Jean Paul Comelin - Mr. Comelin began his professional training as a dancer at the Paris National Conservatory of Music, and then joined the Paris Opera Ballet under the direction of Harald Lander and George Skibine. Mr. Comelin, after an invitation to perform the lead role in Vladimir Bourmeister’s ballet, Snow Maiden, joined the London Festival Ballet (now known as English National Ballet). He has worked with such dance luminaries as Anton Dolin, Frederick Ashton, David Lichine, Jack Carter, Leon Woiczikovski, Ninette de Valois, Marie Rambert, John Cranko, and Kenneth Macmilan. Mr. Comelin has been a guest artist with the Australian Ballet, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the National Ballet of Washington DC, the Pennsylvania Ballet and half a dozen regional ballet companies with such noted choreographers as George Balanchine, John Butler, Andre Eglevsky, and Anthony Tudor. He has choreographed over sixty works for companies on five continents. As Artistic Director/Producer/Teacher, Mr. Comelin built companies and schools in San Diego, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Tucson, and Phoenix while, at the same time, pursuing a successful career as a freelance choreographer. He has received several grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ford Foundation in New York City, The Flinn Foundation in Arizona, and many others including private individuals. He has worked with notable dancers such as Margo Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Natalia Makarova, to name a few. Today Mr. Comelin continues choreographing, directing, lecturing around the world, and is a consultant in the development of dance in Cyprus, Lebanon and Taiwan.
Kee-Juan Han began his dance career in his native Singapore, where he began his training at age ten with Florrie Sinclair and Goh Soo Khim. Upon graduation from the Australian Ballet School, he was invited to dance with the Sydney Dance Company, then the Goh Ballet in Canada, where he was also trained by Lin Yee Goh to teach the Vaganova method. Additionally, he danced with the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre and was a soloist with the Boston Ballet. He danced most of the principal roles in the classical repertoire, as well as the ballets by Balanchine and modern works by Jose Limon, Mark Morris, Ralph Lemon and Bebe Miller. Mr Han's international teaching experiences includes guest teaching at the Singapore Dance Theatre, Edmonton Ballet Academy, Sydney Dance Company, Ballet Austin , Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Vail International Summer of Dance festival, Milwaukee Ballet and the renowned Jackson International Ballet Summer School. He was also named the best teacher/coach at the Young America Grand Prix (Long Beach) in 2000. Mr Han previously acted as the directed the Arizona Ballet School (1993-2003) and a full time faculty in the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts (2003-2007). He is the recipient of The Excellence in Teaching Award at NCSA. He was also the co-founder of the American Ballet Competition. Currently Mr. Han is the director of the School of The Washington Ballet. Through his career Mr. Han has trained dancers who are now dancing professionally with the American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and The Washington Ballet, to name a few.
John Wey Ling began his training at the Shanghai Ballet School. In 1977, he ranked as a principal dancer for the famed Shanghai Ballet. In 1980, he and his partner Ms. Wang Qifeng went to an international ballet competition in Japan. It was the first time China received a medal in an international ballet competition. Upon defecting to the United States in 1982, he joined the American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikahil Baryshnikov. Mr. Ling has appeared as a guest artist with the National Ballet of Canada, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Dance Company, the Fort Worth City Ballet, the Dallas Ballet, and the National Ballet of Mexico. He has danced the leading roles in all the major classical ballets. In addition, Mr. Ling has not only choreographed and staged many of the classics but has also given Master Classes all over the world.
Lee-Wei Chao originally considered a career as a painter, but at age 16 decided to turn to dance and entered the High School for the Performing Arts in Taipei. He received his early ballet training from Xiao Lee who brought the Vaganova method to Taiwan. He completed his education at the National Institute for the Arts in Taipei. He was hired by Singapore Dance Theater in 1994, and in 1996 went to New York City to join the Joffrey Ballet Concert Dancers. Mr. Chao was a member of the Milwaukee Ballet Company from 1998 to 2005 after dancing with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, Singapore Dance Theater, Taipei City Ballet and Henry Yu Dance Company. He has performed works by Balanchine, Choo San Goh, Robert North, Kathryn Posin, David Parsons, Jean-Paul Comelin and Simon Dow. He has been guest choreographer and teacher for the Milwaukee Ballet School Summer program, Milwaukee Ballet II, Ballet Nouveau Colorado, Ballet Pensacola, Midland Festival Ballet, Long Beach Ballet, Lines Ballet School, San Francisco State University, National University of the Arts in Taipei and Northern California Dance Conservatory. He has choreographed for the Space Between Program at the Milwaukee Art Museum. In 2002 and 2003, Mr. Chao was commissioned for new works by the Milwaukee Ballet Company, Beyond Invisible and Edge of Silence, which premiered in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Chao is currently on the faculty of The School of the Arts in San Francisco, San Francisco Dance Center / Lines Ballet and ODC San Francisco.
