Soloists
Elysa Hotchkiss
Elysa Hotchkiss is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania and received her early training with the Lake Erie Ballet School. She attended PBT School’s Intensive Summer Program and was offered a full scholarship to attend PBT Graduate Program. Now in her seventh season with PBT, she has enjoyed performing such roles as the lead in Dwight Rhoden’s Carmina Burana and Lady Capulet in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette.
Robert Moore
Robert Moore, now in his 4th season with PBT, began his dance training in Indianapolis with the White River Ballet Company. He furthered his training there with Jordan Academy of Arts at Butler University. Robert was accepted to the Harid Conservatory and following graduation, joined Boston Ballet II in 1996. In 1998 he was promoted to the Boston Ballet Company. Robert’s repertoire includes Mark Morris’ Maelstrom and Drink to Me, Christopher Wheeldon’s Corybantic Ecstasies, Firebird and The Four Seasons, Balanchine’s Four Temperaments, Theme and Variations, Serenade and Rubies and MacMillan’s Winter Dreams. With Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre he has danced Dwight Rhoden’s Ave Maria, the male lead in Rhoden’s Carmina Burana, Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, Paul Taylor’s Company B and the Cavalier in Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker.
Luca Sbrizzi
Luca Sbrizzi was born in Udine, Italy where he trained with his sister, Alessia Sbrizzi, at Abidance and Pino Carbone at Danz Forum. He received such honors as Premio Speranza, Giovanissimi Talenti and XVII Trofeo Internazionale Citta’ di Palmanova. After dancing with Boston Ballet II, Luca joined PBT in 2007, where he has performed roles including George in Lauri Stallings’ The Great Gatsby, Bluebird in Terrence S. Orr’s The Sleeping Beauty and a Ballet Boy in Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room.
Christine Schwaner
Christine Schwaner is from Brazil, where she began her training with Maria Clara Salles in her hometown of Bello Horizonte. She first came to the United States to participate in the New York International Ballet Competition, where she was a finalist and was invited to join Cleveland Ballet in Ohio. Her repertoire includes Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Roland Petit’s Carmen, Giselle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Don Quixote and Coppelia. She has also performed in George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and The Four Temperaments. Christine is married to fellow soloist Alexandre Silva, and both are delighted to be a part of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
Alexandre Silva
Alexandre Silva is from Brazil where he performed professionally with Sesi Minas and then later in the United States at Utah Regional Ballet. He received his dance training from Cuban master teacher Pablo Moret at Ballet Cristina Helena and was awarded Best Male Dancer in 2000 at the Joinville International Competition. Alexandre joined the corps de ballet in 2006 with his wife, Christine Schwaner and was promoted to soloist for the 2008-2009 Season.
Eva Trapp
Eva Trapp is from Florence, Kentucky. She trained at PBT School for three years and with the Rochester School of Ballet in Michigan with Cornelia Sampson. Eva performed with Ohio Ballet for four seasons as a principal dancer, prior to joining PBT’s corps de ballet in 2006. She was promoted to soloist last season and is currently in her 5th season with PBT. Some of Eva’s favorite roles with PBT include Dwight Rhoden’s Ave Maria, the Gypsy in Don Quixote, Lost Boys in Septime Webre’s Peter Pan, the Rum and Coke Girl in Twyla Tharp’s Company B. She has also been featured as the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Swing Girl in In the Upper Room,Rosaline in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette, Marie in The Nutcracker and the female lead in Fluctuating Hemlines. She sends many thanks to her parents for their never-ending love and support.