Executive & Artistic Director

Thor Steingraber

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Ballet BC

Medhi Walerski | Artistic Director

Kathy MacKenzie | Managing Director

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Sat Nov 23 | 8pm

Run Time: 2 hours including two 20-minute intermissions

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Program | Program Note

About the Program | The Company

About Ballet BC | Medhi Walerski | Crystal Pite

Luca Afflitto | Sidney Chuckas | Emanuel Dostine | Michael Garcia | Orlando Harbutt | Eduardo Jimenez Cabrera | Kiana Jung | Pei Lun Lai | Benjamin Peralta | Sarah Pippin | Vivian Ruiz | Rae Srivastava | Kaylin Sturtevant | Jacalyn Tatro | Sydney Tormey

Nathan Bear | Imani Frazier | Joziah German | Kelsey Lewis

An Interview With Medhi Walerski

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About Us

Our Supporters | The Soraya Team

Medhi Walerski

Medhi Walerski became artistic director of Ballet BC in 2020. Raised in France, he danced at the Paris Opera Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin before joining Nederlands Dans Theater in 2001. For more than a decade, Walerski contributed to NDT’s famed innovative style, and was awarded the Dutch dance prize VSCD Zwaan in 2013. Walerski has created with and performed works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor, among others.

Since his choreographic debut in 2008, he has created numerous acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC including Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), Romeo + Juliet (2018), Silent Tides (2020), just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), and Pieces of Tomorrow (2024), as well as works for Bern Ballet, Goteborg Ballet, StaatsBallett Hannover, Charlotte Ballet, and more. As an educator, he is regularly invited to lecture and give workshops at dance conservatories and festivals around the world.

Crystal Pite

In a choreographic career spanning 35 years, Crystal Pite has created more than 60 works for companies such as the Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and The National Ballet of Canada. She is an associate artist at three institutions: Nederlands Dans Theater, Sadler’s Wells (London), and Canada’s National Arts Centre.

Pite holds an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University and is a Member of the Order of Canada.

In 2002, she formed her company Kidd Pivot in Vancouver. Kidd Pivot tours internationally with works such as Betroffenheit, Revisor and Assembly Hall (co-created with Jonathon Young), as well as The Tempest Replica, Dark Matters, Lost Action, and The You Show.

Luca Afflitto

Originally from Genoa, Italy, Luca Afflitto (he/him) started dancing at the age of 11. In 2014, he was admitted to the Academie de Danse Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo, under the direction of Luca Masala, where he graduated three years later. At the academy, Afflitto had the opportunity to study with internationally renowned teachers and to dance works by Jiří Kylián, Marco Goecke, and Mats Ek, among others.

In 2017, he joined Ballett Zürich, under the direction of Christian Spuck, and after two seasons in the Junior Ballet, he joined the main company. While in Zurich, Afflitto had the opportunity to dance works by choreographers such as Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Kylian, Goecke, Goyo Montero, Edward Clug, Johan Inger, and Cayetano Soto. In 2019, Afflitto was awarded the Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich.

In 2022, Afflitto joined Ballet BC, under the direction of Medhi Walerski, where he explores, creates, and performs works by internationally renowned choreographers for Canadian audiences and all around the world. This is Afflitto’s third season with the company.

Sidney Chuckas

Sidney Chuckas (they/he) was born in Chicago. They learn, create, and educate through their multidisciplinary art practices with a larger mission to dismantle the institutionalized marginalization of minoritized bodies. Chuckas learned to utilize their diverse experiences — from dancing since the age of 5 at Dance Center Evanston to graduating from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and USC School of Architecture — to thoughtfully engage in others’ work while engaging those around them in progressive conversation, practice, and change.

Chuckas has performed works by Sharon Eyal, Marco Goecke, and Medhi Walerski, and premiered roles in new works by Dorotea Saykaly, Shay Kuebler, Johan Inger, Roy Assaf, and Out Innerspace. They have also danced for Brandy, Chance the Rapper, and Paris Jackson, and recently was featured in Vogue Mexico for a closing solo performance at Vancouver Fashion Week for Eduardo Fashion Studios.

