Media City Ballet Artists

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Artists

Natasha Middleton, Artistic Director, danced as a Ballerina with the Pacific Ballet Theatre and danced with the Joffrey II Ballet Company in New York City, before taking on the responsibilities of Artistic Director of Burbank-based Media City Ballet. As Artistic Director, she has staged several productions over the last seven years. Her grandmother, Elena Wortova, was a Soloist in the original Ballet Russe, which included other legendary dancers like George Balanchine, and Vaslav Nijinsky. Middleton’s father, Andrei Tremaine, was a principal dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Middleton studied under the direction of her father and one of the Bolshoi Ballet’s original ballerinas, Alexandra Baldina Kozlov, David Howard, Patricia Standard in Los Angeles, Rosella Hightower in France, and Stella Mann in London.

She joined her father’s company, the Pacific Ballet Theatre in 1981, where she danced roles as the Arabian in The Nutcracker, Raymonda in Raymonda, Phygria in Spartacus, the title role in Carmen. In 1985 Middleton was in a near fatal automobile accident that left her paralyzed in her left arm and leg. Though she has made a remarkable recovery, she was forced to hang up her pointe shoes. Since then she has devoted her talents to teaching and choreographing. Her choreography has been seen on Broadway (“Eye of the Beholder – The Chic Corea Elektric Band”), television (“Heart’s Affire” with John Ritter and the A&E television special, “Portrait of a Super Model – Naomi Campbell”), music film (Bette Midler in the music video, “Night and Day” for VH1) and in music videos for Stevie Nicks (of Fleetwood Mac), to name a few.

As the Artistic Director of Media City Ballet Company she made history by paying tribute to several male dancers from the Ballets Russes and Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo with the 2007 production of Men of the Ballet Russe at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. Also in 2007 she staged Act I of Don Quixote for MCB's production of Noche de Sabor. Middleton is also the Owner/Director of the Media Dance Centre, located in the Media Village in Burbank.

Ruben Tonoyan, Associate Director, was a Soloist with the Armenian National Opera Ballet for 23 years. He began his training at the age of eight with the Armenian National Academy of Ballet. He continued his training at the Kirov Ballet School and the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. After graduation, he returned to his native Armenia where he danced numerous ballets including the leading role in Khachaturian's Gayne. He has since toured around the world performing in such ballets as Giselle, Carmen, Swan Lake, Otello and The Nutcracker. He has also performed with the National TV Contemporary Ballet for about ten years. Mr. Tonoyan has coached MCB's recent productions of Men of the Ballet Russe, and Don Quixote.

Andrei Tremaine, Dance Consultant, spent the early part of his life in European capitals of the world with his mother, Elena Wortova, who was a Soloist with the original Balle Russe. He studied the ballet arts under the famous teacher, Bronislava Nijinska, (sister of the legendary Nijinsky). Later in New York, he studied with Igor Youskevitch, Alexandra Danilova, Leonide Massine and André Eglevsky. As a leading dancer with the renowned Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, he worked with such notables as Leonide Massine, Fredrick Franklin and Jerome Robbins. He made guest appearances for a number of summers with the Ballet Nacional de Mexico. He has also performed with the Colon Opera Ballet of Buenos Aires, the Paris Opera Ballet, and the Maurice Bejart Ballet Company. Shortly after returning to Southern California, he formed the Santa Monica Civic Ballet, which later became the renowned Pacific Ballet Theatre. His annual complete productions of The Nutcracker ballet, performed at the Civic Auditorium, were a tradition sponsored by the City of Santa Monica for many years.

Noted dancers of prominence who have studied with Tremaine include: Cynthia Gregory, Prima Ballerina of American Ballet Theatre; Charles Maple of American Ballet Theatre; Evelyn Cisneros of the San Francisco Ballet Company; Renée Estopinal of New York City Ballet; Joffrey Members, Ann Marie de Angelo, Robert Estner and Nancy Robinson; Elizabeth Hall of the National Ballet of Canada; Judith Aaen of the Houston Ballet; Gwyn Taylor of the Elliot Feld Ballet and his daughter, Natasha Middleton, who performed with the Joffrey II Ballet. He has served as a professor at Loyola-Marymount University and has conducted Master Classes for “Dance Masters of America.” Tremaine has choreographed and staged over 140 ballets, from Swan Lake to Prince Igor, including his original contemporary works and dance sequences for many operas, such as Carmina Burana by Orff for the Laguna Arts Festival and the opera, Alcestis by Gluck for University of Southern California.

