Our-company

Company Artists

Led by Artistic Director Roy Kaiser, NBTs professional company of dancers hail from around the world and throughout the United States.

Sergio Alvarez

Sergio Alvarez

Sergio Alvarez

Sergio Alvarez
Hometown: Manizales, Colombia Joined NBT: 2015 Training: Ballet MILUZKA (Manizales), Ballet Anna Pavlova (Bogotá), Jacob’s Pillow, Ballet Hispánico and The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. Previous Affiliations: The Roxey Ballet Company, Ballet Des Moines Favorite Roles: Des Grieux in Manon, Siegfried in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake, Frederick in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula. A Career Highlight: Performing in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake with my wife and fellow NBT Company Artist, Mirella Costa Neto. It was a magnificent role and the whole ballet was a dream to dance with my other half, plus my parents traveled from Colombia to see us perform. Outside Interests: Exploring restaurants in Las Vegas and seeing live performances.
Leo Ameika

Leo Ameika

Leo Ameika

Leo Ameika
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia Joined NBT: 2021 Training: Ballet Virginia, Ballet West Academy Trainee Program, and an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Tidewater Community College. A Career Highlight: Performing as a Stepsister in Ben Stevenson's Cinderella, performing the Principal couple in George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, and performing as Von Rothbart in Ben Stevenson's Swan Lake. Outside Interests: Penn State University World Campus student studying Psychology. Published writer, recognized with a 2024 Nota Bene Literary Competition scholarship for his short story Pointe Shoes.
Graham E. Barnes

Graham E. Barnes

Graham E. Barnes

Graham E. Barnes
Hometown: Kingsport, Tennessee Joined NBT: 2026 Training: The HARID Conservatory, and Kingsport Ballet. Previous Affiliations: Nashville Ballet Company Apprentice and Second Company. Honors/Awards: 2023 Jeannot B. Corrine Excellence in Dance Performance, 2023 Modern Dance Study Award, HARID Conservatory, 2021 Character Dance Award, HARID Conservatory, and 2019 & 2018 Second Place, YAGP Regionals. Favorite Roles: Vincent Van Gogh in Vincent by Kingsport Ballet, Bach Drama by Durante Verzola, and Carlos Chavez in Dia de Los Muertos by Maria Konrad. A Career Highlight: Working for two years with internationally acclaimed choreographer & teacher Maria Konrad, who was also my Second Company Director, where I had the privilege of originating roles and choreography and being mentored by her. Outside Interests: Teaching, acting, and exploring new adventures.
Stanley Cannon

Stanley Cannon

Stanley Cannon

Stanley Cannon
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Joined NBT: 2026 Training: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, The Chautauqua Institution, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Miami City Ballet School, Ballet Chicago, and The Hyde Park School of Dance. Honors/Awards: Premier Young Artist, Indiana University, and Jacobs Bicentennial Scholars and Fellows Award, Indiana University. Favorite Roles: First Movement Principal in Heatscape by Justin Peck, This Bitter Earth by Christopher Wheeldon, and Principal in George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante. A Career Highlight: Performing the Waltz Boy in George Balanchine's Serenade under two of Balanchine's ballerinas, Kyra Nichols at IU in 2023, and Patricia McBride at Chautauqua Institution in 2025. Outside Interests: Thrifting, enjoying nature, playing card games with friends, swimming in Lake Michigan, and taking pictures.
Lucas Castro

Lucas Castro

Lucas Castro

Lucas Castro
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Joined NBT: 2025 Training: Centro de Danca Rio and The Washington School of Ballet Previous Affiliations: Dance Theatre of Harlem, Utah Metropolitan Ballet and Ballet Dalal Achcar. Honors and Awards: Jacob's Pillow advancement in Dance, Rechenberg Dancer Grant, and First Place CBDD-RJ. Favorite Roles: Prince Desirè in Sleeping Beauty, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Franz in Coppelia. A Career Highlight: Performing Allegro Brillante at the Royal Theatre in Victoria, BC. Outside Interests: Founder of Castro Ballet, a ballet school dedicated to breaking barriers and delivering world-class training, scholarships, and opportunities to underserved communities across the globe.
Mirella Costa Neto

