Alumni
Our alumni can be found in the rosters of professional dance companies across the country.
Our Alumni community encompasses an exceptional group of artists who have become professional dancers or gone on to pursue a variety of other career paths. Each year PBTS is proud to see our students join professional companies and excel in collegiate programs. More than 70 percent of our own Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre company dancers are PBT School alumni.
Our 2022-2023 roster of former PBTS dancers in
Companies includes 67 artists:
Gavin Abercrombie – Kansas City Ballet | Anna Ackerman – New York State Ballet | Ross Allen – National Ballet of Canada | Corey Bourbonniere – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Jonathan Breight – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Christian García Campos – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Edward Carr – Austin Ballet | Erin Casale – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Katlyn Cecil – Milwaukee Ballet II | Alison Cervantes – Tulsa Ballet II | Ava Chatterson – Sacramento Ballet | Ariana Chernyshev – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Apprentice | Amanda Cochrane – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Principal | Audra Cockrell – Alabama Ballet Company | Anwen David – Ballet Memphis | Thomas Davidoff – Atlanta Ballet | Danielle Downey – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Celeste Gaiera – Richmond Ballet | James Gilmer – Alvin Ailey | Madeline Gradle – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Apprentice | Ava Grieble – Charlottesville Ballet | Marisa Grywalski – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Jack Hawn – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Amy Herchenroether – Saint Louis Ballet | Cecilia Hernadez – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Apprentice | Massanoa Ito – Ballet Frontier | Maine Kawashima – Tulsa Ballet | Dylan Keene – Sacramento Ballet | Christina LaForgia Morse – Cincinnati Ballet | Haley Mauldin – Lexington Ballet Company | Perry Meadors – Ballet Frontier | Colin McCaslin – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Caitlin McElroy – Atlantic City Ballet | Nicole McGuiness – New Chamber Ballet | Caitlyn Mendicino – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Maia Montgomery – Nashville Ballet, Apprentice | Amanda Morgan – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Ellie Morris – Royal Danish Ballet | Luke Mosher – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Apprentice | Dani Moya – Manassas Ballet Theatre | Yoshiaki Nakano – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Principal | Rachel Nash – Richmond Ballet, Apprentice | Tommie Lin O’Hanlon – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Joseph Parr – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Sophie Powell – Texture Contemporary Ballet | Abigail Richards – Ballet Frontier | Emilia Sandoval – Ballet Memphis | JoAnna Schmidt – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Isabella Seo – Ballet Arizona | Sean Sessions – Saint Louis Ballet | Kurtis Sprowls – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Corps de Ballet | Sierra Stipetich – Virginia National Ballet | Jacqueline Sugianto – Milwaukee Ballet II | Masanori Takiguchi – Washington Ballet | Gabrielle Thurlow – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Eliana Tolentino – Ballet Spartanburg | Anna Turani – Rochester City Ballet | Isabella Velasquez – Sacramento Ballet | Harry Warshaw – Washington Ballet, Studio Company | Victoria Watford – BalletMet | Ashely Wegmann – Atlanta Ballet | Dominique Wendt – Sacramento Ballet | Marisa Whiteman – Kansas City Ballet | Rina Yamaguchi – Atlantic City Ballet | Patrick Yocum– Boston Ballet, Principal Dancer | Diana Yohe – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Soloist | Hannah Zinn – Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Calling all PBT School Alumni!
Whether you’re now dancing professionally or have pirouetted to another path, we’d love to hear your memories of PBT School and your thoughts about how your time here has resonated in your life after leaving. Click here to learn more.
Alumni Spotlight
Principal Dancers Amanda Cochrane & Yoshiaki Nakano
Named among Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2013 and 2014 respectively, Amanda Cochrane and Yoshiaki Nakano were recruited into the company from PBT School’s Graduate Program. Both dancers were promoted to principal dancer in 2014. Since then, they’ve danced leading roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, La Bayadère and The Sleeping Beauty, among others.
“Where Are They Now?” – Conversations with PBT School Alumni
Get to know some of PBT School’s alumni and learn about the careers they’ve developed after their time with the School. In the “Where Are They Now?” project PBT School aims to stay connected with alumni and share their school and career experiences with the PBT School community.
