2011-12 Youth Company Members & Apprentices

Members

Michaela Abel, 16, began dancing at June Taylor’s School of Dance at age four. While there she studied ballet, tap and jazz with June Taylor and Gretta Marchuk and had the opportunity to participate in Royal Academy exams and perform in productions of The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella. Ms. Abel has been dancing with The Portland Ballet for the five years and participated in the 2008-2010 summer ballet intensives, as well as La Boutique Fantasque, annual Spring Concerts and Masters Workshop. She enjoys the positive and professional atmosphere of The Portland Ballet and looks forward to another great year with the youth company.

Samantha Baybado, 15, has been dancing since the age of three. She danced at Contra Costa Ballet in California under the artistic direction of Zola Dishong and Richard Commanck for 11 years. She participated in their summer intensives for a number of years and performed with the school. She has danced in the annual Story of the Nutcracker for four years, in Swan Lake set by Katarina Wester, Mes Enfant, a piece choreographed by Charles Anderson in addition to performing in the yearly student showcase.  Ms. Baybado has also participated in workshops with Charles Anderson’s Company C Contemporary Ballet. Ms. Baybado attended The Portland Ballet’s 2010 summer intensive and this is her second year with TPB. She has performed in La Boutique Fantasque, Swan Lake, And Then choreographed by Rachel Tess, and performed in the academy recital.

Brigit Cheshire, 17, began her ballet training at The Portland Ballet in 2002. Ms. Cheshire has danced in all of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque productions. Brigit has attended The Portland Ballet’s summer intensives from 2006 through 2008 and has participated in the 2008 through 2010 Masters Workshops. She traveled to Connecticut in 2009 to participate in the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts’ Summer Intensive program. While there, she performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. In July 2010, she attended classes at the Centre de Danse du Marais in Paris. Ms. Cheshire attended the 2011 summer intensive at Houston Ballet School. Ms. Cheshire also studies acting.

Henry Cotton, 17, has been dancing since the age of four. He has been with The Portland Ballet since 2003 and performed in La Boutique Fantasque for six years. With the Portland Ballet, he has also danced in Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Flower Festival pas de deux and contemporary ballet pieces by Alexandrous Ballard. He most recently performed a pas de deux from A Midsummer Night's Dream at Fall.Art.Live. He has attended summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet and, most recently, at San Francisco Ballet School.

Peter Deffebach, 18, has been studying ballet for 11 years. With The Portland Ballet, he has performed roles in La Boutique Fantasque, Don Quixote, Stravinsky’s Firebird, Swan Lake, and Giselle, as well as more contemporary works such as Winter Mute and Noesis and Noema, choreographed by Alexandrous Ballard. In addition to summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, Mr. Deffebach has participated in the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s summer intensive, summer intensive with the Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy and, most recently, completed a summer intensive at San Francisco Ballet School.

Marina DiCorcia, 15, started her ballet training at age four in Japan. At 12, she joined The Portland Ballet, where she appeared in La Boutique Fantasque for four years. She has taken part in two company recitals and three Masters Workshops. This past summer she participated in the intensive at The Portland Ballet. Ms. DiCorcia is in the 10th grade at Beaverton’s Arts and Communication Magnet Academy.

Emma Downey, 16, is a senior at Sunset High School. She has been dancing at The Portland Ballet since she was six years old. Ms. Downey recently attended the Miami City Ballet School summer intensive. While there she performed in Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes in the tall regiment. With The Portland Ballet, she has danced in many ballets including La Boutique Fantasque, Etude for Emma, and excerpts from Who Cares?, Swan Lake, C in F and Serenade.

Hope Garcia, 16, is a junior at Camas High School. She has been with The Portland Ballet for two years, where she performed in La Boutique Fantasque 2009 and 2010 as well as the 2010 and 2011 Spring Concerts. Her roles have included Matruska Doll, Can-Can Doll, Etude for Emma corps, And Then, and as a peasant and princess in Swan Lake. She has attended summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, Corella Ballet in Spain and the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts.

Brenna Hughes, 17, is a senior at Lakeridge High School and has been dancing since age three. She began her serious ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy and joined The Portland Ballet in 2004. She performed in TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque for 6 years as well as 3 of TPB’s Spring Concerts and 4 summer intensives. She has also attended summer intensives at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. Ms. Hughes is very involved in theatre and choir performances at Lakeridge High School and is currently a member of Lakeridge’s show choir, “Company”.

