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Adiarys Almeida
Assistant Director at Hollywood Ballet Academy Principal International Guest Artist

Born and raised in Matanzas, Cuba. Former Cincinnati Ballet and Corella Ballet Principal Dancer and First Soloist with Boston Ballet. Her professional training includes The Vocational Arts School “Alfonso Perez Isaac” in Matanzas, Cuba and The National Ballet School in Havana, Cuba. After graduating in 2001, she joined the National Ballet of Cuba under the direction of Alicia Alonso, where she danced from 2001-2003.

Ms. Almeida participated in The International Ballet Competition in Havana, Cuba, where she received the Silver Medal in 1997 and 1998 and the Gold Medal in 1999 and 2000. In 1999 she had the honor to participate at the International Ballet Competition in Nagoya, Japan, and the Gala of Ballet Muses in Tokyo as a Cuban ballet prodigy Rolando Sarabia partner. She was also the first Cuban female dancer to be a finalist at the USA International Ballet Competition in 2006.

Almeida’s major principal roles include Giselle in Devon Carney, Magaly Suarez, and Robert Hill’s “Giselle,” Juliet in Victoria Morgan’s “Romeo & Juliet,” Nikiya in “La Bayadere,” Kitri in Kevin Mckenzie and Vladimir Vasiliev’s “Don Quixote,” Medora in “Le Corsaire,” Aurora in Frederick Ashton, Marcelo Angelini, Paul Chalmer and Kirk Peterson’s “Sleeping Beauty,” Odette-Odile in Angel Corella, Victoria Morgan, Magaly Suarez and Robert Hill’s “Swan Lake,” Clara in Alicia Alonso’s “Nutcracker,” Marie in Val Caniparoli’s “Nutcracker,” Carmen in Kirk Peterson’s “Carmen,” Lisa in Jose Pares “La Fille Mal Gardee,” Gamzatti in Natalia Makarova’s “La Bayadere,” Swanilda in Jose Pares and Balanchine/Danilova’s “Coppelia,” Cinderella in “Cinderella,” Mazurka in Florence Clerc’s “Les Sylphides,” Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in Mikko Nissinen’s and Victoria Morgan’s “Nutcracker,” Amour and Maid of Honor in Nureyev’s “Don Quixote,” Lady Guinevere in Victoria Morgan’s King Arthur’s “Camelot.”

Her repertoire also includes Balanchine’s “Tchaikovsky pas de deux,” Liberty Bell in “Stars & Stripes,” “El Ballo de la Regina,” Who Cares?, “Concerto Barroco,” “Symphony in C” 1st Movement Principal, Russian Principal in “Serenade,” Edward Liang’s “Wunderland,” Twyla Tharp’s “In the Upper Room” and “Baker’s Dozen,” Principal in Arthur Saint-Leon “La Vivandiere,” Pink Pas de Deux in Clark Tippet’s “Bruch Violin Concerto”, Anne Boleyn in Christopher Wheeldon’s “VIII,” Harald Lander’s “Etudes,” 2nd Principal Couple in Wheeldon’s “DGV,” Wayne McGregor’s “Chroma,” Jiri Kylian’s “Symphony of Psalms,” Lead in Stanton Welch’s “Clear” and “Fingerprints,” Jerome Robbins “Fancy Free,” Wheeldon’s “Polyphonia,” Lead in Jorma Elo’s “Awake Only” and many other works by essential choreographers like John Cranko, Lynn Taylor Corbett, Jamal Story, Angel Corella, Val Caniparoli, Ivan Tenorio, Alberto Mendez, Eduardo Blanco, Viktor Kabaniaev, George Birkadze, Russell Ducker, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Andrea Schermoly, Trey McIntyre, and others.

As an international principal guest artist, Ms. Almeida has performed with several renowned companies at some of the most important stages worldwide. To mention a few, Balleto dell’Opera di Roma in Italy, Ballet Dortmund in Germany, NBA Ballet in Japan, Slovene National Opera and Ballet, Festival Ballet of Providence, Ballet Met, Tulsa Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, Florida Classical Ballet, Ballet Mississippi, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, Ballet Sibiu in Rumania, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, International Ballet Greenville, Collin County Ballet Theater, Open Dance Festival in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Miami International Ballet Festival, Baltic Ballet Festival in Latvia, Nureyev Festival in Kazan, Russia, Kremlin International Ballet Festival in Moscow, Russia, Panama International Ballet Festival, Stars of the 21st Century Gala in Bucarest, The USA IBC, YAGP and WBC Galas, Roberto Bolle & Friends Galas, Taipei International Ballet Gala in Taiwan,

Gala of Stars Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition, Ballet Stars Gala in Jakarta, Indonesia, International Ballet Season with National Ballet of China, Gala Internacional de Ballet Chile, Festival de Ballet Cordoba, Mexico, Gala de Danza, Mexico, Les Hivernales de la Danse in Belgium, etc.

