Dancers

Ava began her ballet training in her hometown of Montclair, New Jersey. She has trained at American Ballet Theater, New Jersey Ballet, Ballet Rhode Island, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, to name a few. In 2021, she moved to Washington, DC to attend American University, and in 2025, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Law, Economics, and Government. Ava joined the company in 2023. Currently, Ava is a trainee with Moveius Contemporary Ballet. Outside of the studio, Ava is a freelance journalist and is preparing her applications to law school. 

Ashley took her first ballet class at age 10, studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas. Her repertoire included full-length classical ballets, ballet and contemporary mixed repertoire performances, a few musicals, and so many performances of The Nutcracker. Ashley attended intensive programs in Vaganova technique in Houston and at Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. She has danced with the company since 2015. Ashley currently works in finance at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

Alexandra trained at Acton School of Ballet in Massachusetts and danced with Commonwealth Ballet Company for five years in roles including Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. She spent summers at Princeton Ballet School, Kaatsbaan Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. At Tulane University, Alexandra danced with Newcomb Dance Company and guest performed in professional productions with New Orleans Ballet Theatre. She earned her Master’s degree from New York University before moving to D.C., where she’s the Outreach Director for Government Affairs at the Environmental Working Group.

Emily has been dancing with the company since 2014. She began her ballet training at age 4, studying primarily Vaganova Technique under Deanna Doty at the Champaign Urbana Ballet, and has also trained at the Kirov Academy in Washington, DC, the Joffrey Ballet, and Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, among others. Some of her favorite roles have included Arensky Variations, Medora in Le Corsaire, and the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty. When she's not dancing, Emily works in public & cultural diplomacy for the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, DC. 

Chloe grew up dancing at the Washington School of Ballet, rising through the Pre-Professional Training Program. After earning her Bachelor's degree at the University of Rochester, Chloe now works as a paralegal specialist in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. Upon her return to DC, Chloe joined the company in 2023.

Christianne, a native Washingtonian, has been a ballet dancer for over 20 years. While a pre-professional student with The Washington Ballet, she competed in numerous international ballet competitions winning scholarships and finalist awards. Since then she has worked in public service and arts administration, and choreographed two new ballets for the University of Oklahoma School of Dance. Outside of the ballet studio, Christianne has worked on Capitol Hill and in the Federal Government, serving in public service and diplomatic roles. Christianne currently attends The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business with a specialty in international business. 

Originally from Midland, Texas, Louisa Chapman Mejeur grew up dancing with Midland Festival Ballet under the direction of Susan Clark. She performed professionally with Nashville Ballet 2,  BalletMet, and Festival Ballet Providence (now Ballet RI). In addition to dancing, she created and managed programs for FBP’s Educational Outreach Department. Upon further moves she danced with Virginia Ballet Theater, Todd Rosenlieb Modern Dance, and ABC Tokyo Ballet. Louisa created choreographic works for Festival Ballet Providence, Bluebird Uncaged, The C Project, the Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theater Ensembles, the ABC Tokyo Ballet Company, Island Moving Company’s Student Company, and The Berkshire Choreography Project. Her work, “The Elements”, was performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 2017 and “The Family Ballet” was co-presented by Dance Place in DC in 2024. She proudly co-founded the Rhode Island Women’s Choreography Project in 2018.  Louisa currently resides in Washington D.C. working as a mother, teacher, choreographer, and freelance artist with Capital Ballet.

Margaret joined the company in 2019. She trained at the Washington School of Ballet, attended summer intensives with Houston Ballet, and has performed with the Columbia Ballet Collaborative in New York City. Away from the ballet studio, Margaret is a licensed Professional Engineer and works at TYLin as a structural engineer specialized in preservation engineering of historic buildings. A few of Margaret's recently completed and ongoing projects include the new expansion of the REACH at the Kennedy Center and the revitalization of the Smithsonian Castle. 

Bryce joined the company in 2022. Bryce started dancing in small studios around Virginia Beach and continued his training at BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. Bryce studied math and computer science at the University of Virginia and now works in engineering in Washington, DC. 

Kayla grew up in the DMV/NOVA area. She started formalized dance training at the age of 15 in contemporary and lyrical at All That and Jazz dance studio in Woodbridge, VA. Kayla quickly demonstrated commitment and excellence in modern/contemporary dance, performing with the Beth Elliot Dance Company under Beth McKee Elliot and the Next Reflex Dance Company under Roxanne Morgan Rowley. She fell in love with ballet in her late teens and chose to pursue specialized, classical training at Northern Virginia Dance Academy with Robin Conrad Straum, director of the Asaph Dance Ensemble. When faced with upheaval in dance opportunities during the Covid-19 pandemic, Kayla pivoted to higher education but resumed training at Ballet NOVA upon return. In November 2022, Kayla graduated from East Coast Polytechnic Institute in Nursing, and has been a registered nurse working in the ICU for the past two years. This is her first season with Capital Ballet.