Chuckas also creates and produces their own choreographic works for stage and screen, with their most recent projects including a multiplatform solo titled Manzanar and world premieres for Arts Umbrella and Lamondance.

Their time at USC also led them toward discovering their passion for design. Chuckas completed their undergraduate studies with a minor in architecture and received an academic scholarship to attend the Pratt Institute of Design Master of Architecture program.

Chuckas is honored to be a part of the Ballet BC community for a fourth season and is humbled by the opportunity to continue feeding their passion for inclusive, collaborative innovation and creativity.

Emanuel Dostine

Emanuel Dostine (he/they) was born in Detroit and received his initial dance training from Spotlight Dance Works where he was a YoungArts winner in contemporary dance. He moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, to further his education at Arts Umbrella with the guidance of Artemis Gordon. After graduating, Dostine was an Emerging Artist for two seasons with the company.

In the last four years, Dostine has performed works by Crystal Pite, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Fernando Magadan, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, Johan Inger, Jiří Pokorny, Medhi Walerski, Marne and Imre van Opstal, Roy Assaf, and Shahar Binyamini.

Dostine is entering the 24-25 Season as a full company artist.

Michael Garcia

Michael Garcia was born in McAllen, Texas. His early ambition and passion for dance led him to Dallas, where he finished his training at Dance Industry Performing Arts Center and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Garcia received his BFA from The Juilliard School, under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. Since graduation, he has performed with Loni Landon Dance Project at Jacob’s Pillow, been a company member with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for their 44th season, and he is currently residing in Vancouver for his third year as a full-time company artist at Ballet BC.

He has performed repertoire and creations by Bryan Arias, Roy Assaf, Aszure Barton, Sharon Eyal, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, José Limón, Lar Lubovitch, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Out Innerspace, Dwight Rhoden, Jermaine Spivey, Imre and Marne van Opstal, and Medhi Walerski.

Beyond performing, Garcia has many pursuits in teaching, choreography, and modeling. He looks forward to further cultivating his career beyond company life both in Vancouver and around the world.

Orlando Harbutt

Orlando Harbutt (he/him/his) is an accomplished dancer, collaborator, and choreographer. Originally from New York City, he spent a significant portion of his early childhood in Rome. Harbutt embarked on his dance journey at the age of 10. After relocating to the United States in 2011, he pursued formal training in ballet, while also exploring other dance forms such as hip-hop. His passion for dance eventually led him to New York City, where he honed his skills at Manhattan Youth Ballet, earning the first Men of Merit Scholarship Award. Notably, Harbutt had the privilege of studying and performing works by renowned ballet masters, including the legendary George Balanchine.

At 16, Harbutt’s love for dance earned him a coveted spot at The Juilliard School for dance. This invaluable experience provided him with a comprehensive education in dance and numerous opportunities to collaborate with other divisions, particularly the Drama Division. Amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, Harbutt dedicated a year to training with Arts Umbrella before returning to Juilliard for his junior year. Shortly thereafter, he embarked on his professional career with Ballet BC in Vancouver, British Columbia, while pursuing his BFA at Juilliard.

Harbutt also nurtures a deep interest in acting, philosophy, and visual art. He continuously seeks out avenues where these art forms intersect, further enriching his artistic journey.

Eduardo Jiménez Cabrera

Eduardo Jiménez Cabrera (he/him) was raised in Cartago, Costa Rica, where he felt an undeniable attraction to movement practices. This led him to begin his dance training at the age of 15. Five years later, in 2020, Jiménez Cabrera decided to move to Philadelphia in pursuit of furthering his dance education. He is currently a senior pursuing his BFA in dance at The University of the Arts under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield, who granted him the Director’s Full Scholarship Award.

Jiménez Cabrera was a part of BigKid Dance, led by Mark Caserta (in Philadelphia), and Boca Tuya, directed by Omar Román de Jesús (in New York). He has also worked with Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary arts collective Tribe, under the direction of Shamel Pitts.

