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2025 FEATURED GUEST ARTISTS
ALIAKSANDRA KRUKAVA (Sugar Plum Fairy)
Aliaksandra Krukava is a proud graduate of the Minsk Ballet Academy and further refined her artistry during a transformative 6-month internship in Manchester, UK.
As a Principal Dancer at the Minsk State Theatre of Opera and Ballet and the Russian National Ballet, Aliaksandra has captivated audiences with elegance, precision, and expressive artistry. Her repertoire features iconic roles such as Odile in Swan Lake, Kitry in Don Quixote, and Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.
With over 10 years of professional experience, Aliaksandra blends dynamic energy with classical grace, bringing each character vividly to life on stage. Her performances are a harmonious fusion of movement and musicality, creating moments that linger in the hearts of audiences worldwide.
NURLAN KINERBAYEV (Sugar Plum Cavalier)
Born in the cultural heart of Taraz, Kazakhstan, Nurlan Kinerbayev is a luminary in the world of ballet. A graduate of the Almaty Choreographic College and University Bolashak, Kyzylorda, Nurlan has built an extraordinary career performing with leading ballet companies including the Moscow City Ballet and the Russian National Ballet.
His diverse repertoire includes iconic lead roles such as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Basilio in Don Quixote, Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty, and Albert in Giselle, showcasing both his technical mastery and dramatic versatility. A laureate of International Ballet Competitions, Nurlan excels in drama, comedy, and romance, approaching each role with meticulous dedication and artistry.
Renowned for his precision, strength, and expressive performance, Nurlan continues to captivate audiences worldwide, embodying the timeless beauty and passion of classical ballet.
ANDREW MCGEE (Nutcracker Prince)
Andrew, from Greenville, North Carolina, began his training at Greenville Civic Ballet before moving to Philadelphia to study at The Rock School for Dance Education under Peter Stark, Telmo Moreira, and Magaly Suarez.
He continued at the UNC School of the Arts, performing principal roles in The Nutcracker, Firebird, and Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, as well as contemporary works including The Gardens That Were Watered for Us by Sidra Bell and Echoes by Ilya Kozadayev.
Andrew’s experience spans classical, contemporary, and neoclassical styles, reflecting his versatility and strong artistic foundation.
ANDREW LESTER (Herr Drosselmeyer)
Based in St. Paul, Andrew is an acclaimed dancer with nearly 20 years of experience in the Twin Cities dance community. He earned his BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota in 2006 and has since established himself as a versatile and dedicated artist.
Andrew was a full-time company member of James Sewell Ballet for six seasons and has been performing with Shapiro & Smith Dance for over 12 years. As a freelance artist, he has collaborated with numerous esteemed Minnesota companies, including Twin Cities Ballet of MN, Metropolitan Ballet, Continental Ballet, Eclectic Edge Ensemble, Ethnic Dance Theatre, Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater, and the Minnesota Opera.
In 2012, Andrew received a Sage Award for Outstanding Performer for his work in Shapiro & Smith’s Family and Joseph Morrissey’s One. Career highlights include performing for modern dance legend Merce Cunningham, studying under celebrated ballerina Anna-Marie Holmes, and premiering Titicut Follies: The Ballet with James Sewell Ballet in New York City and at the Festival de Danse in Cannes, France.
Andrew’s artistry continues to inspire dancers and audiences alike, reflecting a lifelong dedication to both performance and the vibrant Twin Cities dance scene.
TEVFIK BAYRAM VATANSEVER (Snow Prince)
Tevfik, born in Williamsburg, Virginia, began his dance training with the Hilton Head Dance Theatre under the direction of John and Karena Brock-Carlyle. He finalized his pre-professional training with Stanislav Issaev at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities 2013.
Vatansever performed as a guest artist internationally in classical, contemporary, and character roles while attending the University of South Carolina. His passion for dance was further honed by dance masters from American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Moscow Classical Ballet, Istanbul State Ballet and Opera, Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, among others.
