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This performance is made possible in part through grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County. Ballet Theatre of Maryland is the resident company of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. 

Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s educational school programs in Maryland are presented under the auspices of Arts for Learning Maryland, Inc. To receive a catalogue or schedule a program, call 
855-245-2787.

Mission: As Maryland’s only fully professional ballet company, it is our mission to provide Maryland with a resident professional ballet company and training academy that serves the aesthetic needs of Maryland through expressive movement.

MARYLAND HALL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS 
801 Chase St. Annapolis, MD 21401 
MERRITT ANNEX 
1981 Moreland Parkway, Building 4 Bay 4, Annapolis, MD 21401 
Phone: 410-224-5644 
www.balletmaryland.org 

For questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please contact our office at 410-224-5644 

FROM OUR DONORS 

LEGACY SOCIETY 
Share in BTM’s history and legacy by becoming a member of our Legacy Society.  Members of our Legacy Society have designated a percentage of their charitable planned giving to BTM.  This can include remembering BTM in your will or bequests, estate plans, gifts of life insurance, gifts of retirement, charitable remainder trusts, gifts of appreciated stock or gifts of real estate. 

By becoming a part of the BTM Legacy Society, you can share BTM’s vision for the future and ensure that we continue to provide Maryland with a professional dance company. 

Thank you. 

"Exposure to the arts in our society today is critically important, not only for the present, but for future generations. Without the contributions the arts in general and ballet in particular make to our society, our social values will suffer, and our children will miss the inspiring gifts to their souls that this dance form provides. As custodians of our social growth and development we cannot turn our backs on any established art form. The arts are after all the lynchpin of our societal values we must provide the financial underpinning for the ballet so that future generations can experience the spiritual and intellectual gifts it offers. This provides us the mandate to secure the ballet's enduring financial future." -Dr. Albert del Negro and Patrisha Creevy, former BTM Board member and current Legacy Society donors

For more information on planned giving or to make a donation, please contact the BTM office at btmmgr@balletmaryland.org.

THEA B. PINSKEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND 

The Thea B. Pinskey Memorial Scholarship Fund is named in memory of Ballet Theatre of Maryland longtime supporter, Thea B. Pinskey.  
Thea, along with her husband Howard, were pillars of the community, both in business and the arts community.   
After moving to Annapolis in 1983, Thea became an integral part of the Annapolis Cultural Arts community.   She was a lifelong supporter of Ballet Theatre of Maryland as well as many other cultural organizations. She    served on the Board of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra as Education Committee Chair, as Historian for Caritas Society of St. John’s College, and was a valuable and contributing member of The Annapolis Chapter of Hadassah, the Mitchell Gallery, Brandeis and the 21st Century Club. Thea was an active member of K’neseth Israel synagogue for many years, several book clubs and mahjong groups. 
Thea was a constant supporter of the performing and visual arts, in Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington DC. A lover of all art forms, Thea could be found on any given evening attending operas, ballets, theatre performances, or exhibits.  
Both Thea and Howard died in early 2021, only 5 days apart from each other.  Their deaths were immeasurable losses for all who knew them as well as all who will never get the chance to know them. This scholarship fund is designed to keep Thea’s memory alive and help future dancers follow their dreams.

To make a donation to the fund, visit https://www.balletmaryland.org/thea-pinskey-memorial-scholarship

February 25th at 7pm at Maryland Hall

ἀγάπη (agapē)
Choreography: Lindsey Bell
Music: Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821 by Franz Schubert
Costume Design Consultant: Lauren Carmen

My title “Agape” is what the Ancient Greeks refer to as the highest form of love: a term that embraces a universal, unconditional love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance. Agape goes beyond just the emotions to the extent of seeking the best for others. My piece is inspired by how the Ancient Greeks view love and the different types of love: specifically Eros, romantic and passionate love; Ludus, playful and flirtatious love; Agape, selfless and universal love; and lastly Philautia, self-love and respecting, accepting, and appreciating yourself.

“If it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts.” – Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Eros: Anne Gutcher and Ryan Massey
Ludus: Victoria Siracusa and River Byrd
Philautia: Emily Carey
Agape: Karen Fleming, Clara Molina, Julia Walden, Victoria Walpole

Kotyhoroshko
Choreography: Roman Mykyta 
Music: N. Rimsky-Korsakov

In Ukraine, during the olden days, a Princess finds joy, delighting in every simple thing, including the first flower of spring. An old and evil snake captures her and takes her back to his lair. Kotyhoroshko, who was born from a pea-pod, appears in pursuit of the ancient fiend. He discovers the princess’s flower and vows to return it to her.

In the forest he encounters Vernydub, who can wield his power over the willow trees, and Krutyvus, who can affect the rivers. The kozaks become a brotherhood and vow to hunt the snake and rescue the Princess. They travel to the mountains where they embrace a fourth into their band, Vernyhora. His power over the mountains assists in discovering the snake’s lair. 