Anrei was recently awarded the Lester Horton Lifetime Achievement Award and was one of the dancers honored at MCB's production of Men of the Ballet Russe.

Paul Maure, Dance Coach, has danced leading roles with the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo, the Marquis de Cuevas Ballet, Pacifica Ballet of Laguna Beach and with Santa Monica Civic Ballet, among others. He has worked with some of the greatest choreographers in the world, including: Leonide Massine, George Balanchine, David Lichine, Bronislava Nijinska, Maurice Bejart, Paul Goube, Nicolas Svereff, Gustave Ricaux, Harold Lander and Serge Lifar. He has partnered with renowned ballerinas like: Lycette Darsonval of the Paris Opera, Cynthia Gregory, Janine Charrat, Josette Clavier and Ludmilla Tcherina, to name a few. Born in Marseille, France, Maure has taught ballet for the Centre de Danse in Salle Pleyel Paris, France, University of California in Riverside, Ballet Pacifica in Laguna Beach, Los Angeles Dance Center, Ambassador College in Pasadena and Le Lycee Français de Los Angeles, among others. Maure has also choreographed for the television shows, “Fantasy Island” and “Columbo.” He was recently one of the dancers honored in Media City Ballet's production of Men of the Ballet Russe.

Principal Dancers

Edgar Nikolyan, Principal Guest Artist, was born in Yerevan, Armenia on June 05, 1986. Beginning in 1995, he studied dance at the Armenian National Dance School, where he graduated from in 2004. That same year, he moved to Munich, Germany where he completed his dance education at the Heinz-Bosl Stiftung Academy. He graduated in 2006 and began his professional dance career at Vienna Staatsoper (State Opera) and Volksoper (Folks Opera.) He performed the role of Basilo in the 2007 Media City Ballet's production of Don Quixote.

Yoomi Lee, Principal Guest Artist, was born in Seoul, Korea and graduated from the ballet department of Sun Hwa Arts School. She received additional training at the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington D.C. Prior to joining Nevada Ballet Theatre, she danced with the Universal Ballet Company in Seoul for 11 years where she danced numerous supporting and lead roles. In 1991, she competed in and earned the Silver Medal in the Dong-Ah competition. That same year, she joined Nevada Ballet Theatre. She was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2003. Yoomi has performed the lead roles in Giselle, Coppelia, Swan Lake , Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well as others. She dance the Adagio from Scheherazade and the Grand Pax Deux from Don Quixote in Media City Ballet's production of Men of the Ballet Russe.

Kyudong Kwak, Principal Guest Artist, was born in Daegu, Korea. He began his ballet training at an early age at the Korean National Ballet and at Universal Ballet. He received additional training at the Kirov Ballet Academy in Washington D.C. In 1989 he won the gold medal Korean Dance Competition and in 1992 he won the Silver Medal at the Dong Ah Dance Competition. In 1993 he was the first Asian guest principal dancer at the Kirov Ballet where he danced the role of Blue Bird in their production of Sleeping Beauty. He danced with the Universal Ballet for seven years as a Principal Dancer and with the Seoul Ballet Theatre for five years. Kyudong joined Nevada Ballet Theatre in 1998, performing Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. He has subsequently appeared as a principal in all of Nevada Ballet Theatre’s productions including Swan Lake , Giselle, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He dance the Adagio from Scheherazade and the Grand Pax Deux from Don Quixote in Media City Ballet's production of Men of the Ballet Russe.

Ellen Rosa, Principal, is currently a freelance dance artist based in Los Angeles. She was recently seen as the bluebird in Disney’s Snow White, an Enchanting New Musical. She has performed as a principal dancer with the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center and has also performed with the San Diego Opera the Charleston Ballet Theater, the Russian Ballet Theater of Delaware, and as principal dancer with the Chattanooga Ballet. In Los Angeles she currently performs as a principal artist with the Media City Ballet Company where she has been seen in such roles as Sugar Plum and Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, Gayane in Gayane, Les Syphide pas de deux, and Carmen pas de deux. She has also performed with Patrick Frantz’s La Danserie, Louise Reichlin and Dancers, and City Ballet of Los Angeles. Miss Rosa has toured nationally as principal dancer in the multi-media cirque show Dreamscapes and was recently nominated for Best Female Dancer of the year by the Beverly Hills Outlook Publication. Miss Rosa is also on the dance faculty at Moorpark College and East Los Angeles College.