Mirella Costa Neto

Mirella Costa Neto

Mirella Costa Neto
Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil Joined NBT: 2017 Training: Miami City Ballet School Previous Affiliations: Dancer with the Sarasota Ballet. Honors and Awards: Gold Medal At Festival de Dança de Joinville, YAGP Top 12, Finalist in the "Isolist" of the best young talent in Brazil. Favorite Roles: George Balanchine’s Tarantella and Serenade (Waltz Girl), and Svetlana in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula. Career Highlight: Performing Odette/Odile in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake with my husband, NBT Company Artist, Sergio Alvarez.
Jaime DeRocker

Jaime DeRocker

Jaime DeRocker

Jaime DeRocker
Hometown: Oneida, New York Joined NBT: 2017 Training: The Harid Conservatory Previous Affiliations Nederlands Dans Theatre Professional Summer Intensive, Festival Ballet Providence. Honors/Awards: 2009 Dancer of the Year Award - The Harid Conservatory. Favorite Roles: Odette/Odile in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake, Dark Angel in Viktor Plotnikov’s Coma, Dancer in Nicolo Fonte’s Bolero. A Career Highlight: Performing the role of Odette/Odile in Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake; and other choreographic opportunities. Outside Interests: Choreography; interior design, architecture, and art. Exploring new art installations and galleries around town.
Madeline Diehl

Madeline Diehl

Madeline Diehl

Madeline Diehl
Hometown: State College, Pennsylvania Joined NBT: 2023 Training: Miami City Ballet School, Ribbon Mill Ballet (Leslie Hench), Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania. Previous Affiliations: Nashville Ballet - NB2 Trainee. Favorite Roles: George Balanchine’s Western Symphony and Jerome Robbins 2 & 3 Part Inventions. Outside Interests: Penn State World Campus student studying Digital Journalism and Media, with an interest in Sports Journalism in the NHL or NFL.
Robert Fulton

Robert Fulton

Robert Fulton

Robert Fulton
Hometown: State College, Pennsylvania Joined Nevada Ballet Theatre in 2019 Training: Started at Allegheney Ballet Company, Professional Program 2 at Houston Ballet, Trainee at Ballet West Awards: Penn State IdeaMakers Challenge 2021 First place winner. Favorite Rolls: Balanchine’s 4 Temperaments 2nd theme, Gerald Arpino’s Viva Vivaldi 3rd movement, and 2nd Pas de deux in Bruce Marks' The Lark Ascending. Career Highlight: Getting to grow as a professional by dancing live-streamed shows all throughout the pandemic with Ballet Project OC. Outside Interests: Penn State World Campus Business major and founder of The Ballet Scout, a website for dancers to find auditions, training programs, and job opportunities.
Christina Ghiardi

Christina Ghiardi

Christina Ghiardi

Christina Ghiardi
Hometown: Morgantown, West Virginia Joined NBT: 2014 Training: The School of American Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program. Previous Affiliations: Boston Ballet II, Pennsylvania Ballet. Favorite Roles: Myrtha in Giselle, Striptease Girl in George Balanchine’s Slaughter on 10th Avenue, Flora in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula. Career Highlight: Performing George Balanchine’s Serenade at the London Coliseum while on tour with Boston Ballet. Outside Interests: Choreography, teaching ballet and Pilates, and hiking.
Jack Grohmann

Jack Grohmann

Jack Grohmann

Jack Grohmann
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky Joined NBT: 2022 Training: Boston Ballet School under Peter Stark and Margaret Tracey, Indiana University, Miami City Ballet School, The Chautauqua Institution, and The School at Jacob's Pillow. Favorite Roles: Robbie in Justin Peck's In Creases, The Waltz Boy in George Balanchine's Serenade, and Baryshnikov in Mark Morris' Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes. Career Highlight: Performing as the Cavalier in Michael Vernon's The Nutcracker. Outside Interests: Music, new restaurants, spending time with friends and family. Graduated from Indiana University with an Outside Field in International Studies.
Rebecca Haftl