Sergei Perkovskii - From Kiev, Ukraine, Sergei received his education from the Kiev Choreographic School. His professional career began with the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Ukraine where he danced in La Bayadere, Grand pas Classique and Carnival of Venice. Upon arriving in the United States, Sergei performed as soloist with the El Paso Ballet. Roles included Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and Cavalier in Cinderella. Since joining Ballet Arizona five years ago, he has performed in Balanchine’s Rubies, Agon, Duo Concertante, The Four Temperaments and Serenade, Anthony Tudor’s The Leaves are Fading, Bournonville’s Konservatoriet, Ib
Andersen’s Brandenburg Concerti, Land’s Edge by Pilobolus, and Swan Lake. Aside from his work with Ballet Arizona, Sergei teaches dance in the Valley.
Joseph Cavanaugh pursued his professional training at the Virginia School of the Arts, and later graduated with Honors from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division. He has worked with and performed for such choreographers as Jose Garant, Dwight Rhoden, and Jordan Morris. Since joining Ballet Arizona in 2001, Mr. Cavanaugh has originated featured roles in Ib Andersen's Elevations, Mosaik, 2B, and Play, and in Interplays by Vladimir Angelov. He has danced featured roles in Swan Lake, Hilarion in Giselle , Twyla Tharp's The Golden Section, Dwight Rhoden's Ave Maria, Balanchine's Agon and Serenade; and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Amoroso, Indigo Rhapsody, and Spanish Chocolate & Arabian Coffee in The Nutcracker, all by Ib Andersen. Among the many other works he has performed are Bournonville's Konservatoriet, Ib Andersen's Suenos, Coppelia, and "Danse Boheme" from Carmen; and Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Theme and Variations, and "Rubies" from Jewels. When not dancing Mr. Cavanaugh has taught at Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance, and he is a personal trainer with LA Fitness.
Ilir Shtylla's first task at performing was fold dancing at weddings and special occasions. He began taking ballet lessons at age 11 at the Jordan Misja Choreographic Ballet School of Albania. Mr. Shtylla graduated from the Baku Choreographic University of Azerbaijan. He performed principal roles in well- known ballets with Azerbaijan Opera Ballet theatre. Since moving to the United States in 1999, Mr. Shtylla has worked with many notable choreographers including Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Christopher Wheeldon, and Robert Weiss. Mr. Shtylla was a soloist with the Carolina Ballet where he danced in Who Cares?, Firebird, Coppelia, and Carmina Burana. Since joining Ballet Arizona in 2003, he originated a featured role in Ib Andersen's Go With It!, and has performed soloist roles in Paquita, Ib Andersen's Amoroso, Elevations, 2B, and The Nutcracker, and George Balanchine's Agon and Serenade. He has performed in many other ballets including Romeo and Juliet, La Sylphide, Coppelia, and George Balanchine's Prodigal Son, Divertimento No. 15, Theme and Variations, and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.
Kee-Juan Han began his dance career in his native Singapore, where he began his training at age ten with Florrie Sinclair and Goh Soo Khim. Upon graduation from the Australian Ballet School, he was invited to dance with the Sydney Dance Company, then the Goh Ballet in Canada, where he was also trained by Lin Yee Goh to teach the Vaganova method. Additionally, he danced with the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre and was a soloist with the Boston Ballet. He danced most of the principal roles in the classical repertoire, as well as the ballets by Balanchine and modern works by Jose Limon, Mark Morris, Ralph Lemon and Bebe Miller. Mr Han's international teaching experiences includes guest teaching at the Singapore Dance Theatre, Edmonton Ballet Academy, Sydney Dance Company, Ballet Austin , Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Vail International Summer of Dance festival, Milwaukee Ballet and the renowned Jackson International Ballet Summer School. He was also named the best teacher/coach at the Young America Grand Prix (Long Beach) in 2000. Mr Han previously acted as the directed the Arizona Ballet School (1993-2003) and a full time faculty in the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts (2003-2007). He is the recipient of The Excellence in Teaching Award at NCSA. He was also the co-founder of the American Ballet Competition. Currently Mr. Han is the director of the School of The Washington Ballet. Through his career Mr. Han has trained dancers who are now dancing professionally with the American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and The Washington Ballet, to name a few.
