Executive & Artistic Director

Thor Steingraber

________

Ballet BC

Artistic Director | Medhi Walerski

Managing Director | Kathy MacKenzie

Sat Nov 15 | 8pm

Run time: 1 hour and 55 minutes, including two 20-minute intermissions

________

Program | Program Note

The Company | Emerging Artists

About Ballet BC

Medhi Walerski | Sofia Nappi | Shahar Binyamini

Luca Afflitto | Sidney Chuckas | Emanuel Dostine | Imani Frazier | Michael Garcia | Joziah German | Orlando Harbutt | Eduardo Jiménez Cabrera | Kiana Jung | Pei Lun Lai | Kelsey Lewis | Kylie Miller | Benjamin Peralta | Vivian Ruiz | Kaylin Sturtevant | Jacalyn Tatro

Nathan Bear | Emma Kuusela | Stan Tonin | Kailey Worontsoff

Ballet BC Team

USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

Interview With Shahar Binyamini

Explore More: Sofia Nappi Interview With Stir

________

The Soraya

Our Supporters | The Soraya Team

About Ballet BC

Led by Artistic Director Medhi Walerski, Ballet BC is one of Canada’s preeminent contemporary dance companies. Founded in 1986 by David Y. H. Lui, Jean Orr and Sheila Begg, with Annette av Paul as founding Artistic Director, Ballet BC has been at the forefront of the creation, production, and education of contemporary dance in Canada and around the world for almost 40 years. Ballet BC aims to create dance at its most essential: visceral, thought-provoking, and transformative. Attracting top international talent, its 20 dancers are a group of open-minded and curious artists, each unique for their dynamic movement while sharing an intuitive passion for their art form. The company is deeply committed to creation and collaboration and presents a diverse repertoire that seeks to push the art form forward. Choreographers include William Forsythe, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, Medhi Walerski, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Adi Salant, Jiří Kylián, Micaela Taylor, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, and Out Innerspace. Through its bold and distinctive style and approach, Ballet BC has made a unique contribution to the awareness and development of dance in Canada and around the world. The company performs throughout each season at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and on tour at the world’s most renowned stages. Beyond its performances, the company is a leader and resource in the community through a wide range of education and professional development initiatives, which aim to share the power of dance with the widest audience possible.

Medhi Walerski

Raised in France, Medhi Walerski initially trained in Normandy with Laurie Bokobza and Christine Caroly before joining the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. He danced at the Paris Opera Ballet and the Ballet du Rhin before joining the Nederlands Dans Theater in 2001. For more than a decade, Walerski was an integral part of the company, contributing to the creative, innovative style that NDT is known for. He was awarded the prestigious Dutch dance prize VSCD Zwaan in 2013. Walerski has worked closely with many renowned choreographers, creating alongside and performing works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor, among others. Walerski’s choreographic debut was in 2008 for NDT 2. Since then, he has created numerous acclaimed works for NDT and Ballet BC including Petite Cérémonie (2011), Chamber (2012), GARDEN (2016), Silent Tides (2021), just BEFORE right AFTER (2022), Pieces of Tomorrow (2024), and Last light (2025), as well as works for Bern Ballet, Göteborg Ballet, State Ballet of Georgia, StaatsBallet Hannover, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, and Charlotte Ballet. Walerski was appointed Artistic Director of Ballet BC in July 2020. His leadership tenure has been highlighted by an artist-centered approach and a deep commitment to creation and innovation, an expanded global touring program, increased dancer compensation and equity, a world-renowned brand identity, and unprecedented audience growth. As an educator, Walerski is regularly invited to lecture and give workshops at dance conservatories, intensives, and festivals around the world.

Sofia Nappi

Sofia Nappi is choreographer, founder, and artistic director of KOMOCO, a contemporary dance company based in Italy and active internationally. With tours across Europe as well as Mexico, Canada, and Serbia, her works are hosted by international institutions and festivals such as La Biennale di Venezia, Albania Dance Meeting Festival, Romaeuropa Festival, and MASDANZA. Nappi graduated from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in New York, and her training has been strongly influenced by close contact with the Hofesh Shechter Company and her study of Gaga, the movement language developed by renowned choreographer Ohad Naharin. As an independent choreographer, she creates new works for internationally renowned dance companies and theaters. In 2021, Nappi restaged Holelah with the National Theater Mannheim, originally created for the 2019 Venice Biennale; in 2023, Tagadà at Staatsoper Hannover, Moving Cloud for Scottish Dance Theatre premiered as part of Celtic Connections, and the inclusive project Kemet commissioned by the Dutch company Introdans as part of HubClub’23. In 2024, she choreographed the stage movements for the opera Platée at Göteborg Opera and presented the creation Hara for NDT 2 as part of the Up & Coming Choreographers project. In 2025, Nappi created DUENDE for Leipziger Ballett as well as world premieres for Gauthier Dance//Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart in addition to Ballet BC.