Rebecca Haftl

Rebecca Haftl

Rebecca Haftl
Hometown: Exton, Pennsylvania Joined NBT: 2022 Training: School of American Ballet, Miami City Ballet School, Philadelphia Ballet School, and Chester Valley Dance Academy. Previous Affiliations: New York City Ballet, New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute, Philadelphia Ballet, and New Chamber Ballet. Honors and Awards: The School of American Ballet Merit Scholarships, and Princess Grace Foundation Scholarship nominee by Philadelphia Ballet School. A Career Highlight: Rehearsing and performing Dew Drop from George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. Outside Interests: Spending quality time with friends and family, reading, cooking/baking, hiking, and Pilates.
Camille Kellems

Camille Kellems

Camille Kellems

Camille Kellems
Hometown: Newport Beach, California Joined NBT: 2019 Training: Maple Conservatory of Dance under Charles Maple & Indiana University Ballet Department, Class of 2019. Previous Affiliations: Ballet Project OC, guesting as the Sugarplum in The Nutcracker for Great Lakes Dance in Sarnia, Canada. A Career Highlight: Performing Wendy in Trey Mcintyre’s Peter Pan, especially given that I was the understudy, and found out I was going on shortly before the performance. Outside Interests: Pilates, spin classes, hiking, trying new restaurants and hanging with friends.
Cameron Kesten

Cameron Kesten

Cameron Kesten

Cameron Kesten
Hometown: Bossier City, Louisiana Joined NBT: 2023 Training: Academy of City Ballet of Houston, and Houston Ballet Academy. Previous Affiliations: Ballet West Traineeship. Favorite Roles: Puss-in-Boots in Ballet West's Sleeping Beauty, Five Guys in George Balanchine's Who Cares? Career Highlight: Guest performing in Dracula with Nevada Ballet Theatre while training at Ballet West. Outside Interests: Studying psychology at the University of Utah, watching and rating movies, playing board games and chilling with my cat, Theo.
Selena Knowlton

Selena Knowlton

Selena Knowlton

Selena Knowlton
Hometown: Clifford, PA Joined NBT: 2022 Training: Ballet Theatre of Scranton, The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, and Charlotte Ballet Trainee. A Career Highlight: Being coached by Patricia McBride on Fascinatin’ Rhythm in George Balanchine’s Who Cares? and DanceLab in 2024 when I went from an understudy in Hornet’s Nest to being given my own spot and eventually ending up the lead during performances. Outside Interests: Teaching hot Pilates, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and reading.
Sarah Knutson

Sarah Knutson

Sarah Knutson

Sarah Knutson
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland Joined NBT: 2025 Training: Peabody Dance, Baltimore School for the Arts, Miami City Ballet School, Indiana University, and Jacobs School of Music (Bachelor of Science) in Ballet with an Outside Field in Law and Public Policy. Previous Affiliations: City Ballet of San Diego, and Avant Chamber Ballet. Honors/Awards: First Place at the 2021 National Society of Arts and Letters National Competition in Dance, and Indiana University Premier Young Artist Scholarship recipient. Favorite Roles: The Pas de Trois from Balanchine's Emeralds, the corps de ballet in Balanchine's Donizetti Variations, and the pas de deux from Sasha Janes' Chaconne. A Career Highlight: Working with former New York City Ballet principal dancer Kyra Nichols on Balanchine's Allegro Brillante Outside Interests: Going to the gym, finding new restaurants and coffee shops, and reading.
Paityn Lauzon

