Meet The 2024 Artists

Musician

Nicolas Babineau is a multi-instrumentalist and a sound engineer appreciated for his sensitive and versatile musicality. Trained as a classical violinist at the Conservatoire de Musique de Trois-Rivières, he also studied folk and jazz music with fiddler Tommy Gauthier (Yves Lambert Trio). His duo with Montreal fiddler Alexis Chartrand, which highlights the melodies inherited from 20th century fiddlers, has performed in Quebec, the rest of Canada, the United States and Sweden. Co-producer of the two Babineau/Chartrand albums, of a duet album with Jean Duval and of Alexis Chartrand and Colin Savoie-Levac’s album Le Tranino, Nicolas is inspired by his background in classical music to capture the immediacy of real, unedited performances and to offer recordings that are prized for their “hushed and intimate atmosphere”, which “allows for attention to the smallest details”.

Dancer

Dakota Skye Blake began her dance training in North Carolina at The Charlotte School of Ballet in 2011. In 2014, upon being accepted into the year round program at the School of American Ballet (SAB), Dakota relocated to New York City to study with Suki Schorer, Susan Pilarre, Jonathan Stafford, and Kay Mazzo. Dakota attended summer intensives at Boston Ballet School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and Miami City Ballet School. After graduating from SAB in 2023, Dakota was invited into Ballet West’s Professional Trainee Program for their 2023–2024 season where she continues to train and perform work by George Balanchine, Marius Petipa, William Christensen, and Trey McIntyre, among others.

Dancer

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. 

Musician

Alexis Chartrand is a fiddler from Montréal who has been active in the québécois traditional music scene for a number of years. He is known for his energetic accompaniment of stepdancing and social dances, frequently collaborating with dancers including baroque dancer Anne-Marie Gardette and traditional dancer and caller Pierre Chartrand. He has explored contemporary and traditional sounds and movements with stepdancers Mélissandre Tremblay-Bourassa and Antoine Turmine. His 2017 album with multi-instrumentalist Nicolas Babineau (fiddle, guitar), Gigues à 2 faces, was nominated for Best Traditional Album at the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards, while their 2019 album un beau ptit son has brought their performances across Québec, Canada, New England and Europe. His teaching has been appreciated at CAMMAC, Sutton (Québec), Boxwood Festival (Nova Scotia) and Carleton University (Ontario), among others, where he has given workshops on fiddle, traditional repertoire and traditional music history.

Dancer

Cameron Catazaro was born in Canton, OH and began his dance training at the School of Canton Ballet under the tutelage of Cassandra Crowley, Angelo Lemmo and his mother, Jennifer Catazaro Hayward. In 2017, he began training with Darla Hoover at Ballet Academy East in New York City on full scholarship. There he was awarded the prestigious David Howard Foundation Scholarship and performed the lead in George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht. In 2018, Cameron was accepted into Miami City Ballet School on a full scholarship, where he had the opportunity to perform a lead role in George Balanchine’s Serenade.

He joined MCB as a corps de ballet dancer in 2019 then promoted to Soloist in 2023.

Musician

Wesley Ducote is a third-year Piano Fellow at the New World Symphony. As a collaborator, Mr. Ducote has been featured with many of today’s brightest stars including composer/vocalist Kate Soper, Emmy Award-winning composer and Vietnamese folk musician Van Anh Vo, flutists Leone Buyse and Carol Wincenc, soprano Ana Maria Martinez, and many others. He has served as principal keyboardist with the Shepherd School Symphony and the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra. As a chamber musician he has been a featured artist with MUSIQA and the Nantucket Rossini Club, and in 2017 was selected by the Shepherd School of Music to perform with the Gyldfeldt quartet from Leipzig. Mr. Ducote has even worked as a keyboardist/composer in his own jazz-fusion sextet Steve Cox’s Beard.

Musician

Nick Davies, founder of The Rossini Club, Nantucket's Own Chamber Music Festival, 

is the Bass/Utility Clarinet of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and was formerly the Principal Clarinet of the Great Falls Symphony and the Chinook Winds. Mr. Davies has a strong interest in contemporary music and has held past fellowships with Ensemble Modern’s Klangspuren Schwaz, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, and Spoleto Festival USA. As a composer, his commissions include those from the Houston Grand Opera, Midic Winds, Eureka Ensemble, Webster Trio, and the Chicago Harp Quartet. Nick holds degrees from Rice University and the University of Southern California.

