Vitacca presents

Winter Works

 ACT I

Don Quixote Suite

Choreography by Marius Petipa & Tina Kay Bohnstedt
Music by Ludwig Minkus

Katharine Andrews, Kinley Foley, Julian Gomez, Audrey Jin, Viktoriia Kovyreva, Vera Landers, Alyssa Park, Amaris Ponder, Mia Sherman, Ian Turner, Izzy Viloria, Juan Imanol Viscarra Gonzalez, Gianna Wahl, Alexa Westman, Mia Westman, Ben Wheeless

In Her Orbit

Choreography by Sean Aaron Carmon
Music by Patrick Cassidy

Alexis Chen, Joshua Jones

Dear Future Husband

Choreography by Kelly Ann Vitacca
Restaged by Annika Dalbratt
Music by Meghan Trainor

Bella Awar, Celine David, Maia von Furstenberg, Ryuh Ko, Autumn Rideaux, Jane Spradling, Shylo Rain Stubblefield, Eila Sublett, Morsches Uyen

The Nutcracker Suite

Choreography by Fara Sciulli-Bowen, John Henry Reid, Kelly Ann Vitacca
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Elena Braaksma, Sofia Castro, Averie Daigle, Claire Francis, Kalina Kuo, Ashlynne Kurtz, Katharine Leishman, Ava Marcinkovich, Finley McOmber, Sophie Richey, Lynnlee Stephens, Erin Young

La Folia

Choreography by Ilya Kozadayev
Music by Antonio Vivaldi

Katharine Andrews, Julian Gomez, Viktoriia Kovyreva, Alyssa Park, Amaris Ponder, Izzy Viloria, Gianna Wahl, Alexa Westman, Mia Westman, Ben Wheeless

Rise and Fall

Choreography by Norbert De La Cruz
Restaged by Annika Dalbratt
Music by Vanbur

Beatrice Brasfield, Vivien Brasfield, Kayla Sautter, Lucia Schlater, Jenna Renneberg, Maqueda Colter, Madison Snodgrass

Fairy Doll Act II Opening

Choreography by Annika Dalbratt
Music by Josef Bayer

Victoria Alvarez, Sterling Barnett, Kitty Brasfield, Sophia Dobson, Constanza Fortoul, Clare Franka, Lily Gunn, Reagan Kalivoda, Scarlett Lerma, Alivia McEntyre, Rika Wang, Eva Wertheim, Ouisie Williamson

The Compliance of Others

Choreography by Aidan Wolf
Music by Audiomachine & Paul Dinletir

Elena Braaksma, Averie Daigle, Katharine Leishman, Ava Marcinkovich, Finley McOmber, Sophie Richey, Erin Young

 ACT II

Don Quixote Pas

Choreography by Marius Petipa
Coached by Tina Kay Bohnstedt
Music by Ludwig Minkus

Aubrey Daniels, Julian Gomez

Painting Wild Flowers

Choreography by Bethany Logan
Music by Aukai

Kitty Brasfield, Sophia Dobson, Lily Gunn, Reagan Kalivoda, Scarlett Lerma, Alivia McEntyre, Eva Wertheim

La Vivandiere Suite

Choreography by Saaya Pikula-Mason
Music by Cesare Pugni

Rachael Beal, Alexis Chen, Claire Chen, Maqueda Colter, Miranda Cuervo, Aubrey Daniels, Naomi Dean, Ella Escamilla, Tatum Farmer, Joshua Jones, Audrey Luo, Irene Paredes, Sarah Prewitt, Alexa Rowland, Melody Zhang

Avalanche 15

Choreography by Gregory Dolbashian
Music by Zoe Keating, Son Lux, Roomful of Teeth, Warren Adams; arranged by Gregory Dolbashian  

Katharine Andrews, Kinley Foley, Julian Gomez, Audrey Jin, Viktoriia Kovyreva, Alyssa Park, Amaris Ponder, Ian Turner, Izzy Viloria, Juan Imanol Viscarra Gonzalez, Gianna Wahl, Alexa Westman, Mia Westman, Ben Wheeless

Air

Choreography by Tina Kay Bohnstedt
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach

 Alyssa Park, Julian Gomez

Fairy Doll Act II Soldier Dance

Choreography by Annika Dalbratt
Music by Josef Bayer

Bella Awar, Celine David, Maia von Furstenberg, Ryuh Ko, Autumn Rideaux, Jane Spradling, Shylo Rain Stubblefield, Eila Sublett, Morsches Uyen
 

