Company Members

Emily Barrows began her ballet training at Festival Ballet Providence and Koltun Ballet Boston before continuing her studies at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She later joined the conservatory program at Atlanta Ballet on a full scholarship. In 2017, she was offered a trainee position with Grand Rapids Ballet and was promoted to apprentice in 2019. She also performed with Minnesota Ballet before joining New Jersey Ballet in 2021.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet, Ms. Barrows has performed in a wide range of classical and contemporary works, including The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, and several ballets by George Balanchine, including Who Cares?, Concerto Barocco, Rubies, and Serenade. Her repertoire also includes Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction; Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite and New Ancient Strings; Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate and Jewel Box; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; Justin Peck’s Murder Ballades and In Creases; and Penny Saunders’ Sur le Fil.

Vinícius Freire was born in Recife, Brazil, and began his ballet training at the age of 12. Just a few months later, he earned a full scholarship to the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil, where he quickly distinguished himself as a promising young artist.
In 2021, Freire joined the school’s Junior Company before relocating to Philadelphia to train with Philadelphia Ballet II. Shortly thereafter, he was invited to join Philadelphia Ballet as an apprentice, further advancing his professional career.
In 2023, Freire joined New Jersey Ballet as a company artist and is currently in his fourth season with the organization.
An accomplished performer, Freire was named Best Male Dancer at the Festival de Joinville—the largest dance festival in Brazil—in 2023. Throughout his career, he has worked with acclaimed choreographers including Justin Peck, Roderick George, and Ingrid Silva, and has performed works and restagings by George Balanchine, among others.
His repertoire includes George Balanchine’s Rubies, Tarantella, and Serenade; Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction; Harrison Ball’s New Ancient Strings; Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate and Jewel Box; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; Justin Peck’s In Creases and Murder Ballades; and Roderick George’s Wings of Desire.

Aram Hengen was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and began his ballet training at Providence Ballet School before continuing his studies in Boston Ballet School’s Pre-Professional Program under the direction of Margaret Tracey and Peter Stark. During his training there, he performed in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker.
Aram went on to attend the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Ballet with an Outside Field in Business Studies. While at Indiana University, he trained with renowned faculty including Sarah Wroth, Kyra Nichols, Carla Körbes, Michael Vernon, Christian Claessens, and Sasha Janes. His performance experience included leading roles in works by George Balanchine, Justin Peck, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Dwight Rhoden, August Bournonville, and many others.
He has furthered his training through summer programs with American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and The Chautauqua Institution, where he had the opportunity to work closely with Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux.
Now entering his third season with New Jersey Ballet, Aram has performed in works by George Balanchine, Justin Peck, Lauren Lovette, Peter Martins, Twyla Tharp, Harrison Ball, Penny Saunders and Roderick George.

Yuiko Honda began her dance training in Tokyo, Japan, where she earned recognition at numerous ballet competitions. In 2018, she was selected as a Prix de Lausanne candidate and subsequently began her professional training at the New Zealand School of Dance on scholarship. She later continued her studies at the Architanz Training Program in Tokyo in 2021.
Ms. Honda joined New Jersey Ballet as an apprentice in 2021 under the direction of Maria Kowroski and was promoted to company member in 2022. That same year, she performed Grand Pas Classique as a guest artist with Youth Spirit of Dance in Poland. In 2023, she was selected by an international panel of judges to compete in the USA International Ballet Competition.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet, Ms. Honda has performed numerous leading roles, including the Russian Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade, the Enchanted Princess in The Sleeping Beauty, and the Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop, and Clara in The Nutcracker.
Her repertoire also includes featured roles in George Balanchine’s Tarantella and Who Cares?; Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction; Justin Peck’s In Creases; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; Penny Saunders’ Sur le Fil; and Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate. Ms. Honda was also a member of the original casts of Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite and New Ancient Strings and Lauren Lovette’s Jewel Box, further demonstrating her versatility across both classical and contemporary repertoire.