The band meets the princess and attempts to make their escape but first, they must battle against the snake and succeed in decapitating the fiend. Now free to make a choice, the princess considers which hero to give her heart. Kotyhoroshko gifts back her flower from the beginning of the journey, and she intuits that while he may be the smallest, matters of the heart must be judged by the bigness of the heart.
The tale of Kotyhoroshko is among the ancient Ukrainian legends, frankly with many similarities to the classical legends of Heracles and Ramayana. The characters in this story epitomize the Ukrainian connection to nature. Kotyhoroshko himself was born from a pea-pod; and the pea-pod since ancient times was believed to promote fertility and prosperity. His three companions wield power deeply connected to the mountains, the forests, and the rivers; they appear to be patrons of the land and Kotyhoroshko’s relationship with them mirrors a man’s complementary relationship with the natural world. 

Kotyhoroshko: Michael West Jr.
The Princess: Cassandra Hope
The Old Snake: Alexander Collen
Vernydub: Isaac Martinez
Krutyvus: River Byrd
Vernyhora: Ryan Massey
Verbas: Samantha Apgar, Karen Fleming, Jenna Fritts, Hannah Hanson, Sarah Jung, Eliza Sell, Victoria Walpole
Mavkas: Madeline Jones and Audrey Martin
Karpaty: Arielin Anderson, Louisa Belian, Kristen Faraclas, Mimi Hardin, Mia Koshansky, Emma Lane, Emily Moreland, Kathryn Muscarella, Addison Palmer, Julia Walden, Catherine Welch
Snake Corps de Ballet: Carrie Cornelius, Gabriella Femia, Olivia Fohsz, Lauren Geary, Ellie Goods, Rachael Spicer, Isabella Warshaw

This Moment, All We Have
Choreography: Ashley Taylor
Music: Creations, New Sky, Easy Steps, Modern Trailer, Dreams of Vain, Eye of Forgiveness, Titans, and Electric Cellos, composed by Rafael Krux, Orchestralis.net  

Dancers: Aaron Bauer, Carrie Cornelius, Sarah Hoffman, Cassandra Hope, Sarah Jung, Karissa Kralik, Lauren Martinez, Brenna Mazzara, Clara Molina, Madison Sweeney, Rowan Treece, Michael West Jr.

INTERMISSION

By Any Other Name
Choreography: Karissa Kralik
Music: Moonlight Sonata, Movement 1 by Beethoven, Thaïs, Méditation by Massenet
Costume Design: Amanda Cobb and Karissa Kralik

“Love isn’t just a matter of looking at someone, I think now, but also of looking with them, of facing what they face.” - Garth Greenwell

River Byrd, Cindy Case, Amanda Cobb, Isaac Martinez, Madison Sweeney, Rowan Treece, Michael West Jr.

Cappricio Espagnol
Choreography: Roman Mykyta
Music: N. Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a self-taught musician, became a leading composer of the late 19th century in addition to being the musical mentor for the young Igor Stravinsky. There are three chords to his legacy: first, that he was a humanitarian; second, that he helped develop the musical movement of infusing classical music with chromatic harmonies and textures of folk music; third, that he was an unparalleled orchestrator as witnessed in "Cappricio Espagnol," for which he was personally proud.

In the early 20th century, the Ballet Russes used his compositions, such as "Scheherazade," "Le Coq d’Or" and even this "Cappricio Espagnol," to stage lush, romantic, and very popular ballets. Choreographically, one is inspired by this music to convey celebratory and romantic scenes from Spain.

Man: Ryan Massey
Woman: Sarah Jung
Fortune Teller: Lindsey Bell
Her Two Companions: Rachael Spicer and Catherine Welch
Their Two Men: River Byrd and Isaac Martinez
Demi-Soloists: Mimi Hardin, Julia Walden, Victoria Walpole
Corps de Ballet of Male Dancers: Aaron Bauer, Alexander Collen, Michael West, Jr.
Corps de Ballet of Female Dancers: Louisa Belian, Gabriella Femia, Karen Fleming, Olivia Fohsz, Lauren Geary, Madeline Jones, Mia Koshansky, Emma Lane, Isabella Warshaw

Ultraviolet 
Choreography: Michael West Jr.
Music: Sunrise, Song of the Sun, The Persistence of First Love, Of Waving Woods and Waters Wild, I Am in the Garden, and Your Hands Hold Home by Timbre

“Complex and contemplative, Ultra Violet suggests the mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead, and the discoveries beyond where we are now. The vast and limitless night sky is symbolic of what is possible and continues to inspire the desire to pursue a world beyond our own. 

Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to Ultra Violet. The color is often associated with mindfulness practices, which offer a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today’s over-stimulated world. The use of purple-toned lighting in meditation spaces and other gathering places energizes the communities that gather there and inspire connection” -The Pantone Color Institute (2018)

Sun: Lindsey Bell
Moon: Michael West
Ocean: Isaac Martinez
Air: Clara Molina with Caroline Anderson and Hannah Hanson
Water: Madison Sweeney with Destiny Billot and Sarah Hoffman 
Earth (Terra): Alexander Collen
Rose (Flora): Emily Carey

I. Sunrise

II.Song of the Sun

Oh little seed 
Oh dying root 
Oh tender leaves 
Oh silver shoot 

Lift your head, my darling one, 
You were not built to die. 
I’ll melt the frost enclosing you, 
alive with open eyes. 

