Meet The 2023 Artists

Rei is so excited to be part of the Nantucket Dance Festival! She had the extreme pleasure to dance with Paul Taylor Dance Company and Taylor 2 for eight years, and she also worked with Douglas Dunn and Dancers and HT Chen and Dancers. 

Her musical theater credits include Kristine (u/s Connie) in A Chorus Line (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Liat in South Pacific, Mary Poppins (Theatre Under the Stars), Eliza in The King and I (Walnut Street Theatre), and Cinderella (Fulton Theatre).

​

Rei holds a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and is originally from Tokyo, Japan, where she trained in ballet in the style of Royal Academy of Dance. She is thankful for the opportunity to perform on this beautiful island.​

India Bradley is a member of New York City Ballet’s Corps de Ballet. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she trained in Michigan until attending the summer program at Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2012. India entered DTH’s Professional Training Program under the direction of Andrea Long that fall. She attended the 2014 summer session at the School of American Ballet, and enrolled as a full-time student later that year. India joined the NYCB as an apprentice in August 2017 and has since danced in featured roles in works by Kyle Abraham, George Balanchine, Silas Farley, Justin Peck, Pam Tanowitz, Andrea Miller and Gianna Reisen.

​

India spends her time outside the NYCB studios modeling and performing around the country at Vail Dance Festival and with Tiler Peck & Friends.

Gilbert Bolden III, a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet, was born in San Diego, California and began dancing at the age of nine in Las Vegas, Nevada. His ballet training began in 2011 at Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, CA, and continued at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, PA in 2013. In 2014, Gilbert enrolled at the School of American Ballet, and he become an apprentice with NYCB in August 2017.

​

In addition to the myriad featured roles Gilbert has danced at NYCB, he is known for his cutting-edge fashion designs and has choreographed works for film and stage.

Lillian was born in Houston, Texas where she began her training at The Houston Ballet Academy. She moved to Washington, D.C. and continued her training at the Washington School of Ballet under the direction of Kee Juan Han. Lillian finished her training in New York City at The School of American Ballet. Upon graduation she accepted an apprenticeship at the SemperOper Ballet in Dresden, Germany. There she performed works by Sir Kenneth MacMillan, George Balanchine and Aaron Watkin. In 2017 Lillian joined Ballet West as a member of corps de ballet. There she performs the works of Frederick Ashton, John Cranko, Twyla Tharp, and, many others. 

Preston Chamblee was born in Wendell, North Carolina and began his dance training at the age of 14 at the Raleigh School of Ballet. Preston attended the School of American Ballet (SAB) summer courses, in 2012 and 2013, and enrolled as a full-time student in 2013. Mr. Chamblee was named an apprentice with NYCB in August 2014 and was promoted to the rank of soloist in January 2022.

​

Preston has choreographed a number of works for stage and film and was BalletCollective’s 2019 Choreographer in Residence. 

Christina Clark is a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. She was born in New York, New York and began her ballet training at the School of American Ballet in 2005. She received additional training during summer programs at the Chautauqua School of Dance, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and Boston Ballet School. In August 2016, she became an apprentice with NYCB and she joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in August 2017.

​

Christina has performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Nicolas Blanc, Peter Martins, Justin Peck, Gianna Reisen and Jerome Robbins and has also danced many summers at the Nantucket Dance Festival.

Naomi Corti, a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet, was born in Luxembourg and began her dance training at the age of 3 at L’école de danse Marie-France Ceschel in Menton, France. In 2009, she began training at the California Dance Theater in Agoura Hills, CA under Kim Maselli and she attended the 2014 summer program at the School of American Ballet, joining the school full-time for the winter term that year.

Naomi joined NYCB as an apprentice in August 2018.

Naomi has performed featured roles in works by Kyle Abraham, Silas Farley, William Forsythe, Justin Peck, Gianna Reisen, Jerome Robbins and Pam Tanowitz, and is a recipient of NYCB's 2018 Mae L. Wien Award.

Michael DeQuattro is an eclectic artist known for fusing together acoustic, electronic, and improvisational elements. He is able to move freely between classical, jazz, popular, and world idioms often bringing these styles together in his compositions. The Providence Journal critic Channing Grey has described his work as “energetic” and “glittering”. Awards and distinctions include the McCall/Johnson Fellowship Merit Award in Composition through the Rhode Island Foundation in 2009 and again in 2012. He was inducted as a Rhode Island College Alumni Honoree in Music in 2009, and awarded the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellowship Award in Composition in 2011.

Philip Duclos is a member of the Corps de Ballet with The Royal Danish Ballet. He has danced roles in Nikolaj Hübbe’s Giselle and Swan Lake. He has performed in John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces and The Four Seasons, and Gregory Dean’s Blixen. 

Philip has also attended the Vail Dance Festival in 2021 and 2022. 

Christopher Grant was born in Jamaica, Queens. He began his dance training at the School of American Ballet (SAB) in 2002 and attended summer courses at Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) and the New York State Summer School of the Arts.

In August 2015, Chris became an apprentice with NYCB and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in August 2016. In 2014, Chris was a recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise.

