Tamás Krizsa | The Washington Ballet

Tamás Krizsa

Tamás Krizsa

Rehearsal Director

Adult Program Faculty, Artist Team, Artistic

Tamás Krizsa, of Hungary, is in his 13th season with The Washington Ballet. Krizsa graduated from the Hungarian Dance Academy with honors in 2002. During his school years, he was offered scholarships to the International Summer Course in Budapest, Elmhurst School for Dance and Performing Arts in England, North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Program, Miami City Ballet School Summer Dance Program, and American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive. During this time, he also performed in Japan, Germany, the United States, Latvia, and Hungary. After finishing school, Krizsa danced for Columbia Classical Ballet, Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre, Budapest Ballet and Ballet Theater Hagen in leading roles, including Oberon in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Prince in Cinderella, Albrecht in Giselle among others.

Some of his favorite roles with The Washington Ballet include Siegfried in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, Tom Buchanan in Great Gatsby, Petite Mort by Jiří Kylián. In 2000, he received an award from the Hungarian Dance Academy and in 2001 received the Hungarian Dance Academy’s Maria Keresztes Memorial Prize. In 2006 and 2007, Krizsa was named Best Young Dancer in the Northwest Region of Germany. In 2014, he won the gold medal in duet and silver in choreography category at VKIBC in New York. Krizsa is also a recipient of the 2015 Washington Awards.

Headshot credit: Dr. Ceylon Mitchell, M3 Mitchell Media & Marketing

Adult Program Faculty

Adult Program Head

mhisaka@washingtonballet.org

With 40 years of experience as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, founding artistic/executive director, and urban planner, Miya’s life has spanned two continents with a commitment to diversity and excellence in …

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Linda Baranovics

Linda Baranovics

Linda Baranovics began her ballet career as a young adult while attending Georgetown University in 1977. After graduating in 1978, she continued her training at The Washington School of Ballet. …

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Rafael Bejarano

Rafael Bejarano

Sponsored by Betsy and Mike Keeley

Rafael Bejarano Vidal, from Guadalajara, Mexico, began his dance training at age 11 at the Royal Dance Academy of Mexico with Ana Torquemada. He has studied intensively around the world …

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Jocelyn E. Cox is a dancer, educator, and author. A member of the Actor’s Equity Association, her performance credits include: The Wiz, Hairspray, Chicago, and FAME. Her teaching experience includes: Howard University, George Mason University, and American University’s dance programs. Her choreographic credits include: Kid Prince and Pablo and She A Gem at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Family Theater in DC. Before earning her MFA at SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance in NY, Jocelyn trained with the 2nd company at Philadanco (Danco2) and Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, among others. For her children’s book, “Jocelyn Learns to Dance”, Mrs. Cox received the Prince George’s County Maryland Arts and Humanities Council’s Artist Fellowship Grant for Literary Arts & Dance.

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Shelley C. Berg, a native of DC, trained at Ballet Arts School in Bethesda with Youry and Elizabeth Yourlo. After summer courses with Finnish ballerina Irina Hudova, and Royal Ballet soloist Valerie Taylor, she attended The Royal Ballet School in London, studying with former Royal Ballet soloists and master teachers. Shelley continued her studies in London with Hungarian ballerina and Vaganova pedagogue Maria Fay, as well as with Martha Graham maestro Jane Dudley and jazz master Matt Mattox. Her studies in Europe included classes with Royal Danish Ballet principals Arne Beck and Inge Sand, Paris Opera Ballet master pedagogues Rita Thalia and Serge Golovine, Vaganova senior teacher Nina Belikova, and with Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo ballerina Tatiana Grantzeva. On her return to DC, she earned her MA in Performing Arts, and her PhD in Performance Studies at NYU. She was an Associate Professor at Southern Methodist University, where she became a Full Professor and taught for over 30 years.