Adiarys has a professional Ballet Dancer and Teacher from the National Ballet School in Havana, Cuba. Based on the Cuban Ballet Method. She began teaching when she was 20 years old and did not know a word of English. While dancing for Cincinnati Ballet, she taught parttime at Ballet Tech Ohio, directed by Claudia Rudolf. “I feel starting to teach at a very young age made me a much better dancer. I got to understand ballet, and it made me realize how many things I was doing wrong.”

Ms. Almeida’s teaching experience includes The Art of Classical Ballet, Master Ballet Academy, Pennsylvania Ballet Conservatory, Golden State Ballet Academy, Feijoo Ballet School, Hathaway Academy of Ballet, United Ballet Theater, School of Ballet Arts, Galmont Ballet, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, Ballet Northwest, Atlanta Youth Ballet, Orlando Ballet School, Marat Daukayev Ballet School, Gulf Coast Ballet Theater, Cincinnati Ballet School, International Ballet Greenville, Atlanta Professional Dance Academy, In House Expressions, Performance Edge 2, Xplosive Dance Academy, Conservatorio Annarella in Portugal, Cancun International Ballet Festival, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, KL Dance Works in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, National Capital Ballet School in Canberra, Australia, Ballet Gonzalez in Recife, Brazil, Victoria’s Ballet School in Bogota, Colombia, International Ballet Intensive in Johannesburg and South Africa International Ballet Competition in Cape Town, and have taught several master classes for YAGP, ADCIBC, Grand Prix Intensive, Gala de Danza in Los Cabos, Mexico City Ballet, Ballet Arts Company’s “Get Inspired” Series and more. She has also been a judge for YAGP, World Ballet Competition, and Dance World Cup Portugal.

Taras Domitro
Artistic Director of Hollywood Ballet Academy Principal International Guest Artist

Born and raised in Havana, Cuba. Former Principal Dancer with National Ballet of Cuba and San Francisco Ballet. He trained at Alejo Carpentier School and the National Ballet School in Havana.

Mr. Domitro was nominated for best male dancer at the 2013 Benois de la Danse. He also won the 2008 Gold Medal at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida, the Grand Prix at Peru’s International Ballet Festival in 2003, and in 2000, 1st Prize and the Revelation Award at International Ballet Competition and Ballet Academies Festival in Havana, Cuba. At age 20, he became a Principal Dancer with the National Ballet of Cuba. He built an incredible career sharing the stage with renowned dancers such as Italian Prima Ballerina Carla Fracci. Later he continued acquiring an extensive and versatile repertoire at San Francisco Ballet. Domitro’s major roles as a principal dancer include Albrecht in Tomasson’s & Alonso’s “Giselle,” Snow King and Nutcracker Prince in Thomasson’s “Nutcracker,” Prince & Sugar Plum Cavalier in Alonso’s “Nutcracker,” Mercutio in Tomasson’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Romeo & Mercutio in Alonso’s “Shakespeare & the Masks,” Prince Siegfried in Tomasson’s “Swan Lake,” Basilio in Tomasson’s/Possokhov’s & Alonso’s “Don Quixote,” Franz in Balanchine’s & Alonso’s “Coppelia,” Lensky in Cranko’s “Onegin,” Benjamin in Wheeldon’s “Cinderella,” Prince in Consuegra’s “Cinderella,” Solor in Makarova’s “Kingdom of the Shades” from “La Bayadere,” The Creature in Scarlett’s “Frankenstein,” Brown in Robbins’ “Dances at a Gathering.” In addition, he created the role of Giovanni and The Swimmer, respectively, in Possokhov’s Francesca da Rimini and Swimmer.

His repertoire also includes Balanchine’s “The Four temperaments,” “Emeralds,” “Rubies,” “Scotch Symphony,” “Symphony in C,” and “Theme and Variations.” The title role in Fokine’s “Petrouchka,” Lifar’s “Suite en Blanc,” Edward Liang’s “Wunderland,” McGregor’s “Chroma,”Nureyev’s “Raymonda” Act III, Ratmansky’s “Russian Seasons” and “Shostakovich Trilogy” (Symphony #9), Robbin’s Opus19 “The Dreamer,” Tomasson’s “7 for Eight”, “Caprice,” “Criss-Cross,” “Prism,” “On a Theme of Paganini,” “Le Quattro Stagioni” and “Trio.” He has also performed the Pas de Deux from Vaganova’s “Diana & Acteon,” the Pas de Deux from Vainonen’s “Flames of Paris,” “La Bayadere” Pas D’action and Zanella’s “Alles Walzer” and “Underskin.” Mr. Domitro also worked with Cuban choreographers Alberto Mendez, Ivan Tenorio, and Eduardo Blanco. As an international principal guest artist, Mr.Domitro has performed with several renowned companies at some of the most important stages worldwide. To mention a few, Balletto dell’Opera di Roma, Italy, Florida Classical Ballet, Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, Ballet Dortmund and Hamburg Ballet, Germany, Orlando Ballet, Kremlin International Ballet Festival, Russia, The Gran Ballet Festival del Queretaro, Mexico, Panama International Ballet Festival, Roberto Bolle & Friends Galas, Elisa Carrillo & Amigos Galas, Taipei International Ballet Gala, Taiwan, Gala of Stars Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition, International Ballet Season with National Ballet of China, Gala Internacional de Ballet Chile, Festival de Ballet Cordoba, Mexico, Collin County Ballet Theater, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, International Ballet Greenville, World Ballet Competition Gala of Stars, Gala de Danza, Mexico, Les Hivernales de la Danse, Belgium, YAGP Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow, Tampa and Ballet West, The Alicia Alonso Foundation Gala in Madrid, Spain.