​

​

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Graciano has been a member of dance companies around the world, and danced with the Paul Taylor Dance Company from 2006 – 2017. In 2009 he was featured in Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” hailed as a dancer with a “freshness that’s all his own.” After his career at Taylor he pursued his Master of Fine Arts Degree in Dance at Florida State University. In 2020, Francisco was chosen to be the inaugural choreographer for Dance Lab New York’s Nexus Lab and he founded Graciano Dance Projects, LLC as a platform to present live and digital theater. 

His work has been presented in New York City and internationally and he is proud to share the Taylor legacy with aspiring dancers as a rotating faculty member at the Paul Taylor School in New York City and regionally. Additionally, he currently serves as Assistant Professor of Dance at Sam Houston State University and practices as a licensed GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONIC® Trainer. 

A Memphis native & jookin' dancer, Dra'em was inspired to dance by his father, an amateur gangsta walker. He showed his son the basics and took him to his first jookin’ sessions. He says, “I’ve been inspired by every jooker, old and new, as I was introduced to the culture.”

Dra'em has performed with Lil' Buck around the country and is a member of the crew 901.ent/The Dream Team, and appeared with them in a Kerwin Frost Adidas television commercial. He is committed to meditation as a daily practice and feels it has made a great difference in his life: “When you get on the floor after meditating, it’s like you’re in the flow. Meditating is definitely the way to go.” 

Alexa Maxwell was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and began her dance training at the age of four at Deanne’s Dance Studio. After dancing at a number of prestigious schools, Alexa attended a summer session at the School of American Ballet in 2012 and enrolled as a full-time student later that same year. She became an apprentice with NYCB in December 2012 and was promoted to soloist April 2023.

​

Since joining the company, Alexa has danced featured roles in works by Kyle Abraham, George Balanchine, Peter Martins, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, Jamar Roberts and Troy Schumacher. 

Miriam Miller was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and began her dance training in 2001 at University of Iowa Youth Ballet and School of Dance. Miriam attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet (SAB) in 2011 and 2012, enrolling as a full-time student during the 2012 winter term. In January 2015, she became an apprentice with NYCB and was promoted to the rank of soloist in January 2022.

​

Miriam has performed featured roles at NYCB in works by George Balanchine, Lauren Lovette, Peter Martins, Justin Peck, Jerome Robbins and Pam Tanowitz, and is a recipient of a 2017 Princess Grace Award.

Dario is a 2016 graduate of Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York where he was a drama major and delivered a commencement address at Lincoln Center centering around the importance of arts education. He is also a 2020 Cum Laude graduate of The Pennsylvania State University’s BFA Musical Theatre Program, where he achieved Dean’s List status for every semester, and he was the Student Marshal for the School of Theatre.

Dario has worked with choreographers Justin Peck, Michelle Dorrance, Jared Grimes, Debbie Allen, Robert L. Reed, and more, and has been featured in many NYC performances, film & TV, and national commercials.

Dario is a tap dance teacher at the acclaimed Broadway Dance Center in New York City. He is the current Artist-In-Residence at The American Tap Dance Foundation. He has taught classes in tap dance internationally and teaches private dance lessons and creates choreography for dancers of all levels.

Heather Olcott is heading into her third season as the stage manager with Boston Ballet.

Select credits include: Production Stage Manager for Dance Theatre of Harlem, Stage Manager for Andrew McNicol’s Cinderella (Tulsa Ballet), Stage Manager for Fall For Dance Festival (NY City Center), Assistant Stage Manager for Vail Dance Festival, Stage Manager for The Nutcracker (Tulsa Ballet), substitute Assistant Stage Manager for Puffs (Off-Broadway), Production Stage Manager for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Musical! (National Tour), and Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor for 42nd Street (National Tour). B.A. in Dance and a minor in Stage Management from Point Park University. 

Mckenzie Bernardino Soares is member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet. He was born in Danbury, Connecticut, and began his dance training locally at the age of four at the Academy of Dance Arts. He enrolled at the School of American Ballet, at age six, where he performed in ballets including George Balanchine’s Harlequinade, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, and Peter Martins’ Romeo + Juliet. Mckenzie became an apprentice with NYCB in August 2021 and joined the corps de ballet in May 2022, where he has already originated a feature role in Kyle Abraham's Love Letter (on shuffle).

Mark Stanley, an essential element of the Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival for past years, is a lighting designer and production manger extraordinaire who ensures every performance looks the way it should. In Mark's words, "as lighting designers, we have the great fortune of being artists working in a medium that uniquely reflects and reveals the world. It is not only how we see, but it is also how we experience what we see."

Mark has been designing light for movement, music, text, and camera in a 40+ year career. Leaning on the collaborative nature of the work, Mark has worked to embody and reflect light to provoke the viewer’s imagination, bringing story, emotion, and beauty to performances and audiences throughout the US and Europe.

Mark is also a committed educator of the next generation of lighting designers and a fervent believer in the importance of creating opportunities for young designers as they navigate the transition from their academic careers to professional design.