Illinois Ballet Dancers

*The Illinois Ballet Company*
	*Elizabeth Curtin, Ballet Mistress,* from Kansas City, Missouri, BFA in Dance Performance from the University of Arizona, is in her third season with The Illinois Ballet. Liz started her dance training at the age of 5 at the Classical Ballet School in Kansas City for 13 years under the mentorship of Laura Reinschmidt before going on to the University of Arizona. She has attended the Nashville Ballet Summer Intensive program and studied several summers with various groups in New York. During her time with The Illinois Ballet, she has been a soloist in Sleeping Beauty, Rock Ballet 2004, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Carmina Burana, & Souvenir de Flourence. Liz has also performed in Sleeping Beauty & Don Quixote as a quest artist in Panama with the National Ballet of Panama. She thoroughly enjoys teaching at all four of her studios within Peoria and surrounding areas, as well as choreographing for competitions. Elizabeth would like to add; "Without the support of my family and those close to my heart, I would not have made it this far. Thank you, you are my strength." Back to top.
	Molly Boswell began her training in her hometown of Meadville, PA, under the direction of Gretchen Myers. She is a 2005 graduate of Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance and a minor in art administration under the direction of Ms. Tauna Hunter. Molly has also trained and performed with companies such as the Lake Erie Ballet, the Mercyhurst Dancers, The City Ballet of San Diego, and the California Ballet. She has also worked with some of ballet's living legends such as Gelsy Kirkland, David Howard, Susan Jaffe, and the late Madame Natalia Krassovska of the Ballet Russe. Molly has performed in ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, La Bayadere, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer's Night Dream, and many more. This is Molly's first season with the Illinois Ballet Back to top.
	*Josh Gullett, from Columbus, Ohio, trained with Ballet Met in Columbus and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Graduate Program. In the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Graduate program, he had the opportunity to dance with the company in The Nutcracker* dancing Spanish, a parent, Rat, and Ringmaster, the Nobleman in Giselle, the Hornblower in Midsummer Nights Dream, Nobleman in Swan Lake, a Principal Male in the ballet Raymonda, and the part of Frans in Coppelia. This past year, Josh danced with the Peoria Ballet dancing Snow King and Arabian Prince in The Nutcracker, Jonathan Harker in Dracula, and Balanchine's Valse Fantasie. Back to top.
	*Mariko Kikuchi, from Japan, trained with Clair Ballet Atelier in Sendai, Japan under Atsuko Takahashi and Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Canada. For the last three years with the California Ballet in San Diego, California. She danced Princess Floina and Fairy of Eloquence in Sleeping Beauty, Snow Queen, Merlitons, Flowers in The Nutcracker, Paquita*, to mention a few. In 2004 Mariko won third place, Mayor's Award in The Ballet Competition for Youth in Sendai, Japan. This will be her first season with The Illinois Ballet. Back to top.
	*Yelena (Lena) Konetchy, began her training at The Dance Center and the Dance Arts Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. In 2001, she had received the Meg Nutting (ballet) scholarship from the Northern Michigan Dance Council Revue. And to continue her training in becoming a professional dancer she had enrolled in 2003 to study under Andrei Bossov, former Kirov principal dancer, at Bossov Ballet Theatre. Her training in the summer included that of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and its International Exchange Program with teachers: Jefferson Baum and Joseph Fritz, Bossov Ballet: Andrei Bossov, Natalya Getman, Irina Lebedeva, Anna Karpova, and Vladimir Karpov, and Colorado Ballet: Larissa Ponomorenko, Boston Ballet's principal dancer, Svetlana Osiyeva, guest teacher from the Harid Conservatory, Vera Solovyova, Nikolai Levitsky, and Meelis Pakri. Her performing experience included: The Nutcracker, a stepsister in Cinderella, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Sheherazade, Paquita, and Giselle as Giselle*. This is her first season with the Illinois Ballet Back to top.
	*Holly Kwitowski, is from Erie, Pennsylvania where she began her dance training at the Bayfront Ballet and Lake Erie Ballet. She attended Point Park University and in 2004 graduated magna cum laude and received her BA in Dance. Holly has also studied with the Nashville Ballet and Burklyn Ballet Theatre, as well as world-renown teachers and choreographers such as Margo Sappington, Alan Hineline, Janek Schergen, John Gardner, and David Howard. This summer she danced the "Bird pas de deux," in an original creation of Beauty and the Beast, which debuted at the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. She has also performed in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, A Midsummers Nights Dream, Giselle, La Bayadere,* and as a soloist in Raymonda. With the Illinois Ballet she has appeared as a big swan in Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Carmina Burana, as well as Opera Illinois' production of *"La Traviata."* Holly is excited to be returning for her second season with the Illinois Ballet. She would like to thank her friends and family, and especially her parents for their faith and support. Back to top.
	*Guillermo Leyva* trained with the Professional School of Arts in Camaguey, Cuba. After his training, he danced professionally for 11 years with the Ballet de Camaguey as principal dancer, under the artistic direction of Fernando Alonso, 3 years with the Ballet de Monterrey in Mexico, under the direction of Ann Marie D'Angelo, Fernando Alonso, and Fernando Bujones, 2 years with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and the Lexington Ballet. Guillermo is now with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and a freelance dancer and teacher. This is Guillermo's fourth season with The Illinois Ballet. Back to top.
	*Heather Liskiewitz, from Grand Rapids, Michigan began her training with Judy Genson. She graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in dance from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Heather danced with the Gem City Ballet since 2001 dancing Myrta in Giselle, Concerto Barocco,* Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, and Lead Merliton in The Nutcracker, soloist in Paquita, big swan in Swan Lake, to mention a few. This will be her first season with The Illinois Ballet. Back to top.