SeHyun Jin is from South Korea and began her ballet training at the age of ten. She continued her studies at Daejeon Arts High School before being accepted into the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., in 2009 on both artistic and academic scholarships. During her time in Washington, she also participated in the Kennedy Center Master Class Series, where she was awarded the National Society of Arts and Letters Certificate of Merit in recognition of her exceptional technique.
Following her graduation from the Kirov Academy, Ms. Jin danced with Milwaukee Ballet before joining Columbia Classical Ballet, where she performed as a Principal Dancer for four seasons. She later danced as a Soloist with Charleston City Ballet. In addition to her company work, Ms. Jin has appeared as a Principal Guest Artist with Ann Brodie’s Carolina Ballet, Kingsport Ballet, and Charleston Ballet in West Virginia.
Ms. Jin has earned numerous accolades throughout her career. She was awarded the Silver Medal in the Professional Division at the 2015 World Ballet Competition in Orlando and received third-place honors at both the Korea International Ballet Competition and the Seoul International Dance Competition in 2011.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet in 2018, Ms. Jin has performed a wide range of leading classical and contemporary roles. Her repertoire includes the Dark Angel in George Balanchine’s Serenade, featured roles in Who Cares? and Concerto Barocco, Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate and Jewel Box, Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, and Jerome Robbins’ In the Night. She has also appeared as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, and the White Swan in Swan Lake.
Ms. Jin originated roles in Harrison Ball’s world premieres of Purcell Suite and New Ancient Strings, as well as Pedro Ruiz’s Estancia, further demonstrating her versatility across both classical and contemporary repertoire.

Ilse Kapteyn grew up in western Massachusetts, where she began her ballet training with Irina Vakhromeeva and Ruth and Noble Barker. She furthered her studies through summer programs at the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre in New York, and The Chautauqua Institution. After graduating from Deerfield Academy, she spent a year training at the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (Bolshoi Ballet Academy) before joining New Jersey Ballet in 2012.
Since joining the company, Ms. Kapteyn has established herself as a versatile and accomplished artist, performing leading roles including the Lilac Fairy and Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop, and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Myrtha in Giselle, and Mercedes in Don Quixote. She has also appeared as a guest artist in the title roles of Swanhilda in Coppélia and Kitri in Don Quixote.
Under the artistic leadership of Maria Kowroski, Ms. Kapteyn has performed featured roles in Justin Peck’s In Creases, Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Rubies, Concerto Barocco, and Serenade, Jerome Robbins’ In the Night, Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate, and Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s Reencuentro pas de deux. She has also originated roles in Roderick George’s Wings of Desire, Pedro Ruiz’s Estancia, and Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite and New Ancient Strings.
In addition to her performing career, Ms. Kapteyn serves on the faculty of New Jersey Ballet School and is a certified instructor of the BodyCode System, a movement methodology designed to enhance body awareness, alignment, and functional movement.