Celestial

Choreography by Alana Jones
Music by Midra

Rachael Beal, Alexis Chen, Claire Chen, Miranda Cuervo, Aubrey Daniels, Naomi Dean, Ella Escamilla, Tatum Farmer, Audrey Luo, Irene Paredes, Alexa Rowland, Melody Zhang

 Get Happy

Choreography by Bethany Logan
Music by Judy Garland

Victoria Alvarez, Sterling Barnett, Constanza Fortoul, Clare Franka, Rika Wang, Ouisie Williamson

reMIX

Choreography by Sean Aaron Carmon
Music by AJR

Elena Braaksma, Sofia Castro, Averie Daigle, Claire Francis, Kalina Kuo, Ashlynne Kurtz, Katharine Leishman, Ava Marcinkovich, Finley McOmber, Sophie Richey, Lynnlee Stephens, Erin Young

SYZYGY

Choreography by Sean Aaron Carmon
Music by Francesco Tristano

Katharine Andrews, Rachael Beal, Alexis Chen, Claire Chen, Miranda Cuervo, Aubrey Daniels, Ella Escamilla, Tatum Farmer, Kinley Foley, Julian Gomez, Audrey Jin, Viktoriia Kovyreva, Vera Landers, Audrey Luo, Irene Paredes, Alyssa Park, Amaris Ponder, Alexa Rowland, Ian Turner, Izzy Viloria, Juan Imanol Viscarra Gonzalez, Gianna Wahl, Alexa Westman, Mia Westman, Ben Wheeless, Melody Zhang

LEADERSHIP

KELLY ANN VITACCA (Founder | Artistic Director) is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She received her Bachelor’s in Performing Arts in Dance Performance at Oklahoma City University and extended Arts Management master studies at Columbia College, Chicago. Vitacca currently choreographs and master teaches nationally while directing Vitacca Dance Project Pre-Professional Company. She served on the dance faculty at Joel Hall Dance Center, State Street Dance Studio and the Wright College Dance Program, while acting as Founding Artistic Director for Inaside Chicago Dance. In 2003 Vitacca founded the professional contemporary jazz company Inaside Chicago Dance and received invitations to perform her work in Dance Chicago, Espacio Cultural Metropolitano, International Choreographers Showcase (Madrid, Spain), Duets For My Valentine; as well as guest performances with NorthWest Ballet, Evanston Art’s and the Dance Chicago Tour. Vitacca was awarded a Leo’s International Choreography Award at Jazz Dance World Congress (Monterrey, Mexico) and was recognized as a Dance Chicago Outstanding Choreographer in 2005. She has served as a guest choreographer for former Cedar Lake II, Forum Jazz Dance Theater, Equity Fights Aids NY Events and Dance Houston to name a few. Currently, Vitacca’s contemporary work won first place at Youth America Grand Prix, Dallas and she was awarded Outstanding Choreographer at Youth America Grand Prix, Houston.

Vitacca’s extensive training on scholarship at Giordano Dance Chicago, Steps on Broadway and the Kirov Ballet Training Program afforded her guest artist roles with Instruments of Movement, Cirque Rivera Dance Theatre, LA Jazz Dance Company and lead soloist at Espacio Cultural Metropolitano (Tampico, Mexico). In 2003 Vitacca utilized her artistic strengths in a new direction and joined the national Equity, Broadway Tour of 42nd Street The Musical. Vitacca was invited to return to complete the national tour run in 2005.

In 2006, Vitacca received the Illinois Artist Fellowship Award, which led to the launch and production of Inaside Dance Project and For The Cause (a benefit performance for Gilda’s Club Chicago cancer support community). As Inaside Chicago Dance Founding Artistic Director, Vitacca conceptualized, co-choreographed and produced the Jackson Pollock inspired evening length In the Painting, which received the acclaim “Shows technical moxie” by Chicago Tribune critic Sid Smith. In addition Vitacca spearheaded the Youth Trainee Program (YTP), offering an advanced training and performance program for emerging dancers, which supports their professional career goals and future education.