I won’t break you, 
I won’t burn you, 
And I know that you are tired. 

I’ll open your mouth so that you can drink, 
so that you can sing again. 
I’ll open your mouth so you can sing again, 
so you can sing again with me: 

We are standing in the sun, 
And there is nothing light can’t touch! 

I am alive!

III. The Persistence of First Love
What is there left to say? 
We’ve said it all before. 
Where is there left to stand, 
except for where we are? 

There’s no other place I’d rather be 
Than here with you. 
Oh there are safer places, yes, 
But I don’t want to be safe. 

You say I should be somewhere else, 
In arms stronger than these, 
But I’m remembering a time 
When they were not so weak. 

Can I wait for those days 
To return to me? 
If you ask me to stay, 
I’m not going anywhere.

IV. Of Waving Woods and Waters Wild

V. I Am In the Garden
As the sun hangs still in the sky 
So you can rest with me. 
I'll turn the very earth to see you, 
To see your beauty. 

I have taken your walls down, 
Still you hide from me. 

Oh I am in the Garden, 
Come and find me, 
I want to be found. 
Oh I am in the Garden, 
I'm not hiding, 
But I want to be found. 

The light on the leaves of the tree 
Is like your gentleness to me, 
Soft and bright, 
Heavy and light, 
Tangible mystery. 

You have taken my walls down, 
But I’m afraid to be seen. 

Oh I am in the garden, 
Come and find me, 
I want to be found. 
Oh I am in the garden, 
I’ve been hiding, 
But I want to be found. 

Turn your face, my little sunflower,  
Turn your face to me.  
Come and sit beneath our tree. 
Come and sing with me. 
Sing with me. 
  
Oh I am in the garden, come find me, I want to be found.  

Every word that you whisper, 
I'll sing back to you.

VI. Your Hands Hold Home
There is home in your hands. 
Wandering is still 
Being still, being home. 

Movement is lighter here 
For I need carry nothing, 
For with you there is no projection. 

You see what no one sees, 
Painting me with colours 
I never knew I was. 

I can see by the light 
That shines from your eyes 
On the path that was hidden. 

Your silence is full. 
I share in your stillness. 
We speak with eyes, with hands, 
With then and with now. 

Your hands hold home.

Credits:
from Sun & Moon by Timbre, released April 7, 2015.
© All rights reserved
 

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Meet the Company

Lindsey Bell

Principal Dancer

Lindsey Bell is originally from Maryland and began her training at White Marsh Ballet Academy under the instruction of Sandra Harris and Shari Bickel. While dancing with White Marsh, Lindsey also attended summer programs at Point Park University, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Upon graduating high school, Lindsey studied at the University of Oklahoma School of Dance where she was mentored by Mary Margaret Holt, Jeremy Lindberg, Clara Cravey, Steve Brule, and Ilya Kozadayev. At OU, Lindsey performed in ballets including La Bayadere, Raymonda, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Pulcinella. While at OU, Lindsey also had the opportunity to perform in the musical, On The Town, and the opera, Don Giovanni, as well as choreograph for the Young Choreographer's Showcase on her fellow peers. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2015, Lindsey joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an apprentice. She was promoted to soloist in 2017 and is now a Principal with the company as of 2019. With BTM, she has performed as the Diamond Fairy in Dianna Cuatto's The Sleeping Beauty, Hippolyta in Cuatto's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Gerda in Cuatto's The Snow Queen, the Evil Queen Regina in Cuatto's Snow White, the Spanish Princess, and a Big Swan in Swan Lake, the title role in Cuatto's An American Southwest Carmen, Melusine in Cuatto's The Little Mermaid, Myrtha in Giselle, and Swanhilda in Coppélia Lindsey has choreographed on the company dancers and premiered her works Mudita and Sanctuary in Chaos in BTM's Momentum performances in 2021 and 2022. Lindsey is now in her eighth season and is excited for what is in store this year!

Emily Carey

Principal Dancer

Emily Carey is originally from Chesapeake, Virginia, where she began her dance training at Virginia Ballet Theatre and continued under Janina Michalski Bove and Suzanne Lownsbury at Ballet Virginia. She received additional training at Atlanta Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Houston Ballet. In 2010, Emily was accepted into Nashville Ballet's second company, NB2, where she performed in both company performances and community outreaches. Emily joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland in 2012 as an Apprentice, was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2013, Soloist in 2016, and to Principal in 2017. With BTM, she has performed many leading roles including a soloist in Antony Tudor's Continuo, Clara/The Sugar Plum Fairy in Dianna Cuatto’s The Nutcracker, the Topaz Fairy in Cuatto’s The Sleeping Beauty, a step-sister in Cuatto’s Cinderella, Morgan Le Fay in Cuatto’s Excalibur, Princess Samira in Cuatto’s Aladdin, the title role in Cuatto’s Snow White, Mina in Edward Stuart’s Dracula, the Peasant Pas de Duex from Giselle, Swanhilda in Cuatto's Coppélia and the Pas de Duex from Paquita. Along with dancing in the company, Emily enjoys teaching company class and working with the dancers as a Rehearsal Assistant. She also serves as the Conservatory Principal and is on faculty for Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Conservatory of Dance.