Raleigh Ledford began her ballet training at Quenedit Ballet School in San Antonio, Texas, before continuing her studies at the Cuban National Ballet School under the direction of Ramona de Saá, The Rock School for Dance Education, and English National Ballet School under Viviana Durante. During her training, she performed at New York City Ballet’s David H. Koch Theater as part of the International Dance School Festival and appeared in productions at English National Ballet School, including Frederick Ashton’s Rhapsody, Rudolf Nureyev’s Raymonda Suite, and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Memorias del Dorado. She has also trained at summer programs with the School of American Ballet and The Royal Ballet School and is a multiple-time Youth America Grand Prix regional winner.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet in 2022, Ms. Ledford has distinguished herself in both classical and contemporary repertoire. Her featured roles include performances in The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, as well as works by some of today’s most celebrated choreographers, including Justin Peck’s Murder Ballades and In Creases, Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate, and Twyla Tharp’s iconic Nine Sinatra Songs.
Repertoire highlights include leading roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade and Rubies, as well as Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels. She has also originated roles in several world premieres, including Lauren Lovette’s Jewel Box, Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite, and Roderick George’s Wings of Desire, demonstrating both her versatility and commitment to new works.
The 2026–27 season marks Ms. Ledford’s fifth season with New Jersey Ballet.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Risa Mochizuki began her ballet training at the Kishibe and Kawasaki Ballet Schools before continuing her studies at the Royal Ballet School of Flanders.
An accomplished competitor from an early age, Ms. Mochizuki won Silver Medals at both the Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Final in Japan and the YAGP Finals in New York City in 2007, where she was also awarded a full scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive. She later earned the Gold Medal at the 2015 World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida, and the Bronze Medal at the 2015 Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition in New York City.
Ms. Mochizuki began her professional career in Europe, performing soloist and principal roles with Teatrul de Balet Sibiu, Constanța National Opera Ballet, and Timișoara National Opera Ballet in Romania. Her extensive classical repertoire includes leading roles in Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Chopiniana, La Vivandière, Paquita, Giselle, and The Sleeping Beauty.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet in 2014, Ms. Mochizuki has continued to expand her repertoire with works by some of ballet’s most celebrated choreographers. Her performances include George Balanchine’s Rubies, Who Cares?, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, and Stars and Stripes; Jerome Robbins’ In the Night; Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; Roderick George’s Wings of Desire; and Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels. Known for her versatility and artistry, she seamlessly bridges the classical and contemporary repertoire.

Olivia Santos began her dance training at Vermont Ballet Theater School before joining the Miami City Ballet Pre-Professional Division in 2023 under the direction of Arantxa Ochoa. During her time there, she performed leading roles in Durante Verzola’s Classical Symphony, Ladyfingers, and Los Jóvenes, and had the opportunity to perform alongside Miami City Ballet in Alexei Ratmansky’s acclaimed production of Swan Lake.
In 2024, Olivia began her professional career with Boston Ballet II under the direction of Joan Boada. Her repertoire with the company included performances in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Raymonda, as well as George Balanchine’s Symphony in Three Movements. She also performed in Diana and Actéon, Giselle Friends, and Adrienne Canterna’s Hold Me Tight. In the summer of 2025, Olivia toured with Boston Ballet to Los Angeles, performing at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake.
Olivia joined New Jersey Ballet in 2025. Since joining the company, she has performed in Harrison Ball’s New Ancient Strings, George Balanchine’s Serenade, and New Jersey Ballet’s productions of The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. She is excited to continue growing her artistry with New Jersey Ballet.

Ben Nemmers is an emerging artist at the beginning of his professional career. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet Performance, he joins New Jersey Ballet for the 2026–27 season. Throughout his training, Ben cultivated a deep passion for performance, choreography, and dance education, pursuing excellence not only as a performer but also as a creative artist and teacher.
Ben began his ballet training at the Ballet Academy of Texas under the guidance of Lisa Slagle, formerly of Joffrey Ballet, and Thom Clower of Ballet Dallas. He later attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, where he combined intensive dance training with his academic studies and graduated with high honors in 2022.
That same year, Ben entered the University of Oklahoma’s School of Dance and joined Oklahoma Festival Ballet. During his collegiate training, he studied with distinguished faculty including Jan Fugit and Michael Bearden of Ballet West, Glenn Edgerton of Nederlands Dans Theater and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Roxanne Lyst of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Philadanco, and Boyko Dossev of Hamburg Ballet and Boston Ballet. He completed his degree in May 2026.
His performance repertoire includes notable classical roles such as Franz in Coppélia, Von Rothbart in Swan Lake, and the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty. Equally at home in contemporary and neoclassical works, Ben has performed in Jiří Kylián’s Whereabouts Unknown, William Forsythe’s Workwithinwork, and Penny Saunders’ Deux Amours. Throughout his career, he has also performed with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Victoria Ballet Theatre, and Tupelo Ballet.
Committed to both artistic growth and community engagement, Ben has taught in educational programs including South Tulsa Children’s Ballet’s Summer Intensive. His passion for dance has taken him internationally, with performances and training opportunities in countries including Costa Rica, France, and Bulgaria, as well as study experiences with renowned institutions such as Nederlands Dans Theater.
In addition to performing, Ben is developing his voice as a choreographer. His debut work, Lost in Translation, marked the beginning of his creative exploration and commitment to choreographic artistry.
Ben is excited to begin his first season with New Jersey Ballet in September 2026.

