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About Ballet Austin

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Company Dancers

Aara Krumpe Paul Michael Bloodgood
Anne Marie Melendez Orlando Julius Canova
Allisyn Paino Anthony Casati
Gina Patterson Matthew Cotter
Ashley Lynn Reginald Harris
Beth Terwilleger Eric Midgley
Michelle Thompson Frank Shott
Jaime Lynn Witts Jim Stein
Christopher Swaim Melissa Ludwig
Rebecca Johnson Jordan Moser

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Paul Michael Bloodgood

Now in his sixth season, Paul Michael Bloodgood began his training with Don Snyder at the L’Acadamie de Danse, and then continued on full scholarship with the Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet and graduated from the Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Originally from Washington, Mr. Bloodgood has performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, Redlands Festival Ballet, Ballet Austin and as a performer has toured internationally to the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, and domestically to the Kennedy Center in D.C., the Joyce Theater in New York City and Hawaii. Professionally, he has danced principal roles such as Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, Cavalier and Snow King in The Nutcracker and created the role of Le Chevalier in Emmy-winning choreographer Robert Sund’s Liaisons. Mr. Bloodgood has performed pieces by Tharp, Goh, Tudor, Taylor-Corbet, Pucci, Petipa, Balanchine and over thirty original works created by Mills, Rhoden, Stowell, DeAngelo, Heim, Vasterling, Allan, Patterson and Davis, among others. As a proud union member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA, Mr. Bloodgood has made featured appearances in films, music videos and television, with recent work in director Michael Bay’s Transformers, Forest Whitaker’s First Daughter and twenty independent films, some of which are touring the film festival circuit internationally. He is currently training in Tukong martial arts under Master Yi for his upcoming role in Rene Hinojosa’s Templar: Honor Among Thieves. Mr. Bloodgood recently tied the knot with company member, Anne Marie Melendez, and he would like to thank Jesus Christ and his family for their love and continuous encouragement.

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Orlando Julius Canova
Orlando Julius Canova, originally from Laguna Niguel, California, has trained with the Anaheim Ballet, School of American Ballet and Miami City Ballet School. In 2001, Mr. Canova joined the Joffrey Ballet. He has enjoyed dancing the roles of Principal in Allegro Brilliante, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, El Capitan in Stars and Stripes, Stephen Mills’ Three Movements, Paris in Romeo & Juliet and Sonya Delwaides Soivre Vivre. Orlando would like to thank his mother Sylvia for her never ending support and love.

 

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Anthony Casati

During his 14 years with Ballet Austin, Mr. Casati has enjoyed two tours to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, a run at the Joyce Theater in New York, a residency in prestigious Chautauqua, New York, as well as a tour to Italy and Slovenia.  In addition to Mr. Casati’s work with BA, he has participated in many festivals, guestings and competitions across Europe and North America, including  an extensive tour of China in 2001.  His prized moments onstage include the title role of ‘Hamlet’ in 2000 & 04, and Dancing ‘Romeo’ opposite Lisa Washburn’s ‘Juliet’ for her retirement in 06.  Many thanks to Debbie Casati for being an amazing mother and a “silent partner” to all the dancers since 1994’.

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Matthew Cotter
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Matthew Cotter began his early ballet training with Karen Milligan then continued as a student at the National Ballet School of Canada and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Mr. Cotter has previously danced with Oregon Ballet Theater and BalletMet Columbus.  Since joining Ballet Austin, Mr. Cotter has  enjoyed roles in Stephen Mills’ Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, Five Flights Up, and Touch. Mr. Cotter was honored to perform in Stephen Mills’ Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project. This is his sixth season with the company.

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Aara Krumpe

Originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, Aara Krumpe received her early training from Nancy Sulik and studied for three years at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre  School under David Holladay.  She was an apprentice with Ballet Austin II before joining the main company in 2001. Since then, Ms. Krumpe has enjoyed dancing many featured roles including Dark Angel in Balanchine’s Serenade, Kate in Mills’ Taming of the Shrew, the principal couple in Mills’ Touch, the Sugar Plum Fairy in Mills’ The Nutcracker and in Gina Patterson’s Red Line.  Aara was honored to receive a 2007 Austin Critics Table Award for Outstanding Dancer for her performance in Serenade and Tharp’s The Golden Section.

