in Japan before joining Arts Umbrella’s dance program in Vancouver under the direction of Artemis Gordon and Lynn Sheppard. She has worked with such renowned choreographers as Gioconda Barbuto, Roberto Campanella, James Kudelka, Andrea Miller, Emily Molnar, Donald Sales and Lesley Telford, and is very excited to be starting her apprenticeship with Ballet BC.
Andrea Pena
Originally from
Bogota, Colombia, Andrea Pena began training in classical ballet at Ballet Anna Pavlova, continued studying
in Vancouver with ProArte and graduated from Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet Professional Training Program in
San Francisco. She also trained with American Ballet Theatre, Cuban National Ballet, Rome Opera and
Toronto Dance Theatre. She has performed in La Bayadère, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty,
Two Towers and The Dali Dreams. She recently worked with Vancouver City Dance Theatre and has worked
with choreographers Alonzo King, Christopher House, Yannis Adoniou, Warren Conover, Beverly Baggs,
and Greg Dawson.
Jed Duifhuis
Jed Duifhuis was born in Vancouver and trained at Arts Umbrella under Artemis Gordon and in the Boys Only class under Edmond Kilpatrick. As a member of the Arts Umbrella Dance Company, he danced works by Gioconda Barbuto, Serge Bennathan, Roberto Campanella, Shawn Hounsell, Rob Kitsos, James Kudelka, Joe Laughlin, Emily Molnar, Lesley Telford, Donald Sales and Ronald Wintjens. On an Arts Umbrella tour to the Netherlands in 2011, he worked with Noord Nederlandse Dans and members of Netherlands Dance Theatre. He is a member of the first graduating class of Arts Umbrella’s two year Dance Diploma program and recently completed choreography for the Arts Umbrella Youth Summer Theatre Intensive project.
Photos: Michael Slobodian