Taras has a degree as Professional Ballet Dancer and Teacher from the National Ballet School in Havana, Cuba. Based on the Cuban Ballet Method. In 2017, Taras left San Francisco Ballet to work as a Principal Guest Artist and teacher worldwide. He has worked with students from schools such as Master Ballet Academy, Pennsylvania Ballet Conservatory, Golden State Ballet Academy, Feijoo Ballet School, Hathaway Academy of Ballet, Galmont Ballet, In House Expressions, Performance Edge 2, KL Dance Works (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), National Capital Ballet School (Canberra, Australia), Ballet Gonzalez (Recife, Brazil), International Ballet Intensive (Johannesburg, South Africa). He has also taught several masterclasses for YAGP, Grand Prix Intensive, Ballet Arts Company’s “Get Inspired” Series, and more.

Since the Summer of 2020, he has been a part of the Art of Classical Ballet Faculty, helping his mom, renowned Cuban ballet teacher Magaly Suarez built the Pre-Professional Program. For the past four years, he has been the private ballet coach of young prodigy Brady Farrar, a student of The Art of Classical Ballet and Stars Dance Studio (2021 YAGP Grand Prix Award).

Florrie Geller embarked upon her professional ballet career when she signed a contract with Cincinnati Ballet’s main company at the age of 18. She received her pre-professional training from Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, and summer programs on scholarship at the School of American Ballet, before winning the gold medal at the Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals. She distinguished herself in the Final Round of YAGP by placing in the Top 12 Junior Women at Lincoln Center, and was selected by Susan Jaffe and Gillian Murphy as the first recipient of the Gillian Murphy Endowed Scholarship to UNCSA. After performances as Aurora and Giselle in Next Generation Ballet’s full-length productions, Florrie attended the San Francisco Ballet School on full scholarship. Among her roles as a professional dancer are Princess Florine in Devon Carney’s The Sleeping Beauty, and soloist roles in Jiri Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, Myles Thatcher’s Anomaly, and Sarah Van Patten’s Skylight. In 2019, Florrie was invited to represent the United States at the Beijing International Ballet and Choreographic Competition. Currently, Florrie is a freelance dancer, teaches ballet and pilates, while continuing her professional training at The Art of Classical Ballet with Master Ballet Teacher Magaly Suarez and faculty.

 

Walter Gutierrez Garcia
Guest Artist
From Havana, Cuba. Trained at the Alejo Carpentier School of Dance and the National Ballet School in Havana. Some of his most important teachers are Raquel Aguero, Mirtha Hermida, Fernando Alonso and Magaly Suarez. He has danced with the
National Ballet of Cuba, Contemporary Dance of Cuba, Festival Ballet of Providence, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Silicon Valley San Jose Ballet and Florida Classical Ballet. Mr. Gutierrez received the Silver Medal at World Ballet Competition in 2009 and the
Bronze Medal at the Havana International Ballet Competition in 2003.

 

Barrington Hinds is from West Palm Beach, Florida. He began his training at the School of Ballet Florida under the direction of Marie Hale. Hinds holds a BFA in dance from SUNY Purchase College and has worked professionally with VERB Ballets, Northwest Professional Dance Project, and the national tour of Twyla Tharp’s Broadway show, Movin’ Out. In 2011 Hinds was honored as a finalist for the Clive Barnes Award for young talent in dance. He has worked with leading choreographers including Laurie Stallings, Edgar Zendejas, Sarah Slipper, Helen Pickett, Thaddeus Davis, and Cherylyn Lavagnino to name a few. Hinds has also danced with the Stephen Petronio Company and has freelanced in commercial, TV, and print work. In addition Hinds is also a choreographer and teacher. His work has been shown at Purchase College, Dixon Place, Warwick Summer Festival, Arts On Site, and The Tank. Barrington currently is a Performer with the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Company in NYC and is thrilled to be returning back to Nutcracker of Middle GA this season! You can follow him @bar_hinds and his website www.barringtonhinds.com

Ramona Kelley is from Berkeley, CA where she began her training at Berkeley Ballet Theater. She went on to earn a BFA in dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ramona danced the principal role of ‘Betsy’ in Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away and went on to dance with the Tharp company creating new roles in addition to performing repertory works. She is a principal guest artist with Oakland Ballet and has also performed with Christopher Wheeldon’s An American in Paris, Dance Lab New York, Minnesota Dance Theatre, Claudia Schreier and Co, Post:Ballet, Sidra Bell, Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance and Phantom of the Opera (25th Anniversary Tour) among others. Ramona has taught for Pacific Northwest Ballet, as well as master classes in Tharp technique across the country. She is an adjunct ballet faculty at NYU’s Tisch Dance.