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Reginald Harris

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Reginald Harris joined Ballet Austin II in the 2002/2003 and trained with Truman Finney. Reginald has had the honor of dancing principal roles in Stephen Mills Desire and Three Movements, in which the second movement was created for him, and Stephen Mills Touch. Reginald is an aspiring choreographer, having created five ballets for Ballet Austin II. This past year Reginald was commissioned to choreograph works for the Dallas Ballet Center and Ballet Conservatory of South Texas. This year Reginald won a choreographic competition to create an original work for the Gem City Ballet in Dayton Ohio. This is Reginald’s fourth season with the Company

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Rebecca Johnson

Rebecca Johnson is originally from Ann Arbor, MI where she received her early training from Marjorie Randazzo. From there she attended the Virginia School of the Arts as well as summer programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theater, and Ballet Austin. Ms. Johnson joined Ballet Austin II in 2004 and has enjoyed performing roles in Peter Pan, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Taming of the Shrew, Touch, and Thaddeus Davis’ Pain Inside of Confidence. This is Ms. Johnson’s second season with the company.

 

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Melissa Ludwig
Melissa Ludwig, originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, received her training at the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company.  She had the opportunity to perform as an apprentice with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company as well as the Milwaukee Ballet Company before joining Ballet Austin II in the fall of 2004.  Ms. Ludwig has enjoyed performing works such as Thaddeus Davis' Pain Inside of Confidence with Ballet Austin II and Stephen Mills' Touch and Taming of the Shrew with Ballet Austin.   Ms. Ludwig is excited for her second season with Ballet Austin.

 

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Ashley Lynn

Ashley Lynn is a native of the Chicago area where she received her formaltraining from Sherry Moray.  Ms. Lynn performed with the Alabama Ballet before joining Ballet Austin in 2002.   Ashley has had the honor of performing in several world premieres by Stephen Mills and has toured with the company to the Joyce Theater (NYC), The Kennedy Center (D.C.), Italy and Slovenia.   Ms. Lynn has also danced in works by Dwight Rhoden, Septime Webre,Thaddeus Davis, Thang Dao, Gina Patterson, George Balanchine and Twyla Tharp.  Most recently, she has been featured as Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and  Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.  

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Anne Marie Melendez

Returning for her fifth season, Anne Marie Melendez began her training in Torrance, California at the Lauridsen Ballet Centre. She has previously performed with the South Bay Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Ballet Pacifica and Nevada Ballet Theatre.  Ms. Melendez has enjoyed roles in Mr. Mills The Naughty Ones, Twyla Tharp’s The Golden Section, as the White Cat in The Sleeping Beauty and was privileged to tour with the company to the Joyce Theatre in New York.  Ms. Melendez is also an avid dance photographer periodically showcasing her work in local venues. She would like to thank Jesus Christ, her husband and fellow dancer Paul and her family for their endless love and support.

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Eric Midgley

Mr. Midgley began his career in 1979 with the Veselka Ukrainian Folk Ensemble. He graduated from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School before joining Ballet Florida in 1989 and Ballet Austin in 2001. He has had over thirty roles created for him, dancing works by Patterson, Mills, Ailey, Butler, Caniparoli, Nebrada, Balanchine, Martins, Soleau, Tharp, Ezralow, Kylian, Van Manen, Taylor-Corbett, Vesak, Sappington, Lubovitch, McIntyre, Parsons, Forsythe, and Wainrot. Mr. Midgley co-founded Ballet Florida’s choreographic workshop, directing the program for six years. He has toured and guested extensively across North America and in Europe.

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Jordan Moser

Originally from Santa Ana, California, Jordan Moser received his training at Academy of Dance under Merle Sepel and Rebeca Tsvkin.  He has danced with Los Angeles Dance Theater and performed in Beijing, China.  This is his first season with Ballet Austin.  He would like to thank his parents for their love and support and Mingon Furman for her generosity, support and inspiration over the years.  Mr. Moser is very excited to be dancing with Ballet Austin.

 

 

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Allisyn Paino

Allisyn Paino studied in New York with Ali Pourfarrokh and Kaleria Fedicheva. She has performed principal roles with the Fedicheva Ballet Company, The Indianapolis Opera and Butler Ballet. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.F.A. from Butler University. Ms. Paino has danced works by many choreographers including Stephen Mills, George Balanchine, Dwight Rhoden, Thaddeus Davis and Twyla Tharp. She has been featured in Mills' Kai, as The Chosen One in The Rite of Spring; as Kate in Taming of the Shrew and as The Survivor in  Light / the Holocaust and Humanity Project.  Ms. Paino has toured to New York, Washington D.C., Russia, Montreal, Slovenia and Italy.