Meet Our Alumni Family
2018-2019
- Allison Durand, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Erin Casale, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Areum Jeong, Ajkun Ballet Theatre
- Audra Cockrell, Grand Rapids Ballet
- Caitlin Bond, CATS on Broadway
- Ethan Rieder, Timothy Tristan Dance Company
- Grace Umberger, The Florida Ballet
- Hikaru Hommoto, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida
- Isichel Perez Rivero, Nashville Ballet II
- Jack Hawn, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Jui-Chen Lee, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida
- Magali Johnston-Viens, Palm Beach Ballet
- Misha Glouchkova, Washington Ballet
- Perry Meadors, Ballet Frontier
- Sakura Akao, Milwaukee Ballet II
2017-2018
- Julia Adams, Teacher at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Violet Rose Arma, Ballet Tucson
- Carly Baker, Oklahoma City Ballet
- Kelsey Boyle, State Street Ballet
- Jonathan Breight, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Wyatt Brown, Georgia State University
- Carmen Callahan, American Contemporary Ballet
- Yu-Chieh Chao, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Chloe Davis, Oklahoma City Ballet
- Brian Dunning, Dayton Ballet
- Christian García Campos, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Alexandra Hugo, Avant Chamber Ballet
- Tommie Kesten, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Ingrid Lewis, Grand Rapids Ballet
- Hannah Lipman, American Repertory Ballet
- Colin McCaslin, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Caitlyn Mendicino, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Aerys Merrill, Ballet Memphis
- Alena Marie Miller, Teacher at Fusion Fitness & Dance
- Chloe Morales, Emerson College
- Maicon Oliveira, Ellison Ballet
- Sean Sullivan, Minnesota Ballet
2016-2017
- Taylor Bibee, Rochester City Ballet
- Madeline Clark, Appalachian State University
- Ryan Corbett, Rochester City Ballet
- Erinn Crittenden, Cleveland Ballet
- Annika Dalbratt, Ballet Idaho
- Shiochi Eino, State Opera Ruse Ballet
- Tyler Ferraro, Louisville Ballet
- Mackenzie Fey, Avant Chamber Ballet
- Katherine Hodges, Tampa Ballet Theatre
- Brian Hunter, First State Ballet Theatre
- Masanao Ito, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida
- Natasha Nast, Palmetto City Ballet
- Daniela O’Neil, Complexions Contemporary Ballet
- Emilia Sandoval, Ballet Memphis
- Masanori Takaguchi, Washington Ballet
- Kai Tobinaga, NBA Ballet Company
- David Waisman, Temecula Ballet
2015-2016
- Morganne Campbell, Auburn University
- Ashley Canupp, University of Pittsburgh
- Emilie Forest, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Morgan Froehlich, University of Pittsburgh
- Caroline Hudson, Ballet Tuscon
- Daniela Moya, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Virginia National Ballet Company
- Samuel Opsal, Ballet 5:8
- Amanda Potts, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Will Robichaud, Eugene Ballet Company
- Masaki Takada, State Opera Rousse
- Danelle Tucker, Ballet Tucson
- Victoria Watford, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Hui-Yi Wen, Atlantic City Ballet
- Addison Wright, Mayo Clinic
- Rachel Yinger, Roanoke Ballet Theatre
2014-2015
- Aviana Adams, Los Angeles Ballet
- Margot Aknin, Ballet Met II
- Jessica Cobb, Louisville Ballet (trainee)
- Claire Gavin, Oklahoma City Ballet
- Carly Hambridge, Nevada Ballet Theatre (trainee)
- Jessica McCann, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Rowan Reyes, Texas Ballet Theatre (trainee)
- Keito Shimomura, Teatrul Ballet Sibiu
- Emily Simpson, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Caroline Wilde, Ballet Evolution
- Lily Wills, Carolina Ballet (trainee)
- Miles Sollars-White, Carolina Ballet
- Kurtis Sprowls, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
2013-2014
- Christian Crawford, Nashville Ballet II
- Lexie Ehmann, Sarasota Ballet
- Marisa Grywalski, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to soloist)
- Masahiro Haneji, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to soloist)
- Aja Jaques, The Royal Ballet – Tivoli Gardens, Denmark
- Dominique Jenssen, Rochester City Ballet
- Maine Kawashima, Tulsa Ballet
- Michaela King, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Mizuki Kubota, Teatrul National de Opera si Balet, Romania
- Erin Kuwabara, Alabama Ballet
- Colby Lewis, Cincinnati Ballet (trainee)
- Bethany Lowrie, Suzanne Farrell Ballet
- Caroline McDonald, Nevada Ballet Theatre
- Sean Sessions, Cincinnati Ballet II