Madison Jones, 16, has been dancing for eight years. She began her training at School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, where she danced for three years before coming to The Portland Ballet. In the summers of 2010 and 2011, Ms. Jones studied at Ballet West in Salt Lake City. In the summer of 2009 she studied in Torrington, Connecticut with the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. She is a sophomore at Wilson High School.

Aleksa Kostur, 15, has been dancing for 12 years. Ms. Kostur began classical ballet with Tracy Edwards at the Multnomah Arts Center before transferring to Mittleman Jewish Community Center to pursue competitive gymnastics. After three years of gymnastics, Ms. Kostur returned to the elegant dance form she loves best to devote her full attention to classical ballet. In addition to a summer intensive at the Center for Movement Arts, Ms. Kostur has attended three summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, and has performed in three productions of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque. After performing as a youth company apprentice in the 2011 Spring Concert, Ms. Kostur is looking forward to her first year as a full youth company member.

Emi Lee, 17, has been dancing since age four. She began her ballet training at the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre before joining The Portland Ballet in 2008. Ms. Lee had attended summer intensives at both schools and participated in The Portland Ballet’s masters workshop 2010. She has also performed in Oregon Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker, TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque as well as their annual school performances. In addition to ballet, Ms. Lee enjoys hula dancing, swing dancing and singing. This past summer she attended Long Beach Ballet’s Ambassadors to China.

Charlotte Logeais, 15, was born in Paris, France and moved to the United States at age two. She began her ballet training at nine with the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre where she studied for two years. This is her fourth year with The Portland Ballet. She has attended two summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, one at Ballet West in Utah and in summer 2011 attended The School of American Ballet intensive in New York.

Caroline MacDonald, 18, has been dancing for 10 years, this being her fourth year at The Portland Ballet. She has performed roles in TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque, Don Quixote, Pas de Quatre, Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie, Serenade, and Who Cares?, Le Corsaire, Paquita and Etudes. Ms. MacDonald has participated in The Portland Ballet’s Masters Workshop for the past three years. In addition to ballet, Ms. MacDonald enjoys many other styles of dance and is a senior at Beaverton’s Arts and Communications Magnet Academy, where she has danced since sixth grade. She has attended summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and most recently, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.

Dori Pollard, 16, has been dancing since she was four. She began her training with The Portland Ballet in early 2009. Ms. Pollard has performed in TPB’s 2009 and 2010 productions of La Boutique Fantasque as well as The Portland Ballet’s youth company spring performances. Before coming to The Portland Ballet, Ms. Pollard performed with the Vancouver Dance Theatre in their annual productions of The Nutcracker, as well as their various spring programs. Ms. Pollard has attended the summer intensive program at The Portland Ballet for the last three years, as well as The Portland Ballet’s 2010 and 2011 Masters Workshops.

Merritt Rosen, 16, is a junior at Westview High School. She began her training with Portland Community Ballet and moved to The Portland Ballet in 2006. She has participated in many of The Portland Ballet’s performances including La Boutique Fantasque and Swan Lake. Last summer she attended the Miami City Ballet summer intensive as well as The Portland Ballet’s Masters Workshop

Veronika Selivanova, 15, began dancing at Washington State Ballet at age nine. While she was at WSB she performed in many ballets including Clara in Nutcracker. At the age of eleven she went the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, where she studied for two years. Since then, she studied in Russia at the Vaganova Ballet Academy. She also participated in many summer intensives such as SOBT, Harrid Conservatory, Kirov Academy in Washington DC and the Rock School. She is very excited to join The Portland Ballet this year.

Natalie Ward, 14, has studied and performed tap, jazz and ballet at da Vinci Middle School and Elite Dance Studio. This is Ms. Ward’s second year with the youth company and as a curriculum student of The Portland Ballet. She has performed in TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque and the 2011 Spring Concert. During summer 2011, Ms. Ward trained and performed at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and participated in Masters Workshops at Northwest Dance Project and The Portland Ballet. Ms. Ward also trained at Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet in San Francisco during summer 2010. She is a freshman at Lincoln High School.

Apprentices

Amelia Carroll, 14, is a freshman at Madison High School. She began dancing at The Portland Ballet when she was five. She danced in five productions of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque with roles ranging from Lost Girl to Matruska Doll. Ms. Carroll has participated in The Portland Ballet’s summer intensive as well as the Ballet West Academy summer intensive in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is looking forward to her first year as youth company apprentice.