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Gina Patterson
Ms. Patterson has performed on the world’s stages since she was sixteen, touring with the Pittsburgh Opera. During twenty years as a Principal Dancer, she has become known as a consummate actress. Her versatility shows in a wide range of roles including Giselle, Kitri, Juliet, Odette/Odile and Ophelia partnered by Desmond Richardson in Mills’ Hamlet as well as extensive repertoire works, both classical and contemporary. She has appeared internationally as a guest artist and at the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center.

Ms. Patterson is an internationally acclaimed choreographer, winning the Choo-San Goh Award, the B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Choreographer, the National Choreographic Competition at Hubbard Street 2, Ballet Builders in NY, and the National Choreographic Initiative. Her works have been performed by Ballet Austin, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Florida,  Dayton Ballet, BalletMet, Ballet Pacifica, Hubbard Street 2, Ballet Austin II, Ballet East, and Montana Ballet.

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Frank Shott

A native of Vestal, NY, Frank is currently in his eighth season with Ballet Austin. His training included time at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School/ Schenley Program, Houston Ballet Academy, and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Mr. Shott began his professional career with Kansas City Ballet. During his time with Ballet Austin Frank has danced a variety of roles including Prince Charming in Cinderella, Peter in Peter Pan, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, and Laertes in Hamlet. In 2004 he was honored by the Austin Critics Table with the award for best male dancer. When not dancing, Frank likes to practice martial arts and work as a Massage Therapist.

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Jim Stein

Jim Stein, originally from Plainfield, Illinois, is in his eighth season with the Company. He trained in the Chicago area and studied during the summers in Milwaukee, Houston and Boston ballet schools. After spending his senior year of high school training with the Boston Ballet II, he attended Butler University where he received his B.A. Mr. Stein performed with the Indianapolis Ballet Theater for one season and the Atlanta Ballet for six years. He has enjoyed performing nationally as well as internationally in Europe, Asia, and Canada.  Mr. Stein has danced numerous principal roles in both classical and contemporary ballets by such choreographers as Dwight Rhoden, Stanton Welch, David Parsons, Michael Pink, Ben Stevenson, George Balanchine, and Stephen Mills.

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Christopher Swaim

Christopher Swaim, originally from Bryant, Arkansas, started his ballet training with Kirt and Linda Hathaway at the Academy of Ballet Arkansas. He then went on to attend the University of Oklahoma where he graduated with distinction earning a B.F.A. in Ballet Pedagogy. While attending OU he danced featured roles in George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie, James Clouser’s Carmina Burana, and Miguel Terekhov’s Paquita. Mr. Swaim joined Ballet Austin II in 2004 appearing in Thaddeus Davis’ Pain Inside of Confidence and Dwight Rhoden’s Salsa Pit. He then joined Ballet Austin in 2006 and was privileged to appear in Stephen Mill’s Touch and Twyla Tharp’s Golden Section.

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Beth Terwilleger
Beth Terwilleger, originally from Santa Cruz, California, joined Ballet Austin II in the fall of 2003 and joined the Company in 2005. Prior to joining Ballet Austin II, Ms.Terwilleger studied ballet with The Studio School of Classical Ballet, Santa Cruz
Ballet Theatre, Richmond Ballet, The Rock School, and Miami City Ballet. She has
enjoyed dancing roles in Concerto Barocco and Serenade by George Balanchine, Touch, Silence Within Silence,and Red Roses by Stephen Mills along with other works by Gina Patterson, Thaddeus Davis, and Thang Dao. This is Ms. Terwilleger’s third year with the Company.

 

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Michelle Thompson

Michelle Thompson, originally from San Francisco, trained at San Francisco Ballet for nine years. During her two years with Ballet Austin II, she studied with Truman Finney and was privileged to perform in Ulysses Dove's Vespers. Now in her fifth season with Ballet Austin, Ms. Thompson has loved dancing in works by Mills (Silence within Silence, Ká, Red Roses, Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project), Patterson (Free to Fly, Red Line, Liquid Eyes), and Balanchine. She has also enjoyed touring with the Company in New York, Washington D.C., and Europe.

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Jaime Lynn Witts

Jaime Lynn Witts, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, received most of her training from Maxim Ponomaranko at Dance Elite. She attended summer programs at CPYB, Boston Ballet, and Ballet Austin, where she continued to study with Truman Finney and then joined Ballet Austin II in 2003. She is excited to start her fourth season with the Company. Ms. Witts has enjoyed performing in Mills’ Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project and Gina Patterson’s Red Line.  When she is not dancing Ms. Witts teaches at Ballet Austin Academy.

 

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