Some of Tevfik's favorite roles include Rumpelstiltskin in Michael and Olga Wise's original production, performed at Charleston’s Piccolo Spoletto Festival, Kashchei the Immortal, in Charleston City Ballet's, Firebird, Peter Pan in Lazlo Berdo's original production, Peter Pan the Ballet with the Carolina Ballet Theatre, Emeralds in Balanchine's Jewels under the direction of Stacy Calvert, with the University of South Carolina.
Vatansever served as the Director of Dance for the Turkish-American Arts Society of New York. He was awarded silver YAGP Atlanta 2013, and competed in the 2014 International Istanbul Ballet Competition. He holds a BSc in Business Economics, DS in Cultural Industries, MSc International Business from Darla Moore School of Business, and MSc in International Management from Koç University.
CHRISTINA GRACE DUFFY (Snow Princess)
Christina Grace Duffy was introduced to dance at age 12, and began formal ballet training at age 16 with Classical Ballet Center of Summerville, South Carolina, under Melania Ballish Reguiero. Duffy trained and performed with Charlotte Ballet, Moscow Ballet, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, Cincinnati Ballet, BalletMet, and Oklahoma City Ballet.
From 2021–2022, she joined Roanoke Ballet Theatre under Rolando Sarabia, performing principal and soloist roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadère, Dracula, and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. She then joined Arles Youth Ballet Company (2022–2023) under Norton Fantinel and Karina Moreira, performing original works by Patrick Delcroix, Norton Fantinel, Young Soon Hue, Craig Davidson, and Kin Sun Chan.
Since 2023, Christina has performed as a guest artist in productions including Cinderella, The Ugly Duckling, Carnival of the Animals, Peter Rabbit, The Fairy Doll, Peter and the Wolf, and The Nutcracker.
She has competed internationally at the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition (2025), as the U.S. representative at the International Croatian Slavenska Prix (2024) and Ballet Grand Prix Vienna (2024), and a Top 12 placement at Youth America Grand Prix (2019), and earned a Certificate of Merit from the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum Level 6 under Franco De Vita and Raymond Lukens.
Christina has had the honor of training with renowned artists including Yoel Carreño, Adiarys Almeida, Taras Domitro, Kirk Peterson, Michael and Olga Wise, Aurélie Gaillard, Craig Davidson, Julien Guérin, Eléonore Guérineau, Juliette Rahon, and Xenia Wiest.
ALESSANDRA CARTER (Porcelain Doll, Arabian Solo, Snow/Flowers Solo)
Born in Houston, Texas, Alessandra Carter began dancing at a young age and pursued pre-professional training at the Vitacca School for Dance. At sixteen, she became a trainee at the Joffrey Academy in Chicago, performing works by Gerald Arpino and emerging choreographers such as Natasha Adorlee and Mike Tyus.
She continued her training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School’s Graduate Program, performing with the company in productions including The Nutcracker and Beauty and the Beast. Alessandra then joined the Richmond Ballet Studio Company in 2024, performing in company productions such as Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and Ma Cong’s original Pentaptych.
Alessandra has attended prestigious summer intensives at the Dutch National Ballet Academy, San Francisco Ballet School, and Boston Ballet School. She continues to perform in freelance productions while sharing her expertise as an instructor at Marianne Kelley’s School of Dance.
ALEC TRELSTAD (Rat King)
Alec Trelstad is a versatile dancer, actor, and visual artist from Minnesota. He has performed at numerous Twin Cities venues, including the Ritz Theater, The Guthrie Theater, and The Cowles Center.
This is Alec’s third year performing with Minnesota Ballet Theatre, and he is thrilled to bring his artistry to the stage once again. Alec encourages dancers of all styles to fully immerse themselves in ballet:
"It will challenge you, build confidence in your technique, and expand your musical expression."
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