In 2008 Vitacca joined Houston Ballet’s artistic staff as Artistic Coordinator and Chaired the Dance/USA Host Programming Committee. With the support of Dance Source Houston and fellow Committee members Vitacca curated and produced the Dance/USA Annual Conference opening program, Houston Dance Inside Out, at Discovery Green on June 3, 2009. On behalf of the committee, Vitacca had the honor of receiving the official Houston Dance Day certificate from Ms. Minnette Boesel, Mayor's Assistant for Cultural Affairs. In 2010 Vitacca was appointed Dance Houston Director of Programming where she developed the Dance Houston Spotlight Tour, Houston Youth Showcase (Jones Plaza), H-Town Get Down (Warehouse Live) and Dance Houston Youth Festival (formerly known as No Limits) (Wortham Theater). Vitacca also acted as the educational programs liaison, supporting dance educators and filling the dance class needs within Houston Independent School District (HISD) schools and at-risk facilities. She has served as Production Manager for the professional festival, Dance Houston and the five Stage ROOTS Festival in Baltimore, MD. She has served as programming panelist for the Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance (Miller Theater); acted as Choreographic Adjudicator for Houston Royal Academy of Fine Arts; and has been a Guest Master Teacher at the ISAS Arts Festival. Ms. Vitacca was cast as an expert ballet coach on MTV’s MADE television series, which continues to air nationwide.

Vitacca’s vast artistic achievements, arts management experience, industry networks and dedication to advance the dance art form allow her to pioneer Vitacca Vocational School For Dance.

TINA KAY BOHNSTEDT (Ballet Master, Choreographer) began her intense dance training at the Heinz-Bosl Stiftung Ballet Academy in Munich, and received her diploma in 1989. During this time, she was awarded the Junior Gold Medal at the German Ballet Competition as well as fourth place finalist in the Moscow International Ballet Competition. Thereafter, Ms. Bohnstedt was appointed Principal Dancer with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich.

In 1992 her artistry was recognized with the Bavarian Cultural Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts. She performed a wide range of classical and contemporary roles, including: Juliet in John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet, Kitri in Ray Barra's Don Quixote, Aurora in Peter Wright's Sleeping Beauty, Mary in John Neumeier's Nutcracker, Olga in Cranko’s Oniegin and Bianca in Cranko’s Taming of the Shrew. In addition, Ms. Bohnstedt performed lead roles choreographed by Balanchine including: Serenade, Symphony in C, Four Temperaments, Apollo, Who Cares as well as works by Hans van Manen, Jiri Kylian, Ohad Naharin, Angelin Preliojai, Ulysses Dove, Gerhard Bohner and many others.

She has toured internationally in China, Italy, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Colombia, Peru, Poland, Belarus, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.  After moving to San Francisco in September of 1998 Ms. Bohnstedt became a guest dancer with the Lawrence Pech Dance Company.  She joined Bay area professional company, Diablo Ballet as a principal in September of 1999 and was featured in many works created for her by the company and guest choreographers such as KT Nelson, Val Caniparoli, Julia Adam, Nikolai Kabaniaev and Viktor Kabaniaev.

In 2007 Ms. Bohnstedt choreographed her first piece for Diablo Ballet, the critically acclaimed The Mirror. Her additional choreographic works include: A Tribute to Lena Horne, a piece choreographed in honor of her late mother. Ms. Bohnstedt has also choreographed pieces for Diablo Ballet Apprentice Program, Kirov Ballet Academy, Northern California Dance Conservatory, Metropolitan Ballet Academy, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, Contra Costa Ballet, Houston Ballet II, Houston Ballet, Uptown Dance Company, Space Coast Ballet Academy and Atlanta Ballet 2. She has also choreographed many solos for awarded YAGP and WBC competitors.

In 2005 Tina became Director of the Diablo Ballet Apprentice Program and in 2007 she began serving as a Ballet mistress for the Diablo Ballet Company. During this time she served as guest artist and guest teacher for several companies in the San Francisco Bay Area including Smuin Ballet Company, Berkeley Ballet and Contra Costa Ballet. Ms. Bohnstedt has served on faculty at City Ballet San Francisco and was appointed Houston Ballet, Ballet Master in 2011.  Tina has taught for many other ballet schools and companies including: Kirov Ballet Academy, Bavarian State Ballet, Houston Ballet's Academy, Space Coast Ballet Academy, Northern California Dance Conservatory, Metropolitan Ballet Academy, Panama Ballet, Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre and Colorado Conservatory of Dance, Atlanta Ballet and Atlanta Ballet II.

From 2015 – 2017 Ms. Bohnstedt was founded and directed TKB Center for Ballet & Dance in Houston TX. During her time as Director she choreographed and produced several performances for TKB’s Company including her twist on holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. Ms. Bohnstedt is thrilled to be appointed Ballet Mistress of the 2018/2019 Vitacca Vocational School for Dance, Montrose.  She is excited about this new endeavor and looking forward to be a part of a growing and exceptional training program in Houston TX.