Jiménez Cabrera joined Ballet BC in 2023 as an Emerging Artist. He has performed works by Shahar Binyamini, William Forsythe, Out Innerspace, Micaela Taylor, Medhi Walerski, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Annie Rigney, Sidra Bell, Paxton Ricketts, Mark Caserta, Omar Román de Jesús, and Jesse Zaritt.

Jiménez Cabrera is working with Ballet BC for his second season, this time as a company member.

Kiana Jung

Kiana Jung (she/her) is a Vancouver, British Columbia, native who began her dance training at Arts Umbrella at the age of 9. She completed the professional and graduate program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. During her time at Arts Umbrella, Jung was selected to perform in Ballet BC’s production of Romeo + Juliet during the 2017-18 Season, and she performed works by notable choreographers including Amos Ben-Tal, Mats Ek, Stephan Laks, and Emily Molnar.

Since joining Ballet BC in 2019, Jung has performed at prestigious festivals both in North America, such as the National Arts Centre and DansDanse, and throughout Europe. Her repertoire includes works by choreographers including Aszure Barton, Sharon Eyal, William Forsythe, Marco Goecke, Johan Inger, Crystal Pite, Out Innerspace, and Medhi Walerski. She has performed at BC Culture Days 2020 and the Dancing on the Edge Festival 2021. Jung is entering her sixth season with Ballet BC.

Pei Lun Lai

Pei Lun Lai (she/her) is from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where she started dancing at the age of 8. In 2021, she joined Hung Dance and performed American Dance Festival online solo premiere Equilibrium by Hung Dance Artist Director Lai Hung-Chung. In 2022, Lai performed Formless Erosion in Hung Dance. That same year, Listen, I’ll Speak, a dance creation with co-choreographer Xiao Annette, won the gold medal in the MOC’s Taiwan Creative Competition.

In June 2023, Lai graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts with a bachelor’s in dance. During her time there, she performed repertoire works by Ihsan Rustem, Lo Man-fei, Zhang Xiao-Xiong, Tsai Hui Chen, and Tsai Po-Cheng.

This is Lai’s second season with Ballet BC.

Benjamin Peralta

Benjamin Peralta (he/him) grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, where he danced competitively and trained at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. In 2018, he left home to pursue a BFA in dance at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. While studying at USC, Peralta performed the works of artists such as William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Barak Marshall, Bret Easterling, and more.

Peralta’s passions for both yoga and photography influence his expression when executing choreography as well as his creation process. With attention to mindfulness that is practiced in yoga, and a hyperfixation on the transitional moments that can be found in photography, his approach to dance is an accumulation of multiple different mediums.

Prior to joining Ballet BC, Peralta’s most recent work experience includes staging William Forsythe’s The Barre Project alongside Jodie Gates and Forsythe at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York.

This is Peralta’s second season as company member with Ballet BC.

Sarah Pippin

Sarah Pippin (she/her) is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. She completed her early dance training at CC & Co. Dance Complex where she received a diverse dance education. In May 2020, Pippin received a BFA in dance from The Juilliard School, where she was the recipient of the Irving B. and Joan W. Harris Endowed Scholarship and the prestigious Martha Hill Prize. During her time there, she had many performance opportunities, including performing the role of the Chosen One in Martha Graham’s The Rite of Spring. Pippin has also attended summer intensives at Springboard Danse Montréal, Nederlands Dans Theater, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance.

Since joining Ballet BC in 2020, Pippin has had the privilege of performing works by Medhi Walerski, Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, William Forsythe, Marco Goecke, Johan Inger, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Felix Landerer, Roy Assaf, and many others.

Pippin also has a passion for teaching and is honored to have taught at the Medhi Walerski Intensive at Orsolina28, Ballet BC’s 44 Summer Intensive, as well as being on faculty for Ballet BC’s Move series.

Pippin is returning for her fifth season with Ballet BC.

