Ceasar F. Barajas (jazz) (SAG, EMC) is a courageous and spiritual warrior in life and a multiple threat performer with Dancer, Singer, Actor, Dance & Fight Choreographer, Educator, and Modeling credits. Selected credits: DANCER-New Years Eve Extravaganza at the Bellagio Hotel (Las Vegas) w/ Kevin & Marcel Wilson, American Music Awards (Jennifer Lopez), “Mobbed”-FOX TV pilot with NappyTabs, Various recording artists. CHOREOGRAPHER-Young!Tanzsommer, The Donkey Show, Bud Light National INVASION Tour, World Premieres of Forbidden Zone: Live in the 6th Dimension, Watson and Siamese Sex Show (Los Angeles), Music video for artist Jon Huertas. EDUCATOR- Tanzsommer and TanzAcademy Workshops (Innsbruck, Austria), CircuitWorks LA, Guest Artist/Teacher at various studios across the United States. THEATER (Regional)- Miss Saigon, The King and I, Three Penny Opera, West Side Story, Urban Cowboy. FILM- Brothers (starring Tobey Maguire), Crazy On the Outside (Directed by Tim Allen), Like Grains of Sand, Hog’s Tooth. TV- CSI, CSI: Miami, Weeds. COMMERCIALS: Chrysler, Reliant Energy, Comcast Cable, Time Warner Cable, Bank of America. Check out Ceasar’s full resume and credits at www.imdb.me/ceasarfbarajas
Gil Boggs, (ballet), artistic director of Colorado Ballet, began his dance career with the Atlanta Ballet. He joined American Ballet Theater in New York in 1982 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1991. Boggs was a member of the company for 17 years. Boggs also performed with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, Baryshnikov and Company, Nureyev and Friends, and made several guest appearances around the world. During his career with ABT, he was recognized as both an accomplished virtuoso and one of the company’s most popular performers. Throughout his career, Boggs has worked with such noted choreographers as Agnes de Mille, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Jerome Robbins and Merce Cunningham and has an extensive performance repertoire of both classical and contemporary works. He has staged ballets for ABT, Twyla Tharp and Royal Birmingham Ballet in England.
Sylvie Guillaumin-Mesnier (ballet) was born in France and trained by artists Nina Viroubova, Josette Amiel, and Gilbert Mayer at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. At age 16 she joined the company becoming a Soloist in 1983. In 1984, she won a Bronze Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, Finland and joined Northern Ballet Theatre in Manchester, England as a principal. In 1987, she moved to the US as Principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, WA.
Guillaumin-Mesnier ’s repertoire included every major leading classical role, many Balanchine and Robbins works, ballets by Anthony Tudor, Paul Taylor, Glen Tetley, Maurice Béjart, Juliet in Kent Stowell’s Romeo and Juliet and many more.
Since her retirement from stage, Guillaumin-Mesnier has dedicated her life to coaching aspiring dancers, sharing her love and passion for ballet. She teaches repertoire and technique, specializing in competition coaching. Her masterful experience allows her to help dancers of all ages reveal themselves. Sylvie Guillaumin-Mesnier is co-founder with husband Michel of Harmonie Knitwear. Today, she designs apparel at Gaynor Minden, dedicating her time and energy to create beautiful garments and demonstrating the benefits of the pointe shoes, explaining how it helps beginners and professionals alike and how much it serves the art of ballet.
Joe Istre’s (jazz) unique approach to teaching combined with his understanding of the art keeps him in demand all over the country. He has danced in such shows as 42nd St, Chess, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and was part of the Dirty Dancing Tour. Istre assisted with London’s West End show Hot Mikado in London, the Tony nominated Broadway show Ain’t Broadway Grand, and the German version of Beauty and the Beast. Istre has taught at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson Mississippi. His piece Come Together was chosen and placed on the National Arts Choreography Plan. Joe was also chosen as a finalist in the Leo Jazz dance competition and his choreography won a soloist the bronze medal at the Helsinki ballet competition. Most recently Istre workshopped the show Contact for Lincoln Center choreographed by Susan Stroman. Istre has choreographed shows for HBO, Midas Muffler, American Express, and Merle Norman Cosmetics. He teaches for many universities, dance companies, and conventions throughout the U.S. as well as at home in the New York area. Joe also has his own series of dance instructional videos that he sells at his site, www.joeistre.com
Riolama Lorenzo (ballet), originally from Havana, Cuba, began her ballet training with her mother, Maria Eugenia Lorenzo, and at the Martha Mahr School of Ballet. At age 14, Ms. Lorenzo was chosen to study at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida. In 1993, Ms. Lorenzo was the recipient of the renowned Princess Grace Award and continued her dance training at New York City Ballet’s prestigious School of American Ballet. She became an Apprentice with New York City Ballet in 1984 and joined the company in spring 1995.