John Wey Ling began his training at the Shanghai Ballet School. In 1977, he ranked as a principal dancer for the famed Shanghai Ballet. In 1980, he and his partner Ms. Wang Qifeng went to an international ballet competition in Japan. It was the first time China received a medal in an international ballet competition. Upon defecting to the United States in 1982, he joined the American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikahil Baryshnikov. Mr. Ling has appeared as a guest artist with the National Ballet of Canada, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Dance Company, the Fort Worth City Ballet, the Dallas Ballet, and the National Ballet of Mexico. He has danced the leading roles in all the major classical ballets. In addition, Mr. Ling has not only choreographed and staged many of the classics but has also given Master Classes all over the world.
Lee-Wei Chao originally considered a career as a painter, but at age 16 decided to turn to dance and entered the High School for the Performing Arts in Taipei. He received his early ballet training from Xiao Lee who brought the Vaganova method to Taiwan. He completed his education at the National Institute for the Arts in Taipei. He was hired by Singapore Dance Theater in 1994, and in 1996 went to New York City to join the Joffrey Ballet Concert Dancers. Mr. Chao was a member of the Milwaukee Ballet Company from 1998 to 2005 after dancing with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, Singapore Dance Theater, Taipei City Ballet and Henry Yu Dance Company. He has performed works by Balanchine, Choo San Goh, Robert North, Kathryn Posin, David Parsons, Jean-Paul Comelin and Simon Dow. He has been guest choreographer and teacher for the Milwaukee Ballet School Summer program, Milwaukee Ballet II, Ballet Nouveau Colorado, Ballet Pensacola, Midland Festival Ballet, Long Beach Ballet, Lines Ballet School, San Francisco State University, National University of the Arts in Taipei and Northern California Dance Conservatory. He has choreographed for the Space Between Program at the Milwaukee Art Museum. In 2002 and 2003, Mr. Chao was commissioned for new works by the Milwaukee Ballet Company, Beyond Invisible and Edge of Silence, which premiered in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Chao is currently on the faculty of The School of the Arts in San Francisco, San Francisco Dance Center / Lines Ballet and ODC San Francisco.
Sergei Perkovskii - From Kiev, Ukraine, Sergei received his education from the Kiev Choreographic School. His professional career began with the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Ukraine where he danced in La Bayadere, Grand pas Classique and Carnival of Venice. Upon arriving in the United States, Sergei performed as soloist with the El Paso Ballet. Roles included Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and Cavalier in Cinderella. Since joining Ballet Arizona five years ago, he has performed in Balanchine’s Rubies, Agon, Duo Concertante, The Four Temperaments and Serenade, Anthony Tudor’s The Leaves are Fading, Bournonville’s Konservatoriet, Ib
Andersen’s Brandenburg Concerti, Land’s Edge by Pilobolus, and Swan Lake. Aside from his work with Ballet Arizona, Sergei teaches dance in the Valley.
Joseph Cavanaugh pursued his professional training at the Virginia School of the Arts, and later graduated with Honors from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division. He has worked with and performed for such choreographers as Jose Garant, Dwight Rhoden, and Jordan Morris. Since joining Ballet Arizona in 2001, Mr. Cavanaugh has originated featured roles in Ib Andersen's Elevations, Mosaik, 2B, and Play, and in Interplays by Vladimir Angelov. He has danced featured roles in Swan Lake, Hilarion in Giselle , Twyla Tharp's The Golden Section, Dwight Rhoden's Ave Maria, Balanchine's Agon and Serenade; and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Amoroso, Indigo Rhapsody, and Spanish Chocolate & Arabian Coffee in The Nutcracker, all by Ib Andersen. Among the many other works he has performed are Bournonville's Konservatoriet, Ib Andersen's Suenos, Coppelia, and "Danse Boheme" from Carmen; and Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Theme and Variations, and "Rubies" from Jewels. When not dancing Mr. Cavanaugh has taught at Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance, and he is a personal trainer with LA Fitness.
Ilir Shtylla's first task at performing was fold dancing at weddings and special occasions. He began taking ballet lessons at age 11 at the Jordan Misja Choreographic Ballet School of Albania. Mr. Shtylla graduated from the Baku Choreographic University of Azerbaijan. He performed principal roles in well- known ballets with Azerbaijan Opera Ballet theatre. Since moving to the United States in 1999, Mr. Shtylla has worked with many notable choreographers including Lynn Taylor-Corbett, Christopher Wheeldon, and Robert Weiss. Mr. Shtylla was a soloist with the Carolina Ballet where he danced in Who Cares?, Firebird, Coppelia, and Carmina Burana. Since joining Ballet Arizona in 2003, he originated a featured role in Ib Andersen's Go With It!, and has performed soloist roles in Paquita, Ib Andersen's Amoroso, Elevations, 2B, and The Nutcracker, and George Balanchine's Agon and Serenade. He has performed in many other ballets including Romeo and Juliet, La Sylphide, Coppelia, and George Balanchine's Prodigal Son, Divertimento No. 15, Theme and Variations, and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.