AMY BRANDT: was born in Libertyville, Illinois, where she received her initial dance training at Dancenter North, the Ruth Page Foundation and the Milwaukee Ballet School. She later joined the Milwaukee Ballet, where she danced featured roles in works by Petipa, Tudor, Balanchine and Alonzo King, among others. She also dances with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet in Washington, D.C., where her repertoire includes leading roles in Balanchine’s Agon, Diamonds, La Valse, and Divertimento No. 15. In 2005, she performed in honor of Ms. Farrell at the nationally televised Kennedy Center Honors. Ms. Brandt also freelances with several other companies in New York City and is a contributing writer for Pointe Magazine.
KELSEY COVENTRY: began her dance training in Rochester, NY. She studied under the tutelage of the late Timothy M. Draper and Jamey Leverett at the Draper Center for Dance Education. In 2001, she joined the Rochester City Ballet and danced many soloist roles in classical and contemporary works. Kelsey moved to New York City to continue her dance training with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and performed with their Ensemble. Kelsey participated in numerous summer programs such as Boston Ballet, Paul Taylor, Kaatsbaan, Jacob’s Pillow, and Orlando Ballet on scholarship. In 2006, she was honored by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA) and was an ARTS week winner. She made her television dance debut at the 79th annual Academy Awards in a clip from Rehearsing a Dream, an Oscar-nominated documentary. In 2006, she joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet as an apprentice where she performed nationally and internationally. Kelsey is currently also a company member of Janusphere Dance Company and Eryc Taylor Dance.
MICHAEL EATON: received his formal training from theSchool ofAmerican Ballet and the Houston Ballet. Michael began his professional ballet career with San Francisco Ballet and has performed as a soloist with Tulsa Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. He has toured internationally and performed at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Paris Opera House. Michael earned the bronze medal at the 1995 Helsinki IBC, was a finalist at the 1999 Jackson IBC and performed for First Lady Barbara Bush at the 1992 Republican National Convention. His repertory includes works by: George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Nacho Duato, Arenal, and Jerome Robbins, among many more. In 2012, Michael completed his fourth season with the Kansas City Ballet.
FIDEL GARCIA: received his training at the National Ballet School in Cuba (Camaguey City). Since then, he has performed as a Principal/Soloist dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem, The Washington Ballet, Ballet NY, Ballet de Camaguey (Cuba), as well as in Peru and Mexico. Mr. Garcia’s roles with Ballet NY have included the title role in John Butler’s Othello, George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Stanton Welch’s Orange and Thaddeus Davis’s Once before, Twice after, among others. He has taught ballet in Mexico, Washington and New York, among other cities in the world. Mr. Garcia is currently an instructor at Capital Pilates Studio and a Certified Romana’s/True Pilates Instructor since 2007.
KATIE GIBSON: originally from Boston, MA, began her ballet training at Ballet Workshop of New England under the instruction of Jacqueline Cronsberg. Ms. Gibson continued her training at the San Francisco Ballet School where she had opportunity to perform with the San Francisco Ballet. She first danced with Oregon Ballet Theatre under the direction of Christopher Stowell before joining Miami City Ballet. As a member of Miami City Ballet, Ms. Gibson danced an extensive George Balanchine repertoire.
JENNIFER GOODMAN: was born in Romeo, MI and received her training in the Detroit area under the direction of Mary Kashinsky, Mary Geiger, and Cornelia Sampson. She attended the Joffrey Ballet summer program on scholarship in NYC and was then asked to join The Joffrey II dancers under the direction of Jeremy Blanton and Gage Bush. One year later she was asked to join The Joffrey Ballet under former director Gerald Arpino and danced with that company for 16 years. Jennifer has toured internationally with the world renowned rock-ballet Billboards and appeared in Robert Altman’s The Company. She has performed an extensive repertoire including ballets by Gerald Arpino, Mr. Joffrey, George Balanchine, Anthony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Nijinsky, Frederick Ashton, Jerome Robbins, John Cranko, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Pilobolus, and had a role created for her by Donald Byrd. She has performed numerous roles in Mr. Joffrey’s Nutcracker and has danced soloist roles in Giselle, Cinderella, The Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. Jennifer is now a freelance dancer in New York and has performed in Aida and Carmen at The Metropolitan Opera, with Avi Scher & Dancers and Ballet X.
JASON JORDAN: began his dance career at the tender age of seven when he won five dollars for being the best dancer at aBrooklyn house party. Since then, Mr. Jordan has danced with Feld Ballets/NY; Ballet Tech (as a Principal Dancer); Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal; Buglisi Dance Theater; Armitage Gone; Twyla Tharp; Ballet Noir; Gleich Dances; Rubberbandance; Cedar Lake Dance; Peridance Ensemble; Battery Dance; Janusphere Dance; Viewpointe Dance and 360 Degrees Dance company. Mr.Jordan would like to thank all of the beautiful souls that have helped him along the way.
LUKE MANLEY: was born in Dowagiac, Michigan and began his training at the School of Ballet Chicago as a recipient of the Dowd Scholarship. While there he had the pleasure of performing such George Balanchine works as Serenade, Theme and Variations, and Who Cares?. He continued his dance education at the Hubbard Street Dance Center. Luke started dancing professionally with River North Chicago Dance Company where he performed works by Kevin Iega Jeff, Lauri Stallings, and Daniel Ezralow. He then joined American Repertory Ballet giving him the opportunity to perform such works as Twyla Tharp’s Octet and Sinatra Suites. In 2008, Luke began working with Armitage Gone! Dance to perform several works by Karole Armitage including Watteau Duets and Legidi Essays.
JOHN-MARK OWEN: began his dance training in Macon, GA at Dance Arts Studio under the direction of Jean Evans Weaver. After studying at Chautauqua Institute, The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, and Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts he joined Nashville Ballet under the direction of Paul Vasterling. From there he danced with Ohio Ballet, Augusta Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Ballet NY, Dances Patrelle and Lydia Johnson Dance. He recently completed his graduate studies and now holds an MFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. Mr. Owen is currently pursuing his own choreographic endeavors, and his pas de deux for two men Delirio Amoroso recently had its premier at Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Festival. Please visit johnmarkowen.com for more information. This is his sixth season with Ballet NY.
NADEZHDA VOSTRIKOV: grew up in Winchester, VA and started her ballet training at her parents’ school The Vostrikov’s Academy of Ballet. She later finished her training with three years at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Her professional career started at the age of 18, where she spent two years with Boston Ballet II. After that, Nadezhda moved to Canada and became a full company member with The Alberta Ballet where she spent three years. She has performed principal roles such as Klara in The Nutcracker and Alice in Alice in Wonderland. Her repertoire also includes La Fille Mal Gardee, Don Quixote and Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, La Valse, Who Cares?, Divertimento No. 15, and Ballo Della Regina.
BRENT WHITNEY: is originally from Traverse City, MI. He danced with the Milwaukee Ballet for four years before moving to New York City. Since moving to the east coast, he has danced with Ballet NY, Ballet X, New York Theater Ballet and Connecticut Ballet. Brent has performed in works by Paul Taylor, George Balanchine, Michael Pink, Lila York, Thaddeus Davis and Stephen Mills, to name a few. He recently choreographed his first piece on the Roxey Ballet in New Jersey and has plans to continue choreographing in the future. Brent is currently working on a degree in massage therapy from the Swedish Institute in New York City.