Alexander Collen

Principal Dancer

Alexander Collen is just loving where ballet has taken him: from small corridors in old buildings to grand international stages and everywhere in between. Alexander began his dance training in Minnesota after sitting outside one too many of his sister's ballet classes and began dancing professionally after his graduation from the University of Minnesota Law School—they still ask him for alumni donations. A competitor at the 22nd Varna IBC, Alexander is privileged to have performed many of the great classical roles, to have worked with renowned choreographers, and is excited by the opportunity to continue to do so in this, his eleventh season with BTM.

Karissa Kralik

Principal Dancer

Karissa Kralik was raised on Long Island, New York where she trained with Mme. Valia Seiskaya until 2010 in Vaganova based ballet and character techniques. She came in second place in the senior division of the American Ballet Competition in 2010. Karissa attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education with a Musical Theater Minor in 2014. There she continued her training under faculty including Christine Cox (BalletX), Eva Szabo, Andrew Pap, Anne White (PA Ballet), and Scott Jovovich (Joffrey Ballet). Karissa studied Modern techniques including Horton with Kim Bears-Bailey (Philadanco) and Graham with Jennifer Binford-Johnson (Martha Graham Dance Company), as well as varied styles of Jazz with Wayne St. David and Donald Lunsford (Philadanco). She enjoyed opportunities to perform works choreographed by Helen Simoneau and Douglas Becker (Frankfurt Ballet). Karissa joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an Apprentice in 2016, was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2017, Soloist in 2020, and to Principal in Fall of 2021. She has enjoyed dancing the title role in Giselle, Pearl in The Little Mermaid, Mina in Dracula, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Aleksya in The Snow Queen. She is looking forward to her 7th season with BTM and to continue working with Nicole Kelsch.

Lauren Martinez

Principal Dancer

Lauren Martinez began her ballet training at the Rowland/Ballard School of Ballet in Houston, Texas, and furthered her training at the University of Oklahoma where she obtained a dual degree in Ballet Performance and Advertising. While in school, Lauren guested at Tulsa Ballet and Unbound Ballet Project. Along with working alongside choreographers Trey McIntyre, Ilya Kozadayev, and Dominic Walsh, she has performed lead roles in renowned works by George Balanchine and Alejandro Cerrudo. In 2019, Lauren joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an Apprentice, was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2020, and Principal in the fall of 2021. During her time at BTM, Lauren has performed featured roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Dracula, The Little Mermaid, and Giselle.

Ryan Massey

Principal Dancer

Originally from North Carolina, Ryan Massey began his ballet training at the age of nine under the direction of Daphne Kendall. He later trained with Terilynne Knox and Lisa Leone at Dance Davidson. Ryan attended multiple summer programs including Carolina Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. At age 14, Ryan was selected for the Male Scholarship Program at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. There, he was mentored by founding Artistic Director Marcia Dale Weary, Nicholas Ade, Bruce Thornton, and Simon Ball. During his time at CPYB, Ryan performed in ballets including George Balanchine's Western Symphony, Alan Hineline’s Coppélia, and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. After 5 years of attending CPYB, Ryan joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an Apprentice in 2018, was promoted to Soloist in 2020, and Principal in 2021. Since joining BTM, Ryan has performed multiple roles including Albrecht in Giselle, La Fontaine in An American Southwest Carmen, and Franz in Coppélia. Ryan is looking forward to reaching new heights in his 5th season with BTM.

Aaron Bauer

Soloist Dancer

Aaron Bauer grew up in Bowie, Maryland where he dreamed of playing soccer. There was one problem, he wasn't very good. His parents 'tricked' him into taking a ballet class at The National Ballet Company by telling him it would help him with soccer. After two months, Aaron stepped off the stage from his first performance as a party boy in The Nutcracker. He knew where he wanted to be, on the stage. Aaron trained for six years with the National Ballet Company and then continued his training with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, and The Rock School for Dance Education. His first job opportunity was with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland where he performed for four seasons. After four seasons with Bowen McCauley Dance Company, he's back at the Ballet Theatre of Maryland.

River Byrd

Soloist Dancer

River Byrd is originally from North Carolina, where he began studying ballet under the direction of Cedar Lannon at age 10. He went on to further his training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet with Marcia Dale Weary, Darla Hoover and Nicolas Ade. There he had the opportunity to perform in Balanchine’s Serenade, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. After finishing his training at CPYB, River joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an Apprentice in 2020. He was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2021 and is now excited to start his third season with Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a Soloist.