- Rachel Smith, Nashville Ballet II
- Rachel Thalman, Cincinnati Ballet (trainee)
- Beatriz Tosta, Atlantic City Ballet
- Isabella Velasquez, Sacramento Ballet
2012-2013
- Alixandra Kish, Lexington Ballet
- Amy Herchenroether, St. Louis Ballet
- Anwen David, Memphis Ballet
- Diana Yohe, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to soloist)
- Elenora Morris, National Ballet of Canada, Royal Danish Ballet
- Itsuki Shimada, Columbia Classical Ballet
- Kayleigh Danowski, Montgomery Ballet
- Kyoji Shimomura, Atlantic City Ballet
- MacKenzie Quinn, San Diego Ballet
- Marino Saito, Columbia Classical Ballet
- Paige Robinson, Eugene Ballet Company
- Saho Shibayama, New National Ballet of Japan
- Takeaki Miura, Atlantic City Ballet
2011-2012
- Takayuki Asai, Arts Ballet Theater of Florida
- Corey Bourbonniere, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to soloist)
- John Brewer, Richmond Ballet II
- Toshiki Homma, Columbia Classical Ballet
- Carrington Lorenz, Richmond Ballet II
- Hillary Pyo, Georgia Ballet
- JoAnna Schmidt, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to soloist)
- Saya Tanishiki, Columbia Classical Ballet
- Rina Yamaguchi, Atlantic City Ballet
- Yukina Yasuhara, Arts Ballet Theater of Florida
2010-2011
- Ellany Abbott, Oklahoma City Ballet
- Melissa Dooley, Alabama Ballet
- James Gilmer, Cincinnati Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre
- Olivia Kelly, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Kelsey Jo Harrison, North Carolina Dance Theatre
- Tina LaForgia, North Carolina Dance Theatre
- Jake Lowenstein, Ballet Idaho
2009-2010
- Ava Chatterson, Sacramento Ballet
- Becca Cross, Rochester City Ballet
- Kelly Ford, Sacramento Ballet
- Christina Gratton, Boston University
- Ted Henderson, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Erik Johnson, Rochester City Ballet
- Kristie Latham, Ballet Met
- Katie Miller, Sacramento Ballet
- Yoshiaki Nakano, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to principal)
- Jordan Richardson, Nevada Ballet Theater, Ballet West
- Amber Runyan, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Georgia Ballet
- Casey Taylor, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Amanda Whites, Dance Theatre of Tennessee
- Meghan Wright, Sacramento Ballet
- Molly Wright, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
2008-2009
- Elizabeth Ashbaugh, Louisville Ballet
- Amanda Cochrane, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to principal)
- Ashley Hamann, Ballet Quad City, Missouri Ballet Theatre
- Jayme Leach, Georgia Ballet
- Caitlin McElroy, Atlantic City Ballet
- Ana Porter, Columbia City Ballet
- Benjamin Rabe, Rochestra City Ballet, Ballet Met
- Amanda Radetzky, Victoria Ballet
- Kelsy Schneider, Rochester City Ballet
- Benjamin Tucker, Richmond Ballet
- Kirsten Wipperfeld, Richmond Ballet
2007-2008
- Steven Bain, Ballet Idaho
- Sonja Davenport, Cincinnati Ballet (trainee)
- Devon Darrow, Richmond Ballet (trainee)
- Shannon Hokanson, Lousville Ballet
- Kelly Jarrell, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Corynn Miller, Rochester City Ballet
- Joseph Parr, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Patrick Yokum, Boston Ballet II, Boston Ballet
- Jessica Wheeler, Louisville Ballet (trainee)
2006-2007
- Gauen Alexander, Alabama Ballet
- Alexis Antolic, Louisville Ballet
- Kaleb Baker, Ballet Quad Cities
- Kelsey Bartman, Nashville Ballet
- Allison Debona, Ballet West (promoted to soloist)
- Patrick DesRosiers, Ballet Quad Cities
- Danielle Downey, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Sasha Edelman, Ballet Arizona
- Laurie Lou Garside, Richmond Ballet
- Alana Gergerich, Omaha Theater Ballet
- Temple Kemezis, Connecticut Ballet
- Emily Long, Ballet Quad Cities
- Gabrielle Thurlow, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (promoted to soloist)
- Brittany Waggy, Ballet Quad Cities
- Kelly Walsh, Alabama Ballet
- Ashley Wegmann, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Met
- Aleksandr York, Omaha Theatre Ballet
2005-2006
- Nicholas Coppula, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Twyla Tharp Dance
- Roberto Curti, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Michelle Joy, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera
- Eva Trapp, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (soloist), Twyla Tharp Dance
- Kimberly Tasote, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- Brienne Wiltse, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre