Ballet Arts Announces Guest Artists for THE NUTCRACKER at Carl Perkins Civic Center

MARENA PÉREZ, principal dancer of the Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico, DANIEL RAMIREZ, principal soloist of the Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico, and CRISTIAN LAVERDE KÖNIG, former principal dancer of the Milwaukee Ballet, will appear as guest artists in Ballet Arts' production of The Nutcracker on December 11, 12 & 13, 2015 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in Jackson, Tennessee.

Ms. Pérez and Mr. Ramirez will be dancing the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Her Cavalier, and Mr. Laverde König will be dancing the role of the Snow King.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, MARENA PÉREZ began her ballet training at Ballet de Nana Hudo. Among her teachers while as a student and professional dancer have been Miguel Campaneria, Maria Carrera, Jose Pares, Carlota Carrera, Lourdes Gomez, Joaquin Banegas, Lolita San Miguel, Susan Pilarre, Ray Sullivan, and Nana Hudo.

Ms. Pérez began her professional career as a dancer with the Compania de Ballet Teatro Municipal of San Juan. In 1998 Ms. Pérez joined Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico and was promoted to the rank of soloist in 2002.

In 2005 Ms. Pérez joined Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico, and was promoted to the rank of principal dancer. From 2007 to 2009 Ms. Pérez joined Andanza, a contemporary dance company in Puerto, and in 2010 she returned to Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico to resume her career as a principal dancer.

Ms. Pérez's repertoire includes principal and soloist roles in the 19th century classics including the title role in Giselle, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, the title role in Carmen, the title role in Cinderella, Odile in Swan Lake, Swanhilda in Coppelia, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, the title role in Carmen, Lise in La Fille Mal Gardee, and the roles of Charlotte in The Phantom of the Opera, Cerrito in Grand Pas de Quatre, Nikiya and Gamzatti in La Bayadere, The Dying Swan, and Paquita.

Ms. Pérez has also received critical acclaim for her performances in neo-classical and contemporary roles including roles in George Balanchine's Serenade, Jerome Robbins' In The Night, William Dollar's The Combat, Emilia in Jose Limon's The Moor's Pavane, Septime Webre's Carmina Burana, Alberto Mendez's Munecos, and pas de deux including Satanella, Flames of Paris, Don Quixote Pas de Deux, Talisman, William Tell, Esmeralda, Le Corsaire, and Spring Waters.

Ms. Pérez appeared with Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico during its tours in the United States, Taiwan and other countries. In 2004, 2005 and 2010, Ms. Pérez was invited to participate in the International Dance Festival in Miami. In 2005 she participated in the Segundo Certamen Interamericano de Danza in Buenos Aires, Argentina, winning two gold medals and one bronze medal. In 2010, Ms. Pérez participated in the Festival de Ballet de Panama.

Ms. Pérez has performed as a guest artist with the Charlotte Youth Ballet of North Carolina, Ballet Etudes in Miami, Florida, the Midstates Ballet, Alameda Civic Ballet, Ballet Arts, and the RMT Ballet in Haiti.

Ms. Pérez is a certified Pilates instructor and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics Education. She has also studied drama under the guidance of Puerto Rico's leading acting teachers and has received awards in acting competitions.

Mr. Ramirez received his ballet training at the Academia de Julie Mayoral, and Summer Intensive Programs at the Eglevsky Ballet in New York, and Point Park College and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Ramirez has studied under the guidance of Julie Mayoral, Maria Carrera, Maria Julia Landa, Maria C. Palacios, Miguel Campaneria, Joaquin Banegas, Tato Molina, Ana Maria Castañon, Luba Gulyaeva, Elizabeta Calero, Maria Simonetti, Grace Bigas, and others.

Mr. Ramirez has danced with the Ballet Teatro Musical de Ponce, Ballet Theatre of Annapolis, Ballet Arizona, and Ballet Señorial. Mr. Ramirez is currently a principal soloist with the Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico.

Mr. Ramirez's repertoire includes principal roles in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, la Bayadere, Grand Pas Classique, Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Flower Festival at Genzano, Flames of Paris, Swan Lake, Giselle, Alice in Wonderland, and roles in the contemporary ballets, Carmina Burana, Lady Lost and Found, Piazzolla en Concierto, Majisimo, Tributo a Rafael Hernandez, Sonata, Green Table, Flaming June, Tres Musicos, and Celtic Fire.

