Meet the Dancers

  
   

Professional division

  
       
annie   Olga Mekhonoshina - Ballet Mistress.  She was born in Kudymkar, Russia. She received her ballet training and graduated from the renowned Perm State Choreographic Academy in 1995. She immediately joined the well known Grigorovich Ballet Theater under the direction of celebrated choreographer Yuri Grigorovich. Olga performed in many ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Golden Age, Chipolino, Spartacus and Raymonda. Before moving to the United States , Olga danced in many different countries including, Japan , Portugal, Lebanon and Spain . Since joining the Sarasota Ballet in 2002 under the direction of Robert de Warren audiences have also seen her in Paquita, SwanLake and A Midsummer night’s dream. In 2007-2008 season with Artistic Director Iain Webb, Olga danced a variety of roles in ballets. Olga started her ballet teaching experience in 2005. In July 2008 Olga was invited to work as a guest teacher to in Miami under direction Vladimir Issaev. She had opportunity to work with Russian Pedagogues from Vaganova Ballet Academy, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Ms. Olga joined the staff of Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet in 2009. She also works as Ballet Mistress of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida where she dances as a guest in soloist roles.  
       
Kaori Fukui  

Kaori Fukui began her training at the Iwata Ballet School and later continued at the Tokushima Ballet School. She was a member of Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company from 2006-2007 and worked for Roxey Ballet until 2009. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including a 1st prize in the 18th Kobe Dance Competition and 3rd prize in the 20th All Japan Ballet Competition. Ms. Fukui is very excited to join Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida for the remainder of the 2009-2010 season.

  
       
 
Andrey Konkin is a graduate from the prestigious school of ballet of Perm in Russia. He started his ballet studies in his hometown of Nishninovgorod, Russia. As a member of the Perm Opera Ballet Company, where he danced professionally for more than two years, he traveled to Italy and China in their international tours. Andrey joined Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in 2004 when he performed as the Prince in The Nutcracker. He has danced the principal roles of Chipollino, Prince Ivan of Firebird and always a soloist in Shostakovich Suites and Glinka Suite. Andrey had the honor of being coached for the role of Le Spectre de la Rose by Mr. George Zoritch, legend of the Ballet Russes. He also danced at the International Ballet Festival in Poland in 2006. His repertoire also includes “Spring Waters” and “The Seasons”.
  
       
Lisa Mastseva   Lisa Maltseva was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She attended the Vaganova Ballet Academy where she was trained by Elena Zabalkanskaya, and Elena Evteeva. Upon her graduation she was immediately selected to join the Mariinsky Balet Theater , formerly known as the Kirov Ballet. She danced as a soloist in Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Fountain of Bakchisaray, La Sylphide, La Bayadere and The Nutcracker. She also danced during the international tours of the company in important Ballet Festival a at the Royal Opera House of London, The Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, the Deutsche Opera House in Berlin in Germany and the Bellini Theater in Palermo Italy, and also in Japan, Korea, China, Finland, Mexico and the US. She also performed in Bangkok, for the Royal Family of Thailand. After relocating to Miami, Florida, Lisa joined Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida as a soloist and also as a Ballet teacher for Vladimir Issaev's School of Classical Ballet.  
       
Erin   Erin Simons-Brown began her dance training at Boulder Ballet, then continued training at the Academy of Colorado Ballet on scholarship. Upon graduation, she danced with Colorado Ballet for two years, performing in ballets such as Christopher Wheeldon's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, and The Nutcracker. She has also danced with Charleston Ballet Theater. This is her first season with Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida.         
       
Fan Shi   Fan Shi, Born in Shanghai, China. He graduated as a professional Ballet artist in 2007 at the Shaghai Dance School with a Ballet Major in Russian Training. He started his professional Ballet career in 2007 at the Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island.Among  his repertoire Don Quixote, Coppelia, Napoli arranged by the Royal Danish Ballet, Le Corsaire, Nutcracker Swan Lake and Modern works such as Over Again and 321 Ligeti. Fan will make his debut with Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in March.   
       
shannon   Shannon Smith was born in Harmony, New Jersey, but claims Hollywood, Florida as his hometown. His professional dance training includes The Harid Conservatory, Miami City Ballet, School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet and Hartford Ballet. He has danced with Sarasota Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Florida, Boca Ballet Theatre and most recently Arts Ballet Theatre in Miami. Among the roles he has danced, Peter in Peter Pan, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Sigfried in Swan Lake, The Prince in Sleeping Beauty, Cavalier in the Nutcracker, and Kirk Peterson’s Amazed and Burning Dreams.    
       