While dancing with New York City Ballet, Ms. Lorenzo appeared in countless works in the company’s vast repertoire, including ballets by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Robert LaFosse, Garth Fagan, and Elliot Feld. Ms. Lorenzo joined Pennsylvania Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in September 2002, was promoted to Soloist in September 2003 and to Principal in March 2005. Her featured roles in the classical repertoire include Odette/Odile in Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake, Sugarplum Fairy in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, and the title roles in Giselle, Cinderella, and James Kudelka’s The Firebird. She also danced leading roles in works by Paul Taylor, Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Peter Martins and many others. Ms. Lorenzo also became a mother in August 2007 with the birth of her son Sebastian.
Katie Lydon was born in Berkeley, California and began ballet and movement classes at the age of three. Her professional training includes American Ballet Theatre’s School of Classical Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. She danced with San Francisco Ballet for five years before joining American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in 1995. Her repertoire with ABT includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, the pas d’action in La Bayadère, the Spring Fairy in Cinderella, Prayer in Coppélia, Zulma in Giselle, and The Rancher’s Daughter in Rodeo.
Lydon’s teaching credits include American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive programs in New York and Bermuda, ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and ABT’s Ballet for the Young Dancer program in Greenwich, CT. In late September 2008, she taught a professional development workshop at New York City Center’s Fall for Dance program. Lydon is currently and Editor-in-Chief of Dance Spirit Magazine.
Troy Powell (modern), a native New Yorker, began his dance training at the age of nine at The Ailey School. Following his graduation from The High School of Performing Arts, he became a member of Ailey II. Mr. Powell joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1991. He toured throughout the United States, South America, Europe and South Africa for ten years before becoming a master teacher at The Ailey School and resident choreographer of Ailey II. Mr. Powell has choreographed ballets for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, National Dance Company of the Bahamas and Alaska Dance Theater, as well as three episodes of “Sesame Street.” His guest artist credits include performing with companies such as Batsheva, Dallas Black Dance Theater and Complexions. Featured in an American Express commercial with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mr. Powell has also appeared on television in George C. Wolfe’s “The Colored Museum,” the PBS Great Performances: Dance In America special A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, choreographed by Judith Jamison, and, most recently, “America’s Next Top Model.”
Gennadi Vostrikov (character) was born in Siberia, Russia and received his early training in Perm where he studied with the renowned ballet teachers Plaht and Asaular. Mr. Vostrikov was awarded the first degree diploma in the Leningrad Ballet Competition joined the Moiseyev Classical Ballet Company upon graduation. While with the Moiseyev Company he was coached by the legendary ballet masters, Igor Moiseyev, Asaff Messerer, and Sulamif Messerer. Mr. Vostrikov defected while on tour in Mexico and joined the Mexico Ballet Company as principal dancer and teacher.
Nicholas Petrov, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre director invited him to join PBT where he performed numerous principal roles in such ballets as Nutcracker, Prince Igor, Rite of Spring, Spectra de la Rose, Carmena Burana, Coppelia, Petrushka, Gopak, Escape, Giselle, Swan Lake, Les Sylphide, Romeo and Juliet, Corsaire Pas de Deux, La Bayadere, and Don Quixote and more.
Mr Vostrikov was a principal with Chicago Ballet under Ruth Page and with Milwaukee Ballet, Jean Paul Comelin director. He was associate professor of dance at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and Shenandoah University, as well as Director of Ballet Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Mr Vostrikov is currently director of the Virginia Youth Ballet and Vostrikov’s Academy of Ballet and a frequent guest teacher with many northeast companies and festivals.
Patricia Wilde, born Patricia Lorrain-Ann White, followed in her sister Nora’s footsteps to become a dancer. She was born in Ottawa, Canada, where she and Nora received their early training from Gwendolyn Osborne. At the age of 13, Patricia came to New York and studied with Dorothy Littlefield at the School of American Ballet. She appeared with the American Concert Ballet, and then joined the Marquis de Cuevas’s Ballet International. She accompanied George Balanchine and a small group of dancers to Mexico City in the summer of 1945 and upon her return to New York City joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Because her sister was already a member of the company she changed her name from White to Wilde. In 1949 Wilde went abroad to study and joined Roland Petit’s company for its Paris season. She was reunited with Balanchine while performing with the English Metropolitan Ballet. She returned to join Balanchine’s New York City Ballet.
Balanchine created many roles for Wilde, including the Highland Girl in Scotch Symphony, the Pas de Trois in Swan Lake, and Glinka Pas de Trois, Square Dance, Waltz-Scherzo, Native Dancers, and Raymonda Variations. In 1965 Wilde left the New York City Ballet and became Director of the new Harkness Ballet School in 1965, taught in Geneva. In 1969 she became company teacher for American Ballet Theatre where she remained until 1982 when she became Director of the Pittsburgh Ballet. She is still associated with the company as an advisor to Terry Orr, who is now the Director.
Anastasia Wovchko, (ballet), Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, PBTS Principal of the Children’s Division received her early training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and spent her summers in New York attending the School of American Ballet. Anastasia formerly danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has been teaching for over 20 years. Ms. Wovchko assumed duties of the Children’s Division Principal of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School in September 2005.