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Rena Bernardini

Rena Bernardini

Administrative Assistant, NW Campus and Faculty

Rena Bernardini is originally from Somers, New York. She began her training at the Westchester Ballet Center, studying everything from Ballet, Modern, Tap, and Jazz to Flamenco, Hawaiian, and Bharatanatyam. She then …

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Deborah Chen is originally from Arlington, VA, and grew up in St. Petersburg, FL. She began her ballet training with Elena Martinson at the age of 6. From there, she …

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Shu-Chen Cuff was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan where she established a well-rounded background in dance with training in Ballet, Modern, Chinese Opera movements, and various Chinese folk dances. She immigrated to …

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Sona Kharatian is a seasoned professional in the world of ballet, bringing over two decades of experience as a professional ballet dancer, instructor, and rehearsal director. Most recently, she held …

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Rehearsal Director

Tamás Krizsa, of Hungary, is in his 13th season with The Washington Ballet. Krizsa graduated from the Hungarian Dance Academy with honors in 2002. During his school years, he was …

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Kevin Thomas Malone, a native of Washington, DC,Founding Artistic Director / Artist Development Coach for ktm eXtremes dance project as well as is currently Artistic Advisor/Resident Choreographer at the Dance …

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Elena Ovchinnikova

Elena Ovchinnikova

Full-time Faculty

Dr. Elena Ovchinnikova graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy obtained her PhD in Pedagogic Science (Theory and Methodology of Professional Education in Choreography) and Master Degree in Ballet Pedagogy. Additionally, …

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Natalie Moffett-Smith

Natalie Moffett-Smith

Natalie is a native Washingtonian. She trained at the Washington School of Ballet under the direction of Mary Day and Choo San Goh. Her training also included Joffrey Ballet, Pennsylvania …

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Sponsored by Luanne Adams and Murrell Smith

Born in Kanagawa, Japan, Maki enters her 20th season with The Washington Ballet after one season with The Studio Company. Before joining TWB, she danced and studied with Goh Ballet …

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Gabriel Mata (pronounced: gah-bryehl mah-tah) is a Mexican American dance choreographer, educator, and performer based in Washington DC. He received his Masters in Fine Arts – dance from the University …

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From Cali Colombia, An accomplished ballet dancer and teacher. Danced with The Washington Ballet for 13 years as a principal dancer, National Ballet of Venezuela for two years and the …

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Andrei Yemelianov

Andrei Yemelianov

Andrei Yemelianov has over 25 years of experience in the world of dance as a teacher, director, and choreographer specializing in classical ballet and original works. Born in Ukraine, Andrei trained at the Kyiv State Choreography College, where he studied the Vaganova ballet method. He holds a degree in Choreographic Art, focusing on ballet technique, partnering, and folk and character dances.

Throughout his career, Andrei has performed with the National Opera and Ballet Theater of Ukraine and the Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. His repertoire includes classical ballet, character dance, contemporary, modern, and folk styles.

Andrei has dedicated much of his teaching career to roles as a Ballet Teacher and Ballet Master at the Academie de Ballet and Master Works Dance Company, where he has choreographed and staged both classical and original ballets.

A firm believer in nurturing talent, Andrei’s teaching philosophy prioritizes professional excellence while promoting individual well-being. He creates a supportive atmosphere that welcomes students from diverse backgrounds, passionately guiding them toward both physical and spiritual growth in their dance journeys.

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Emmanuel Patterson

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Felipe Oyarzun Moltedo is from Santiago, Chile. He began dancing at the age of 12 and has since received several awards and distinctions, among others, Chile’s Best Dancer Inter-American Circle of Dance Professionals Award. In Santiago, Mr. Moltedo ran his own company, which led to multiple national and international tours. He holds a B.F.A in dance, an M.A. in dance education with honors from the University of Chile, and an M.F.A. in dance from The George Washington University Department of Theatre and Dance. Currently, he is the Assistant Artistic Director and Dancer for Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company and teaches dance around the world on a regular basis.

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Irina Vakhromeeva

Irina Vakhromeeva

Irina Vakhromeeva’s illustrious ballet training began at the renowned Vaganova Ballet Academy
in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she graduated with honors. After a successful ballet career as a
soloist and principal dancer, she received her MFA in Ballet Pedagogy in 2014 and is currently
pursuing her PhD at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy.