Cindy Case

Soloist Dancer

Cindy Case is a Maryland native who studied locally under Pamela Moore, DFCCA. Since leaving home, she has been a trainee with Richmond Ballet, a second company member with Nashville Ballet, an apprentice with Charlottesville Ballet, and a company dancer with San Diego Ballet and Ballet Theatre of Maryland. Previous professional credits include Myrtha in Giselle, a Big Swan in Swan Lake, Dew Drop Fairy and Arabian in The Nutcracker, Lucy in Dracula, an ensemble role in Serenade, and Catherine the Great in Roman Mykyta's The Little Slippers. She has danced contemporary works by Gina Patterson, Heather Maloy, R. Colby Damon, and Gregory Hancock. Now in the eleventh year of her career, Cindy looks forward to her fourth season with BTM.

Isaac Martinez

Soloist Dancer

Isaac Martinez began his training at the Hartt School in Connecticut. He trained rigorously with faculty from Cuban National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Martha Graham Company, and José Limón company. In 2015, Isaac transferred to the University of Oklahoma where he finished his degree in Ballet Pedagogy; following his graduation he worked professionally for two seasons with Ballet Spartanburg in South Carolina before joining BTM. His repertoire includes works from Don Quixote, Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Le Corsaire, The Firebird, and original works by choreographers around the world. Isaac has choreographed many works, including two world premieres and collaborations for the Ballet Theatre of Maryland. He shares his love for ballet teaching at the Conservatory and is thrilled to embark on his fourth season with Ballet Theatre of Maryland.

Victoria Siracusa

Soloist Dancer

Victoria Siracusa is originally from Connecticut where she began her ballet training at the Albano Ballet Company at the age of nine. She studied under the direction of Joseph Albano and Julia Fredrick for seven years and performed the main roles of Clara and the Chinese soloist in Albano’s Nutcracker. In 2013, Victoria joined the Hartt School Community Division and had the honor of training under Samantha Dunster and Eddy Tovar. She performed many roles including Dew Drop and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Wendy and Tiger Lily in Peter Pan, and Odette in the Swan Princess. Victoria spent her summers training with the Boston Ballet and Sarasota Ballet. Upon graduating high school, she was accepted into the trainee program at the Charlottesville Ballet in Virginia with a full scholarship. In 2016, she trained with the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, in Florida, under the direction of Ariel Serrano. Victoria joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a Demi-Soloist in 2017, and was promoted to Soloist in 2020. During her professional years at BTM, Victoria has performed the roles of Snow Queen, Spanish, Mirlitons and Arabian in The Nutcracker. She has also performed the Swan Lake Pas de Trois, the Lead Bride in Dracula, and Pearl in The Little Mermaid. Victoria is very excited to be continuing her career with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland.

Michael West Jr.

Soloist Dancer

Michael West Jr. is a native of Baltimore, Maryland where his training began in Baltimore County Public Schools. Upon graduating from George Washington Carver Center for the Arts & Technology, he was invited to join Nashville Ballet’s official second company, NB2 where he trained and performed for two seasons. Michael moved on to perform as an aerialist and dancer with Nashville-based contemporary dance company FALL, and later with Suspended Gravity Circus. While in Nashville, he had the pleasure of performing at a variety of venues including the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Marathon Music Works, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens, OZ Arts Center, and many others. West has been featured in the official music videos for OBB’s “Sweater”, Humming House’s “Takin’ Over” & “Companion”, Front Country’s “Broken Record”, & Lauren Balthrop’s “So We Remember”. Michael is a certified Yoga instructor and in his spare time enjoys teaching and choreographing. His original work “Sunrise” - created to music by harpist and composer Timbre Cierpke - is featured in the Suspended Gravity film “IN THE EYE”. Also, his original writing can be found in the book The Fabric of Space and Time edited by Sarah Atenhan for Satellite Dance, where he describes the experience of losing his mother during the 2020 pandemic and how it has informed his relationship with dance. Michael is thrilled to return to his home state to do what he loves most.

Caroline Anderson

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Caroline Anderson, originally from Rising Sun Maryland, began her ballet training at the age of 3 and studied the Vaganova method under the direction of Anya Ivanova-Bojko, Pasha Kambalov, Kristina Kambalov, and Joan Beatson. She graduated from the School of First State Ballet Theatre in 2018. Caroline had the honor of performing in Viktor Plotnikov’s Hope, which earned 1st place at the 2018 World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida, and placed in the top 12 at the 2018 Youth America Grand Prix Finals in New York. Caroline also has extensive training in musical theatre under the direction of Richard Mahoney, Chris Rose, and Kathy Cammett. Caroline joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a trainee in 2018, was promoted to Apprentice in 2019 and to Demi-Soloist in 2021. She is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that the 2022/2023 season will bring!

Amanda Cobb

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Amanda Cobb began her dance training in Managua, Nicaragua at Danza Estudio Attitude, where she performed multiple principal roles including Kitri in Don Quixote and Clara/Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. In 2016 Amanda moved to New York City to attend the Joffrey Ballet School under scholarship. She joined New York Dance Project in the fall of 2017 where she performed works by Jerald Arpino, Gabrielle Lamb, Tyler Gilstrap, and Africa Guzman. In 2018 she danced with Texas Ballet Theatre’s second company where she performed alongside the company in works by Ben Stevenson and Will Tuckett. She has also participated in many international dance festivals including in Italy, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. Amanda joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a Trainee in 2019 and was promoted to Demi Soloist in 2022. She is looking forward to her future career with Ballet Theatre of Maryland.