Cecilia began dancing at the age of three and completed the majority of her training with Georgia Youth Ballet and the Southern Crescent Ballet Theatre under the direction of Magdalena Maury and Randi Lancaster. Cecilia has performed principal roles in many iterations of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and other classical ballets. Outside of the studio, Cecilia works as a Senior Immigration Policy Analyst at the Niskanen Center. She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Richmond and her master's degree at the London School of Economics.

Clarissa Gandolfo has been dancing ballet since the age of four. She trained under Kee Juan Han, Kristina Windom, Vladimir Djouloukhadze, and Linda Baranovics at the Washington School of Ballet. After graduating high school, Clarissa was awarded the Presidential Scholarship at Wake Forest University and continued her dance training there. She graduated in 2019 with her Bachelors in Biology and a minor in dance. Clarissa continued to dance after graduating college in New York City at the Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester. Currently, Clarissa works as a pediatric transplant nurse at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital. This is her first season with Capital Ballet, and she is honored to have the opportunity to dance with such wonderful dancers!

Karlin joined the company in 2023 and is returning for the 2026 season after a short hiatus. Originally from Chicago, IL, she began her training in ballet and modern dance at the Hyde Park School of Dance and spent her summers at Ballet Austin and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. She has performed with Vassar Repertory Dance Theater, Classical Repertory Dance Theater, Errant Movement, and the Joffery Ballet. Outside the studio, you can find Karlin trying new restaurants, fishing, or thinking about economic data. 

Taylor joined the company in 2024. A native of Leesburg Virginia, Taylor began ballet at age 3 at the Loudoun School of Ballet. She continued her training in high school as a pre-professional student at the Washington School of Ballet, and spent her summers at Pittsburgh Ballet, Washington School of Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. In 2018, Taylor earned her Bachelor’s degree in Dance Performance & Choreography from the University of South Carolina. During her time at University of South Carolina, Taylor performed notable works including Paul Taylor’s Company B, Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Raymonda Variations, Swan Lake and Serenade. Outside of the studio, Taylor serves as a Legal Talent Recruiting Manager at a law firm in Washington, D.C.

Anna has been dancing with the company since 2013 (with a hiatus for law school). She began her dance training at the age of 3 and has trained at Washington Academy of Performing Arts, Laura Esteve Centre de Dansa, Ecole Supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower, and Boston Ballet. Anna obtained her degree in dance from Duke University, where she also studied political science and Russian literature. When she’s not dancing, Anna works as counsel in the U.S. Senate.  

Originally from Asuncion, Paraguay, Marcela began her training at age six at Studio Nilsa Abraham and Ballet Academic Patricia Manavella. She attended summer intensives and competitions in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, with The Joffrey Ballet School, and studied with Fabianne Cerutti, Paloma Herrera, Maximilien Baud, Juan Pablo Ledo, Jaime Pinto, and Mario Galizzi. She is a Silver Medal Recipient in the Certamen Latinoamericano de Danza in Chile, and First Place in the Concejo Paraguayan of Dance CCP. Marcela has performed in various classical ballets such as, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Giselle, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and contemporary works with The Ballet Municipal de Fernando de la Mora, Ballet Municipal de Asuncion, and Ballet UniNorte. In 2015, she performed for Pope Francis in Paraguay. Marcela received her BF in Dance Pedagogy from the Ministry of Education of Paraguay. She also studied with the Paraguay Folklore and Escuela Bolera in flamenco and is certified as a Pilates instructor. Currently, she is training in Gyrotonic. She loves to teach and to share her knowledge and passion for dance. 

Atticus has been dancing for most of their life. They started doing ballet, jazz, and other styles at local studios in the California Bay Area. Growing up, they attended ballet summer intensives at Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, San Francisco Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Recently, Atticus has been training in the Washington Ballet adult program, where they work as well. Outside of dance, Atticus is a senior at American University studying Communications and Gender Studies. They also work at a coffee shop, The Bridge, on American University's campus.