SEASON CHOREOGRAPHERS

SEAN AARON CARMON joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2011 and has performed major solo roles including Mikhail Baryshnikov’s original role in Alvin Ailey’s Pas de Duke and featured roles in ballets by other notable choreographers such as Wayne McGregor, Robert Battle, Aszure Barton, Johan Inger, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano and Christopher L. Huggins, to name only a few. In addition, he has been featured on Conan, the national TBS television talk show, Lincoln Center at the Movies, broadcast nationally on PBS and he was profiled in the Huffington Post.

As a musical theater performer, Sean has performed on Broadway in La Cage aux Folles, The Phantom of the Opera, Disney’s The Lion King, and Kinky Boots.

Sean’s own choreographies have been performed all across the country and internationally and have been lauded as “everything and then some…” and “powerful” and “seriously flawless” by major national print and online publications such as The New York Times, Newsweek, Jet Magazine, BroadwayBlack, Dance Spirit and Dance Magazine. Mr. Carmon won The Joffrey Ballet’s 2017 Winning Works award and created Suite Hearts for eighteen of the Joffrey Ballet’s Studio Company member and the Joffrey Academy’s advanced trainees. Also in 2017, his work longstoryshort was commissioned by the Dance Gallery Festival NYC and was selected as the Audience Choice Award Winner out of 30 pieces created for the festival. He has also created works on the AAADT for multiple Ailey Dancers’ Resource Fund benefit performances. He has created original and lauded works for Houston Contemporary Dance Company, Vitacca Ballet and other professional companies across America. Mr. Carmon currently teaches master classes and choreographs for festivals, companies, studios and universities across the country and internationally.

AIDAN WOLF began her dance career in Colorado where she completed her training at the Colorado Ballet Academy to then accept a merit Trainee scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet (NYC).

Aidan performed with Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company for four seasons, Arch Ballet, the Queer Ballet at The Joyce Theatre in 2023 and taught on faculty at Virginia Beach Ballet Academy.

You have seen Aidan on stage, across the country with Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company in numerous works such as Stardust, Bach 25, Woke, Love Rocks, Snatched Back from the Edges, and Truly, Madly, Deeply. Some of her most memorable highlights from her performances of these ballets include the Bach Grande Pas-de-Deux and Finale Pas-de-Deux (2022), the Fly Away Duet (2020-2021), Take Time Pas-de-Deux (2020-2022), and the Magnificat/ Bach Pas-de-Deux (2020-2022), along with many others.

Aidan has performed worldwide, across the US and internationally in Latvia, Israel (Tel Aviv and Jerusalem), and Germany (Frankfurt, Cologne, and Berlin).

Aidan most recently spent the spring season as a company artist with Zikr Dance Ensemble.

ILYA KOZADAYEV is an international award-winning dancer and choreographer. He joined the UNCSA Dance faculty from the University of Oklahoma School of Dance, where he was Assistant Professor of ballet, coordinated the Oklahoma Festival Ballet and served on the Dean’s Advisory Council.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, to a family of ballet dancers, he received his dance training from Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia, The School of American Ballet in New York City, Academy of Colorado Ballet and graduated from the John Cranko Ballet Academy in Stuttgart, Germany.

His choreographic credits include original works for Boston Ballet’s Raw Dance project, Houston Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Oklahoma Festival Ballet, Houston Ballet II, Festival Ballet of Providence, Contemporary Dance Oklahoma, Milwaukee Ballet II, Ballet Arkansas and Tulsa Ballet II. Most recent pieces of original choreography include a full length production of “Romeo and Juliet,” a classical ballet with music by Sergei Prokofiev, “Le Spectre de la Rose,” a contemporary ballet for four dancers with music by Carl Maria von Weber and “Lucid,” a contemporary ballet for nine dancers with music by Philip Glass. Previous teaching engagements include Assistant Professor at University of Oklahoma, Visiting Professor at University of Utah and as a guest teacher at Kansas City Ballet, Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson, Houston Ballet II, Ballet Arkansas, Festival Ballet Providence and Victoria Ballet Theater. Studied at St. Edwards University, John Cranko Ballet Academy, Academy of Colorado Ballet, School of American Ballet and Vaganova Ballet Academy before earning an M.F.A. from Jacksonville University.

He has danced with numerous ballet companies in the United States, including Boston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, as a soloist with Colorado Ballet, a principal dancer with Columbia Classical Ballet and Soloist with the Houston Ballet from 2003-13. He has performed works by world-renowned choreographers including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Fredrick Ashton, Christopher Wheeldon, William Forsyth and Jiri Kylian. He has created roles in ballets by Christopher Bruce, Jorma Elo, Aszure Barton, Julia Adams, Stanton Welch and many others.