Dancer

Denys Drozdyuk started dancing at the age of 4 in Ukraine. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from the Juilliard School, the only Ballroom Dancer ever to do so, and a Master of Arts Degree in Dance Education from New York University. 

Denys is a Winner of a popular TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” in Canada. Together with his dance partner and wife Antonina Skobina, Denys co-founded “DNA” – an Internationally recognized Ballroom Dance Duo which appeared on NBC’s hit television show “World of Dance”  produced by Jennifer Lopez. In 2022, Denys participated on the Canadian Popular Dance TV Show “Revolution” and together with Antonina they were the first ever Ballroom Dancers to make it to the Final. 

Denys is also an experienced and sought after choreographer and dance educator. He gives workshops and master classes throughout the world including at The Juilliard School, ABT Studio Company, New York University, and other institutions. Denys has choreographed for the Juilliard School, NBC’s World of Dance, and for many other projects. Denys is currently an Adjunct Professor of Dance at the University of Mount Saint Vincent and Wagner College in New York where he teaches dance and mentors students. 

Most recently, Denys co-founded “DNA Dance Academy” – a Ballroom dance school which offers high quality Ballroom dance classes in New York City. 

Dancer

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, 2022 and 2023. 

Physical Therapist

Being involved in the sport of gymnastics and realizing the potential movement has on our wellbeing is what drew Dirk toward the Physical Therapy profession.  Dirk received his bachelors in Health Science and his Masters in Physical Therapy from Quinnipiac University in 2008.  Over the years he has pursued a higher level of education completing his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Temple University in 2015.  He is also a board certified orthopedic specialist (OCS) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography (RMSK).  Dirk also works as a strength and conditioning coach with New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet.

He continues to further his professional development with certifications through the National Strength and Conditioning association, the American Physical Therapy Association and being a member of various professional organizations.  His passion is to stay up to date with the latest research, science and evidence that will provide the best possible outcomes for his patients.  He enjoys staying active and finding new challenges that maintain overall health and wellness; to include rock climbing, skiing, hiking and maybe even a gymnastics class once in a while! 

Dancer

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.” 

Dancer

David Wilson Michael Lopena, a Chicago native, began his dance studies at The Joffrey Ballet School under the direction of Erica Edwards and Willy Shives. Mr. Lopena holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet from The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. While studying he had the honor of performing leading roles in various works, including Gerald Arpino‘s Birthday Variations, Don Quixote, George Balanchine’s Serenade, as well as new choreographic works. Mr. Lopena studied with companies such as Giordano Dance Chicago, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Chicago, and has performed at regional theaters around the country. Since joining New Jersey Ballet in 2021, he has had the honor of performing in numerous ballets including, Hansel and Gretel, George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, and Lauren Lovette’s Not Our Fate.

Dancer

Hannah Fischer was born in New York City and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School. She joined The National Ballet of Canada as an apprentice in 2012 and was promoted to first soloist in 2017. 

In 2016, Ms. Fischer was awarded the Rolex Dancers First Award for her role as Hermione in The Winter’s Tale. In 2015 she was awarded the Patron Award of Merit and won The Eleventh International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize. She received the RBC Emerging Artist Apprentice Award in 2013.

She joined Miami City Ballet as Principal Soloist in 2020 then promoted to Principal in 2023.

Dancer

Megan LeCrone is a soloist with the New York City Ballet. As a student, she trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of American Ballet, and later with the Mariinsky and Paris Opera Ballet in her professional years. Megan also attended Columbia University for a short time. 

She has also originated and revived roles in ballets by many other choreogrphers including  Mauro Bigonzetti, Christopher Wheeldon, Justin Peck, Ballet Collective, William Forsythe, Lauren Lovette, Marguerite Derricks, Kafra Collective, her sister Emery LeCrone, Madeline Hollander, and Sebastien Bertaud, and Karole Armitage. 

Megan has worked as a model and dancer for and is an international guest ballet teacher and volunteer focusing on private clients and underserved children and students. This has led her to work in Rwanda with MindLeaps and in Bukavu, Congo with Le Phare.