Jun Tanabe   Jun Tanabe began his training at the Kurosawa Tomoko Ballet Studio and later continued at the Rock School for Dance Education 2005-2008.He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including a 1st prize in the 20th All Japan Ballet Competition and 1st Prize in the 66th Tokyo Newspaper National Ballet Competition and 2nd & 3rd prize in the Youth America Grand Prix NY final 2006 & 2007.He has performed at Miami Ballet Festival in 2007 and Roxey Ballet. Mr. Tanabe is joining Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida for the 2009- 2010 season.  
       
dancers   Miho Yoshioka, 20 years of age from Osaka, Japan. Miho trained at the Kaoru Jinushi Ecole de Ballet, Japan in the Vaganova Method. Miho has received several awards and was finalist at the NBA Ballet Competition in 2003 & 2004 in Japan. Miho recently graduated at the Vaganova Ballet Academy, Russia under the direction of Altynay Asylmuratova. Her repertoire includes Don Quixote, Flames of Paris, Diana and Acteon, Nutcracker and Esmeralda. Miho began her professional career with Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in 2008. Since then, she has danced soloist and principal roles as The Sugarplum in The Nutcracker, Fairy Doll, Fuga con Pajarillo, and Firebird. Miho also toured to Denmark this past Spring with Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida.  
All photos by JoeyG photography      
   

Junior Members

  
       
    Alyssa Frantz, has been a student of Vladimir Issaev School of Classical Ballet since she was 7 years of age. She has also attended the Summer Intensive Programs of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida with Vladimir Issaev, Alla Osipenko, Tatiana Terekhova and Yelena Zabalkanskaya. She has performed in the productions of the Nutcracker, Chipollino, Firebird Chipollino, Doctor Ouch!. Alyssa has toured with the company to Poland in 2006 and Germany in 2008.  
       
   
Renee Roberts, started her ballet lessons at a very young age, and has been training with Vladimir Issaev and additionally for the past year with Lyubov Fominih . Renee has also attended the Summer Intensive Programs of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida with Vladimir Issaev, Irina Lebedeva, Alla Osipenko and Tatiana Terekhova. She has participated in the productions of the Nutcracker, Chipollino, Firebird and the Spring Gala. Her roles include: The Doll, Demons, Ms. Radish and Trisch Trasch Polka. Renee attended the Summer Intensive of ABT in New York and she received a special award at the Miami Ballet Competition after moving up to the second round.
 
   
 
   
Nicole Swede, has been dancing since the age of 3. She has danced in all productions of the Nutcracker, Chipollino, Spring Gala and Firebird for Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida. In 2003 she played the role of Clara in the Nutcracker. She has also danced the roles of The Doll, Ms. Rose, and Ms. Radish. Nicole has attended the summer intensive with Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida and the Universal Ballet Academy. Nicole was part of the International Tour to Poland in April of 2006 and 2007.
 
   
 
   
Alexandra Vernick has been training with Ballet Master Vladimir Issaev for the past six years, and has attended the Summer Intensive Program of Arts Ballet Theatre in 2004 and 2005. Alexandra has danced in The Nutcracker dancing the role of Clara in 2004. She participated in the Spring Gala 2004 dancing a solo "Etude". In May of 2004, she was invited to travel with Arts Ballet Theatre to Odense, Denmark and to Poland in 2006. Alexandra danced the soloist roles of “Marzipan” in The Nutcracker, “ The Dove” in Doctor Ouch!, The gossiper in “Petrouchka”.
 
     
       
       
     
    Natalia Correa-Ferro, Yasamin Haghayegh,Sharon Rozencwaig, Bianca Soto, Valeria Vasilchenko.  
       
   

Apprentices to the Company

  
       
    Eugenia Bejar, Veronika Bondarenko, Ana Belen Franco, Nicole Guenoun, Sofia Manzo, Kayci Rodriguez, Georgina Whelan, Raquel Zerbib.  
       
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