He has received the University of Oklahoma Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts Faculty Peer Recognition, 2016; Winner, Ballet Arkansas Visions Choreographic Competition, 2015; Winner, New York International Ballet Competition, 2000.

GREGORY DOLBASHIAN - Born and raised in New York City Gregory received his dance training at the Alvin Ailey School, then graduated cum laude from SUNY Purchase dance conservatory. He debuted his own company, The DASH Ensemble, in December 2010 at The JOYCE SoHo. DASH Company performance credits include The JOYCE Theater, Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York Live Arts, Guggenheim Works and Process Series, Kaatsbaan, Joe’s Pub, Central Park Summerstage, Tribeca Film Festival, Venice Biennale in Madison Square Park, Bryant Park Dance Fest, as well as domestic touring all over the U.S. including Dallas, L.A., and North Carolina. Gregory, in partnership with dance education specialist Lindsey Pettus, is also the co-founder of The DASH Academy. He has been commissioned for original works by American Ballet Theater, including exclusive creations for Jeffrey Cirio, Daniil Simkin, and Hee Seo. Ballet commissions also include Atlanta Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, and Ballet Austin. He was the recipient of the highly selective Footprints commission at American Dance Festival, and most recently for Limon Dance Company’s newly formed Limon 2. Awards for Choreography include Hubbard Street 2 International Competition, Ballet Austin’s New American Talent, and Northwest Dance Project’s Pretty Creatives. Commissions for Contemporary/ Rep companies include Owen/Cox in Kansas City, Dark Circles CD in Dallas, TU Dance in MPLS and Northwest Dance Project in Portland, OR. His collegiate and training program commissions include Juilliard, Princeton, Point Park, LINES Ballet, NYU, SUNY Purchase, University of Minnesota, Fordham/Ailey, Montclair State, and SAM Houston State. Faculty positions include Broadway Dance Center, Gibney Dance, The Martha Graham School and Peridance Capezio Center. Adjunct positions held at SUNY Purchase and The Hartt School. He has conducted multiple masterclasses around the country including Juilliard, NYU, UNCSA, The Hartt School, Ballet Hispanico, UC Irvine, SUNY Purchase, Point Park, Booker T Washington HSPVA, OCSA and HSPVA in Houston. In addition, Gregory, alongside fellow choreographer Loni Landon, is the co-founder of The PlaygroundNYC, a choreographic initiative that was voted 25 to Watch in 2013 by Dance Magazine.

ALANA JONES is a Houston native. As a founding member of Vitacca Ballet formally known asVitacca Dance Project under the direction of Kelly Ann Vitacca she trained under Ballet MasterPhillip Broomhead while attending the High School of Performing and Visual Arts. In 2014 Ms.Jones was accepted on scholarship and trained with the American Ballet Theatre and DanceTheatre of Harlem. Thereafter, Ms. Jones was accepted on scholarship to SUNY PurchaseConservatory of Dance. During her time at Purchase College,Ms. Jones was invited into theballet concentration where she performed and studied works by George Balanchine, Norbert Dela Cruz, Michelle Ulerich and Colby Damon.During her four years she has also trained with BalletX, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance and Arts Umbrella.Jonesearned her BFA and began her professional career with Visceral Dance Chicago for twoseasons upon graduating in 2018. She then went on to join BODYTRAFFIC in 2021 where she iscurrently a company artist.

VITACCA FACULTY

Kelly Ann Vitacca, Tina Kay Bohnstedt, Andrea Dawn Shelley, Sean Aaron Carmon, Annika Dalbratt, Ana Moreira Leal, Louise Lester, Saaya Pikula Mason, Ivan Kozlov, John Henry Reid II, Aidan Wolf, Sarah Kohles, Elena Damiani, Maria Eugenia Bieberach Sanchez, Jordan Brasfield, Brittany Broussard, Khen Kurulkar, Coltin Snyder

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Artistic Director + Founder Kelly Ann Vitacca

The Woodlands Associate School Director Jordan Brasfield

The Woodlands School Manager Susie Fallstich

Houston School Manager Elizabeth Schlitzberger

Houston School Direction Support Tina Kay Bohnstedt

VB Company Rehearsal Assistant Andrea Dawn Shelley

Asst. Studio Company Director Coltin Snyder

YAPC Director Annika Dalbratt

Children’s Program Director Jordan Brasfield

Development Manager Madelyn Martinez

Marketing + PR Manager Shauna Tysor