Verb, Ohio Contemporary Ballet, Announces New Company Members

Verb, "Ohio Contemporary Ballet" has announced the addition of four new company dancers and two trainees to the esteemed ensemble for the 2023-24 season. The company welcomes to the studio company dancers from around the world and across the country. 

Producing Artistic Director, Dr. Margaret Carlson expressed, "We're excited to welcome these extraordinary dancers to Northeast Ohio. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences will undoubtedly enrich our performances and contribute to our mission of pushing artistic boundaries." The company looks forward to showcasing the talents of its new members. Don't miss the first of their performances in Akron at the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival on July 28 & 29th.
 
Katherine Chang
Originally from Canada, Katherine Chang started dancing at the age of 15 at The Scottsdale School of Ballet, AZ, after which she moved back to Canada to continue her training at the School of Alberta Ballet and International School of Ballet. In 2016, she was accepted into Victoria Academy of Ballet Post-Secondary Bridge Program, a post graduate diploma program in Victoria, BC, Canada. During her time there, she worked with guest teachers and choreographers, Jorden Morris, John Alleyne, Christopher Anderson. In May 2018, she was chosen as to perform alongside professional dancers of Ballet Kelowna in John Alleyne's ballet “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Since graduation she has danced with Convergence Ballet Company and Ballet Co. Laboratory. Katherine is joining as a company dancer for the 2023-24 season. 
 
Joel Hathaway
Joel Hathaway is originally from Seaside, Oregon and trained at the School of Oregon Ballet, Ballet Chicago, and Maddox Dance Studio. He graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography. He comes to the company from Mareck Dance and danced works by choreographers Joshua Blake Carter, Stephanie Martinez, Joshua Peugh, Christopher Estes Brown, Autumn Eckman, Kameron Saunders and Thang Dao. He was a guest artist with Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre in the production of “There's No Place Like Home.” Joel danced with Midwest Repertory Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet II, and Milwaukee Ballet Co. In addition to dancing, he has served as resident choreographer at Mareck Dance and Midwest Repertory Ballet. Joel is joining as a company dancer for the 2023-24 season.
 
Mathis Joubert
Born in South Korea, Mathis grew up in France, where he began his dance training at the age of 16. In 2016, he received full scholarships to study at Peridance, Alvin Ailey, Hubbard Street, Lines Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Jacob's Pillow. In 2019, Mathis joined Visceral Dance Chicago. He performed at the Darley Awards, a private ceremony of the Sultan of Abu Dhabi in Hollywood, Concert de Paris on the Eiffel Tower and Paris Fashion Week. He has been featured as dancer and choreographer in music videos, movies and ad campaigns including Adidas, Reebok, Asus and Uniqlo. Mathis was part of several international tours including productions in Antarctica as principal dancer and show manager, Romeo & Juliet and RTBX with SweetBird Productions and at the Riyadh Season Festival in Saudi Arabia. He is a jury member for international competitions and the co-founder of "The Balletbreak". Mathis is joining as a company dancer for the 2023-24 season.  
 
Tailys Poncione
Tailys grew up in France and began dancing at the age of three. Tailys has danced for the Darley Awards, the Sultan of Abu Dhabi's private ceremony in Hollywood, Concert de Paris at the Eiffel Tower, and in the Netflix movie Murder Mystery 2. She has collaborated with dance brands Flexistretcher, Russian Pointe and Gaynor Minden. Tailys traveled to Antarctica as principal dancer and show manager, took part in the European tour of Rock the Ballet X and danced at the Riyadh Season Festival in Saudi Arabia. Tailys is a jury member in international competitions and teaches workshops all over France. She is co-founder of "The Balletbreak". Tailys is joining as a company dancer for the 2023-24 season.
 
Adrienne Chan (Trainee)
Adrienne Chan is a sophomore at Harvard College studying Sociology and Theater, Dance & Media. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she trained at Cleveland City Dance and performed with their pre-professional company, City Ballet of Cleveland. As a student, she has participated in summer intensive programs at Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Kaatsbaan, and Atlanta Ballet. During the school year, Adrienne is a dancer and choreographer for the Harvard Ballet Company. She is joining the company as a trainee for the summer.
 
Ladislas Etzol (Trainee)
Ladislas “Lad” Etzol is from Lake Placid, New York and returned to dance in 2020 just before the pandemic. He built his dance foundation by training with the City Ballet School San Francisco. Lad holds many interests in addition to dance, including practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and traveling abroad. Lad is joining the company as a trainee for the 2023-24 season.
   

Verb, “Ohio Contemporary Ballet” engages people through bold performances and strives to be a vital community asset by providing access to dance opportunities and education. We are a uniquely Midwestern company. People throughout the Midwest are known for their work ethic; they have a penchant for building for the future while honoring the past and for caring their community. As an organization we embrace and embody these values. The professional dance company aims to commission choreographers that are reflective of our times, while upholding the deep roots of the ballet-based companies that preceded it in the Great Lakes region. Formerly known as Verb Ballets, the company was originally founded in 1987 by an all-female contemporary dance collective. Today, the company vision is led by Dr. Margaret Carlson, former principal dancer for the original Cleveland Ballet, and Richard Dickinson, MFA, former Ohio Ballet dancer. The company seeks to attract and maintain top dancers with a company that reflects diverse backgrounds across the country and globe. We believe and invest in programs that foster international cultural exchange and lift marginalized voices to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through dance.

Housed at the Ohio Contemporary Ballet Center for Dance in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, the 6,000 ft facility includes studios, offices and gathering space for the professional company as well as two divisions of education and outreach: The Academy Division for youth and the Community Engagement Division. We welcome the community into our space and bring dance to meet people where they live, work, and learn. In that spirit, we strive to use dance as an art form to build community,  nurture an appreciation the arts and engage as a fun healthy activity. More information can be found at www.verbballets.org.

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