Vivian Ruiz

Vivian Ruiz (she/her) was born in Miami, where she began her diverse dance training at Stars Dance Company and Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. In 2019, she moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, to attend the Arts Umbrella Post-Secondary Program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. While at Arts Umbrella, Ruiz studied works by Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, Medhi Walerski, Victor Quijada, David Raymond, Lesley Telford, Lukas Timulak, and Sharon Eyal.

Ruiz participated in the Ballet BC Performance Project in the 2021-22 Season. In 2021, she was part of the research process for Crystal Pite’s Animation. In spring 2022, Ruiz danced with Kidd Pivot as a swing for the Revisor European tour. In 2022, she joined Ballet BC where she has worked with Imre and Marne van Opstal, Johan Inger, Roy Assaf, Jiří Pokorny, Out Innerspace, and many other talented artists. She has also had the opportunity to teach repertoire at Ballet BC’s 44 Summer Intensive.

Vivian is entering her third season with Ballet BC.

Rae Srivastava

Rae Srivastava (he/him) is originally from Austin, Texas, and began his dance training with Cheryl Copeland. During high school, as his commitment to dance intensified, he found an equivalent devotion to the humanities. By continuing his education at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Srivastava was able to pursue both vocations, interweaving these disparate fields into one cohesive curriculum. Thanks to a generous scholarship, he pursued his master’s in legal ethics while he concluded his rigorous BFA studies.

During his time at USC, Srivastava studied under influential artists such as William Forsythe, Jermaine Spivey, Bobbi Jene Smith, and Victor Quijada, while performing masterworks by Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, and Forsythe.

Upon graduation, Srivastava joined Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist for the 2020-21 Season, performing Medhi Walerski’s Garden. This is Srivastava fourth season with the company.

Kaylin Sturtevant

Originally from Plano, Texas, Kaylin Sturtevant (she/her) grew up training at Dance Industry Performing Arts Center and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She earned her BFA in dance in 2020 from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance under the leadership of Jodie Gates. At USC, Sturtevant had the opportunity to work closely with and perform works by artists such as William Forsythe, Barak Marshall, Aszure Barton, and Gates. She has also trained at summer intensives including Nederlands Dans Theater, Jacob’s Pillow, Arts Umbrella, and Alonzo King Lines Ballet.

In 2016, Sturtevant was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and National YoungArts Winner in Modern Dance, where she performed at the Kennedy Center in a multifaceted arts show directed by Debbie Allen.

Sturtevant has worked professionally with The DASH Ensemble directed by Gregory Dolbashian, ISHIDA Dance Company, and she’s a certified Pilates instructor through the BASI Comprehensive Program.

Sturtevant is entering her third season as a company member at Ballet BC.

Jacalyn Tatro

A native of Naperville, Illinois, Jacalyn Tatro began her training with Inspire School of Dance. In May 2022, she graduated with a BFA in dance from The Juilliard School. During her time there, she worked personally with choreographers such as Bobbi Jene Smith, Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, and Justin Peck.

In spring 2022, Tatro was chosen for Terese Capucilli’s re-creation of Martha Graham’s 1937 solo, Deep Song, becoming the first dancer since Graham to perform the solo set to its original Henry Cowell music score.

Since her time at Ballet BC, Tatro has worked on repertoire by Medhi Walerski, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, William Forsythe, Sharon Eyal, Roy Assaf, Jiří Pokorny, and others. Tatro enjoys the challenge of new experiences and has completed Springboard Danse Montreal, the GagaLab, Hubbard Street Summer Dance Intensive, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet Intensive, which allowed her to study the repertoire by Pite, Naharin, Nacho Duato, Forsythe, and Hofesh Shechter.

Tatro is returning for a third season as a company artist with Ballet BC.

Sydney Tormey

Originally from Mapleton, Utah, Sydney Tormey (she/her) began exploring all genres of dance at the age of 7. After graduating in 2016, she moved to research the dance scene in Los Angeles. With a desire to further her education, in 2018, she moved to Chicago to begin training with the professional program at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago under the direction of Alexandra Wells.