Shahar Binyamini

Shahar Binyamini is an internationally acclaimed choreographer, dancer, and director whose work merges the worlds of dance, science, and design. His artistic voice transcends traditional boundaries, offering a multidimensional experience that engages both body and mind. Binyamini’s tenure with the Batsheva Dance Company (2006–2013) showcased his interpretative prowess with choreographers Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal. Binyamini’s impact extends globally, leaving an indelible mark on prestigious dance companies including Ballet Teatro alla Scala, Opera Ballet Flanders, Bordeaux National Ballet, Gauthier Dance, Norrdans, Ballet du Rhin, São Paulo Dance Company, Slovak National Ballet, Armenian National Ballet, and Ballet BC. His creations have graced iconic stages worldwide including Lincoln Center in New York, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro Colón in Argentina, and Bunkamura in Tokyo. Acknowledging his outstanding contributions, Binyamini received the Israeli Minister of Culture Award for Promising Choreographer in 2021. In 2022, his choreographic work was commissioned to open Shanghai Fashion Week and it was featured in SZA’s music video for her chart-topping song “Snooze.” Binyamini’s work also extends into academia. In 2013, alongside professor Atan Gross from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Binyamini founded TNUDA, a pioneering research group at the confluence of dance, science, and choreography. Binyamini has also been a guest professor at UCLA, leaving his mark with LUNG, a creation for the opera and dance department.

Luca Afflitto

Originally from Genoa, Italy, Luca Afflitto (he/him) started dancing at the age of 11. In 2014, he was admitted to the Académie Danse Princesse Grace in Monaco, 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, Afflitto 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 Kylián, Goecke, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, 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 — Walerski, Pite, Forsythe, Sharon Eyal, Fernando Hernando Magadan, Roy Assaf, Jiří Pokorný, Out Innerspace, Imre and Marne van Opstal, among others — for Canadian audiences and all around the world. This season is Afflitto’s fourth 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. 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, Chuckas has learned to utilize their diverse experiences to thoughtfully engage in others’ work while engaging those around them in progressive conversation, practice, and change. Chuckas has performed works by Sharon Eyal, Crystal Pite, 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. Chuckas was featured in Vogue México for a closing solo performance at Vancouver Fashion Week for Eduardo Ramos Studios. Chuckas also creates and produces their own choreographic works for stage and screen, with recent projects including a multiplatform solo titled Manzanar and world premieres for Arts Umbrella, Lamondance, and Ballet BC 44. While at USC, Chuckas discovered their passion for design. They completed their undergraduate studies with a minor in architecture and received an academic scholarship to attend the Pratt Institute Master of Architecture program. Chuckas is honored to be a part of the Ballet BC community for a fifth 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 Hernando Magadan, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, Johan Inger, Jiří Pokorný, Medhi Walerski, Marne and Imre van Opstal, Roy Assaf, and Shahar Binyamini.

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. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from NYU Tisch in May 2024, under the direction of Pamela Pietro. Frazier has performed works by Andrea Miller, Kyle Abraham, Medhi Walerski, Pierre Pontvianne, Shahar Binyamini, Crystal Pite, Fernando Hernando Magadan, Andrea Peña, and Johan Inger. Frazier has completed Orsolina28, Hubbard Street Dance Summer Intensive, and Alvin Ailey Professional Division Intensive, and she has participated in the B12 Summer Festival which allowed her to study the repertoire of Pite, Marco Goecke, Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato, Emma Portner, Alvin Ailey, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, and Aszure Barton. Frazier has been nominated for the prestigious Princess Grace Award and has had her choreography showcased at the Mark Morris Choreo Lab in New York. With a love for performing and the creative process, she is excited to be entering her second season with Ballet BC.