Carrie Cornelius

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Carrie Cornelius began studying ballet seriously in high school, although she has been dancing since she was two and a half. Carrie trained and performed with the City Ballet of Cleveland under Courtney Laves-Mearini, where she had the opportunity to perform as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. She attended summer intensives at Ballet Met, Ballet West, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Ballet Austin. After high school, Carrie attended the University of Utah, where she graduated with a BFA in Ballet and a minor in Nutrition. In her three years at Utah, she performed in Jay Kim’s Swan Lake, worked with Penny Saunders, and learned choreography by Alejandro Cerrudo. Carrie joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a trainee in 2018 and then spent two years as an Apprentice. She is excited to be dancing with BTM as a Demi Soloist this year!

Anne Gutcher

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Ms. Anne May Gutcher was born in Ontario, Canada and started taking ballet classes at the age of 5. Her family moved to Seattle, WA where she continued her training at Issaquah Dance Theatre and attended summer ballet intensives with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, International Ballet Academy, and Kirov Academy of Ballet, D.C. She graduated from the University of Utah with a B.F.A. in Ballet with a Teaching Emphasis and Ballet Teaching Certificate, along with a B.S. in Business Administration. While at the university, she performed with Utah Ballet, guested with Salt Lake City Ballet, and served as the Vice President of the Character Dance Ensemble, which trained and performed in L’viv, Ukraine, and the Basque Region of Spain. She has performed featured roles in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, La Bayadère, Paquita, Raymonda, The Snow Queen, Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht, Balanchine’s Stars, and Stripes, and The Nutcracker. She has also enjoyed working with classical and contemporary choreographers Michele Wiles, Jay Kim, James Ady, Melanie Buchanan, Melissa Gould, and Dianna Cuatto. Ms. Gutcher joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland and the Conservatory’s faculty in 2018.

Hannah Hanson

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Originally from New York, Hannah Hanson began dancing at the age of 3. She started her formal ballet training at age 7 under the guidance of Darlene Myers in Saratoga Springs and Schenectady, NY. Hannah has attended summer programs at Boston Ballet, CPYB, Miami City Ballet, Ballet Academy East, and Nashville Ballet. At the age of 15, she moved to Carlisle, PA to train full-time at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet with founding artistic director Marcia Dale Weary, as well as Darla A Hoover, Nicholas Ade, and lan Hineline. During her time at CPYB, Hannah performed leading roles in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, along with featured roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade and Who Cares? Hannah joined BTM as an apprentice in 2020 and was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2022. Since joining BTM, Hannah has danced roles such as Dewdrop in The Nutcracker, as well as original works created by fellow BTM dancers Lindsey Bell and Isaac Martinez. She is extremely excited to begin her 3rd season with the company.

Cassandra Hope

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Originally from Gilbert, Arizona, Cassandra Hope began her training at the Yen-Li Chen Ballet School and with the Southwest Youth Ballet Theater both under the artistic direction of Yen-Li Chen where she danced until she graduated in 2018. Under the direction of Ms. Chen, Cassandra was given the opportunity to perform the roles of Sugar Plum, Dew Drop, and Clara in The Nutcracker, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Dawn in Coppélia. There, she also performed works choreographed by Nayon Iovino, Ian Poulis, Kara Davis, and Aaron Cash. Cassandra then went on to continue her training as a Trainee with BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. As a trainee, Cassandra was given the opportunity to perform in George Balanchine’s Serenade and as Lise in excerpts from La Fille mal Gardée. In 2020, Cassandra joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an Apprentice. She is looking forward to the 2022/2023 season, her third, with the company and first as a Demi-Soloist.

Sarah Jung

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Sarah Jung received her ballet training from the International Ballet of Greenville, SC under Vlada Kysselova and Victoria Yanchuck. She then continued her training with South Carolina’s School for the Arts & Humanities under Irina Ushakova and Miriam Mesa Pelly. Sarah is a former professional dancer with Georgia Dance Theatre and Artist-in-Residence with the International Ballet of Greenville, SC. She danced the principal roles in La Bayadère as Nikyia and Gamzatti, Swan Lake as Odile and Odette, and The Nutcracker Ballet as Sugar Plum, Snow Queen, and Dewdrop. She has danced additional lead roles in Carmen, Paquita, Pas de Quatre, The Pharoah’s Daughter, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Swan Lake, and Coppélia. She is an award winner of the Youth America Grand Prix from 2013-2016 and received an Honorable Mention award through the YoungArts program. Sarah joined BTM in 2018 as an Apprentice and was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2019. She is very excited to return for her fifth season with the company.