Michael Santiago Paradiso (he/him) is from Cranford, New Jersey, and began his ballet training in 2011 at the New Jersey School of Ballet. After four years of study, he was accepted into the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program in New York City, where he trained until graduating in 2018.
Following his graduation, Michael joined Tulsa Ballet II, the second company of Tulsa Ballet. Over the course of six seasons, he rose through the ranks to become a Demi-Soloist with the main company. During his tenure, he worked with a diverse range of acclaimed choreographers, including Ma Cong, Jennifer Archibald, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Andy Blankenbuehler. His repertoire included notable contemporary works such as Itzik Galili’s O Balcão de Amor, Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table, and Alexander Ekman’s Cacti.
Michael joined New Jersey Ballet in 2024 and has quickly established himself as a versatile and dynamic artist. His repertoire with the company includes principal and featured roles in Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, Jerome Robbins’ In the Night, Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels, Peter Martin’s Hallelujah Junction, Justin Peck’s In Creases, George Balanchine’s Rubies, and Penny Saunders’ Sur le Fil. He has also performed leading roles in The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.
In addition, Michael originated roles in Harrison Ball’s New Ancient Strings and Roderick George’s Wings of Desire, demonstrating his commitment to the creation of new works. He is pleased to return to New Jersey Ballet for the 2026–27 season.

Denise Parungao, a native of Manila, Philippines, began her professional career with Ballet Philippines, where she rose to the rank of Principal Dancer. During her tenure with the company, she performed leading roles in such classical masterpieces as Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Carmen, and The Nutcracker. Alongside her performing career, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance, reflecting her dedication to both the artistic and academic dimensions of the field.
In 2022, Ms. Parungao joined New Jersey Ballet under the artistic direction of Maria Kowroski. Since joining the company, she has performed leading roles in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Who Cares?, and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Jerome Robbins’ In the Night and Fancy Free, Christopher Wheeldon’s This Bitter Earth and After the Rain, Justin Peck’s In Creases, and Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs as well as world premieres by Roderick George, Harrison Ball, and Lauren Lovette.
An internationally recognized artist, Ms. Parungao was selected to compete in the 2018 USA International Ballet Competition and has appeared in prestigious galas throughout Australia, Asia, and the United States. Beyond her performing career, she is a sought-after ballet educator and guest faculty member, teaching at schools and summer intensives around the world. She is also featured in the cast of Étoile, the Amazon Prime original series celebrating the world of professional ballet.