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. He was recognized as a National YoungArts finalist. Garcia received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Juilliard School, under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. Since graduation, he has performed with Loni Landon Dance Project and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and he’s entering his fourth season as a full-time company artist at Ballet BC. Garcia has been commissioned by Arts Umbrella Dance and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and he is a four-time outstanding choreography award winner from Youth America Grand Prix. He teaches both contemporary and improvisation classes for adults through Ballet BC’s MOVE program. Garcia has also taught at Orsolina28’s Medhi Walerski Intensive and the Ballet BC 44 Summer Intensive. He has worked as an assistant for New York City Dance Alliance since 2018. Garcia has performed repertoire and creations by Bryan Arias, Roy Assaf, Aszure Barton, Sharon Eyal, William Forsythe, Marco Goecke, Johan Inger, José Limón, Lar Lubovitch, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Out Innerspace, Dwight Rhoden, Jermaine Spivey, Imre and Marne van Opstal, and Walerski. Beyond performing, Garcia has many pursuits in teaching and choreography. He looks forward to further cultivating his career beyond company life both in Vancouver and around the world.

Joziah German

Joziah German (he/him) from Frisco, Texas, is a recent graduate of 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 works by choreographers Aszure Barton, Michelle Dorrance, Marco Goecke, Johan Inger, Crystal Pite, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, Medhi Walerski, and Johannes Wieland. German’s versatility also extends to film, with credits including projects for ABC, NBC, Fox, Nickelodeon, and Warner Bros. Beyond performance, German is passionate about choreography, having created works for Ballet BC’s Take Form, Juilliard’s Choreographers and Composers, and Juilliard’s Choreographic Honors concerts. German is excited to return to Ballet BC as a full company artist this season.

Orlando Harbutt

Orlando Harbutt (he/him) is an accomplished dancer, collaborator, and choreographer. Originally from New York City, he spent a significant part of his childhood in Rome, and began dancing at the age of 10. After relocating to the United States in 2011, he trained in ballet and hip-hop, later refining his technique at Manhattan Youth Ballet as the inaugural Men of Merit Scholarship recipient. At 16, Harbutt was accepted into The Juilliard School, where he received a rigorous and interdisciplinary dance education. During the pandemic, he trained for a year at Arts Umbrella, under the direction of Artemis Gordon, before returning to Juilliard to complete his Bachelor of Fine Arts. Harbutt has performed works by William Forsythe, Marco Goecke, Sharon Eyal, Johan Inger, Johannes Wieland, and Aszure Barton, and has participated in new creations with Medhi Walerski, Crystal Pite, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, David Raymond and Tiffany Tregarthen, and Shahar Binyamini, among others. He joined Ballet BC in 2022. Beyond performance, Harbutt is interested in acting, philosophy, and visual art — disciplines that continue to inform and expand his artistic practice.

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. In 2024, Jiménez Cabrera obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from The University of the Arts under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. Jiménez Cabrera was a part of BigKid Dance, led by Mark Caserta (Philadelphia), and Boca Tuya, directed by Omar Román de Jesús (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 Crystal Pite, Shahar Binyamini, William Forsythe, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, Johan Inger, Out Innerspace, Medhi Walerski, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Marco Goecke, Fernando Hernando Magadan, Andrea Peña, Paxton Ricketts, Jesse Zaritt, and Caserta. Jiménez Cabrera is a full company member with Ballet BC.

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 2017–2018 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 Danse Danse, 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 seventh 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 the American Dance Festival online solo premiere Equilibrium by Artistic 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 third season with Ballet BC.

Kelsey Lewis

Kelsey Lewis (she/her) was born and raised in New York City. 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 graduated from The Juilliard School in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance, under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. During her time at Juilliard, she performed works by Sidra Bell, Camille A. Brown, Johannes Wieland, Bobbi Jene Smith, Or Schraiber, and many others. Lewis has furthered her training at summer intensives, including Ballet BC’s 44, NDT, and Complexions. 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. Since joining Ballet BC, Lewis has performed works by Medhi Walerski, Shahar Binyamini, Crystal Pite, and Johan Inger, among others. She is thrilled to be returning to Ballet BC as a company artist this season.

Kylie Miller

Kylie Miller (she/her) is from Vancouver, British Columbia, based on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. In 2020, she completed her training with Modus Operandi Contemporary Dance Program under the mentorship of Tiffany Tregarthen, David Raymond, and Kate Franklin. Since then, Miller has worked with Out Innerspace Dance Theatre, Company 605, and Ne.Sans Opera & Dance. In 2022, she joined the Ensemble of Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv, immersing herself in Gaga movement language and performing works by Ohad Naharin as well as Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. Miller has joined Ballet BC for this season.

