Soloists
Nurlan Abougaliev
Nurlan Abougaliev is a native of Kazakhstan where he trained at Alma-Ata Ballet Academy. He has danced professionally with Russian National Ballet in Moscow, Moscow City Ballet and Ballet Internationale in Indianapolis, IN, prior to joining PBT as a soloist in 2006. He has toured extensively in England, China, Japan, South Africa, South Korea and the United States. Nurlan's diverse repertoire includes Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Carmen, Carnival of Venice, Nine Sinatra Songs, Company B and Alice in Wonderland. His principal roles include: Balanchine's Theme and Variations and Who Cares?. Nurlan and his wife, PBT corps de ballet dancer Aygul Abougalieva, are the proud parents of their young daughter Diana.
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 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 for the 2009-2010 season. Some of Eva’s favorite roles with PBT include Dwight Rhoden’s Ave Maria, the Gypsy in Don Quixote, and Lost Boys in Septime Webre’s Peter Pan. She has also been featured as 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.