Paityn Lauzon

Paityn Lauzon

Paityn Lauzon
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona Joined NBT: 2022 Training: Arizona Dance Artistry, Indiana University, Bachelor of Science in Ballet and Astronomy/Astrophysics. Honors/Awards: First Place at the Arizona Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet and Contemporary Dance Competition (ranked Top 5 nationally). Recognition as a Premier Young Artist and a Founders Scholar at Indiana University. Favorite Roles: Waltz Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Eileen in Twyla Tharp’s Deuce Coupe. Outside Interests: Hiking and stargazing with my telescope.
Betsy Lucas

Betsy Lucas

Betsy Lucas

Betsy Lucas
Hometown: Hillsboro, Oregon Joined NBT: 2010 Training: School of Oregon Ball Theatre Pre-Professional Division. Favorite Roles: Clara in NBT’s production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by James Canfield, Alice in Septime Webre’s Alice (In Wonderland), Svetlana in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula. Career Highlights: Being coached by Cynthia Gregory, performing the Grand Pas de deux in NBT’s The Nutcracker for the first time, and performing in the National Capezio Awards. Outside Interests: Sewing and designing dancewear, gardening, home renovations, and cuddling with my rescue shepherd-mixes, Jax and Molly.
Brooke Lyness

Brooke Lyness

Brooke Lyness

Brooke Lyness
Hometown: Moraga, California Joined NBT: 2016 Training: Lamorinda Ballet Center, Orinda Ballet Academy and Company, Contra Costa Ballet, University of Cincinnati: College Conservatory of Music - BFA in Ballet, and The School at Jacob’s Pillow. Previous Affiliations: Atlanta Ballet’s Fellowship Program. Favorite Roles: Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain (Pas de Deux), principal dancer in Nicolo Fonte’s Carmina Burana, Fascinatin’ Rhythm solo in George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, and Trey McIntyre’s Blue Until June. A Career Highlight: Making it to my 100th performance of The Nutcracker with NBT including all 100+ shows of Snow corps de ballet. Outside Interests: Yoga, crochet, and spending time with my cat, Luna.
Jessica Ousterhout

Jessica Ousterhout

Jessica Ousterhout

Jessica Ousterhout
Hometown: Alameda, California Joined NBT: 2025 Training: San Francisco Ballet School, Indiana University, Bachelor of Science in Ballet and Math/Economics. Previous Affiliations: Kansas City Ballet Second Company. Favorite Roles: Principal girl in Balanchine’s Donizetti Variations, Nikiya in Phil Chan and Doug Fullington’s Star on the Rise (La Bayadere Reimagined), Red girl in Sasha Janes’ Rhapsodic Dances. A Career Highlight: Being coached by Kyra Nichols as waltz girl in Balanchine’s Serenade. Outside Interests: Traveling, baking, and spending time with my family and friends.
Julia Pasquale

Julia Pasquale

Julia Pasquale

Julia Pasquale
Hometown: North Reading, Massachusetts Joined NBT: 2023 Training: The School of American Ballet and Boston Ballet Previous Affiliations: Performing with Boston Ballet and Ballet Project OC. A Career Highlight: Performing as Juliet in James Canfield's Romeo and Juliet.
Mackenna Pieper

Mackenna Pieper

Mackenna Pieper

Mackenna Pieper
Hometown: Denton, Texas Joined NBT: 2022 Training: Ballet Conservatory and Pacific Northwest Ballet Professional Division. Previous Affiliations: Pegasus Contemporary Ballet, Lake Cities Ballet Theater, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Honors/Awards: First Place Classical Division YAGP. Favorite Roles: Nikiya in La Bayadere, Medora in Le Corsaire, Paquita in Grand Pas de Deux. Career Highlight: Performing Snow and Flowers in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®.
Shelby Rambo

Shelby Rambo

Shelby Rambo

Shelby Rambo
Hometown: West Monroe, Louisiana Joined NBT: 2022 Training: Twin City Ballet Company; Linda Lavender School of Dance, West Monroe, LA. Previous Affiliations: Sacramento Ballet Trainee Project, Ballet West Academy Professional Training Division. Favorite Roles: Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker, Song Fairy in Sacramento Ballet's Sleeping Beauty, and the Principal Dancer in Raymonda. Career Highlight: Teaching ballet, pointe, variations, and jazz at the Ballet West 2022 Summer Intensive. Outside Interests: Painting, drawing and photography.
Bailey Roberts