Arsen Serobian, Principal, has danced with the Moscow Ballet Theater, Chicago Ballet, Ohio Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet (The Nutcracker and Romeo & Juliet), Oakland Ballet (The Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker), Petaluma Ballet Company (Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty), San Francisco Dance Theater (The Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker) and University of Akron (Conrad, Slave and Lanquedem in Le Corsair), among others. He has served as a Ballet Instructor at Westwood Dance Center, Stage One Dance School, Castor Valley Ballet School, Ballet Schools of Medina in Akron, Ohio (General Manager, Choreographer and Instructor in Ballet, Jazz, Acting and Gymnastics) and Canton Ballet. He recently won the 14th annual Lester Horton Award for Best Male Dancer in Los Angeles. For Media City Ballet Arsen has danced the role of the Nutcracker Prince, Waltz Cavalier, and Snow King, in the Nutcracker, as well as a leading role in MCB's stage documentary, The Making of a Dancer.

Jonathan Sharp was trained at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet. He has danced professionally with the Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet, San Diego Ballet, and has toured with The Stars of American Ballet. He played the role of “Sergei Radzinski” on the Daytime Drama “Another World.” On Broadway, Sharp originated the role of Ivan Boleslavsky in The Red Shoes. He also originated the role of the Fairground Boy in the 1994 Tony Award winning revival of Carousel. Other Broadway credits include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Dance of the Vampires. He can currently be seen on Broadway in the Tony-nominated Revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Jonathan played the faun in Media City Ballet's production of L’après-midi d’un faune from Men of the Ballet Russe.

Soloists

Felicia Guzman was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas where she trained at the Vladimir Marek Ballet Academy under Vladimir Marek and Nancy Smith. As a member of the San Antonio Ballet Junior Company, she danced roles in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Giselle. She also appeared in Ballet West’s local productions of The Nutcracker. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT, Felicia relocated to Southern California where she continued her training at Anna Cheselka Dance Center and most recently at Media Dance Centre. As a Soloist with Media City Ballet, Felicia has danced the roles of Icicles and Chinese from The Nutcracker and Carmen in the Carmen Pas de Deux. This is Felicia’s third season with Media City Ballet. She recently appeared as a Nymph in L’après-midi d’un faune, and a Polovstian Woman in Prince Igor in Media City Ballet's production of Men of the Ballet Russe. Felicia has recently danced several lead roles in MCB's Noche de Sabor, including the duet in Don Quixote.

April Lynn McLeod was born in San Fransisco California. She began her ballet training at the age of 12 with Jamie Zimmerman former principle dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. Since then April has had an extensive professional career dancing with companies such as The Sacramento Ballet, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The San Pedro City Ballet, City Ballet of Los Angeles, City of Angels Ballet as well as many other contemporary ballet companies throughout California. April credits her continued success to the training receive from great teachers such as Mario Nugara, Gloria Govrin, a former principle dancer with the New York City Ballet (under George Balanchine) and Alonzo King, Artistic Director of Lines Contemporary Ballet Company. She recently performed in Media City Ballet's 2007 production of Don Quixote as the Street Dancer, and in the Men of the Ballet Russe she danced the role of Tai Hoa in The Red Poppy, and as a Polovtsian Dancer.

Eduardo Cueto has been a principal dancer with Ballet Santa Barbara, the Los Angeles Classical Ballet. He has also danced with such companies as the Los Angeles Ensemble Ballet, Los Angeles City Ballet, and Ballet Pacifica. In 1995, he joined the Hamburg Ballet, dancing in John Neumeier’s Requiem, Vivaldi: Or What You Will, Odyssey, St. Mathew’s Passion, and Mats Ek’s modern version of Sleeping Beauty. In 1998, Eduardo was a guest dancer with Alonzo King’s Lines Contemporary Ballet. In addition to dancing for BSB, he is also a member of Santa Barbara Dance Theatre. He has recently danced in Media City Ballet's production of Noche de Sabor, dancing Carrie Diamond's ballet Sueños Castellanos.