Alexander Boyd-Smith began his dance training at the age of eight, taking private lessons alongside his two brothers. He later trained at the Johanna Hilchie Ballet School and Stepanova Ballet Academy, where he performed the role of Fritz in The Nutcracker for four consecutive years. During this time, Alex earned top honors at several regional competitions and placed second in the Senior Men’s Division at YAGP Toronto in 2018.
Alex continued his training at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., where he studied during grades 11 and 12. In 2019, he won the Contemporary category and placed third in Classical at YAGP Philadelphia. From 2020 to 2022, he trained full-time in the Professional Training Program at Ellison Ballet in New York City, after attending the school’s Summer Intensive for three consecutive years. During his final year at Ellison Ballet, he qualified for and competed at the YAGP Finals in Tampa.
For the 2022–23 season, Alex joined Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, where he performed featured roles including Prince Ivan in Firebird and the Swan sas de deux in Doble Corchea by Vicente Nebrada. He returned to his hometown of Toronto for the 2023–24 season, performing with several companies and productions, including the Neural Ballet Provoking Ideas Festival, Toronto International Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker and Cinderella, and Innovative Ballet Theatre’s Greatest Love of Dance Gala.
In 2024–25, Alex joined Milwaukee Ballet II, where he performed numerous roles with the main company, including the Inquisitor in Kenneth Tindall’s Casanova and the Sarabande Dancer in Michael Pink’s The Sleeping Beauty. He also danced the role of Solor in Milwaukee Ballet II’s production of La Bayadère as part of the company’s Momentum program.
Alex joined New Jersey Ballet for the 2025–26 season. His repertoire with the company includes Comb in Lauren Lovette’s Jewel Box; Mouse King, Snow King, Trepak, and Coffee in The Nutcracker; and Fairy Cavalier, Rose Adagio Cavalier, and the Wolf in The Sleeping Beauty. This marks his second season with New Jersey Ballet.

Brian Sevilla received his ballet training at Ballet Manila School in the Philippines. He joined Ballet Manila in 2017, where he performed in a diverse range of productions, including Rudy De Dios’ Carmina Burana, Marcelino Libao’s Paloma Muerta, Gerardo Francisco’s Ibong Adarna, Martin Lawrance’s Romeo and Juliet, and Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s Snow White, La Traviata, and The Sleeping Beauty.

That same year, Mr. Sevilla earned a Silver Medal at the Asian Grand Prix and was awarded scholarships to both Houston Ballet Academy and Elmhurst Ballet School. In 2018, he returned to the Asian Grand Prix, where he won the Gold Medal and received a scholarship to Queensland Ballet Academy. He also earned a Gold Medal at the CCP National Ballet Competition that year.

In 2022, Mr. Sevilla joined Ballet Philippines as a Guest Artist, performing in Mikhail Martynyuk’s Tarantella and Rizal. The following year, he joined New Jersey Ballet, where he has continued to expand his repertoire in both classical and contemporary works.
His repertoire with New Jersey Ballet includes Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free; George Balanchine’s Tarantella and Rubies; Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction; the Cavalier in The Nutcracker; and the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty. He has also originated roles in world premieres by several distinguished contemporary choreographers.
The 2026–27 season marks Mr. Sevilla’s fourth season with New Jersey Ballet.

Morgan Stillman began his formal ballet training with Project Ballet in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and furthered his studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In 2014, he joined Nevada Ballet Theatre, where he performed a diverse range of principal and soloist roles across an expansive repertoire.
In 2017, Morgan joined Ballet Austin, where he has performed featured and principal roles in works by distinguished choreographers including Justin Peck, Pam Tanowitz, Jessica Lang, Lar Lubovitch, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Jennifer Hart, and Amy Seiwert. He has also been prominently featured in numerous productions by Artistic Director Stephen Mills, with notable roles including Hamlet in Hamlet, Petruccio in The Taming of the Shrew, Poe in Poe / A Tale of Madness, and featured roles in Light / The Holocaust & Humanity Project. His classical repertoire also includes principal roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, and The Firebird.
Morgan has additionally been a company member with Kim Robards Dance for over ten seasons and has toured with the company to venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has also performed with Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance (2022–2025), participated in the Naples International Dance Festival in 2026, and appeared with the National Choreographic Initiative in Irvine, California, in 2017 and 2018.