Musicians
Alexandria “Sandy” Ball began her dance accompanying while a Piano Performance major at Mercyhurst College in 1975. Upon arriving in Pittsburgh in 1977, Sandy joined the staff of Point Park Dance Department and went on to not only accompany ballet, but modern, jazz, character, folk, tap, historical dance styles, voice, and musical theatre foundations classes. As Coordinator of Accompanists at Point Park, Sandy has overseen the development of the professional accompanist staff from five members in 1977 to twenty four in 2011. Along the way, Sandy has accompanied and performed with a great many ballet and modern companies and schools in the Pittsburgh area. In 2008, Sandy completed a graduate degree at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, the Master in Music in Dance Accompanying.
Yoland Collin, a native of Belgium, began his musical training at the Académie de Musique in Hannut where he later served as a piano instructor and accompanist. In 1998, Mr. Collin graduated from the Conservatoire Royal de Musique in Liège with a Diplôme Supérieur in Piano and Premiers Prix in Chamber Music, Accompaniment, Solfège and Harmony. In 1991, he was awarded Premier Lauréat of the “Concours National du Crédit Communal de Belgique” competition.
Mr. Collin relocated to Pittsburgh, his wife’s hometown, and joined the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Staff in November of 1998 before being appointed Company Pianist in July of 2003. He also serves as the Principal Pianist for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Mr. Collin has performed in numerous PBT productions as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra keyboardist. He has been invited to play for such companies as the Houston Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada and has had the pleasure of working with numerous recognized choreographers, repetiteurs and teachers such as Francia Russell, Stanton Welch, Ben Stevenson, Magdalena Popa, and Dwight Rhoden. Mr.Collin has been a regular on the roster of RDA accompanists since 2006.
Dan Dausch, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, pianist.
Ian Green has been accompanying modern dance classes for a variety of companies since he began working with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre five years ago. For First Night 2009, he performed solo with the PBT school an A Contratempo piece choreographed by Luis Fuentes. In March 2010 he performed with Attack Theatre for an improvisational journey entitled, Assemble This. A dynamic and expressive drummer, his palette of experience is ever-growing; from Country to Funk, World Music to Punk Ian feels at home with most forms of music. He plays with Slim Cessna, the Carl Black Trio, the Real Silk Band, and the Mavens. He is also an accomplished visual artist.
Steven Mitchell is a celebrated figure in dance accompaniment in New York City having accompanied and performed for some of the most recognized dance organizations. Currently he accompanies the School of American Ballet, and was Company Pianist for Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for the first half of their 2010-2011 season.
Steven holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Houghton College, NY, a Master of Music in Piano Performance and a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX. From 1992-1998 he was a Staff Pianist for Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education; while there he performed as soloist and with the ballet orchestra for the Boston Ballet Company. From 2000-2002 he held the position of Company Pianist for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and from 2000 – 2004 he held the keyboard chair for the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra. He was class pianist for the Columbia Pictures film Center Stage, and his music can be heard in the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In New York, he can be found playing Piano I in the pit of the Broadway show, Mary Poppins. His recordings for dance classes and printed music for accompanists can be found at www.danceables.com.
Natasha Musaelyan earned her Master’s Degree in Music with an emphasis in piano performance, pedagogy, accompaniment and chamber music ensemble. For 10 years she taught piano, pedagogy and accompaniment at the College of Music in Azerbaijan. She has accompanied many internationally known ballet teachers, including Laura Alonso, Nadja Tikhonova, Jacques d’Ambroise and Jennifer Gelfand. earned her Master’s Degree in Music with an emphasis in piano performance, pedagogy, accompaniment and chamber music ensemble. For 10 years she taught piano, pedagogy and accompaniment at the College of Music in Azerbaijan. She has accompanied many internationally known ballet teachers, including Laura A
lonso, Nadja Tikhonova, Jacques d’Ambroise and Jennifer Gelfand.
Rob Wood graduated with a degree in music performance from Brigham Young University. He has been company pianist with Ballet West, and in 1991 began working for the Aspen Ballet Company & School as music director and principal pianist. He has been a lecturer and pianist for a variety of workshops including Dance Aspen, Vail International Summer of Dance, Nevada Festival Ballet Summer Workshop, and Ballet West Summer Academy. While at Vail, Rob performed onstage at the Gerald R. Ford Ampitheater for a performance of George Balanchine’s Harlequinade, with Ethan Stiefel of American Ballet Theatre and Margaret Tracy of the New York City Ballet. Rob has recorded ballet class CDs in New York City for the international master teacher, David Howard and a character dance class CD under the direction of Professor Richard Wacko.
Rob is currently musical director and principal pianist for the Utah Regional Ballet as well as adjunct associate professor and Director of Music in the department of ballet at the University of Utah. He has served as music director and guest lecturer for the 2001 Pacific Regional Festival of Regional Dance America, as well as several RDA festivals in 2006. Rob was principal pianist and lecturer with Regional Dance America’s Craft of Choreography Conference 2003 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Rob has been director of music at the National Craft of Choreography Conferences numerous times.
