THE DANCERS

	CORNELIUS BARTLETT, Company member Mr. Bartlett, originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, trained with the Chamber Ballet under Heidi Robitshek, Universal Ballet Academy in Washington D.C. and North Carolina School for the Arts. He began dancing with Virginia Ballet Theatre in 2003. He has since performed as The Prince, Cavalier and Russian in The Nutcracker and the Court Jester in Cinderella. He also appeared in Allegro Brillianté, Serenade and Irish Ode. Other professional affiliations include Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Busch Gardens Tampa, The American Music Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Oakridge Civic Ballet in Tennessee.
	LYDIA ROBERTS COCO, Guest A native of Chesapeake, VA., Mrs. Coco was a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, The Jamison Project, and the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. She has performed over fifty ballets including such works as Revelations, Pas De Duke, Carmina Burana, The River, Episodes and Vespers. Mrs. Coco has worked with numerous famed choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Ulysses Dove, Jerome Robbins, Donald Byrd, George Faison, Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Elisa Monte, Lar Lubovitch. Ms. Coco, the proud mother of three, currently teaches Modern Dance at VBT Academy and is on faculty for VBT's Athlete's for Kids Program; she began dancing with VBT professionally in 2006.
	Duncan Cooper, Guest Growing up with family on both coasts of the United States, Mr. Cooper considers both to have been equal influences to his upbringing, though currently he lives in New York City. Mr. Cooper started dancing at the age of five, when he began taking ballet classes at Richard Thomas' New York School of Ballet. At the age of thirteen, Mr. Cooper received a full scholarship to train at the San Francisco Ballet School. He then became a recipient of the Robert Kirby Scholarship, as well as, the first to receive the Lew Christensen Scholarship for best male dancer. In 1989 he bypassed the obligatory apprenticeship year, where in he was made a full company member with San Francisco Ballet. During his five years with San Francisco Ballet, Mr. Cooper danced a wide range of the repertoire. From 1995-2004, Mr. Cooper was a Principle Dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, where he danced leading roles in such ballets as Balanchine's Apollo, Prodigal Son, Agon, Allegro Brilliante; Albrecht in Creo, Giselle; Robbins' Fancy Free; Holders Dougla and Firebird, Ashton's Thais pas de Deux; Glenn Tetley's Sphinx and Dialogues; Smuin's A Song For Dead Warriors and St. Louis Blues. Notable guest appearances have included being invited to dance leading roles in Stars and Stripes for New York City Ballet's Balanchine Centennial Celebration, playing the part of Apollo in Central Park's Summer Stage Balanchine Centennial Tribute, Birmingham Royal Ballet's Ashton & Balanchine Gala, Dance Brazil's Festival in Bahia, Rebecca Kelly Ballet's 25th Anniversary; POP & Macbeth - in Dances Patrelle Macbeth, Ballet New York, Configuration Dance and Grave's & Friends. Mr. Cooper continues to be a frequent guest artist, teacher, coach & choreographer across the country; he also is on staff with Virginia Ballet Theatre's Athletes for Kids program. Mr. Cooper has been a guest artist with Virginia Ballet Theatre since 1998.
	KELSEY DEANS, VBT II Originally from Chesapeake, Virginia, Ms. Deans began with Virginia Ballet Theatre Academy in 1995. She has also trained with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio, and Boston Ballet; she will study this summer with Pittsburg Ballet Theatre. She has performed in Serenade, Nutcracker, Cinderella, Coppélia, Fractured Fairy Tales, Dracula, Pas de Quatre & Sleeping Beauty. In 2005, Ms. Deans advanced to trainee status with Virginia Ballet Theatre's professional company & is currently an honors member of VBT II.
	ALISON HRON, Company member Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Ms. Hron's training and affiliations include Arts Triumphant, Ballet Magnificat of Mississippi, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Governor’s School for the Arts, Radford University, Virginia Ballet Theatre Academy, Virginia Beach Ballet Academy and Virginia Wesleyan College. Performances include Coppelia, Great Galloping Gottschalk, The Nutcracker Raymonda Variations, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Appalachian Spring and Il Distratto.
	LAUREN KEPLESKY, Company member Ms. Keplesky received her early ballet training from Sandra Balestracci at Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts. She is a graduate of the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C., where she trained under Alla Sisova, Ludmila Morkovina and Nikolai Morozov. Ms. Keplesky was a trainee with Ballet Austin and has participated in summer programs including American Ballet Theatre and Boston Ballet. She is currently completing her studies at Old Dominion University. Ms. Keplesky began her professional career with Virginia Ballet Theatre in 2003. Her performances include The Nutcracker, Dracula, Con Amore, Flower Festival in Genzano, Appalachian Spring, Il Distratto, Irish Ode, Raymonda, Spiritual to Gospel, Coppélia, Serenade, Allegro Brilliante, and Cinderella. She also teaches ballet, pointe, and yoga with the VBT Academy.