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 Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. While studying at USC, Peralta performed the works of William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, and more. Prior to joining Ballet BC, Peralta staged Forsythe’s The Barre Project alongside Jodie Gates and Forsythe at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York. During his time at Ballet BC, he has been in creation processes with Crystal Pite, Medhi Walerski, Johan Inger, Roy Assaf, Pierre Pontvianne, Andrea Peña, and Fernando Hernando Magadan, to name a few. He has also performed works by Sharon Eyal, Marco Goecke, Imre and Marne van Opstal, and others. This is his fourth season as a company member 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 during the 2021–2022 season. She was also part of the research process for Pite’s Animation. In spring 2022, Ruiz joined Kidd Pivot as a swing for the European tour of Revisor. Later that year, she became a company artist with Ballet BC where she has performed works by William Forsythe, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Johan Inger, Roy Assaf, Jiří Pokorný, Out Innerspace, Bobbi Jene Smith, Or Schraiber, and many other inspiring artists. She has also taught repertoire at Ballet BC 44 Summer Intensive.

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. In 2016, she 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 earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts 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. Sturtevant has worked professionally with The DASH Ensemble directed by Gregory Dolbashian, and she’s a certified Pilates instructor through the BASI Comprehensive Program. During her time at Ballet BC, Sturtevant has performed throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada, dancing works by Medhi Walerski, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Marco Goecke, and Roy Assaf, among others. This is Sturtevant’s fifth season with the company.

Jacalyn Tatro

A native of Naperville, Illinois, Jacalyn Tatro began her training with Inspire School of Dance. In May 2022, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from The Juilliard School. In spring 2022, she 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, David Raymond and Tiffany Tregarthen, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, Sharon Eyal, Roy Assaf, Jiří Pokorný, and others. Tatro enjoys the challenge of new experiences and has completed Springboard Danse Montreal, the GagaLab, Hubbard Street Dance Summer Intensive, and others. Tatro is returning for a fourth season as a company artist with Ballet BC.

Nathan Bear

Nathan Bear (he/him) 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. This is Bear's second season as an Emerging Artist with Ballet BC.

Emma Kuusela

Emma Kuusela (she/her) grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she began dancing at Arts Umbrella at the age of 5. She completed the professional program and the post-secondary graduate program at Arts Umbrella under the guidance of Artemis Gordon, Lynn Sheppard, and Sabra Perry. During Kuusela’s time there, she performed works by Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Lukas Timulak, and Fernando Hernando Magadan. While in the program, Kuusela choreographed in the Young Choreographers Mentorship Project directed by Pite. Kuusela has also had the opportunity to participate in the Ballet BC 44 Summer Intensive. Kuusela is excited to be returning this season as an Emerging Artist in Ballet BC.

Stan Tonin

Stan Tonin (he/him) is a dance artist originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2022, he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, to attend the Arts Umbrella post-graduate dance program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. While at Arts Umbrella, Tonin performed works by choreographers including Crystal Pite, Sharon Eyal, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Aszure Barton, Rebecca Margolick, and Ethan Colangelo, among others. Tonin also took part in the Young Choreographers Mentorship Project, directed by Pite, where he contributed as a choreographer. To broaden his artistic development, he attended summer intensives with Ballet BC and Nederlands Dans Theater. In fall 2024, Tonin joined Ballet BC Annex, performing works by Medhi Walerski, Micaela Taylor, and Zachary Seto. Tonin is thrilled to be joining Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist this season.

Kailey Worontsoff

Kailey Worontsoff (she/her) was born in Long Island, New York, and raised in Wellington, Florida. She began her diverse dance training at Dance Universe and continued her education at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. During her time at Dreyfoos, Worontsoff earned recognition as a YoungArts silver award recipient in contemporary dance and was honored as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Following high school, she moved to New York and attended The Juilliard School under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack, and she will receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance in 2026. During Worontsoff’s time at Juilliard, she had the opportunity to perform works by Chanel DaSilva, Hope Boykin, Pam Tanowitz, Kyle Abraham, José Limón, Aszure Barton, and many others. Worontsoff has further honed her artistry through participation in summer intensives, including Springboard Danse, Ballet BC’s 44, NDT, Orsolina28, Arts Umbrella, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Through these programs, she has studied and performed works by Medhi Walerski, Luca-Andrea Lino Tessarini, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, David Raymond and Tiffany Tregarthen, and Sharon Eyal. Worontsoff is excited to be joining Ballet BC as an Emerging Artist this season.