As a soloist and principal dancer, she has toured the globe with esteemed companies such as the
Moscow Ballet, Festival Ballet, International Ballet Company, the Metropolitan Ballet, and the
Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre. Additionally, she is the Founder and Artistic Director of
the Cosmopolitan Ballet Theatre, collaborating with various universities in the United States and
Europe, including Smith College in Massachusetts and Jazz Dance Theatre in Berlin. This
initiative provides students with professional training from Vaganova alumni and prepares them
for successful careers in ballet.

Throughout her career, Ms. Vakhromeeva has performed principal roles in a wide array of
celebrated ballets, including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, La Fille Mal Gardée,
Don Quixote, Paquita, Italian Capriccio, Flame of Paris, Swan Lake, Corsaire, Cinderella, The
Snow Maiden, The Blue Bird, and many others.

In her roles as a Principal Guest Artist, Artistic Director, Teacher, and Choreographer, Ms.
Vakhromeeva has collaborated with various ballet companies, including Kirov Ballet Academy,
Washington D.C., East Street Ballet Company, Hamilton Ballet in Canada, International Ballet in
Taiwan, Krassovska Ballet Jeunesse, and Galveston Ballet, where she has staged productions
such as La Bayadère, La Fille Mal Gardée, Napoli, Les Sylphides, Carmen, and her original
restaging in The Blue Bird, Solitude, Spring Verse, and Glinka Waltz.

Her deep understanding of classical and contemporary teaching methods and styles has enabled
her to nurture countless young dancers, many of whom have gained acceptance into some of the
world’s most prestigious institutions, including the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Vaganova Ballet
Academy, Juilliard School, Boston Ballet, Providence Festival Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, and the
University of North Carolina School of the Arts, among other professional ballet companies.

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Maya Harr-Siebenlist

Maya Harr-Siebenlist

Maya Harr-Siebenlist grew up in Alexandria, Virginia where she studied ballet at The Washington School of Ballet under the tutelage of Kee Juan Han, former LINES Ballet company dancer, Kristina Windom and award-winning choreographer Mimmo Miccolis. As a student, Maya was the recipient of the Mary Day Scholarship. Maya spent her summers with San Francisco Ballet, PNB, Ballet West, ABT and the Kirov Academy.

After graduating from high school in 2016, Maya was invited to join Alonzo King LINES Ballet after completing their summer program. Maya danced with Alonzo King LINES Ballet from 2016-2024, bringing King’s work to internationally renowned stages such as Chaillot, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Mariinsky Theatre, and many more. As a dancer with LINES Maya performed many pieces from King’s historical repertoire as well as premiered multiple new works over the years.

While touring as a performing artist, Maya also taught masterclasses for LINES Ballet internationally and began teaching for the LINES Training Program in 2024. Maya is currently an adjunct professor of dance at George Mason University.

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Marcela Paz Palau

Marcela Paz Palau

Originally from Asuncion, Paraguay, Marcela began her training at age six at Studio Nilsa Abraham and Ballet Academic Patricia Manavella. She has attended summer intensives and competitions in Brazil, Chile, …

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Bahareh Sardari

Bahareh Sardari

Bahareh Sardari graduated from the London Royal Ballet School and the Royal Academy of Dance. She was a soloist with the Iranian National Ballet Company, and has worked and performed …

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Full-time Faculty

Arron Scott was raised in State College, Pennsylvania, and started his training at the Ballet Theatre of Central Pennsylvania at age nine. He has danced on full scholarships at American …

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Katherine Smith

Katherine Smith

Katherine Smith a native Washingtonian, is a graduate from The Duke Ellington School of the Arts and received her B.F.A. from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts [currently University of …

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Keith Lamelle Thomas, is a graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts. Upon graduating, Mr. Thomas received a full scholarship to Dance Theater of Harlem. He worked his way up …

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Royce Zackery received a Master of Arts in Dance Education from N.Y.U. Steinhardt/American Ballet Theatre and is certified in the ABT National Teaching Curriculum with a concentrated degree in Ballet Pedagogy. He …

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