After two years in Chicago, she joined the Arts Umbrella Post-Secondary Dance Program in Vancouver, British Columbia, under the direction of Artemis Gordon. During her studies, she has had the opportunity to perform works by artists such as Crystal Pite, Medhi Walerski, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, Fernando Magadan, and Peter Chu. She has also had the honor of working with dance artists such as Johan Inger, Bobbi Jene Smith, Shamel Pitts and Roy Assaf, along with many others. In her second year at Arts Umbrella, Sydney was awarded the McCall MacBain Cultural Leadership Scholarship and participated in the Ballet BC Performance Project.

Nathan Bear

Nathan Bear (he/him/his) grew up in Langley, British Columbia, and began dancing at the age of 6. He trained at Tri-City Dance Centre before joining Arts Umbrella’s graduate program under the guidance of Artemis Gordon. Bear has performed works by Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, Johan Inger, William Forsythe, Paxton Ricketts, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Ethan Colangelo, Rebecca Margolick, Fernando Hernando Magadan, and Medhi Walerski.

Bear has participated in company summer intensives, such as Nederlands Dans Theatre and Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Bear was the recipient of Ballet BC’s Dancers of Today scholarship, which allowed him to continue his training and be a representative of his Indigenous culture. He joins Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist this season.

Imani Frazier

Imani Frazier (she/her) began her training in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at Barbara Ellis Studio of Dance before moving to Arizona to study at Tucson Dance Academy and Club Dance Studio.

After graduating with a BFA in dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in May 2024, under the direction of Pamela Pietro, Frazier has performed works by Andrea Miller, Kyle Abraham, Sofia Nappi/Komoco, and Gibney Company.

Frazier has completed Orsolina 28, Hubbard Street Dance Summer Intensive, Alvin Ailey Professional Division Intensive, and participated in the B12 Summer Festival which allowed her to study the repertoire of Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato, Emma Portner, Alvin Ailey, Jermaine Spivey and Spenser Theberge, and Aszure Barton.

Nominated for the prestigious Princess Grace Award, Frazier has had her choreography showcased at the Mark Morris ChoreoLab in New York. With a love for performing and the creation process, she is excited to join Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist this season.

Joziah German

Joziah German (he/him) from Frisco, Texas, is in his fourth year at The Juilliard School. He began his dance training at Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre and continued his education at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where he was recognized as a Texas Young Master and a YoungArts silver award winner in contemporary dance.

German has performed in works by choreographers such as Aszure Barton, Camille A. Brown, Michelle Dorrance, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, Medhi Walerski, and Johannes Wieland. He premiered in a new creation with Roderick George’s kNoname Artist for Gibney Presents.

German’s versatility also extends to film, with credits including projects for ABC, NBC, Fox, Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros.

Beyond performance, German’s dedication has helped him to attend summer intensives at Ballet BC, Orsolina 28, and Jacob’s Pillow. He also shares a passion for choreography, having recently created works for Juilliard’s Choreographers and Composers and Choreographic Honors concerts.

German joins Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist this season.

Kelsey Lewis

Kelsey Lewis (she/her) was born and raised in New York City, and her passion for dance and creativity led to her training at The Ailey School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, and MOVE|NYC| Young Professionals Program.

Lewis also trained at The Juilliard School, under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack, and will receive her BFA in dance in 2025. During her time at Juilliard, Lewis has performed works by Sidra Bell, Camille A. Brown, Johannes Wieland, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, and many others.

Lewis has furthered her training at summer intensives, including Ballet BC’s 44 Summer Intensive, NDT Summer Intensive, and Complexions Summer Intensive where she had the opportunity to study works by Medhi Walerski, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter, and many others. She has also worked with the dance collective kNonAme Artist, under the direction of Roderick George. Lewis is also a National YoungArts winner in modern/contemporary and a Dance Teacher Magazine Scholar.

Lewis joins Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist this season.