Eunice Suba began her training at the New Jersey School of Ballet at the age of eleven and later joined its Intensive Program. She received scholarships to study at prestigious summer intensives including Miami City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre in New York City, and the French Académie Ballet.
As a student, Ms. Suba was selected to perform the coveted role of Clara in New Jersey Ballet’s The Nutcracker before joining New Jersey Ballet as a company member in 2017. In 2018, she competed at both the USA International Ballet Competition and the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition in New York City, where she was awarded a Gold Medal.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet, Ms. Suba has performed leading roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop, and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, as well as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Her repertoire also includes featured roles in George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Concerto Barocco, and Serenade; Margo Sappington’s This Thing Called Love; Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction; Justin Peck’s Murder Ballades and In Creases; Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate; Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs; and Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free.
Ms. Suba was also a member of the original casts of Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite and New Ancient Strings. In 2025, she graduated summa cum laude from Saint Mary’s College of California’s LEAP Program with a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts.

Peter De Carlo began dancing at the age of five in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He received his early training at Nantucket Dance Space, founded and directed by Michelle Birmingham, and was introduced to a wide range of artistic influences through the island’s vibrant dance community and the ACK Dance Festival.
After completing middle school, Peter left Nantucket to pursue professional training at Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, where he studied for one year. In 2022, he attended the School of American Ballet’s Summer Course and was subsequently invited to join the Winter Term that fall. Over the next three years at SAB, he trained with renowned faculty and worked closely with leading figures in the ballet world, including Noah Gelber, Alexei Ratmansky, Justin Peck, and numerous artistic directors from around the globe.
During his time at SAB, Peter performed works by George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Kali Quan, Emily Kikta, and others. In the fall of 2024, he had the opportunity to perform Balanchine’s Serenade on the stage of New York City Ballet’s David H. Koch Theater. The following summer, he was invited by Lauren Lovette and Lauren King to perform an original work by Lovette at the ACK Dance Festival in Nantucket.
Peter has furthered his training through summer programs with Boston Ballet, the School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet. In the spring of 2025, he joined New Jersey Ballet as an apprentice and performed in Serenade, Swan Lake, and Nine Sinatra Songs. Later that year, he was offered a full company contract for the 2025–26 season.
During his first full season with New Jersey Ballet, Peter performed works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Jerome Robbins, Justin Peck, Harrison Ball, Lauren Lovette, Penny Saunders, and Roderick George, in addition to featured roles in The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. He looks forward to returning for the 2026–27 season.

Felipe Valentini began his classical ballet training at the Classical Dance School of La Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He continued his studies under Professor Victor Filmonov and Raúl Gato at Teatro Argentino, and later trained at the Instituto Superior de Arte of Teatro Colón as well as the Maximiliano Guerra Foundation. His dedication and talent earned him a full scholarship to the Professional Training Program at Cary Ballet Conservatory in North Carolina, USA.
Throughout his career, Felipe has performed leading roles in Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Le Corsaire, Coppélia, The Nutcracker, as well as traditional Argentine dance works. He has appeared on distinguished stages including Teatro Colón, Teatro Argentino de La Plata, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, among others.
He has performed with Ballet Teatro Argentino de La Plata, Teatro Dardo Rocha, Houston Conservatory Ballet, Cary Ballet Company, the Straz Center in Tampa, and the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. Throughout his career, he has danced works by renowned choreographers including Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Justin Peck, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, and other leading classical and contemporary creators.
Felipe has also achieved recognition as a competitor, earning 3rd place in Classical Ballet and 2nd place in Contemporary at the Youth America Grand Prix semifinals, which led to an invitation to the YAGP Finals in Tampa.
Since joining New Jersey Ballet, Felipe has danced in George Balanchine's Who Cares?, Concerto Barocco, Rubies and Serenade, Jerome Robbins’ In the Night, Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, Peter Martin's Hallelujah Junction, Justin Peck’s Murder Ballades and In Creases, Penny Saunders’ Sur le Fil, and originated roles in Harrison Ball’s New Ancient Strings.
He was a member of Philadelphia Ballet II during the 2021–22 season and is currently in his fourth season with New Jersey Ballet, where he continues to develop as a versatile and dedicated artist.