Stephen Nelson graduated from the prestigious Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. and went to study at the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, Russia. Upon his return to the United States, he was accepted as a principal dancer in the Utah Ballet. Tyler’s roles with the company include Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” and Albrecht in “Giselle.” Tyler joined Media City Ballet in August of 2005 and performed the Don Quixote pas de Quatre in the company’s summer performance of “Pasion de España.” In 2006 he performed as Hansel in MCB's Hansel and Gretel. In 2007 he danced the role of the Warrior in Prince Igor from Men of the Ballet Russe.

Gabrielle Palmatier began her training in New York with Deborah Boughton. She also attended summer intensives at the Houston Ballet and the Chautauqua Ballet, and studied with Mary Day at the Washington Ballet where she performed with the company. Ms. Palmatier has been training with Paul Maure, Natasha Middleton, and Ruben Tanoyan for four years and has been dancing with Media City Ballet for four years. She has danced in several producitons of MCB's Nutcracker from Waltz of the Flowers to the Ariabian. She danced in MCB's production of Making of a Dancer, Pasion de España. In 2006 she danced the role of Gretel's Mother in Hansel and Gretel, in the Nutcracker. Most recently she has appeared as one of the nymphs in L’après-midi d’un faune, and as a Handmaiden in Prince Igor in MCB's Men of the Ballet Russe. Gabrielle has recently danced several lead roles in MCB's Noche de Sabor, including the duet in Don Quixote.

Kristine Gregorian is celebrating her third season with Media City Ballet. She has appeared regularly in MCB performances since 2004, including The Nutcracker, Pasion de Espana, Hansel and Gretel, Madame Butterfly, and The Making of a Dancer. Kristine was originally trained by Dame Nadezhda Kalmanovskaya and continues her training at the Media Dance Center. She recently appeared as the Lead Nymph in L’après-midi d’un faune, and one of the Captive Maidens in Prince Igor in MCB's Men of the Ballet Russe. She also danced as a soloist in MCB's Don Quixote.

Shannon Grant, a Vagonova trained ballerina, has performed corps and principal roles nationally and internationally with companies including Ballet de Printemps, City Ballet of San Diego, David Taylor Dance Theatre, and Ballet Magique. Shannon also dances in commercials and music videos of bands such as Velvet Revolver and Avenged Sevenfold. Samples of original roles choreographed for her are “Cellist”, “Shake” in the Ovation Award winning Shag With a Twist, "Mystique”, and “First Bitten." Simultaneously, with her dance career she is pursuing a business degree in college. Shannon has previously danced in Media City Ballet’s Nutcracker, Rachmaninov Sketches, and Gayne.

Andee Tims graduated from the University of Utah in Fine Arts Performance specializing in ballet. She has also received training at the Boston Ballet Summer Program. She has danced as a soloist with Brigham Young University, and the Utah Lyric Opera. She has appeared several times with Media City Ballet including productions of The Nutcracker, Pasion de Espana, and Hansel and Gretel. Andee was one of the nymphs in Media City Ballet's production of L’après-midi d’un faune and the Captive Princess in Prince Igor from Men of the Ballet Russe. She was in the tango and the Don Quixote in MCB's Noche de Sabor.

Steven Woodruff has danced with: The Wenta Ballet of Los Angeles, The Jaime Rogers’ Studio Dance Ensemble, The Redlands Festival Ballet, Dance Corps, Ballet of The Foothills, Pasadena Dance Theatre, Charles Maples & Dancers and Fast Feet. He was the recipient of the Lester Horton Dance Award for Set Design for Jamie Nichols’ Fast Feet. He is the artistic director of Rattle Up! a group that perform dances drawn on the sword dance tradition of northern England and the Welsh/English border. He currently teaches at Californai State University Los Angeles. He recently made her debut with Media City Ballet in its production of Don Quixote.

Albertossy Espinoza was born in Ecuador and raised in Chicago. He has toured nationally and internationally with Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater, Soul y Duende Spanish American Dance Theater, and Regina Klenjoski Dance Company. As a choreographer his works have been presented in Chicago, Madrid, Gijon, Guatemala, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University, the SOLA Dance Festival and the Solos & Duets Dance Festival in Los Angeles. Albertossy was a founding member of the Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, and in 2004 he founded FUSION Dance Theater. He played the role of the Young Warrior in Media City Ballet's production of Prince Igor from Men of the Ballet Russe as well as one of the Spanish Dancers in Don Quixote.