Audrey Severn grew up in New Hampshire where she trained in all styles of dance at Londonderry Dance Academy. Audrey was a member of the New England Dance Ensemble where she performed in their annual Nutcracker and other performances partnering with and dancing alongside professional guests Misty Copeland, Catherine Hurlin, Connor Holloway, and more. Audrey spent her summers at home at Londonderry Dance Academy studying theater dance and ballet, and at Masters of Ballet Academy in London. Audrey graduated from the University of Maryland and Sciences Po Paris with a degrees in Government and Politics and International Relations. She now works in Urban and Transportation Planning with a consulting firm in DC.

Kellie grew up in Southern California where she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and acro. She attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the dance team and dance company. In her professional life, Kellie supports grant making in Latin America for a philanthropic organization focused on stemming the global biodiversity crisis by protecting 30% of Earth’s lands and waters by 2030.

After years of studying jazz and tap, Amanda started ballet training in high school before earning a degree in Musical Theatre at American University. She has been a company member since 2017 and is currently a teacher at Ovations Studios in Bethesda, MD. 

Originally from North Carolina, Caroline started her training at local ballet studios before graduating from Charlotte Ballet Academy. She spent summers at Dutch National Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Colorado Ballet. She moved to Washington DC to study biochemistry at American University. In addition to dancing, Caroline works as a receptionist at the Washington Ballet and conducts research in an analytic chemistry and neuroscience lab at American University. 

Originally from Naples, FL, Victoria began her ballet training at Naples Dance Conservatory and spent summers at Miami City Ballet and Ellison Ballet. She studied political science and history at Duke University, where she was also a member of two dance groups on campus. Victoria joined the company in 2024. She currently works at The Carlyle Group on their Global Government Affairs team.

Katrina trained at Acton School of Ballet and danced with Commonwealth Ballet Company in roles such as Clara and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and Diana in Beauty and the Beast. She trained at various summer programs, including Jose Mateo, Bolshoi, and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. At Bryn Mawr College, Katrina danced with /Shift/, a student-run contemporary group, and in ballet, modern, and jazz ensembles that worked with choreographers from BalletX and Philadanco. She has performed in restagings of George Balanchine’s Serenade, Paul Taylor’s Esplanade, and Urban Bush Women’s Walking with Pearl: Southern Diaries. Since earning her Bachelor’s in political science and environmental studies in 2023, Katrina has worked as a Paralegal Specialist at the DOJ. 

Kristi trained at The Washington School of Ballet, finishing her years in their professional training program and at Duke University. She spent summers at Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell, Houston Ballet, and Ballet Chicago. Her performance repertoire includes Balanchine’s Who Cares? and Serenade, Edwaard Liang’s Seasons, Septime Webre’s Nutcracker, and Bob Fosse’s Steam Heat. Outside of Capital Ballet, she works in data at Booz Allen and studies math and statistics.   

Chelsea joined the company in 2024. She began dancing at 3 years old at her local ballet studio in Los Angeles, CA, and completed her pre-professional training at the Westside School of Ballet under the direction of Yvonne Mounsey. Chelsea spent summers at Ballet Austin and Ballet Chicago, and danced in ballets including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Giselle. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University. Chelsea works in grants administration and education budget policy for the federal government. 

Kayla’s passion for dance began at the age of two. She was a company member of the NJ Civic Youth Ballet for 12 years performing in their annual Nutcracker and other ballet productions. She is trained in all styles of dance and spent many summers attending the Radio City Rockettes Summer Intensive and Vaganova Summer Intensives throughout the years. After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2022, she began her career at a marketing and technology agency where she currently works as a Marketing Manager.  

Sara has been with the company since its inception. Although Sara has dabbled in other styles of dance including jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and competitive ballroom dancing, ballet has been the art form she has been most passionate about and has pursued for upwards of 25 years. Her daytime professional role is that of Associate Director of the Records Office at The George Washington University Law School. 

Petra Zika grew up in the D.C. area and pursued ballet training at local institutions such as The Washington Ballet, Akhmedova Ballet Academy, and Lilla Seber’s private training program. She participated in Vaganova-based summer intensives including the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Open World Dance Foundation, and the Hungarian Dance Academy in Budapest. During her high school years, Petra performed solos and group pieces with a competitive team of ABA dancers at the Domenico Modugno IBC in Italy and the Youth America Grand Prix (regionals and finals in NYC). The highlight of her training years has been learning from Mrs. Irina Kolpakova and guesting with the Mariinsky at the Kennedy Center when she was just 10 years old. Petra has her MPH in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation from the University of Maryland and currently works as a fellow conducting program evaluation research for suicide prevention.