Principals
Christopher Budzynski
Christopher Budzynski, originally from Erwinna, PA, began his training with his mother at Budzynski Studios located near Philadelphia. He later studied at the North Carolina School for the Arts, School of American Ballet in New York City and Hungarian National Ballet School in Budapest. He joined Boston Ballet in 1995 and was promoted to first soloist in 1999. He and his wife, Alexandra Kochis, joined PBT in 2006. Christopher’s repertory encompasses a variety of classical and contemporary works, including Don Quixote, Dracula, La Bayadere, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Rubies, Theme and Variations, Jiri Kilian’s Sarabande, Paul Taylor’s Company B and Twyla Tharp’s Known by Heart (“Junk”) Duet.
Kwang-Suk Choi
Kwang-Suk Choi, originally from South Korea, graduated with a master’s degree in physical education from Saejong University in Seoul, South Korea. He guest danced with the Isehara Ballet in Japan, was a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Korea from 1990 to 1994 and was a foundation member with the Seoul Ballet Theatre. In his eighth season with PBT, he has performed with Atlanta Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and Cleveland San Jóse Ballet. He has also danced principal roles in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle, Coppelia and Carmina Burana and has choreographed a ballet entitled, Happiness of Land. He is married to Sae-Young Kang and has two children, Grace and Daniel.
Julia Erickson
Julia Erickson, originally from Seattle, received her training on a scholarship with PNB School and SF Ballet School. She toured extensively with PNB and danced with the Fort Worth Dallas ballet for two seasons, prior to joining PBT in 2001. She was promoted to soloist in 2004 and achieved the rank of principal for the 2009-2010 season. She has danced the principal roles in Balanchine's Theme and Variations and Who Cares?, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Diana in Diana & Acteon and the Sylph in La Sylphide. Her featured roles have also included Lady Capulet in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette, Myrtha in Giselle, Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Helena and Hyppolita in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Waltz Girl in Serenade. Her repertoire also includes Balanchine's The Four Temperments and Divertamento Number 15. Additionally, she has appeared in the title role in Tallahassee Ballet's production of Cinderella.
Erin Halloran
Erin Halloran, a Pittsburgh native, began her training with Jean Gedeon and Mansur Kameletdinov. She participated in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School’s Schenley Program before joining the company. Since joining PBT, Erin has been featured in many principal roles including Balanchine's Theme and Variations, Who Cares? and Jewels. Her repertoire includes Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Coppelia and Cinderella. Erin has originated roles in Lauri Stalling’s glint and Kevin O’Day’s Sting/ING Situations and has been featured in contemporary works by Twyla Tharp, Dwight Rhoden and Matjash Mrozewski. She most recently had the opportunity to play Juliet in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette. Erin and her husband, Ballet Master Steven Annegarn, are the proud parents of two sons, Aiden and Leo.
Alexandra Kochis
Alexandra Kochis joined PBT in 2006 with her husband, Christopher Budzynski. She received her training at Boston Ballet School, as well as The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington DC, and the School of American Ballet in New York City. Before coming to Pittsburgh, she was accepted into Boston Ballet II in 1995 and was promoted to the company in 1998. Some of her featured roles with PBT have been Juliet in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette, Daisy in The Great Gatsby, Wendy in Peter Pan and Alice in Alice in Wonderland.
Kumiko Tsuji
Kumiko Tsuji was born in Tokyo, Japan where she trained at the Kishibe Ballet Studio in Tokyo and later at The Royal Ballet School in London. She joined the Hong Kong Ballet in 2002 and joined PBT in 2003. She was promoted to soloist for the 2006 season and was promoted to principal for the 2007 season. Kumiko was chosen as one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2008 and was featured on the cover. Kumiko's repertoire includes Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle andBlue Bird in Sleeping Beauty. She has also performed the roles of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Wendy in Peter Pan, Kitri in Don Quixote, Alice in Alice in Wonderland and Marie and the Sugar Plum Fairy in Terrence S. Orr's The Nutcracker.