	DEMETRIUS KING, Guest Originally from New Zealand, Mr. King's training and affiliations include the Royal Academy of Dance, Atlanta School of Ballet, The Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Washington Ballet, Sweet Honey Project, Charleston Ballet, Warren Ballet, Orange County Ballet, Roswell Dance Theatre, The Cleveland Opera, The Cleveland Orchestra, Ohio Ballet, Mid-Atlantic Ballet and Taylor Ballet Americana. Performances include Swan Lake, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Quicksilver, Mendelson’s Symphony, Gypsy Boy in Dracula, Cavalier in The Nutcracker, The Steadfast Tin Solider Title role, Dr. Coppélius in Coppelia, Don Quixote, Flower Festival, Con Amore.
	BROOKLYN MACK, Guest Originally from Elgin, South Carolina, Mr. Mack trained with the Pavlovich Dance School, Kirov Academy of Ballet, Academy Brooklyn, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company and is also affiliated with Ballet Clasico de Camara in Venezuela, Sapporo City Ballet in Japan, Cape Town Ballet in South Africa and the Orlando Ballet . He received the Kirsti Paakenen Encouragement Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki Finland in 2005, and most recently won the Silver Medal at the 2006 Jackson International Ballet Competition in Mississippi. Performances include The Night Before and Tea in temptation choreographed by Brian Reeder, Don Quixote, Capriccio by Benjamin Millipied.
	KIMBERLY MARCOTTE, VBT II Ms. Marcotte began her passion for dance at the age of four under Michael Kaiser, who later pointed her in the direction of Virginia Ballet Theatre. In their premier production of The Nutcracker in 2000, she was their first Clara. Others in which she performed include Cinderella, Coppélia, Dracula, Fractured Fairy Tales, Pas de Quatre, Serenade, and Spiritual to Gospel. Ms. Marcotte was a member of the First Pointe Players for five years under the direction of Patricia Sorrell. She received her training from Virginia Ballet Theatre Academy, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk, and the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, where she was also offered a traineeship. She advanced to a trainee position with the Virginia Ballet Theatre's professional company in 2005 and is currently an honors member of VBT II.
	LAURIE METZGER, Company member Ms. Metzger received the majority of her training in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She went on to earn her degree at Indiana University's acclaimed ballet program, where she studied with Jean Pierre Bonnefous, Patricia McBride, and Violette Verdy. There she performed in Balanchine's Western Symphony and Valse Fantasy, in Lynn Taylor-Corbett's Great Galloping Gottshaulk, in The Sleeping Beauty and in Kevin MacKenzie's Don Quixote and La Bayadere. During her time at I.U., she spent five months performing Yeston & Kopit's award winning musical Phantom at the Fireside Theater in Wisconsin. Ms. Metzger began dancing professionally for VBT in 2000 and made her debut on VBT's stage as Dream Clara in their premiere of The Nutcracker; she has now moved on to dancing the role of Sugar Plum Fairy. She has been seen in VBT performances of Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite, staged by Elaine Kudo, who originated the role, William Dollar's tragic ballet Combat, and Lew Christensen's comedic Con Amore. Ms. Metzger has also danced leading roles in VBT's productions of Cinderella, Coppélia, Dracula, Suite Stevie, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Paquita, Robert Joffrey's Pas de Deces, staged by Francois Martinette and Balanchine's Allegro Brilliante and Serenade. Miss Metzger has been a guest artist at companies throughout the United States.
	JENNIFER MOLL, Guest Originially from Akron, Ohio, Ms. Moll trained with Chris Meneer, Indiana University with Jacques Cesbron & Violette Verdy. She is affiliated with Indiana University Ballet Theatre, School of Cleveland Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, American Ballet Theatre Summer Program, Alabama Ballet and her performances: Serenade, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Stars & Stripes Pas de Deux
	NORBERT NIREWICZ, Guest A native of Poland, Mr. Nirewicz began his ballet studies at the National Ballet School in Gdansk. He was a finalist in Poland's national Ballet Competition in 1993 and obtained a silver medal in the same competition in 1995. As a Dancer for the Polish National Theater he portrayed roles in a variety of classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty and La Fille Mal Gardee in Warsaw and throughout Europe. In 1997 Mr. Nirewicz joined Ballet Classico de Camara in Venezuela, as a Principal Dancer adding La Bayadere, Le Corsaire and many more to his repertoire. After Mr. Nirewicz competed at the 1998 US International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, he was offered a contract to join Cleveland/San Jose Ballet. He performed with the company for two seasons in Nahat's Blue Suede Shoes and Roland Petit's Carmen garnering public and critical acclaim. In the Summer of 2000 Mr. Nirewicz competed in New York International Ballet Competition where he was a finalist. After two seasons with Cleveland/San Jose Ballet Mr. Nirewicz joined Columbia City Ballet with a Principal contract where he performed in Don Quixote and Dracula among the others. Since 2002 Mr. Nirewicz has been working as a Free Lance Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer adding many more ballets to his repertory such as Apollo, Who Cares, Allegro Brilliante, Combat, Serenade, Chaykowski Pas de Deux, Romeo & Juliet to name the few, as well as taught numerous Master Classes, Company Classes and Summer Intensive Workshops through out the country.