As a member of Sabor Latino, Mr. Ramirez performed in the Chicago Salsa Congress, the Festival de Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Roma Salsa Congress, Sicilia Salsa Congress, and in Puerto Rico winning third place in the National Salsa Competition. He was awarded World Champion, along with his partner, Licelott Maldonado, in the World Salsa Open.

Mr. Ramirez also teaches at the Guaynabo City Ballet School and has also choreographed works for the School's performances.

CRISTIAN LAVERDE KÖNIG was born in Colombia and received his early ballet training at the Incolballet (Colombian Institute of Ballet) in Cali, Colombia. Mr. König pursued his studies at the National School of Ballet in Havana, Cuba, where he was given a full scholarship for two consecutive years. He was a finalist at the first and second International Ballet Competition for students held in Havana, Cuba. Upon graduation, in 1996, he joined the National Ballet of Cuba as a member of the corps de ballet.

Mr. König joined the Ballet de Cali as a soloist in 1997. Upon pursuing his career in the United States, Mr. König joined the Hartford Ballet as a soloist in 1998, and in 1999, joined Ballet Internationale as a soloist.

In 2000 Mr. König joined the Maximum Dance Company as a principal dancer.

Mr. König's repertoire includes principal roles in Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Coppelia, The Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux, Flower Festival At Genzano Pas de Deux, Napoli Act III, Raymonda Pas de Dix, Pas de Deux from Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadere, and Spartacus, and George Balanchine's Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Valse Fantaisie, and Rubies, Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite, Martha Graham's Diversion of Angels, Natalya Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilyov's Creation of the World, Alberto Mendez's Munecos (Dolls), Nacho Duato's Por vos Muero, Spencer Gavin Hering's Dichotomy, Andrea Dawn Shelley's Invonice, and Ivan Tenorio's Cantata.

With the Maximum Dance Company Mr. König danced principal roles in David Palmer's Bound for Brubeck, Yanis Pikieris' and David Palmer's elements and Adiemus, KT Nelson's Below The Rim, Ivonice Satie's Arroq, and Yanis Pikieris' Imagined Notions and Lecuna Passion.

Mr. König has created roles in David Palmers', Einsled, Passing Through, and Mist, Yanis Pikieris' and David Palmer's Follow Me, Spectrum, Random Studies, Romantic Interludes, and The Rite of Spring, Yanis Pikieris' The Four Seasons, Paolo Mohovich's Hotel Presidente, Ruslan Gawriljuk's O Encontro, and Jean Christophe Blavier's Sky Is The Limit.

In 2005 Mr. König joined the Milwaukee Ballet as a principal dancer. Mr. König expanded his repertoire to include the role of Jonathan Harker in the Christopher Gable/Michael Pink production of Dracula.

In 2007 Mr. König left the Milwaukee Ballet to pursue a career as a freelance guest artist, and in 2009 he appeared with the National Ballet of Slovakia as a guest soloist. He also participated in the creation of Infinite Movement Ever Evolving (iMEE) and O Dance.

In 2002 Mr. König was a finalist at the USA International Ballet Competition. The Governor of his home state in Colombia honored him in 2003 with an award for "Outstanding Achievements in the Arts Abroad". He was invited by the Consulate General of Colombia in Houston to be featured in the gala, "Talento Inspirado", showcasing important Colombian artists widely recognized.

Mr. König has toured extensively throughout many countries and has appeared as a guest artist in Japan, Brazil, and Guatemala. He has also appeared as a guest artist in the National Ballet of Panama's production of The Sleeping Beauty, the Ballet de Cali's production of The Nutcracker, Ballet Anna Pavlova's Don Quixote, and the Yung Ballet of Costa Rica's premiere of The Sleeping Beauty.

Mr. König has also appeared as a guest artist with many regional ballet companies in the United States including Ballet Florida and the Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre.

He has also taken great pride in representing his country dancing in international ballet festivals in Italy, Hungary, Scotland, and Cuba.

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