Delphine Chang, 13, began dancing at the age of three with the Kaohsiung City Ballet, Taiwan. After moving to Portland, she continued her studies with The Portland Ballet. She has performed in TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque for the past six years in a variety of roles ranging from a Russian Child to French Poodle. Ms. Chang has participated in the summer ballet intensives for the past three years and studied at Utah’s Ballet West 2011 summer intensive, where she learned variations from Tarantella and Coppelia, as well as choreography, hip hop, Irish dance and jazz. She also studies hip hop at BodyVox Dance. Ms. Chang is an 8th grader at Cedarwood Waldorf School. She also enjoys playing the cello and saxophone as well as surfing, horseback riding and basketball.

Cleo Forman, 12, is in 7th grade at Access Academy. She has been dancing for nine years, seven of them with The Portland Ballet. Ms. Forman has performed in six productions of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque. She has attended four summer intensives at Westside Ballet in Santa Monica.

Juliet Forman, 14, loves to dance and started studying ballet at age three with The Portland Ballet. She returned to TPB in 2004, and has performed in six consecutive productions of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque, dancing many roles, most recently a Can-Can doll. She also performed in the TPB’s 2011 Spring Concert. She has participated in four summer intensives at Santa Monica’s Westside Ballet, directed by former New York City Ballet principal Yvonne Mounsey. There, Ms. Forman performed excerpts from Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, La Bayadere, and Coppelia, as well as two original pieces choreographed by Melissa Barak, and,last summer, studied under guest teachers Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz, both principal dancers at New York City Ballet. Ms. Forman is currently in 10th grade at Lincoln High School.

Annie Garcia, 14, is a freshman at Camas High School. She began dancing at age three. Ms. Garcia has been a student at Evergreen Dance Academy and most recently with the Vancouver City Ballet in Vancouver, WA. She has performed with the Vancouver Dance Theater in performances of The Nutcracker, as well as many of their spring shows. She has spent the last three summers at The Portland Ballet summer intensive and is thrilled to be an apprentice with TPB’s youth company.

Finn Henell,13, a seventh-grader at Robert Gray Middle School, Mr. Henell is in his sixth year of study at The Portland Ballet. He performed Pinocchio in The Portland Ballet’s 2010 La Boutique Fantasque and danced in the 2011 Spring Concert. He has attended summer intensives with The Portland Ballet and The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts. Mr. Henell also plays trombone in his school band and the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra and sings with the Pacific Youth Choir

Elizabeth Kokes, 14, is a freshman at Grant High School and has been dancing for 11 years. This is her third year with The Portland Ballet. Previously she danced at Oregon Ballet Theatre and Center for Movement Arts. She has performed in the last two productions of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque and participated in TPB’s 2010 and 2011 summer intensives. This is Ms. Kokes’ first year as a youth company apprentice.

Nina Kostur, 16, has been dancing for 11 years. She began her training with Tracy Edwards at the Multnomah Arts Center and continued at the Pacific Artists Dance Center. Ms Kostur took a brief break from ballet to pursue competitive gymnastics. She returned to ballet in 2008 and has attended three summer intensives at The Portland Ballet. In addition to participating in curriculum classes, Ms. Kostur has danced in three productions of TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque and is looking forward to the performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In addition to ballet, Ms. Kostur performs other types of dance at the Northwest Academy where she attends high school.

Zach Lyski, 14, has been dancing for four years. He started dancing at Beaverton’s Arts and Communications Magnet Academy when he was eleven and has danced for two years with The Portland Ballet. His favorite dance style is ballet and he also enjoys acrobatics, gymnastics and jazz. Last year, he danced the role of Card King in TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque.

Lucas Pitts, 14, has previously danced at Portland Metro, School of Oregon Ballet Theatre and da Vinci Arts Middle School. He has danced in The Nutcracker, annual school performances and da Vinci dance concerts. In his first year at The Portland Ballet, Mr. Pitts performed in La Boutique Fantasque and Swan Lake. Mr. Pitts attends Metropolitan Learning Center and Jefferson High School.

Kerridwyn Schanck, 13, began ballet at age three. She started at The Portland Ballet at six, and has continued in the curriculum ballet program since then. She danced in TPB’s La Boutique Fantasque production for six years, most recently as a Toy Soldier Girl. This past summer, Ms. Schanck attended the Houston Ballet Summer Intensive and The Portland Ballet Master's Workshop. In past summers, she has attended summer intensives at The Portland Ballet, and Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. Ms. Schanck plans to pursue a career in professional ballet.

Symara Williams, 17, previously attended the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre where she danced for five years. With OBT, she performed in Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, Dr. da Vinci's Underwater Adventure and annual school performances. She has participated in four summer intensives at OBT. Ms. Williams has spent the last year at The Portland Ballet and performed in Swan Lake, Rachel Tess' And Then and the academy recital. She is very excited about joining The Portland Ballet's Youth Company.