Pennsylvania Ballet Welcomes 11 New Artists For 2018/2019 Season

Pennsylvania Ballet Artistic Director Angel Corella has announced the new artists for the 2018/2019 Season with the addition of Corps de Ballet member Thays Golz and Apprentice Pau Pujol. Additionally, Pennsylvania Ballet II (PBII) welcomes Lucia Erickson, Arnaldo Hernandez, Mine Kusano, Denis Maciel, Carla Yamuza Masip, Cory Ogdahl, Sophie Savas-Carstens, Paloma Berjano Torrado, and Emily Wilson.

"I couldn't be more thrilled about the talented new dancers joining our company and Pennsylvania Ballet II," said Angel Corella. "The incoming dancers come from diverse backgrounds and we're excited to have them join our talented group of professional and pre-professional artists."

Corps de Ballet

Thays Golz, from São Paulo, Brazil, began her ballet training at the Raça Centro de Artes in Brazil under the direction of Roseli Rodrigues and Edy Wilson de Rossi. She also trained at the John Cranko Schule in Germany, after winning a scholarship from Youth American Grand Prix in 2011. In 2016, Thays won 2nd place in the Senior Age Division at the YAGP finals. Prior to joining Pennsylvania Ballet, Thays danced for two seasons with Houston Ballet.

Apprentice

Originally from Girona, Spain, Pau Pujol began his training at the Corella Dance Academy in Barcelona, under the direction of Carmen Corella, former dancer at Pennsylvania Ballet, and Dayron Vera. He attended summer intensives with English National Ballet, Ibstage, Royal Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. In 2017, Pau earned a gold medal at the Youth American Grand Prix semifinals in Barcelona in the Classical Category and was a bronze medalist in the pas de deux category. In 2018, Pau earned a bronze medal in the Senior Men category of the YAGP finals in New York City.

Pennsylvania Ballet II

From Minnetonka, Minnesota, Lucia Erickson began her training at age three with the Academy of Russian Ballet in Eden Prairie Minnesota, under the direction of Svetlana Gavrilova and Kirill Bak. She participated in summer courses at Minnesota Dance Theater, Marat Daukayev School of Ballet, The Rock School for Dance Education, The School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and the School of American Ballet. Prior to joining Pennsylvania Ballet II, Lucia trained at The School of Pennsylvania Ballet for two years where she performed in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, Angel Corella's Swan Lake, and Samantha Dunster's La Fille Mal Gardée, Snow White, Prince Charming, and Peter Pan.

Arnaldo Hernandez, from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, started his training at The Conservatory of Ballet Concierto of Puerto Rico. After training there for two years, Arnaldo moved to Philadelphia to train at The Rock School for Dance Education on full scholarship where he performed in Nutcracker 1776, Talisman Variation, and a Telmo Moreira contemporary pas de deux at FringeArts.

Originally from Fukushima, Japan, Mine Kusano began her training at Hitomi Takeuchi Ballet in Japan when she was five years old. At age 18, she was offered a full scholarship to The Rock School for Dance Education. Mine appeared in numerous performances and workshops including Nutcracker 1776, Don Quixote, Flames of Paris, and Le Corsaire. In January 2018, she won first place in the Senior Division Classical and Contemporary categories at The Youth America Grand Prix.

From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Denis Maciel began his training at the Art Center of Campo Grande in Brazil. He also studied at the School of Dance Alice Arja in Brazil and Miami City Ballet School. Prior to joining Pennsylvania Ballet II, Denis was a member of the Companhia de ballet of Rio de Janeiro, City Ballet of San Diego, and Ballet Tucson. While at Ballet Tucson, Denis was featured in Paquita and The Phantom of the Opera.

Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Carla Yamuza Masip began her training at the Laura Esteve École de danse in Barcelona. She continued her training at the David Campos Escuela de Danza, founded by David Campos and Irene Sabas, solo dancers of the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Belgium. Afterwards, she was accepted at Corella Dance Academy where she appeared in numerous performances and workshops including Medora in Le Corsaire, Princess Florine in Sleeping Beauty, and Grand Pas Act III in Don Quixote.

Cory Ogdahl, from Port Orchard, WA, began his training at the Peninsula Dance Theater and continued at Houston Ballet Academy. He also attended summer intensives at Pacific Northwest Ballet on full scholarship. Prior to joining Pennsylvania Ballet II, Cory was a member of Houston Ballet II for one year and performed in Stanton Welch's productions of The Nutcracker and Romeo & Juliet.

From San Diego, CA, Sophie Savas-Carstens began her training at Ballet Arte Academy of Classical Ballet in California and attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.

Paloma Berjano Torrado, from Toledo, Spain, began her training at the Royal Academy of Dance in Spain, also studying at the Carmina Ocaña Ballet School and Mariemma Royal Professional Dance Conservatory in Madrid. She participated in summer intensives all over Spain.

Originally from New York, NY, Emily Wilson began her training at School at Steps in New York at age four. She continued to train at Chelsea Ballet in London and Hong Kong Youth Ballet before returning to New York to study at American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, where she performed in works by Alexei Ratmansky.

About Pennsylvania Ballet

Founded in 1963 by Balanchine student and protégée Barbara Weisberger, Pennsylvania Ballet is one of the nation's leading ballet companies. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the Company's annual local season features six programs of classic favorites and new works. For more information, visit www.paballet.org, call 215.551.7000 or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to go behind the scenes at any time.

Pennsylvania Ballet receives support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts - a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency - and The Philadelphia Cultural Fund.

About Pennsylvania Ballet II (PBII)

Pennsylvania Ballet II is a company of pre-professional dancers who receive intense daily instruction from the Pennsylvania Ballet artistic staff, as well as rehearse with and perform in Pennsylvania Ballet's larger productions.