Brenna Mazzara

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Brenna Mazzara, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began her ballet training at the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company under the direction of Jean Gedeon. She continued her training at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Ballet Performance and a BA in International Relations. Throughout her education, she performed in numerous works by Alan Obuzor, David Hochoy, and George Balanchine including Serenade, Who Cares?, Western Symphony, Valse Fantasy, and Waltz of the Hours. Brenna has since performed as a guest artist with The Dayton Ballet where she performed a number of roles in Karen Russo Burke’s The Nutcracker and Septime Webre’s Swan Lake. Following her graduation, she joined Columbus Dance Theatre for the 2018/2019 season. Brenna then joined The Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an Apprentice in 2019 and was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2021. During her time at BTM, Brenna has danced featured roles in Swan Lake, The Little Mermaid, Dracula, and The Nutcracker.

Clara Molina

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Clara Molina, originally from Tallahassee, FL, began her dance training at Sharon Davis School of Dance at the age of three. She later continued her dance training at The Tallahassee Ballet for nine seasons where she had the opportunity to perform leading roles such as Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and soloist roles in Paquita and La Bayadere. After high school, she attended Florida State University where she graduated with Honors while obtaining a B.F.A. in Dance, with a focus in dance sciences. During her time at FSU she worked with choreographers Anjali Austin, Ilana Goldman, Rachel Hunter, and Caleb Mitchell and was mentored by Tom Welsh for her honors thesis project. She also had the honor of performing as the second soloist in the Blue Regiment of George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, restaged by world-renowned ballerina, Suzanne Farrell, as well as Dan Wagoner’s One Thing After the Other restaged by Rachel Hunter. Upon graduation in 2019, she accepted a trainee contract with The Ballet Theatre of Maryland. The following year she was promoted to Apprentice and had the opportunity to step into the secondary leading role of Lorelei the Ashray Anemone Temptress in Dianna Cuatto’s The Little Mermaid. Clara was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2022.

Madison Sweeney

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Madison Sweeney is originally from Duluth, MN where she began her training at the Minnesota Ballet School under the direction of Robert Gardner. While dancing at the Minnesota Ballet School, Madison attended summer programs at ABT Tuscaloosa, The Washington School of Ballet, and the School of Ballet Arizona. Upon graduating high school, Madison studied at the School of Ballet Arizona under the direction of Ib Anderson and Carlos Valcarcel. Madison joined BTM as a trainee in 2017, was promoted to apprentice in 2018, and to Demi-soloist in 2021. She is excited to be in her sixth season with the company.

Rowan Treece

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Rowan Treece began dancing at age three and at age seven was accepted into the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, where she received her formative training from Damara Bennett. In her seven years with SOBT, Rowan appeared in over 90 performances of Oregon Ballet Theatre’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker in a variety of roles, including Marie and Chinese Tea. She attended summer intensives at SOBT and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. At 14, Rowan joined the youth company of The Portland Ballet, with a merit scholarship for career track training, where she studied with Nancy Davis and Anne Mueller. While there, she performed in contemporary and character roles, as well as a Jewel Fairy in Sleeping Beauty and in John Clifford's The Firebird. The following year, Rowan moved from Portland to Carlisle, PA to train year-round with Marcia Dale Weary, Melinda Howe, Alan Hineline, Darla Hoover, Nicolas Ade, Simon Ball, and the rest of the notable faculty of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Additionally, she received private coaching from Christina Hampton, Artistic Director of Arizona Youth Ballet. In her final year at CPYB, she had the opportunity to choreograph a new work on her peers as part of the First Steps program. Rowan is a published author and graduated from Stanford University Online High School as a National Merit Scholar. She came to Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an apprentice in 2020 and is very pleased to join the company as demi-soloist for the 22/23 season.

Catherine Welch

Demi-Soloist Dancer

Catherine Welch, originally from Encinitas, California, began her ballet training at To The Pointe Ballet School and continued her training at the University of Utah where she received a BFA in Ballet with a teaching emphasis. She was also a member of the Character Dance Ensemble where she was able to train and perform in L’viv, Ukraine, and the Basque Region of Spain. Her repertory includes Giselle, Coppélia, Little Mermaid, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Bolero, and other contemporary works. She joined Ballet Theatre of Maryland in 2018 as a Trainee, was promoted to Apprentice in 2019, and to Demi-Soloist in 2022. She is looking forward to her fifth season with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland!

Nicole Kelsch

Artistic Director

Nicole Kelsch received her early training from Peter and Kristin Degnan at Ballet Northeast in Pennsylvania. She also received training from Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Austin, Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts, and Princeton Ballet. Nicole graduated from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Ballet Performance in three years. Upon graduation, she danced professionally with Columbia City Ballet, Atlanta Festival Ballet, and Connecticut Ballet. In 2006, Nicole joined The Ballet Theatre of Maryland as an apprentice under the direction of Dianna Cuatto. She was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2008 and throughout her career was featured as Clara and The Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, the Firebird in The Firebird, Swanhilda in Coppelia, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, as a Principal in Antony Tudor’s Continuo, the Principal Couple in Italian Symphonette, Titania and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Magdalena in An American Southwest Carmen, Cinderella in Cinderella, Guinevere in Excalibur, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Pearl in The Little Mermaid, and has performed the Don Quixote Pas de Deux. In 2008, after having served on the faculty for two years, Nicole became the School Principal for The Ballet Theatre of Maryland Conservatory. She was named the Ballet Mistress for the company in 2015. Nicole retired from performing in March 2020 and became the Artistic Director in July 2020. She successfully led the company through a full 2020-2021 performing season at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, staging performances of Edward Stewart’s Dracula, Dianna Cuatto’s The Nutcracker, An American Southwest Carmen, and The Little Mermaid.