Beyond ballet, Megan enjoys yoga, swimming, street and ice skating, hiking, biking, amateur water skiing (slalom), and studying Theology. 

Dancer

Risa Mochizuki trained at the Royal Ballet of Flanders and at ballet academies in Japan. She danced solo and principal roles with the Teatrul Ballet Sibu, Romania, the Constanta National Opera Ballet and the Timisoara National Opera Ballet. Her principal roles include Don Quixote, Pacquita, Nutcracker, Chopiniana and La Vivandiere. She has won medals in several international competitions. Most recently, she took the bronze medal in the Kozlova Competition in New York and a Gold Medal at the World Ballet Competition in Florida. 

Dancer

Alex Marxer is currently pursing a degree in dance at the Juilliard School. Alex began training at the Royal Academy of Performing Arts and continued their dance education to arrive at the School of American Ballet. The breadth of Alex's dance experiences is vast, having attending programs at Netherlands Dance Theater, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Complexions, Alvin Ailey School, Mark Morris and Jacob's Pillow. Alex brings a unique contemporary style and perspective to the Festival.

Dancer

Raynor Rubel's (AEA) TV/Film credits include HBO TV Series The Gilded Age and a web series Nurses Station. His Regional Theatre credits include: The Music Man (Tommy Djilas) at Goodspeed Opera House and at Asolo Rep; West Side Story (Big Deal/ Snow Boy/Fight Captain) at Asolo Rep and at
Barrington Stage Company; Saturday Night Fever (Gus) at Walnut Street Theatre,
Riverside Theatre, and at Westchester Broadway Theatre. His New York Theatre
credits include: American Dance Machine’s re-staging of Jerome Robbins’
Broadway and Agnes de Mille’s Forty Minutes For Lunch. Raynor has performed
as a guest artist with New Jersey Ballet in Rodeo, Cinderella, Esmeralda, and The
Nutcracker. He is the founder/owner of Carousel of Progress Academy: a
performing arts school for students with special needs. Author of children’s book
“TILL YOUR FEET BLEED”

Dancer

Kaitlyn Sardin grew up in Orlando and has been Irish dancing since the age of seven, beginning her journey with the Watters School of Irish Dancing and has won multiple World titles. 

As a college student at the University of South Florida and then New York’s Hofstra University, Sardin continued her Irish dance training at the Drake School and the Doherty Petri School. She has toured with the Chicago-based Trinity Irish Dance Company and was invited to audition for So You Think You Can Dance. (While she didn’t make the top 20 on the show, you can spot her in the Season 17 commercial.) 

Her recent performances include dancing with Jean Butler in the critically acclaimed "What We Hold" show at the Irish Arts Center in New York City, and she was recently voted as one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" for 2024.

Dancer

Antonina Skobina was born in Ukraine. Since the age of seven, she has been receiving ballroom dance training in Ukraine, Germany, England, and United States. 

She is a 3-Time US National Ballroom Dance Champion, a World Championship Bronze Medalist, and a Blackpool Dance Festival winner. Together with her dance partner and husband Denys Drozdyuk, Antonina co-founded a collaborative ballroom dance duet called “DNA” – a name under which both participated on NBC’s Hit Television Show “World of Dance” for 2 Seasons, where they represented Ballroom Dance. 

Antonina is the recipient of NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Choreography, CUNY Dance Initiative Residency, and Green Box Arts Residency. 

Antonina is also a gifted Ballroom Dance teacher and evidence of her work is training US National Ballroom Dance Champions amongst children and youth. Antonina gives dance masterclasses and workshops around the world in many reputable institutions including The Juilliard School, ABT Studio Company, Manhattan Youth Ballet, and many others.

Apart from dancing, Antonina has a great passion for acting and she is a graduate of the New York Film Academy. 

Stage Manager

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. 

Production Manager

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.

Dancer

Loren Walton is from Austin, Texas.  He joined the Ballet West Academy as a trainee in 2019 and joined Ballet West II in 2020.  He was promoted to the main company in 2022.  With Ballet West, Loren has danced roles in Cranko's Onegin, Christensen’s The Nutcracker, Stevenson’s Dracula, Smuin’s Romeo + Juliet, and Robbins’ Glass Pieces, among others.