COMPANY

Vincent Brewer, from Great Barrington, MA, trained at the Cantarella School of Dance and earned a B.S. in Ballet and Religious Studies from Indiana University. He has danced with Festival Ballet Providence, Oakland Ballet, and Albany Berkshire Ballet. He has danced in ABB’s productions of Phillip Jerry’s Our Town, Mary Giannone Talmi’s Spindown, and Madeline Cantarella Culpo’s The Nutcracker. He’s thrilled to be dancing in ABB’s production of The Nutcracker!

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[Slippers & tights sponsored by Reba Architzel]

Marie Buser began at the School of the Albany Berkshire Ballet earning her BFA at the Conservatory of Music and Dance at University of Missouri-Kansas City. She performed with the Kansas City Ballet and Alonzo King Lines Ballet School. Marie went on to dance with Los Angeles’ American Contemporary Ballet as a founding company member, and then joined Ballet Quad Cities. Most recently, Lyon’s Dance Four Piano, performed alongside Grammy winning pianist Emmanuel Ax. Marie is thrilled to return to Albany Berkshire Ballet.

 

[Pointe shoes sponsored by Wildcat Productions]

Kathryn Galimi is a New York City based dancer who began her training in Syracuse with Ballet and Dance of Upstate New York under the direction of Kathleen Rathbun. There she was able to perform soloist roles with Syracuse City Ballet and Flower City Ballet. She continued her training at Mercyhurst University under the direction of Tauna Hunter. There Kathryn appeared in Concerto Barocco under the direction of Nilas Martins of New York City Ballet and in Waldstien Sonata under the direction Daniel Lewis and Nancy Jordan of the José Limon Foundation. She also performed with the Lake Erie Ballet and Somar Dance Works. Since graduation, Kathryn has appeared in works by Ryan Daniel Beck as well as a performance of Goldilocks the Musical at the 92nd Street Y.

 

[Pointe shoes sponsored by Amanda Torelli]

Elizabeth Joan Hite from Albany, New York began her dance training with ABB under Madeline Cantarella Culpo and was part of the Nutcracker Tour with the Albany Berkshire Ballet. She has attended summer intensives at Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Charlotte Ballet, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Supported by dance and academic scholarships, she earned her B.F.A. in Dance at Mercyhurst University.  Elizabeth has danced professionally with Charlottesville Ballet, SoMar Dance Works, Lake Erie Ballet, Ballet Concerto, and Island Moving Company. Extremely excited to be back on tour with the Nutcracker!

 

[Pointe shoes sponsored by Cookies By Bridget]

Allegra Holland first stood at the ballet barre when she was ten years old. Growing up in St. Louis Missouri and later taking scholarships with Joffrey NY and Ballet West. Ms. Holland has danced professionally with City Ballet of San Diego, Lexington Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet and Ballet Quad Cities. Some of her favorite roles have been Mina in Dracula, Balanchine’s Rubies and Winter Fairy in Cinderella. This is Allegra’s first production with ABB and she is thrilled to be working with these talented artists!
 

[Pointe shoes sponsored by Ken Gibson & Sara Clement]

Jai Mason received his core training at the Decker School of Ballet/Fokine Ballet Company. While dancing with Fokine Ballet he appeared in such works as The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, Etudes, Stars and Stripes, and Sleeping Beauty. Jai attended the Rod Serling School of Fine Arts completing his International Baccalaureate degree in both Dance and Theatre.

 

[Slippers & tights sponsored by Melbourne Place]

Lisa Iannacito McBride is a graduate of the School of the Albany Berkshire Ballet who received her BFA from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. She performed in New York City with numerous companies including Lydia Johnson Dance, Dances Patrelle, and Riedel Dance Theater, where she also served as Associate Artistic Director. She rejoined ABB in 2015, reprising her many Nutcracker roles and dancing Madeline Culpo’s Rockwell Suites. She has been on faculty at Pace University, Ballet Academy East, The Mark Morris Dance Center, and the New York State Summer School for the Arts.
 

[Pointe shoes sponsored by Cindy Rzonca]

Kerry Piaggione is a graduate of the School of The Albany Berkshire Ballet and has performed extensively with their professional company in The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Mother Goose, and Madeline Cantarella Culpo’s Girl at the Mirror. She recently performed the role of Juliet for SPAC’s Classical Kids program, promoting classical dance in local schools. Ms. Piaggione minored in Dance at Hofstra University and holds an MA in Teaching from Union College. Ms. Piaggione teaches at the school and assists in rehearsals for both The Nutcracker and the school’s annual recital.

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[Pointe shoes sponsored in honor of “Springfield Claras & Their 2019 Cast”]

Ruslan Sprague has been dancing with the ABB since he was three, cast as the changeling in their production of A Midsummer Nights Dream in ’93 all the way up to the Snow Prince in their annual production of The Nutcracker. Ruslan also studied with Darrell Puciarello from the Metroploitan Opera Ballet and attended several dance programs with Boston Ballet, as well as their choreographic workshop under the teachings of Helen Pickett and Jorma Elo. After dancing with Ballet West in Salt Lake City Utah, Ruslan has returned to the Berkshires.
 

[Slippers & tights sponsored by Christopher Amato]

Danielle Troyano is from Long Island, New York. Her professional career started at age 19 with Montgomery Ballet under direction of Darren McIntyre. In addition, she has worked with the Albany Berkshire Ballet for two seasons, dancing in Paula Weber’s “Carmina Burana” as well as the roles of Sugar Plum and Dew Drop in ABB’s annual Nutcracker tour.   Since joining Ballet Idaho in 2015 under Peter Anastos, Danielle has had many wonderful performing opportunities. Some highlights include: Twyla Tharp’s “Nine Sinatra Songs,” Pas De Trois and Lead Czardas in Anastos’ “Swan Lake,” as well as Balanchine roles such as the demi-soloist in “Agon,” “Concerto Barocco,” “Valse Fantasie,” and “Allegro Brilliant.”

 

[Pointe shoes sponsored by Karen Border]