New York City Ballet (NYCB) has the promotion of seven of the Company’s corps de ballet members. Preston Chamblee, Ashley Hod, Emily Kikta, Isabella LaFreniere, Miriam Miller, Mira Nadon and Emma Von Enck have all been promoted to Soloist in advance of the Company’s 2022 Winter Season, which continues through February 27.
Preston Chamblee was born in Wendell, North Carolina, and began his dance training at the age of 14 at the Raleigh School of Ballet. He continued his training at the International Ballet Academy in Apex, North Carolina, and began studying at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of NYCB, during the 2012 and 2013 summer courses, and enrolled as a full-time student in 2013. He was named an apprentice with NYCB in August 2014, and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in February 2015. His repertory at NYCB includes leading roles in works by George Balanchine, Warren Carlyle, Ulysses Dove, Peter Martins, Benjamin Millepied, Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins and Christopher Wheeldon, and he has also originated roles in ballets by Robert Binet, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Lauren Lovette, Andrea Miller, Peck and Gianna Reisen.
Ashley Hod was born in Great Neck, New York, she began her dance training at age four at the Great Neck School of Dance and came to SAB in 2003. As a student at SAB, she danced in several NYCB productions, including George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Named an NYCB apprentice in 2012, she joined the NYCB corps de ballet the following year. Her repertory includes leading roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Justin Peck and Christopher Wheeldon, and she has also originated corps de ballet roles in ballets by Kim Brandstrup, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Alexei Ratmansky and Troy Schumacher.
Emily Kikta was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began her dance training at the Thomas Studio of Performing Arts in Pittsburgh before studying at the Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh. Kikta began studying at SAB during the summer 2006 course and enrolled as a full-time student in 2008. She became an apprentice with NYCB in October 2010, and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in August 2011. Since joining NYCB, Kikta has danced featured roles in works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Peter Martins, Justin Peck and Jerome Robbins, and she has originated featured roles in ballets by Sidra Bell, Martins, Pam Tanowitz and Peter Walker.
Isabella LaFreniere was born in Lambertville, Michigan, and began her dance training at the age of seven at the Northeast Academy of Dance, followed by training at the Southold Dance Theatre in South Bend, Indiana, and then at the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago, Illinois. She began studying at SAB during the 2008 summer course, and enrolled as a full-time student during the 2010 winter term. She received additional training at the Chautauqua Institution and Pacific Northwest Ballet summer programs. LaFreniere became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2013, and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in June 2014. Since joining NYCB, LaFreniere has performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Peter Martins, Justin Peck and Jerome Robbins, and has also originated a featured role in a work by Sidra Bell. LaFreniere was a recipient of the 2013 Mae L. Wien Award.
Miriam Miller was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and began her dance training in 2001 at University of Iowa Youth Ballet and School of Dance. In 2006, she began studying at City Ballet of Iowa. She attended summer courses at SAB in 2011 and 2012, enrolling as a full-time student during the 2012 winter term. Miller became an apprentice with NYCB in January 2015. She joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in January 2016. Since joining NYCB, Miller has performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Peter Martins, Justin Peck and Jerome Robbins, and she has also originated featured roles in works by Peck and Pam Tanowitz. Miller is a recipient of a 2017 Princess Grace Award.
Mira Nadon was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and began her ballet training at the age of six at the Inland Pacific Ballet Academy in Montclair, California. She attended summer courses at SAB in 2014 and 2015, before entering SAB full-time for the 2015 winter term. She joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in November 2018. Since joining NYCB, Nadon has performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Peter Martins, Justin Peck and Jerome Robbins, and she has also originated featured roles in works by Sidra Bell and Pam Tanowitz.
Emma Von Enck was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and began her dance training at the age of five at the Royal School of Ballet. She later studied at the Cleveland School of Dance and the Cleveland Ballet Conservatory, and attended summer courses at SAB in 2011 and 2012. She enrolled as a full-time student at SAB for the 2012 winter term. In August of 2016, she became an apprentice with NYCB. As a member of the Company, Von Enck has performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Peter Martins, Justin Peck, Gianna Reisen and Christopher Wheeldon, as well as originating a featured role in a Reisen premiere. Von Enck is a recipient of the 2016 Mae L. Wien Award.
Tickets for NYCB’s 2021-22 season are available online at www.nycballet.com or by phone at 212-496-0600. For complete programming information for New York City Ballet’s 2021-22 repertory season, visit nycballet.com.
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