Robson Taedu Freire is a dancer and actor from Amazonas, Brazil. He studied with Ivo Karagueorguiev, Ronald E. Brown and others well know teachers in Brazil such as Liliane Benevento, Yoko Okada and Ricardo Ordonez. He also found his own company Elenco Alternativo de Danca and has been awarded several grants in Brazil. Here in California, he takes class with Marat Daukayev, Reid Olson, Nader Hamed, Ruben Tonoyan and Paul Maure. He works with Brockus Project Dance Company, Project 21, Lions Pouce Theatre, Ballet Collective LA, Bellytwins Production and Lake Arrowhead Classical Company. He played the role of the Young Warrior in Media City Ballet's production of Prince Igor from Men of the Ballet Russe as well as one of the Spanish Dancers in Don Quixote.

Sven Toorvald has danced with the Houston Ballet Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet Chicago, and the Tulsa Ballet Theatre. As a teacher, Sven has taught at New York University, California Institute for the Arts, UCLA. A California native, Sven is a Neighborhood Playhouse graduate where he studied with Sanford Meisner, and an American Film Institute alum. He danced the role of the Warrior in Media City Ballet's production of Prince Igor from Men of the Ballet Russe.

Rocio Franco Salto is a native from Spain. She began her study of Spanish Classical Dance at the Professional Conservatory of Dance in Madrid where she studied Flamenco, Ballet, Escuela Bolera, Folklorico, Classical Spanish Dance and Modern. When not at the Conservatory Rocio could be found continuing her love of dance at Amor de Dios and Karen Taft Academy learning from Rafael de Cordova , Paco Romero, La Truco, Lola Greco, Ciro, Isabel Quintero, Tatiana Stepanova and Clara Obejo. She has toured Japan, China, Spain and USA for many years performing with different companies such as España Baila Flamenco (performing ‘Carmen’ and ‘El Amor Brujo), Arteflamenco Dance Theatre, Arab-Esque, Rosa Negra Flamenco, Los Angeles Opera and now Media City Ballet. Currently she is living in Burbank where she teaches Flamenco, Classical Spanish Dance, Technique and Castanets at the Media Dance Centre. www.rocio-franco-salto.com/

Amara Baptist has been studying ballet for the past four years at Media Dance Centre. She has performed many theatrical stage plays and is a past recipient of the Los Angeles Valley Theatre League Award for Best Actress in Children’s Theatre. Amara performed as an apprentice in the Media City Ballet August 2005 performance of Pasión de España dancing the Spanish from Swan Lake. She was a member of the Media City Junior Ballet Company in which she has danced variations from Carousel, Sleeping Beauty, and Esmeralda. She has danced the role of Clara in MCB's Nutcracker for the last two years. She recently performed in Men of the Ballet Russe dancing the role of a Polovtsian Woman in Prince Igor. She has competed in the Youth American Grande Prix where she received a full scholarship this past summer to the Washington Ballet School.

Philippe Leibzig of Studio City has been appearing in musicals for the last 22 years. He has been seen on television as a swing dancer on “Gilmore Girls.” He also made an appearance as a mime in 1993, along with a student of Marcel Marceau. As a ballet dancer, he appeared in Les Sylphides in 2000 and as a swing dancer in Mister Zoot Suit in 2002. He has an A.S. Degree in dance and choreography, and has received several awards as a choreographer. He currently teaches swing and tap dancing in the Los Angeles area. Philippe appeared as Mother Ginger in Media City Ballets’s production of The Nutcracker for the past six years. He has also appeared in MCB's Hansel and Gretel, as Gamache in Noche de Sabor.

Moses Navarro received his dance training at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes in classical ballet, jazz at the Emma Pulido Academy, and flamenco with Roberto Amaral. He is a member of the Los Rumberos Dance Company, 2005 team world salsa champions. He is also a salsa instructor with the Media Dance Centre. Moses played the role of the Tartar Guard in Media City Ballet's Prince Igor and the role of Kitri's Father in Don Quixote.

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