Roman Mykyta

Choreographer

Roman Mykyta is a professional choreographer and dancer with deep expertise in character styling and techniques. Roman developed an interest in Ukrainian dancing at an early age and soon after began studying ballet both in the Cecchetti Method and in the Vaganova Ballet Techinque. In 2014, he began his professional career, joining the Ballet Theatre of Maryland under the artistic direction of Dianna Cuatto, where he danced for three seasons, performing in many ballets including Cinderella as the Court Jester, Alice in Wonderland as the White Rabbit, soloist roles in Tango Dramatico and Intimate Encounters and the Trepak and Mirlitons Soloist in The Nutcracker. He was selected to represent the company, choreograph and perform an excerpt from the ballet The Red Poppy at the request of the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, Roman moved to Kyiv, Ukraine to study dance pedagogy and choreography at the National Pedagogical University Dragomanova. In Ukraine, he also had the opportunity to study as a guest at the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, to work with the Studio Company of the Virsky National Ukrainian Folk Ensemble in Kyiv and to perform with the Horlytsya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in Kyiv and the Yunist Honored Ukrainian Folk Ensemble in Lviv. In 2021, Roman returned to Maryland where he continues to perform and teach throughout the Washington DC Metro area. As a choreographer, he continues to create and expand his repertoire of original works including full length and one-act ballets along with an assortment of shorter works and setting choreography for musical theater productions. Roman maintains a regular collaboration with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland as a choreographer and guest artist. Original choreographic works created for the Ballet Theatre of Maryland include the one act ballet The Little Slippers, Carman Paraphrase and Danza del Amor. Roman has also appeared in Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s productions of Giselle, Coppelia and most recently as Drosselmeier in The Nutcracker.

Ashley Taylor

Choreographer

Ashley Taylor, a native of northern Virginia, began her dance training at Ravel Dance Studio under the artistic direction of Janet Hall. She went on to graduate summa cum laude with a B.A. in Dance from The University of Alabama, where she performed with Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre, Tuscaloosa Community Dancers, and in Dance Alabama! student choreography concerts. She was one of two 2014 recipients of the Edith Barnes Award for Choreography from the Department of Theatre & Dance. Following graduation, Ashley danced with Ballet Theatre of Maryland from 2014-2018, where she performed in multiple full-length ballets including The Nutcracker, Excalibur, The Sleeping Beauty, and Aladdin in addition to outreach programs and showcases. She has also been a guest performer with VidaDance Company, Charm City Ballet, and Bowen McCauley Dance Company. In addition to choreographing for BTM's Conservatory of Dance and VidaDance Company, Ashley has conceived, choreographed for, and directed two evening-length independent dance concerts, Light in the Dark (2017) and Taking Wing (2019), both of which received rave reviews. Ashley has traveled extensively around the world and has performed and taught dance in China, Japan, Ecuador, and Zambia. As a crafter of movements and words, she strives to dignify and deepen the humanity of life's trenches, its swells, and all the quiet moments in between. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family.

Timbre

Composer

Nashville based harpist and songwriter Timbre has been enchanting audiences throughout the US and Europe in growing numbers with her unique brand of harp-fronted chamber-folk. Her career has caught the attention of the music world and has led to her recording and collaborating with rock legends Jack White, Tom Jones, Ricky Skaggs, and rock bands such as mewithoutYou, O’Brother, Brooke Waggoner, and The Chariot. The pairing of Timbre‘s classically trained voice and harp skills with the dynamic sounds of her talented backing band have entranced crowd after crowd, often bringing complete stillness to crowded bars and festivals, silencing audiences of thousands. With her creative and innovative bandmates Chris Leidhecker (drums) and Camille Faulkner (violin), Timbre creates lush soundscapes that pull in listeners of every background. Sometimes haunting, sometimes driving, sometimes unabashedly joyful, Timbre is a musical experience that is completely unique and compelling, reminding listeners that music can move us like nothing else can.

THE BALLET THEATRE OF MARYLAND SALUTES OUR MEDICAL ARTS TEAM 
A select group of highly trained and specialized professionals who offer their quality services to care for the BTM dancers. 
Official Gym of BTM: Evolutions 
Official Chiropractor of BTM: Ryan D. Shakley, D.C.
Official Podiatrists: Drs. Wayne Knoll and Dianne Lebedeff Official Physical Therapists: FX Physical Therapy and Johns Hopkins Rehabilitation Clinic for Performing Arts

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