The Washington Ballet Adds 14 New Dancers, Announces Luis R. Torres as Studio Company and Trainee Ballet Master

The Washington Ballet (TWB) welcomes two new dancers from Cuba and names three dancers from the Studio Company to the performing Company. The Studio Company will also see nine new dancers from the U.S. and abroad. TWB veteran Company dancer Luis R. Torres joins the administrative staff of the organization as the Studio Company and Trainee Ballet Master.

In keeping with the 2014.15 theme of Taking Flight, The Washington Ballet expands its rosters in both is
Company and Studio Company, welcoming two Cuban dancers into the Company. Gian Carlo Perez and Miguel Anaya join the company from Havana, Cuba, Daniel Roberge (Australia) and Chong Sun (China)
have been promoted from apprentice to Company dancers, Daniel Savetta (Australia), Esmiana Jani
(Albanian born) and Carly Wheaton are promoted from Studio Company dancers to apprentices, and
Nardia Boodoo, Isabel Deyo, Federico D'Ortenzi (Italy), Nina Barcelos Fernandes (Brazil), Rachael Jones,
Claire Rathbun, Sarah Reimold, Peishan Xie (China) and Zhenghong Cao (China) join the Studio Company.

New Company Members:
The Washington Ballet welcomes Cuban dancers Gian Carlo Perez and Miguel Anaya to the Company of
The Washington Ballet.

A select group of dancers with Cuba's National Ballet defected to the United States after a ballet event in
Mexico in April. One of these dancers is Miguel Anaya, who will be performing with The Washington Ballet's
Company for the 2014.15 Performance Season. "We're honored to have Miguel join The Washington
Ballet in the nation's capital for the 2014.15 Season," says Artistic Director Septime Webre. "We know
that he has made a very difficult decision to leave Cuba, and it truly speaks to his character that he puts
the art of dance above any geo-political borders."

Miguel Anaya, from Havana, Cuba, trained at the Alfonso Perez Isaac School and the Cuban National Ballet
School, where he graduated in 2012. He was invited to the Varna International Ballet Competition in 2010
and the Youth America Grand Prix in 2011. In 2012, Anaya won the Grand Prix National Competition in Cuba, and performed as a soloist dancer with Ballet Nacional de Cuba with Alicia Alonso. He has trained
with Ramona de Saa, Marta Iris, Nor Maria, Ana Julia Bermudez, Magaly Suarez, Alicia Alonso, Fernando
Alonso and Alberto Mendez.

Gian Carlo Perez, from Havana, Cuba, joins the Company of The Washington Ballet this year after dancing
with the prestigious Ballet Nacional de Cuba, directed by Alicia Alonso. In 2013, Perez toured to Spain to
celebrate the Ballet Nacional de Cuba's 70th anniversary, and in 2014, he was awarded under the first
solo category after having played the role of Othello.

From Apprentice to Company:
Daniel Roberge and Chong Sun join the Company of The Washington Ballet after dancing as apprentices.
Daniel Roberge, of Australia, is in his first season as a Company member with The Washington Ballet, after
two seasons as an apprentice and one season with The Studio Company. In 2009, Roberge was awarded
the Silver Medal at the Genee International Ballet Competition in Singapore; He was a finalist in the
Australian Institute of Classical Dance International Awards and the Youth America Grand Prix NYC in 2008
and 2010. Roberge is also a recipient of the A.R.S. Musica Australis Scholarship for Outstanding
Achievement in Dance. In 2010, he had the honor of performing at the White House before President
Obama and the First Lady. In the TWB off season, Roberge choreographs and coaches in Sydney Australia.
Chong Sun of Beijing, China, is in his first season as a Company member with The Washington Ballet, after
two seasons as an apprentice and two seasons with The Studio Company. Sun began training in 2002 at
the Beijing Dance Academy and in 2008 placed third at the Beijing International Ballet Competition. In
2009, Sun trained with Anatoli Kucheruk and Marat Daukayev at the Kirov Academy of Ballet. In 2011, he
placed second in the pas de deux group at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida and was
invited to perform at its All Stars Gala. Sun was recently a featured dancer in the photography book
Dancers Among Us.

From Studio Company to Apprentice:
Esmiana Jani, Daniel Savetta and Carly Wheaton all join the Company from the Studio Company as
apprentices for the 2014.15 Performance Season.

For more information, visit: http://www.washingtonballet.org/

To post a comment, you must register and login.