Bailey Roberts

Bailey Roberts

Bailey Roberts
Hometown: Portland, Texas Joined NBT: 2025 Training: I have been dancing for just three and a half years. I started ballet at 21 with the Corpus Christi Ballet under the direction of Cristina Munro. I spent a year there and then did two years of a traineeship with the Oklahoma City Ballet under the direction of Racheal. Previous Affiliations: Trainee with the Oklahoma City Ballet. Honors/Awards: Full scholarship for both years as a trainee in Oklahoma City, and full scholarship to ABT’s collegiate summer intensive. Favorite Roles: Smee in Jordan Morris’ Peter Pan, Corps de ballet in Ryan Jolicouer-Nye’s Carmina Burana, and the Poet in the Les Sylphides Pas de deux. A Career Highlight: During my first year as a trainee at Oklahoma City Ballet, I was called up to be in the main company’s production of Ryan Jolicouer-Nye’s Carmina Burana. After being called in to understudy several positions, I ultimately found myself cast as the only Trainee in this main stage production. Outside Interests - I own a photography business specializing in dance photography for the Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Oklahoma City areas.

NBT Apprentices

Matthew Jacome

Matthew Jacome

Matthew Jacome

Matthew Jacome
Hometown: Suwanee, Georgia Joined Nevada Ballet Theatre in 2026 Training: NBT II and Nashville Ballet 2. Favorite Roles: Romeo, Basilio, and Siegfried. Career Highlight: Performing Tico Tico alongside the Company Artists of Nevada Ballet Theatre. Outside Interests: Hiking, reading, and swimming.
Carmen Rossi

Carmen Rossi

Carmen Rossi

Carmen Rossi
Hometown: Troy, Michigan Joined NBT: 2025 Training: Trainee with BalletMet, Valentina’s School of Ballet (Valentina Barsukova), Ballet West Academy, and Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Previous Affiliations: NBT II Awards: Second Place Classical Division, YAGP. Favorite Roles: Dark Angel in George Balanchine’s Serenade, 4th Movement Principle in George Balanchine’s Western Symphony, and Medora in Le Corsaire. A Career Highlight: Performing Dark Angel in Serenade alongside NBT Company Artists to conclude my time with NBT II. Outside Interests: Yoga, Pilates, reading, aviation, and traveling.
Mallory Sweeney

Mallory Sweeney

Mallory Sweeney

Mallory Sweeney
Home: Huntington Beach, California Joined NBT: 2025 Training: Southland Ballet Academy, American Ballet Theater William J. Gillespie School, and Houston Ballet School. Previous Affiliations: BalletMet Trainee, and NBT II. Favorite Roles: George Balanchine’s Western Symphony (First Movement Principal Lady), George Balanchine’s Serenade (Russian Girls), and En Deux in Pas De Deux. A Career Highlight: Stepping in at the last minute to perform Tea in James Canfield’s The Nutcracker. Outside Interests: I love getting lost in fantasy books and going for long walks.
Ellis Wolf Annunziata

Ellis Wolf Annunziata

Ellis Wolf Annunziata

Ellis Wolf Annunziata
Hometown: Belmont, Massachusetts Joined NBT: 2026 Training: Pacific Northwest Ballet School, The Conservatory at Northeast School of Ballet, and Chautauqua Dance Institution. Previous Affiliations: Pacific Northwest Ballet Professional Division. Favorite Roles: Waltz couple in Kent Stowell’s Cinderella, Second Pas de Deux in Sasha Jane’s We Danced through Life, and George Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations. A Career Highlight: Performing in honor of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux in his ballet Shindig at the Chautauqua Institute’s amphitheater. Outside Interests: Dogs, YouTube production, and board games.