NEWS
For Immediate Release

ATLANTA (September 30, 2021) – Following the recent announcement of Atlanta Ballet’s upcoming performance season and highly anticipated return to the theatre stage, Artistic Director Gennadi Nedvigin has announced Atlanta Ballet’s 2021|2022 Company roster. A talented mix of six local, national and international dancers join the professional company, including:

• Michael Caye, who most recently performed as a company dancer with Nevada Ballet Theatre;
• Angel Ramirez Castellano, who has performed with National Ballet of Cuba, trained at The Rock School and recently danced with Georgia Ballet;
• Erik Kim, who comes to Atlanta from Ballet Nacional Sodre in Uruguay;
• SoJung Lee, a former member of both Boston Ballet and BalletMet;
• Denys Nedak, former principal dancer with National Opera House of Ukraine and guest artist with prestigious companies such as National Theater of Serbia, American Ballet Theatre, Vienna State Opera, Finnish National Opera & Ballet, the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, and more;
• Kelsey Van Tine, a former principal dancer at Kentucky Ballet Theatre.

“We are thrilled to welcome these talented artists to the city of Atlanta and the Atlanta Ballet family,” said Nedvigin. “There is a renewed sense of energy in the studio as our returning dancers join together with these newly acquired artists after the summer hiatus, which has been exciting and inspiring to see. There is a lot of work to be done after such a long break from the theatre stage, and you can see and feel that everyone is glad to be back in full swing and ready to gear up for an exciting season of performances.”

In the spirit of Nedvigin’s commitment to training young talent to become the next generation of professional dancers, Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education Dean Sharon Story is proud to see four former Academy 5-level Centre students promoted to Atlanta Ballet 2 - the school’s highest level of training: Ephraim Fowler, Jason McClung, Kaitlin Matree Roemer and Covin Washington.

Washington is the first-ever scholar to be promoted to Atlanta Ballet 2 from the Centre’s Decade 2 Dance initiative, a selective program aimed to provide opportunity and access to young students who may or may not otherwise have the resources to pursue a career in dance. Through this initiative, select budding dancers are granted full scholarships, academic tutorial support, and Academy-level elite training at the Centre for Dance Education. After 10 years of Decade 2 Dance scholarship training, dancers like Washington will be well equipped to join the ranks of Atlanta Ballet 2, Atlanta Ballet’s professional company, and other prestigious companies around the world.

Talented young dancers from outside Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education joining Atlanta Ballet 2 this season are Santiago Bedoya, Avery Jarrard, Nae Kojima and Emmanuel López. 

Despite the cancellation of nearly two seasons of live theatre performances, Atlanta Ballet is one of the only American Guild of Musical Arts (AGMA) organizations in the nation to keep its artists fully employed and on their contracts throughout the pandemic. While COVID-19 has had a critical impact on organizations across the arts industry, Atlanta Ballet is proud to have been able to provide safe opportunities for its dancers to perform and the community to enjoy the art of dance through its Silver Linings programming for virtual and live, outdoor audiences last spring.

“Thanks to the steadfast support of the Atlanta Ballet Board and community, the dedication of our staff, and extraordinary support through the CARES Act, we have come through the darkest period of the pandemic with an even stronger commitment to the art and artists on our stage,” said newly-announced Atlanta Ballet Executive Director Tom West. “The dancers are eager to feel the incredible energy that comes with performing for a live and captivated audience again, and we all look forward to seeing the faces of our loyal patrons sitting in the theatre.”

To learn more about Atlanta Ballet Company dancers, please visit here. For more information about Atlanta Ballet and its 2021|2022 performance season, visit www.atlantaballet.com.

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About Atlanta Ballet:

Founded in 1929, Atlanta Ballet is one of the premier dance companies in the country and the official state Ballet of Georgia. Under the artistic leadership of Gennadi Nedvigin, Atlanta Ballet introduces audiences to a wide spectrum of dance styles including nineteenth century classics, neoclassical works, contemporary ballets and exclusive signature commissions by today’s top-tier choreographers.  After 91 seasons, Atlanta Ballet continues its commitment to share and educate audiences on the empowering joy of dance. By presenting a rich and diverse repertoire, Atlanta Ballet’s balanced blend of traditional and innovative programming aims to further develop and deepen the appreciation of ballet within the Atlanta community and beyond.

In 1996, Atlanta Ballet opened its Centre for Dance Education, which is dedicated to nurturing young dancers while providing an outlet for adults to express their creativity. By offering a robust list of dance classes and spearheading a variety of community engagement programs, the Centre serves over 23,000 people in metro Atlanta each year. Atlanta Ballet's roots remain firmly grounded in the Atlanta community and continue to play a vital role in the city's cultural growth and revitalization.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Tricia Ekholm | Chief Marketing Officer – Atlanta Ballet
publicrelations@atlantaballet.com | 404.873.5811 x1206