Euphrosyne Avery received her formal ballet training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and attended summer programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Orlando Ballet, and Ballet Academy East. She originated roles in Sherry Morray’s Pandora’s Box, Brian Enos’ A Night in the Tropics, and Alan Hineline’s Romanza.  Euphrosyne began her professional career as a trainee with The Richmond Ballet under Stoner Winslett where she performed in Winslett’s Nutcracker and Windows. She has also performed as a guest artist with Eglevsky Ballet and with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet where she performed George Balanchine’s Diamonds, Serenade, and Concerto Barocco.  With ARB, she performed featured roles in The Nutcracker and Trinette Singleton’s Capriccios. This is Euphrosyne’s second season with ARB.

Alice Cao, received her training on scholarship from the Pacific Northwest Ballet School under Peter Boal and others after being selected for their outreach program, DanceChance. She performed with the PNB in George Balanchine’s Symphony in C and Coppélia, Ronald Hynd’s Sleeping Beauty, and Kent Stowell’s Nutcracker. She attended summer programs at American Ballet Theatre, The National Ballet School of Canada, Ballet Austin, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Alonzo King Lines Ballet. Since joining, Alice has been featured in works by Gerald Arpino, Kirk Peterson, Mary Barton, and Matthew Keefe. She has also danced with Ballet Memphis and Convergence Ballet Company, and holds a degree in Computing and Software Systems from the University of Washington. This is Alice’s second season with ARB.  Headshot Photo Credit: Michel Sarda.

Shaye Firer was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and raised in Vancouver, Canada. She received her early training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and attended various intensive programs such as The National Ballet of Canada, Alberta Ballet, Kaatsbaan International Dance Centre, Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy, and Ellison Ballet. Shaye joined the inaugural class of ARB/Princeton Ballet School’s Trainee program and has since performed company roles in The Nutcracker, Our Town and Glazunov Variations, as well as the lead role of Swanhilda in Princeton Ballet School’s Coppélia. Shaye has received choreographic awards from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was chosen as one of five choreographers in Houston Ballet  Academy’s collaboration with the American Festival for the Arts. This is Shaye’s first season with ARB.

Samantha Gullace trained at Princeton Ballet School and the Joffrey Ballet School in New York. She worked with choreographers Peter Pucci, Margo Sappington, Cameron Baasden, and performed Joffrey Ballet’s Billboards: Willing and Able. Samantha also completed the Trainee Program of the the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, IL, under the direction of Anna Reznik, Alexei Kremnev, and Ashley Wheater. Since joining ARB, she has performed in Twyla Tharp’s Eight Jelly Rolls and Douglas Martin’s premiere of Ephemeral Possessions.  Samantha also performs with Susan Tenney Dance where she is currently working on Je Me Souviens…I Remember….  Samantha was also a member of Jerry Opdenaker’s 2012 O Dance Festival, in West Palm Beach, FL.  During the summer, Samantha also teaches ballet.  This is Samantha’s third season with ARB.

Joshua Kurtzberg, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, began his training on full scholarship with Atlanta Ballet under the direction of John McFall and Sharon Story.  After 4 years, he was offered a company position but pursued his training with the Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy on full scholarship.  Throughout Joshua’s professional career, he has worked with The Eglevsky Ballet, Stanton Welch, Michael Pink, Ben Stevenson, Peter O’Brien, Lonne Moretton, Alan Hineline, Thom Clower, and the late Fernando Bujones.  Josh would like to thank all of his teachers who never stopped pushing him. This is his fifth season with ARB.

Marc St-Pierre, originally from Montreal, Canada, started ballet at age 8 at the Academie de ballet classique de Montréal, after training in the Canadian gymnastics program. At 10, he was admitted to the prestigious École Supérieur de Ballet du Quebec, where he studied under Samuel Abramian, from the Bolshoï Academy and Francoise Vaussenat, from the Ballet de l’Opera de Paris. He has performed with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Ballet Ouest de Montréal, Gleich Contemporary Dances, Albany Berkshire Ballet, International Ballet Theatre, Roxey Ballet, and as a guest with City Center Ballet, where he performed many notable classical roles. Since joining ARB, Marc has appeared as the lead in Kirk Pertersen’s Glazunov Variations and in Philip Jerry’s Our Town, a favorite of his. He also appeared in works by Patrick Corbin and Randy James. This is Marc’s third season with ARB.

Claire van Bever, Claire van Bever comes to American Repertory Ballet from Portland, OR where she trained at Pacific Festival Ballet with Christopher and Lynn Brennan Tabor, and privately with Melissa Framiglio. She trained on scholarship at The Rock School for Dance Education and at The School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, and she attended summer programs at The Rock School, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Dance New York International in Paris. Claire attended The Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, where she danced in the Purchase Dance Company and performed at Jacob’s Pillow. She has performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade, and has performed the roles of Columbine in The Nutcracker and Principal Couple in Bettijane Sills’ Masquerade. With ARB, she performed featured roles in The Nutcracker and the lead in Trinette Singleton’s Capriccios. She would like to thank her family for all their support. This is Claire’s second season with ARB.