	JOSE RIVERA, Guest Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Rivera trained with Gallman's Newark Dance Theatre, Julliard School and School of American Ballet and has danced with Ballethnic Dance Company, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Georgia Ballet, among others. Mr. Rivera first danced with Virginia Ballet Theatre in 2005; performances include The Combat, Serenade and Coppélia.
	JURIJS SAFONOVS, Company member A native of Latvia, Mr. Safonovs began studying dance at the age of ten. He is a 1996 graduate of the Riga Choreographic School, where he studied ballet under Professor Jurijs Kapralis and received a bachelor's degree in classical and modern dance. From 1996-2001, Mr. Safonovs was a ballet soloist with the Latvian National Opera, where he preformed the leading roles in Romeo & Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Don Quixote. In 2002, he joined the VBT Company. Mr. Safonovs has performed throughout Asia and Europe on worldwide tours and has also been a guest performer with Cleveland Ballet's summer production of Pointe of Departure.
	MJNARI SIMPSON, Guest A native of Hampton Roads, Mr. Simpson has been dancing for fifteen years throughout the United States and other countries. He is trained in Ballet, tap, jazz, hop-hip. He has danced with Long Island Ballet, Royal Caribbean International, Disney World and Bush Gardens. Mr. Simpson is also a former Mr. Dancer Educators of America, and has performed in music videos with Missy, Mobb Deep, D.M.X. Performances with Virginia Ballet Theatre include The Nutcracker and Serenade.
	LEEANN WALKER, VBT II Ms. Walker, born and raised in Yorktown, Virginia began her training at the age of five with Patricia Sorrell at The Academy of Dance in Newport News, VA. In 2001 she furthered her training with the Virginia Ballet Theatre and currently studies with Janina Bove, Suzanne Long and Patricia Sorrell. Ms. Walker has also trained with Allegheny Ballet Company, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Academy East, Joffrey Ballet School, Boston Ballet and will study this summer with Pittsburg Ballet Theatre. She has performed in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Coppélia, Fractured Fair Tales, Il Distratto, Pas de Quatre, Serenade and Sleeping Beauty. Ms. Walker was a member of Virginia Ballet Theatre's First Point Players for four years. She advanced to trainee status in 2005 with Virginia Ballet Theatre's professional company and is currently an honors member of VBT II.
	HELEN WATSON, Company member Originally from Williamsburg, VA, Ms. Watson's training began at age three with the Chamber Ballet and later expanded to the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts. She spent two summers studying at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and was chosen to participate in programs at the Virginia School of the Arts and North Carolina Dance Theater. After graduation, Ms. Watson performed with The Dance Theater of Williamsburg, her first professional appearance. In 2003 Ms. Watson joined the Virginia Ballet Theatre Company, where she has danced in such roles as Waltz Girl in Balanchine's Serenade, Dream Clara in The Nutcracker and the Princess of Immortal Beauty in Firebird. Further pieces from her repertoire include Rachmaninoff Divertissements, Lew Christensen's Con Amore and Coppélia.
	CURTIS J. WILLIAMS, Guest Mr. Williams was born in Saratoga Springs, NY and began his career as a child musical theatre actor in both the United States and Japan. He received most of his formal ballet training from the Florida Ballet Training Center with subsequent training from Russell Sultzbach, Dulce Anaya, Michael Steele, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and the Joffrey Ballet School. He joined The Florida Ballet as a full company member in fall 2001 and also became a member of the faculty at The Florida Ballet Training Center. Since then, he has performed many soloist and principal roles with the company and as a guest artist in Don Quixote, Giselle, Cinderella, The Taming of the Shrew, Sleeping Beauty, Paquita and Swan Lake. He has also performed works by Garth Fagan, George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Marc Bogarts and Eddy Toussaint by invitation. In 2002, Mr. Williams co-founded Coastal Arts Project where he's served as Artistic Director since its inception. He also began designing and constructing tutus for professional companies and individuals throughout the United States. In 2004, he became resident choreographer at The Florida Ballet and has premiered four new ballets on the company since then. In 2005 he became the Director of the Men's Dance Program at LaVilla School of the Arts and received his BFA in Interior Design from American Intercontinental University. Mr. Williams is also a published photographer and poet and is currently completing his final season with The Florida Ballet in order to pursue other opportunities.

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Frank & Janina Bove, Directors
134 W. Olney Rd., Norfolk, Virginia 23510
(757) 622-4822