Photo credit: Samuel Bouret Productions

Catherine Whiting trained at the New Jersey School of Ballet before furthering her studies at the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. She was invited to join New Jersey Ballet in 2010.
Since joining the company, Ms. Whiting has built a versatile repertoire encompassing principal and featured roles in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Coppélia, Hansel and Gretel, Le Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Paquita, Allegro Brillante, and Esmeralda, as well as the Spring Waters pas de deux.
She has performed works by Peter Martins, David Fernandez, Earl Mosley, Margo Sappington, and Pedro Ruiz Jr. Under the direction of Artistic Director Maria Kowroski, she has also appeared in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Rubies, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and Concerto Barocco, as well as Justin Peck’s In Creases and Murder Ballades. A career highlight includes performing in Twyla Tharp’s celebrated Nine Sinatra Songs.
Ms. Whiting has also originated and premiered two works by Harrison Ball for New Jersey Ballet, further contributing to the company’s expanding contemporary repertoire. She continues to value the opportunity to perform a broad range of classical and contemporary works with New Jersey Ballet.

Company Apprentices

Katelyn Konawalik began her dance training at an early age at The Academy of Dance Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey. In 2017, she joined the Professional Training Division of The Washington School of Ballet under the direction of Xiomara Reyes and was promoted to Trainee the following year by Artistic Director Julie Kent.
During her time with The Washington Ballet, Ms. Konawalik performed in company productions at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, including The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake staged by Julie Kent. Her repertoire also included George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Concerto Barocco, and Serenade, as well as productions of The Nutcracker and Giselle at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.
In 2023, Ms. Konawalik joined New Jersey Ballet as a Trainee under Artistic Director Maria Kowroski and was promoted to Company Apprentice in 2024. Since joining the company, she has performed in numerous productions including The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Once Upon a Time, and Swan Lake Act II, as well as George Balanchine’s Serenade and Concerto Barocco. She was also part of the original cast of Harrison Ball’s New Ancient Strings.

Maggie Sorge, originally from upstate New York, began her ballet training at the New Paltz School of Ballet under the direction of former New York City Ballet dancers Lisa Chalmers-Naumann and Peter Naumann, where she trained through her high school graduation in 2020.
She went on to study at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase College, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, summa cum laude. During her training, Maggie also attended summer intensives at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Kaatsbaan, Charlotte Ballet, and the Chautauqua Institution, where she worked with Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, and Sasha Janes.
In the fall of 2023, Maggie joined New Jersey Ballet as a Trainee, a position she held through the 2024–25 season. During this time, she performed in productions including The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, as well as Harrison Ball’s Purcell Suite and George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and Serenade. She was promoted to Company Apprentice in 2025 and has since performed works by George Balanchine, Justin Peck, Lauren Lovette, and Twyla Tharp.
Maggie looks forward to continuing her work with New Jersey Ballet in the upcoming season.

Guest Artists

Black and white portrait of a smiling person with medium-length dark hair.

Raynor Rubel: AEA / SAG trained at New Jersey School of Ballet. Raynor’s TV/Film credits include HBO TV Series The Gilded Age. His Regional Theatre credits include: The Music Man (Tommy Djilas) at Goodspeed Opera House and at Asolo Rep; West Side Story (Big Deal/ Snow Boy/Fight Captain) at Asolo Rep and at Barrington Stage Company; Saturday Night Fever (Gus) at Walnut Street Theatre, Riverside Theatre, and at Westchester Broadway Theatre. His New York Theatre credits include: American Dance Machine’s re-staging of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and Agnes de Mille’s Forty Minutes For Lunch. Raynor has performed as a guest artist with New Jersey Ballet in Rodeo, Cinderella, Esmeralda, and The Nutcracker. He is the founder/owner of Carousel of Progress Academy: a performing arts school for students with special needs. Author of children’s book “TILL YOUR FEET BLEED” www.raynorrubel.com
@raynorrubel