	*Michelle Lynn*, a native of Tampa, Florida, received her training from Gretchen Warren and Sandra Robinson at the University of South Florida before moving to Georgia to train at the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education on full scholarship. She later continued her training under Vasil Petrutiu and Vladimir Bykov at Central Florida Ballet in Orlando. Michelle has attended various summer intensive programs including The Washington School of Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet School in New York on scholarship, American Ballet Theatre, Colorado Ballet, and Ballet Florida. She has danced for Columbia City Ballet, The Georgia Ballet, and Brandon Ballet. This is her first season with the Illinois Ballet. Back to top.
	*Lauren Trerice, from Normal, Illinois, trained with Jane Plum and Mary Price-Boday before going to Ballet Chicago where she trained for 1 year. Lauren recently graduated from the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Graduate Program. With Ballet Chicago, Lauren danced Sugar Plum Fairy, Queen Merleton, and Spanish Pas de Deux in The Nutcracker, Seranade, Concerto Barocco, Don Quixote,* and Divertimento #15. With Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Lauren danced snow and flowers in The Nutcracker, Giselle, Mid Summer Night's Dream, and Don Quixote. With Opera Illinois, Lauren danced in Carousel. She danced the role of Ariel when The Illinois Ballet toured with The Little Mermaid of Lake Erie. With Northern Arizona University Ballet, she danced the guest artist role of enchantress in The Snow Queen. This is her second season back with the company. Back to top.
Illinois Ballet *Apprentices*
	*Alexandra Streid* is a senior at Bradley University. She is from south Florida where she studied ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and modern dance under Rosemarie Pozzuli, Debbie Wicke, and Scott Benson. Alex also studied at the American Dance Festival at Duke University with Pamela Pietro, Jennifer Nuget, Amy Frost, and Jeffery Bullock. Last summer, Alex participated in a summer ballet/modern program at New York University. Back to top.
	*Erin Dedrickson, from Atlanta, Georgia, trained with Tracey Yanckello Bayly, Nancy Tolbert-Yilmaz, Mary Lynn Taylor and others at the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance. The summer intensives that she has attended are Columbia Ballet, The Rock Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Orlando Ballet, and The Illinois Ballet. She has performed in Cinderella, Hunch Back of Notre Dame, Alice in Wonderland, Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Carmina Burana,* and Giselle. This is Erin's second season with the Illinois Ballet. Back to top.
**Illinois Ballet Trainee's**
	*Alexandra Hartter ,* has been dancing since she was 7 years old. She has been with the Illinois Ballet for three years and has participated in the performing groups and competition team during this time. She has performed in *Sleeping Beauty, Rock Ballet, Swan Lake, Carmina Burana,* and The Nutcracker. Ally attends Deer Creek Mackinaw Jr. High and is a straight A student. Back to top.
	Alexandra Henderson is a sophomore at Illini Bluffs High School. Alexandra has been dancing for four years. She has studied dance with Mary Price Boday for four years. She participated in the Illinois Ballet's summer intensive workshop the past four years. Alexandra has danced in Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Rock Ballet 2003 and 2004, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Carmina Burana. This is her second season as an Illinois Ballet trainee. Back to top.
	*Morgan Wiseman* is a 15 year-old, and a freshman at Pekin Community High School. Morgan has been dancing since she was four and has been studying at the Central Illinois Dance School for three years. Morgan has danced in the Nutcracker, Rock Ballet 2004, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Firebird, Carmina Burana and many more. This will be Morgan's second year as an Illinois Ballet trainee. Back to top.
	*Rebekah Williams* is a sixth grader at Peoria Christian School. Rebekah has been studying dance with Mary Price Boday for nine years. Rebekah has been in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Rock Ballet 2003 and 2005, as Clara in The Nutcracker and many more. This is Rebekah's first year as a trainee for the Illinois Ballet. Back to top.
*Guest Dancers*
	*Ricardo J. Garcia Cruz*, is from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He began his training at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he earned a BA in Dance. Upon graduating, he joined the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, where he had the honor to work with acclaimed choreographers Bill T. Jones, Doug Verone, Donald McKayle, Ronald K. Brown and Dwight Rhoden, to name a few. While at DCDC, he toured nationally and internationally. He has also been a guest artist with the Illinois Ballet, Peoria Ballet, and Rhythm in Shoes. Ricardo was the recipient of the Joise Award for outstanding male dancer of the year in 2002. He is currently dancing with Luna Negra in Chicago. Back to top.
	*Maria Eugenia Hererra,* a native of Panama, is a graduate of The Natiional Ballet of Panama, offered her a position in the core of the company. Three years later, she was promoted to soloist and soon after Principle Dancer, a title she still holds. She has studied and danced through out Latin America. Under a scholarship from Butler University, she traveled to Russia - San Petesburg and studied under Marek Cholewa and Rossana Ruffo. She also studied under Raisa Gutierrez, Joyce Vives, Ana Acela Smith, Anjelko Juresha, Pedro Martin Boza and Amparo Brito. Maria Eugenia has performed in modern and neoclassical choreographies as well as Classical Ballet. Her repertory includes- Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), La Bayadere (Gmazatty and Nikia), Nutcracker (Sugar Plum), Paquita, Rome and Juliet among others. This is Maria Eugenia fourth season with The Illinois Ballet. With The Illinois Ballet, Maria danced the title role of Swanhilda in the ballet Coppelia and the title role of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. Back to top.